18
After the Detox
I feel like my body has just come out of the dentist office after a cleaning. You know that feeling of never wanting to eat or drink anything to disturb that sense of CLEAN? Well, the clean is now on the whole inside, and I don’t want to lose this feeling! The meals were and will be a special gift that I will be giving myself, hopefully every day of my life. Actually, now there is no choice. Even my dog is trimming down from eating healthy treats!
—ANGELA PEZZA
Congratulations! You have completed what I hope are the first ten days of an entirely new way of living—an introduction to a much higher level of wellness and sense of control over your food choices. This program is really my sneaky way of getting you to see for yourself how little is truly separating you from health and happiness. It’s really not complicated! Your body is a biological organism, and you only have to understand its basic operation to get it to function optimally. You now have the experiential knowledge of how to create health and lose weight safely and easily, and that kind of wisdom is priceless.
So what now?
This program has given you a small taste of what is possible, and now it’s up to you to decide the path you want to follow to take your health and weight loss to even greater levels. In this chapter, I’m going to give you three different transitional paths you can choose from: the Super Advanced Plan, the Advanced Plan, and the Basic Plan. Each of these is designed for specific goals, but all are guaranteed to keep the success going. After that, I’ll give you the Blood Sugar Solution for Life, your template for staying slim and healthy forever.
But first, before you head into your transition, it’s good to do a little mental debriefing and take some final tests and measurements. This will help you to preserve what’s fresh in your mind about your experience, as well as to see the full scope of your results.
YOUR PERSONAL “EXIT INTERVIEW”
Right now, you are in a great, clear space in both mind and body. I want you to capture that clarity in writing as a reminder of what’s possible, and what you—and your body—are capable of. I encourage you not to skip over this valuable step. You have gained a wealth of insight and knowledge through your ten-day experience. Now’s the time to commit your key takeaways to paper so you can come back to them whenever you need fresh inspiration and motivation.
Open to a blank page in your Detox Journal and clear some time to write your answers to the following questions:
What have I learned about my body over the past ten days?
What did I notice or discover about my relationship to food?
What did I notice about my energy levels?
What did I notice about how my sleep (amount and quality) affected me the following day?
How did I effectively handle difficult or challenging moments?
Which practices did I enjoy the most, and why?
Which practices do I want to continue, and how will I implement that?
What benefits did I get from the community support?
What do I want for myself going forward?
That final question is all about looking ahead. With a vision of your chosen future and goals clearly in mind, you can decide which of the following transition plans is right for you.
RETAKE THE TOXICITY QUESTIONNAIRE
Now that you are at the end of your ten days, I encourage you to go back and complete the “after” section in the Toxicity Questionnaire here. I think you’re going to be amazed by the changes! During the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox trial program, one of the most extraordinary outcomes was seeing participants’ average toxicity score go down by 42 points (62 percent). That is the power of food, and the power of the body to recover and heal.
WHAT IF YOU DIDN’T LOSE WEIGHT OR FEEL BETTER?
There are a few people (a very small minority) who, despite having done their best to follow this program, may still not feel that much better or lose that much weight. This is a clue that there is something else going on. Don’t be discouraged—there is a solution! These are findable, fixable problems if you know where to look.
If you completed the 10-Day Detox and did not get the results you were hoping for, one of the following five reasons might apply:
1. Problems with diet. Did sugar or gluten sneak its way into your food products? Your success can easily be sabotaged by hidden sources. Check your labels carefully—or better yet, eat only fresh foods without labels.
2. Inadequate or inefficient exercise. If you have never exercised, a little exercise can create large benefits at first. However, as you progress and get healthier, you need higher-intensity workouts to achieve the same benefits. As you get into shape, increase your exercise and intensity and add in interval training (see here for more on this).
3. Hidden food sensitivities. Some people have food allergies or sensitivities (besides gluten or dairy) that can prevent weight loss. This calls for a more comprehensive elimination diet. In my book The UltraSimple Diet you can find a powerful, healing anti-inflammatory elimination program to help you identify the degree to which food sensitivities or allergies may be driving the inflammation. Other common allergens include eggs, corn, soy, nuts, nightshades (the tomato, potato, eggplant, and pepper family), yeast, and citrus foods. You may also need food-sensitivity testing, which you can learn more about in my free online guide, How to Work with Your Doctor to Get What You Need, at www.10daydetox.com/resources.
4. Toxic overload. Accumulation of toxins from substances such as petrochemicals and heavy metals can cause problems in many people who are overexposed to them or who have genetic predispositions that make it difficult to detoxify these chemicals. If this is a problem for you, you might need heavy-metal detoxification protocols, saunas, and various detoxifying supplements, including n-acetyl-cysteine, milk thistle, and vitamin C. For more information, please see Chapter 24 of The Blood Sugar Solution. (Note: Heavy-metal detoxification is a medical procedure that requires the guidance of an experienced functional medicine doctor. See How to Work with Your Doctor to Get What You Need at www.10daydetox.com/resources for more information on finding the right doctor for testing and detoxing for heavy metals.)
5. Systemic imbalances. In functional medicine, we see the body as a system. The root causes of disease trigger imbalances in the body that lead to dysfunction. Many things can go wrong that affect your health. Here are the main triggers that interact with your genes to cause most disease: toxins, allergens, microbes, stress, and poor diet. These can cause nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances (including thyroid and adrenal and sex-hormone problems), imbalances in your gut flora or microbiome, immune imbalances, inflammation from hidden infections, problems with energy metabolism, and more. These imbalances often require attention from a well-trained functional medicine doctor (read below for more on how to find one).
Unfortunately, most doctors today are not trained to find toxic overload or systemic imbalances, or to treat them effectively. My guide How to Work with Your Doctor to Get What You Need outlines how to identify all these problems and more, what tests to have, and what treatments are available; it even gives you a template for a letter explaining to your doctor why he or she should help you be a detective. You are welcome to come see one of the doctors at my clinic in Massachusetts, the UltraWellness Center, or find a functional medicine doctor close to you by going to www.functionalmedicine.org and entering your zip code in the “find a practitioner” section.
Please keep in mind that not all the health professionals in the database are equally skilled or trained, so you’ll want to make some additional inquiries before selecting a practitioner. Ask the candidates you are considering if they have gone through the Functional Medicine Certification Program, which represents a higher level of training.
Thankfully, there is a road to health for almost everyone, given the right guidance and support. Sometimes it takes a bit of detective work, with hidden clues that need sorting out. If you work with a well-trained functional medicine practitioner, you can reclaim your health.
RECHECK YOUR LAB TESTS
If you did basic lab tests before beginning the 10-Day Detox, I encourage you to repeat the same tests six weeks from the day you started the detox. If you stick with one of the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet transition plans, you will be amazed by the changes. Some may see drops of fifty or more points in their blood sugar or cholesterol after just ten days, but after one month, you will be shocked by the even more dramatic changes. Seeing these numbers change will go a long way in reinforcing your commitment to yourself.
YOUR CONTINUING JOURNEY
Whichever transition plan you choose, it is my hope that you will continue with some of the practices you have adopted over these past ten days. It’s not magic that made your cravings disappear, your energy skyrocket, your skin clear up, your digestion improve, your joints and muscles stop hurting, your headaches go away, or your brain fog clear up. It is no accident that you look and feel as fabulous as you do. You made this happen!
The eating plans, UltraDetox Baths, breathing exercises, results tracking, journaling, daily exercise, community support, conscious design of your “health bubble” … these are all powerful ways to keep your body and mind steered in the direction of health and sustainable weight loss. You’ve regained control of your body and your life, and there’s no going back!
THE SUPER ADVANCED PLAN
The Super Advanced Plan is the same plan you followed during the 10-Day Detox. When I launched the trial of the 10-Day Detox, I challenged the participants to continue for an additional ninety days so they could reach even higher levels of health and weight loss. Many of them were up for the challenge, and after the first six weeks the results continued to amaze both them and me:
Participants experienced an average weight loss of 8.1 pounds in the first ten days and an average loss of 14 pounds over the following six weeks (some people reached their healthiest weight and didn’t need to lose any more, thus they didn’t, while others lost a lot more than 14 pounds).
Their waist size went down by an average of 1.7 inches in the first ten days, and 3.2 inches over six weeks.
Their hip size went down 1.5 inches in the first ten days and 2.7 inches over six weeks.
The average blood pressure dropped ten points after six weeks.
The average blood sugar dropped about eighteen points after six weeks.
Follow the Super Advanced Plan if you:
Want to lose twenty-five pounds or more.
Have diabetes and want to reverse it.
Are on diabetes medication or insulin and want to get off it.
Have high triglycerides and low HDL (good cholesterol) and want to get off statin medication.
Have high blood pressure and want to get off medication.
Just feel so great and want to keep going to experience greater levels of wellness.
Here is the protocol for the Super Advanced Plan:
Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7, “Your Daily Practices.”
Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners.
Continue to avoid all processed foods.
Avoid grains, starchy vegetables (like potatoes), beans, and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake).
Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice).
Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks.
Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein with each meal (eggs, chicken, fish, lean animal protein, nuts and seeds).
Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g., ¼ avocado, or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal.
Continue with your daily practices: thirty minutes of exercise, supplements, Take-Five Breathing Break, UltraDetox Bath, journaling, tracking results, hydration, and seven to eight hours sleep every night.
Continue to take the same supplements that you have been taking during the 10-Day Detox. Additionally, you’ll need to add a few more nutrients and herbs to further stabilize your blood sugar balance and improve insulin sensitivity. These herbs are often available as combinations. I’ve listed the dosages below, or you can order the 10-Day Detox Step-Up Pack, which includes all of these, at www.10daydetox.com/resources (or you can order both the 10-Day Detox Supplement Pack and the 10-Day Detox Step-Up Pack combined in one package; this is called the 10-Day Detox Combo Pack).
600 milligrams alpha lipoic acid twice a day
1,000 milligrams fenugreek seed with each meal
150 milligrams bitter melon with each meal
100 milligrams gymnema leaf with each meal
540 milligrams acacia bark extract (iso-alpha acids) once daily
You can continue to use your favorite recipes from The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, and you might want to try some new ones from The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook. Just be sure to avoid any recipes that contain beans, grains, or starchy vegetables while on the Super Advanced Plan.
THE ADVANCED PLAN
The Advanced Plan is similar to the Super Advanced Plan, except you can now add in legumes (beans and lentils). This is the same Advanced Plan I outlined in my book The Blood Sugar Solution.
Follow this plan if you:
Want to continue to get the benefits of the 10-Day Detox and add beans back to your diet to see how you respond to them (some people with diabesity can’t tolerate beans because they contain enough starch to spike blood sugar as well as lectins that create inflammation and weight gain).
Have advanced diabesity (based on the comprehensive diabesity questionnaire that you can find in The Blood Sugar Solution or at www.10daydetox.com/resources). You can also learn more about diabesity and how to stay healthy in the long term by reading The Blood Sugar Solution.
Here is the protocol for the Advanced Plan:
Follow the same daily guidelines as laid out in Chapter 7, “Your Daily Practices.”
Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free), dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners.
Continue to avoid processed foods.
Avoid grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit (other than ½ cup of berries or kiwi in your morning shake).
Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice).
Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks.
Include 4 to 6 ounces of protein (eggs, fish, chicken, lean animal protein) or ½ cup beans or legumes per meal (see next page for more on beans).
Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g., ¼ avocado or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with every meal.
Continue with your daily practices: thirty minutes of exercise, supplements (the same ones as on the 10-Day Detox), Take-Five Breathing Break, UltraDetox Bath, journaling, tracking results, hydration, and seven to eight hours sleep.
Use your favorite recipes from the 10-Day Detox or experiment with some new ones from the “Advanced Plan” section of The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook.
Continue to take the same supplements that you have been taking during the 10-Day Detox. Additionally, you’ll need to add a few more nutrients and herbs to further stabilize your blood sugar balance and improve insulin sensitivity. These herbs are often available together as combinations. I’ve listed the dosages below, or you can order the 10-Day Detox Step-Up Pack, which includes all of these, at www.10daydetox.com/resources (or you can order both the 10-Day Detox Supplement Pack and the 10-Day Detox Step-Up Pack combined in one package; this is called the 10-Day Detox Combo Pack).
600 milligrams alpha lipoic acid twice a day
1,000 milligrams fenugreek seed with each meal
150 milligrams bitter melon with each meal
100 milligrams gymnema leaf with each meal
540 milligrams acacia bark extract (iso-alpha acids) once daily
THE BASIC PLAN
The Basic Plan transitions you into nongluten grains, low-glycemic fruit, and a small amount of starchy vegetables. This plan is the same as the Basic Plan outlined in The Blood Sugar Solution and is ideal to keep your healing and weight loss going long-term.
Follow the Basic Plan if:
You have normal blood sugars and blood pressure but still want to continue with weight loss or still have belly fat.
You have any health conditions, inflammation, or generally don’t feel fabulous.
You don’t have a history of heart disease or diabetes.
Your lab tests show you are a “skinny fat” person with high triglycerides, low HDL, small LDL particles, high blood sugar and insulin.
Here is the protocol for the Basic Plan:
Continue to eliminate all gluten and flour-based products (including gluten-free goods), plus dairy, and all forms of sugar and sweeteners.
Avoid inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee, alcohol, soda, and juice).
Continue to avoid processed foods.
Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals and snacks.
Include 4 to 6 ounces of lean protein in each meal.
Include gluten-free grains (such as quinoa, black rice, and buckwheat) in their whole-kernel form. Ideally, stick with just one serving per day, but you can occasionally have up to two (see box below for portion sizes). Avoid processed grains or any flour products!
Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, ideally just one serving per day, but you can have up to two (see box below for portion sizes).
Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (see box below for portion sizes).
Include beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (see box below for portion sizes).
Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g., ¼ avocado or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with each meal.
Continue with your daily practices: thirty minutes of physical exercise, Take-Five Breathing Breaks, UltraDetox Bath, journaling, tracking results, hydration, and seven to eight hours sleep.
Continue with the 10-Day Detox Basic Supplement Pack, outlined here.
Use your favorite recipes from the 10-Day Detox or experiment with some new ones from the “Basic Plan” section of The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook.
Portion Sizes for One Serving
Fruit: 1 medium piece, ½ cup berries, ½ cup mixed fresh fruit, ¼ cup dried fruit (avoid, high in sugar)
Starchy vegetables: 1 cup winter squash, ½ sweet potato
Protein: 4 to 6 ounces
Whole grains: ⅓ cup cooked
Beans: ⅓ cup cooked or canned
Nuts or seeds: ¼ cup or one small handful
THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION PLAN FOR LIFE
The final transition option is the one I recommend choosing after you have cycled through a six-week period or more on any of the above three plans. The Blood Sugar Solution Plan for Life follows the same protocol as the Basic Plan, but it reintroduces gluten and dairy (for those who can tolerate them), as well as the occasional treat. This is indeed a plan meant for life; it proves that health and weight management are easy, doable, and most of all, enjoyable.
Here is the protocol for the Blood Sugar Solution Plan for Life:
Stay away from liquid sugar calories such as soda or juices, unless you are making fresh-squeezed green vegetable juices, which are fabulous.
Continue to eliminate all artificial sweeteners.
Minimize all forms of sugar, but especially avoid foods with added sugars. You can always add a little bit of sugar, maple syrup, or honey to the food you cook yourself. That way you know exactly how much you are getting. Note that you should watch to see if any sweetener (sugar, maple syrup, honey, etc.) triggers an addictive pattern of eating. If so, like some alcoholics or addicts, you may have zero tolerance; I’d encourage you to stay away from any type of sugar or sweetener and get your “sugar” exclusively from whole fresh fruit.
Minimize inflammatory beverages (regular and decaf coffee and alcohol). One cup of coffee and one glass of wine or alcohol three to four times a week can eventually be well tolerated by most people. Just pay attention and notice how they make you feel.
Continue to avoid processed foods.
Include as many nonstarchy vegetables as you want in all meals or snacks. Get in the habit of filling 50 to 75 percent of your plate with nonstarchy veggies (see box here for a full list of unlimited nonstarchy vegetables).
Include 4 to 6 ounces of lean protein in each meal.
Include gluten-free grains in their whole-kernel form: quinoa; black, brown, or red rice; buckwheat; 1 to 2 servings per day (see here for portion sizes).
Avoid all processed grains or flours (with the exception of the pasta you will use to test gluten according to the instructions here).
Include nutrient-dense starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes and winter squash, up to 2 servings per day (see here for portion sizes).
Include low-glycemic fruit such as apples, pears, berries, or pomegranate, 1 to 2 servings per day (see here for portion sizes).
Include a moderate amount of beans and legumes, 1 to 2 servings per day (see here for portion sizes).
Have one serving of a healthy fat (e.g., ¼ avocado or 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil, or sesame oil, extra virgin coconut butter, or nut or seed butter such as almond or cashew) with each meal.
Continue with your daily practices: thirty minutes of physical exercise, Take-Five Breathing Breaks, UltraDetox Bath, journaling, tracking results, hydration, and seven to eight hours sleep.
Continue with the 10-Day Detox Basic Supplement Pack, outlined here.
Use your favorite recipes from the 10-Day Detox or experiment with some new ones from the “Basic Plan” section of The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook.
Reintroduce gluten and dairy by following the steps detailed below.
Note: If you are trying to get healthier, lose more weight, or get better control of your blood sugar, stick to one serving (not two) of the beans, grains, or starchy vegetables.
How do I manage when I go out to restaurants?
Eating out should be fun and enjoyable. Choose restaurants in your area that serve real food and that can support your needs and accommodate your requests. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want (whatever it takes to protect your personal “health bubble”). I do it all the time, and so can you! Most good restaurants will take requests to serve simple foods. After all, if you had a life-threatening peanut allergy or shellfish allergy, they wouldn’t cook your food in peanut oil or serve you shrimp.
Here are some of my favorite tips for dining out and staying healthy:
Be selective. Choose the restaurant, if possible, when dining with others.
Be obnoxious! Be clear about your needs and do not accept any food that does not nourish or support you. Do not assume you are being impolite; you are simply taking care of yourself.
Tell the server you do not want bread on the table, nor the alcoholic beverage menu. But do ask for raw cut-up veggies without dip.
Ask for water. Drink one or two glasses before your meal to reduce your appetite.
Tell the server you will die if you have gluten or dairy. It’s not really a lie—you’re just talking about a slow death.
Ask for simple food preparation. Order grilled fish with a plate of steamed vegetables drizzled with olive oil and lemon. Always ask for extra virgin olive oil and lemon in lieu of dressing.
Skip the starches. Ask for double vegetables. Or order an extra side or two of veggies.
Avoid sauces, dressings, and dips. They are usually laden with hidden sugars, unhealthy oils, gluten, and dairy.
Always combine carbohydrates (except nonstarchy veggies) with some fiber, protein, or anti-inflammatory fats (such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, coconut butter, or nuts) to mitigate blood sugar spikes. Never carb it alone!
Focus on protein. Choosing your protein first is really helpful to ensure that your blood sugar will be balanced and you will eat the right portion size.
Ask for berries for dessert. These are fine to eat alone as long as you have had some protein, fiber, or anti-inflammatory fats within the same meal.
For more tips and ideas, download my free Restaurant Rescue Guide at www.10daydetox.com/resources.
Reintroducing Gluten and Dairy
The process for reintroducing gluten and dairy is slow and systematic. This is a unique chance to really see how your body tolerates these high-sensitivity foods. We want to add these foods to your diet responsibly and without compromising all your hard work. Here are the steps I recommend:
- Start with dairy.
- Eat it at least one serving two to three times a day for three days. Stick to plain milk or plain yogurt without anything added to see how you feel.
- Track your response for the next seventy-two hours using the food log below.
- If you have a reaction, stop dairy immediately.
| DATE | FOOD REINTRODUCED | SYMPTOMS |
|---|---|---|
Wait at least three days before testing gluten next. Follow these steps:
- Eat foods containing gluten at least two to three times a day for three days. Use only plain wheat without added ingredients. The best thing to try is pasta, because most breads also contain yeast and sugar, or you might try cream of wheat cereal for breakfast.
- Track your response for seventy-two hours using the food log below.
- If you have a reaction, stop gluten immediately.
Tracking your symptoms and reactions is pretty straightforward. You can use the food log below to track your symptoms and monitor your progress. You can download it at www.10daydetox.com/resources and print out as many copies as you need to keep track of all your reactions as you transition off the program.
Every body is different, and everyone responds differently to food sensitivities. But to help you know what to be on the lookout for, here are some of the most common food-sensitivity reactions:
Weight gain
Resurgence of cravings
Fluid retention
Nasal congestion
Headaches
Brain fog
Mood problems (depression, anxiety, anger, etc.)
Sleep problems
Joint aches
Muscle aches
Pain
Fatigue
Changes in your skin (acne, rashes, or eczema)
Changes in digestion or bowel function (bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, reflux)
Gluten and dairy are by nature inflammatory (dairy may raise your insulin level even if you are not sensitive or allergic, so I recommend eating it only occasionally if you have diabesity). If you don’t experience any reactions like the ones listed above within seventy-two hours, you should be safe and can freely incorporate the food.
In general, if you tolerate gluten and dairy, it is okay to eat them from time to time, but don’t make them staples of your diet. For dairy choices, be sure to stay away from industrial processed cheese, as it is full of chemicals and additives and hormones. Also, modern forms of wheat (dwarf wheat) have much higher starch content and more gluten proteins, which make them more likely to cause inflammation. Try to find “heirloom” sources of gluten and dairy, such as grass-fed, heirloom cows and locally sourced cheeses. They may be more expensive, but they taste better and it will take less of them to satisfy your appetite.
You can also experiment with other grains such as spelt, rye, or Kamut. If you are not gluten sensitive, whole-kernel German rye bread can be a wonderful addition to your diet. Or try the “new” Einkorn wheat eaten by the ancient Sumerians. It is what we ate for thousands of years before hybridization led to the modern-day Frankenwheat we eat now. (This “new and improved” dwarf wheat has led to a 400 percent increase in celiac disease and caused 7 percent of the population to have gluten sensitivity.)
If you do experience a reaction, I recommend entirely eliminating the offending food from your diet for twelve weeks. For most people, this is enough time to allow the inflammation to cool. After that, you likely will once again be able to consume that food in small doses because the elapsed time will have allowed your leaky gut to heal. Still, I suggest limiting any problem food to once or twice a week so you don’t trigger the same cycle of illness.
Often, it is one primary problem food, either gluten or dairy, that triggers the leaky gut, and then you react to a lot of other foods. If you stay off gluten and dairy, you can often include other foods you once reacted to without having problems. In other words, once you remove the primary triggers, the other allergens simply won’t affect you as much. Again, though, I suggest limiting any potentially problematic foods to just once or twice a week so you don’t trigger the same cycle of illness.
If you still react after eliminating that food for twelve weeks, avoid that food entirely, or see a physician, dietician, or nutritionist skilled in managing food allergies.
Reintroducing Treats
On the Blood Sugar Solution Plan for Life, you can add back in a few treats (such as coffee or tea, alcohol, and sweets) if you choose, but all in moderation and as an occasional pleasure, not a staple of everyday life. You can find some healthier sweets and treats in The Blood Sugar Solution Cookbook. Some people tolerate coffee or tea just fine, so I am least worried about that, but alcohol and sugar can be awful triggers for weight gain and out-of-control eating behaviors. Remember, they hijack your brain chemistry—so please be careful. Pay attention and track your responses. If you notice that cravings get triggered, it’s a sign to scale back on the treats.
CHECKLIST FOR THE TRANSITION PHASE
Do your personal “exit interview” in your Detox Journal.
Choose the transition plan that best suits your needs.
Continue with your daily practices of physical exercise, supplements, breathing exercises, UltraDetox Bath, journaling, tracking results, hydration, and seven to eight hours sleep.
Fill out the “after” section of the Toxicity Questionnaire here.
Redo your basic lab tests six weeks from the date you started the 10-Day Detox. Refer to the free guide How to Work with Your Doctor to Get What You Need for the right tests at www.10daydetox.com/resources.
Continue to notice and track your diet, feelings, weight, waist size, hips, thighs, blood pressure, and blood sugar. You can track them once a week and keep aware of how you are feeling and what is changing. Plus, you’ll easily be able to catch yourself if you’re sliding.
Stay connected to your buddy, your own small group, or the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community by joining at www.10daydetox.com/resources.