Feeling a little sugar-hungover there?
If you are anything like us, you spent the best part of the weekend scoffing all the stuff that you know you shouldn’t be scoffing.
Don’t worry, we all did it.
But now we are all feeling the guilt – and the effects of all that sugar (headaches, anyone?).
The good news is that getting back on track after a one-day binge isn’t too hard to do, according to registered dietitian Keri Glassman, who recently spoke to MyDomaine.com about how to get your health back on track in a few easy steps.
“When you eat too much sugar, your body releases insulin, a hormone that works to remove sugar from the blood, in order to stabilize blood sugar levels,” Glassman explains. “Your body experiences a surge of feel-good hormones known as dopamine, and you experience a high similar to using some drugs.”
Because your blood sugar levels drop quickly, you often end up feeling seriously lethargic and sluggish after a sugar binge, which can make you want to reach for something sugary to get your energy back up again – and you see how this quickly can become a vicious circle.
However, to get back on track and minimize the sugar crash, here is your sugar-detox recovery plan:
1. Eat a good breakfast
Don’t skip breakfast, thinking you need to save calories after a sugar binge. This is a mistake, as it made lead to craving something sweet later on when you start feeling tired.
“Aim for a low-sugar breakfast with protein and healthy fats,” suggests Glassman. “Try boiled eggs with sliced avocados.”
2. Have a spoonful of peanut butter
Snacking smart might be another key to beating the sugar slump. “A spoonful of peanut butter or handful of nuts gives you fat and protein to slow digestion,” professor of nutrition, Jennifer Powell Weddig, explains to Reader’s Digest. “Or try hummus with vegetables, which have fiber that helps slow the absorption of simple sugars.”
3. Drink tea with lemon
Hydration is key when trying to get back on track after a sugar binge. As well as this, green tea and lemon are both diuretics, which means they’ll make you need the bathroom more often. “You’re not directly eliminating the sugar, but you are forcing your blood to pump through your kidneys faster, says nutritionist Amanda Bontempo to Reader’s Digest.
