Cutting all the added sugar out of your diet is much better for your health, but while your body adjusts to your new diet, you can experience some unpleasant sugar detox side effects. They may include headaches, body aches, nausea, and of course cravings for anything sweet. The key is not to give in and have a piece of candy. Instead, try these three tips to help you make it through the relatively short detox period.
Drink Lots of Water
First and foremost make sure you drink plenty of water. Not only will staying hydrated help alleviate many of the detox symptoms I mentioned, but it will also keep you full. Feel a headache coming on? Get a glass of water. Want a cookie or donut? Get a glass of water. One of my favorite strategies when I don’t think I can make it without another sweet treat or when the plate of danishes in the breakroom is calling my name is to pour myself a big glass of water, drink it slowly, and then make myself wait 15 minutes. By then the craving has usually passed, or at the very least, I’m so full of water that I can pass on the sugary stuff.
Take Good Multi-Vitamins
Vitamin C, B vitamins, and Zinc are all known to help with cravings. Taking a good multivitamin may be just the thing to help reduce detox side effects and make it through the few not so pleasant days of getting used to consuming a lot less sugar. In addition, you can talk to your medical care provider about supplementing with a few of these micronutrients in higher doses. Don’t do this without medical supervision or the advice of your doctor though.
Keep Yourself Busy
Last but not least, I need you to realize that a lot of the cravings and not feeling well is in your head. The more you focus on the negative side effects of detoxing from sugar, the worse they will get. The best way to avoid this is to stay busy. While I don’t recommend doing a sugar detox when you’re at work, particularly during a busy or stressful time, staying busy is a good idea. Make some plans to head out with friends, go for a walk, reorganize your closet, or just settle in for a Netflix marathon. What you do doesn’t matter as long as you stay busy and keep your mind off the sugar detox symptoms.