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    • Nov 7, 2017
    • 3 min read

Ditching the Added Sugars



Part of my work is guiding clients with new ways to nourish their bodies. Often I see clients who need to go on an "elimination diet."  Sometimes healthcare providers prescribe these elimination diets or clients decide to try an elimination diet on their own to figure out if foods are one culprit as to why they are feeling bad and/or gaining weight.


Wikipedia’s definition “An elimination diet is a method of identifying foods that an individual cannot consume without adverse effects”.


In all of the elimination diets that I have worked with, there is ONE common denominator – SUGAR. I have worked with clients on many different elimination diets such as Functional Medicine, Candida, Whole 30, Paleo, and other medical variations.  Every one of these diets eliminates sugar. There is a reason for that.

What are some reasons someone needs to go on an elimination diet?

  1. Chronic Illnesses

  2. Sensitivities/Allergies

  3. Inflammatory Diseases

  4. Weight Gain

  5. Depression/Anxiety

  6. Discovering the Root Cause of Your Illness

  7. What Foods are Best for your Health

A little over a month ago, my husband and some of my clients decided to try Whole 30. It is all the “buzz.” I knew little about the program so I did more research and decided to do this with my husband as a way to expand my knowledge and recipes. Because of my own health journey, I had an understanding of what foods are good and not good for me but this research took my understanding to the next level with SUGAR.


Whole 30 is very similar to the other elimination diets I work on within my practice. It gave me further confirmation that our culture is addicted to SUGAR and we don’t have an understanding about what and how much SUGAR is in our food. To be fair, there has been a shift in our thinking about SUGAR and more and more people are seeking “The Bitter Truth about SUGAR”.


What I discovered about addiction: SUGAR is a drug. It is the why behind the reasons we are consuming sugar. The addiction is both physical and emotional.


Some great examples of the why’s:

Desserts – Are you eating a pint of ice cream because you just had an argument with your husband and you are feeling bad? Do you go into the kitchen and grab some candy because you’re bored? Or do you make your grandma’s recipe for homemade apple pie with apples you just got locally at the Farmers Market and sit down and enjoy a piece with really nice childhood memories?

Alcohol (which is also sugar) – Why are we drinking a few glasses a wine?  Is it because you have anxiety in social situations and it makes you feel more at ease and comfortable? Is it because you have had a really stressful day and come home and need a couple of glasses of wine to unwind? OR are you with a friend on a porch enjoying a glass of really good wine and conversation?

Artificial Sweeteners – Are you consuming food with artificial sweeteners because you think they are healthier? This is a false assumption. Diet coke is NOT better than coke. Sweetener on top of my strawberries is NOT better than putting white sugar on top of it. We should NOT have any soda and strawberries should taste amazing on their own. Sweeteners are hundreds of times sweeter to taste than sugar and we get used to that.


Bitter Truths About Sugar

Discover these truths in an upcoming Kitchen Therapy Module. 


Learn more about how sugar affects your health and wellbeing.  2B Well Integrative Nutrition Counselor, Brandy Hickman, CHHC, will dispel the rumors and provide accurate, relevant information that you can put to use immediately and begin to feel better.

  1. How much sugar are you consuming?

  2. How does sugar impact physical and emotional health?

  3. What is the effect on your blood sugar?

  4. Are you addicted to sugar?

  5. What are artificial sweeteners?

  6. What are natural sugars?

  7. What are healthy alternatives to sugar?


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