What is a Sugar Cleanse and Do I Need It?

[Carol Ebert]

The Dictionary defines cleanse this way ...

... to rid of impurities; to remove toxins from the body. Body cleanses have been around for centuries. From the Egyptians to the Romans, people have always tried to rid their bodies of toxin build up. And today we live in a toxic soup from exposures to toxic cleaning products, toxic fabrics that touch our bodies all day long and even at night, toxic mattresses, toxic air, toxic "new car smells" (yes that is called off-gassing from chemicals used). And then there are all the toxins on food we eat, whether fresh or packaged.

But what does that have to do with doing a sugar cleanse?

Did you know that sugar is toxic to the body? Maybe it wouldn't be if we ate less of it, but presently we consume on average, 200# of sugar per person per year. Our ancestors consumed about 22 teaspoons per year which was fine for the body to deal with, but today we are overloaded with it to the point that our bodies respond to as a toxic substance. And therefore sets us up for "inflammation" which is now the root cause of nearly all chronic disease.

So how did we get so overloaded with sugar?

Back in the 60's the sugar industry was studying the effects of sugar on the body and noticed a link with heart disease, so of course stopped the study and pivoted over to high cholesterol and high fat being the culprit.

Because of this most major health organizations got on board promoting low fat diets including the healthcare system. And to help out the cause, the food industry then created a myriad of low-fat food options, which coincidently were also high carb which translates into high sugar once it breaks down in the body. So we started a grand experiment of the worst diet for health (high carb, low fat) which has led to skyrocketing rates of obesity, Diabetes, and many other chronic diseases, which we know today are related to inflammation.

So back to sugar as the culprit

We now recognize the link between sugar and heart disease but also to cancer as well. Here is one journal article about this. And yet another.

This is serious! And it is not getting any better since the food industry has upped their game with more sugary snacks on the market that are even bigger than ever. You see it every day - giant sized candy bars, giant muffins, giant bagels, giant bags of chips, etc. In addition if you are a label reader of food packages, you will see sugar has been added to 75% of all packaged foods. A very subtle way to get us to like the taste of a product and so we want more and more.

Yes, most of us are addicted to sugar and can't seem to stop. Why can't you stop eating sugar easily? Because it is 8 times more addicting than cocaine. It actually "hits" the brain at the same location as drugs which causes the release of "feel good" hormones and of course the addiction cycle continues.

So what is a person to do?

It is not easy to just stop or just cut back because of the addictive property of sugar overload. That is where a sugar cleanse becomes useful. It is a process that allows your body to release the hold that sugar has on you by bringing your blood sugar back into control which in turn stops those incessant "carb cravings". It changes your chemistry and gives you back the control you need to resist sugar and appreciate the taste of whole natural foods. And they taste really good once you re-educate your palate.

Here's what a quality sugar cleanse can do for you

• reduces the load of toxins going into your body
• helps speed the process of removing toxins from your body using cleansing foods. removes most inflammatory foods and helps you identify foods that you don't tolerate
• helps heal your gut which is one of the greatest locations for inflammation in the body.
• gives you tools that you can use in your everyday life after the cleanse.
• supplies optimal foods that fuel your body.
• supplies pharmaceutical grade micro-nutrients to combat free-radical buildup
• gives you support and holds you accountable.

What I find interesting is that the healthcare system probably won't recommend this strategy for clearing your body from sugar addiction, probably because it doesn't require using any drugs. So if sugar is an issue for you, why not give a sugar cleanse a try. Of course, beware of any sugar cleanse that is loaded with sugar! So read the labels and make an informed choice, and then go for it. How might this help you with your New Year's Resolutions?

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

how does reduced total peripheral resistance cause high cardiac output?

Unless this is directed at the OP, you might want to start your own thread to ask your question. You'll more likely get more views and answers on your own thread. Best of luck

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I really wish you would directly address the specific concerns people have verbalized regarding your article rather than continue to offer meaningless double-talk that only further reduces your credibility.

Let me distill it down for you:

1. What specific "toxins" are you speaking of?

2. What "toxin residue" are you speaking of?

3. What do you mean by "cleanse"?

When you write an article the onus is on you to include the credible research that supports your premise not the reader.

I could not agree more. I think it's pretty inconsiderate to post an article with vague references to a proposed solution, then refuse after numerous queries to elaborate/clarify, then put the onus on the reader to do the research required to figure it out or find credible rationales for the intervention. You've got some nerve, OP.

[WestCoastSunRN, MSN, CNS]

Carol,

I appreciate your bringing up the topic of sugar as a toxic substance to our bodies. As evidenced by some of the literature cited throughout this thread and in other peer reviewed studies, the healthcare industry is starting to take a serious look at sugar consumption as a player in disease process.

I think a break down in communication is occurring, though, in your use of the word "toxins". Are you referring to inflammatory mediators?

Are you advocating for a certain kind of dietary supplement to be used to help restore blood glucose levels?

By "cleanse" do you mean following what we already know are healthy habits, but many of us are too lazy to do consistently? (This is often me) Or is it something else? I have to agree with others that your article was unclear on this.

I am not sure what to make of "pharmaceutical grade micro-nutrients".... do you mean vitamins?

I will also say that I do think it is a shame modern healthcare has become too much a pill-for-every-ill industry. Sadly even the "natural" healthcare industry is now following this trend (which could be by your article is getting some pushback -- if that is what you are advocating).

I am hopeful, though, that we (scientists and healthcare providers) are realizing the past foolishness of eschewing the prescription of basic healthful practices to ourselves and our patients. While a healthy lifestyle is no guarantee against all disease/illness, we know for sure it is needed to combat obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease, for instance.

Toxicity is a thing, for sure. It occurs for lots of different reasons and it can refer to various processes. Defining terms in an article such as this one is important to avoid confusion.

[macawake, MSN]

If this is research-based, please provide your operational definition for "toxin," what the parameters of your sugar cleanse are, and what each "toxin" level was before and after the sugar cleanse.

+1000

This sums up the questions I have.

OP, I think it's necessary that you describe/define exactly what the toxins you mention are. You also need to explain what you mean by "sugar cleanse". If it's some sort of treatment/intervention, you need to describe it in detail. And of course you also need to show how the levels of "toxins" (that need to be named outright, not referred to in vague terms) in the human body were measured pre and post intervention and their actual numerical values. How else can you with any credibility claim that the "sugar cleanse" actually works? Were there any weaknesses in this so far unreferenced study/studies? Come to think of it; what was the study design? Were there any confounding factors? Etc. etc. etc.

What a great discussion with varying viewpoints. It reminds me that we all have the ability to research this topic for ourselves and find the best way to deal with the toxic overload of sugar in our lives.

I'm sorry, but this doesn't really feel like a discussion. I see an OP making several claims and I see many requests from many posters for clarification regarding these claims. Can you please clarify?

And today we live in a toxic soup from exposures to toxic cleaning products, toxic fabrics that touch our bodies all day long and even at night, toxic mattresses, toxic air, toxic "new car smells" (yes that is called off-gassing from chemicals used). And then there are all the toxins on food we eat, whether fresh or packaged.

A sugar cleanse fixes all this? How? Through which mechanism of action?

But what does that have to do with doing a sugar cleanse?

That's what I'm asking myself. I'm still very confused regarding that, even after reading your OP twice.

Did you know that sugar is toxic to the body?

So is water. (It's a matter of dose).

And therefore sets us up for "inflammation" which is now the root cause of nearly all chronic disease.

Why is inflammation in quotation marks? Do you have peer-reviewed studies that show that inflammation is the cause of almost all (what's nearly all? 80%? 90%? 99.6%?) chronic disease?

Why can't you stop eating sugar easily? Because it is 8 times more addicting than cocaine. It actually "hits" the brain at the same location as drugs which causes the release of "feel good" hormones and of course the addiction cycle continues.

How does one measure exactly how addicting cocaine is? How has it been determined that sugar is exactly 8 times more addicting than cocaine (as opposed to 7 times or 9 times?)? Has this been studied somehow?

We're healthcare professionals. "Feel good" hormones? What are they? We're talking neurochemicals here, right? Dopamine? Endorphins? GABA? Oxytocin? Serotonin? Endocannabinoids?? I'm sorry if I come off as pesky, but I feel like I'm being talked to like a five-year-old with zero medical knowledge when you write "feel good" hormones instead of specifying which ones you mean. Almost everything in the post is in my opinion quite vague. To me that gives the impression of woo, rather than science.

So if sugar is an issue for you, why not give a sugar cleanse a try. Of course, beware of any sugar cleanse that is loaded with sugar! So read the labels and make an informed choice, and then go for it.

Okay. Sugar isn't really an issue for me, but if it were and I wanted to do something about it and wanted to take your advice, what am I to make of this? You seem to be referring to some sort of product? It seems I'm supposed to read the label on something? Are sugar cleanses something you drink? Eat? Or is it one of those weird (sometimes dangerous) alternative things that's supposed to be administered via an alternative bodily orifice? (ahem...)

It's late in the evening over here in viking land. Time for a shower and a good night's sleep on my toxic mattress

[brownbook]

Any how.....I think you need to define sugar! Sugar is the generic term for soluble carbohydrates. Simple sugars, monosaccharides, including glucose also known as dextrose, fructose, and galactose. Table sugar or granulated sugar is sucrose a disaccharide which is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose.

Complex carbohydrates are made up of sugar molecules that are strung together in long complex chains. Complex carbohydrates are found in peas, beans, whole grains, and vegetables. Both simple and complex carbohydrates are turned to glucose (blood sugar) in the body.

And OMG I am already confused...I just copied that from Wiki. And anyhow vegetables have sugar. Should I stop eating my vegies, to say nothing of fresh fruit???????

I'm going back to my diet soda and Snickers diet!

[Emergent, RN]

There's no doubt that we all need to cut back on refined sugars. They are a big part of the reason behind the rise in chronic diseases of over consumption.

We can accomplish this by cooking our own food, quitting the soda pop habit, reducing alcohol intake, avoiding cheap sweets.

The problem with a "sugar cleanse", it's not a moderate approach. How about a more practical one, such as eating a balanced diet and learning to cook?

[SpEdtacular, MSN, RN, EMT-P]

The one thing I have discovered about metabolism and nutrition/food science is that we know almost nothing. Increasing your intake of foods like fruits and vegetables, practicing moderation, and avoiding highly processed foods is probably a good rule of thumb, but science doesn't really understand why people react differently to the same foods. Why can some people eat a lot and stay skinny? The amount of calories in food is basically based on how it burns (like literally burns) but the last time I checked my tum tum wasn't a furnace, so does the way we count calories even make sense? Then there's the whole microbiome factor...

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I tend to put these "cleanse" diets in the pseudoscience category.

[OneRN2]

Thanks for your comment.

[OneRN2]

Appreciate your feedback.

[Carol Ebert, MSN, RN]

The only toxin I was focusing on was an overabundance of sugar. Sorry if that led to confusion.

[Carol Ebert, MSN, RN]

The emerging field of Nutrigenomics holds alot of promise to get those answers.

Nutrigenomics: Definitions and Advances of This New Science