Let me stop right there and tell you that I’m not blaming you. You are not gluttonous, nor weak-willed, nor any other self-recriminating belief you may have about yourself and your relationship to food. Your hormones, taste buds and brain chemistry have been hijacked by the food industry. Not metaphorically, but biologically.
Simply put, you are hooked like a junkie mainlining some of the worst, deadliest drugs on the planet: sugar and anything that turns to sugar in your body.
The one trillion dollar industrial food system is the biggest drug dealer around, responsible for contributing to tens of millions of deaths every year and siphoning trillions of dollars from our global economy through the loss of human and natural capital.
I realize this sounds extreme and overstated, but hear me out. Once you understand the forces at play in food addiction, you will never think the same way again about Snapple, Diet Coke and processed snacks, cookies and cake. We need to acknowledge our addiction, face it, and address it head-on, both as individuals and as a society.
But first, you need to take back your own health. And I’m here to help you do exactly that. In order to break free from these addictive substances and reprogram your biology, you need to detox from the drug-like foods and beverages you’ve been hooked on.
Science now proves sugar is more powerfully addictive than alcohol, cocaine or even heroin (and if you’re thinking about going for diet soda instead, take note: Artificial sweeteners may be more addictive than regular sugar).
When we treat alcoholics or cocaine addicts, we don’t say “Practice moderation” and advise them to cut down to just one drink or one line of cocaine a day. We know they must clear the brain and body of these powerful drugs completely, ideally through a well-designed program that supports the detox process.
That’s precisely why I designed my Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. In just 10 days, you’ll have a whole new level of clarity, both physically and mentally. You’ll know with certainty that you can regain control, feel good, and change your life forever. You’ll finally break free of sugar’s shackles.
What if you’re trying this diet just to lose some weight and make good on your New Year’s resolution? That’s fine. We all want to look good! The magic in the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet is that you’ll end up not just looking fantastic, but feeling fantastic, too—quite possibly better than you ever imagined.
Just to be clear, though, the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet is not a magic cure or a gimmicky weight loss scheme. It is a comprehensive, science-based approach to ending food addiction and creating rapid, safe weight loss and long-term optimal health.
This plan is for anyone who wants to experience what true wellness feels like, and for most people, that realization is just 10 days away. Again, I realize that you may not believe all this is possible. And you don’t have to.
All you have to do is give it a try and see for yourself how quickly the body heals and sheds pounds when it is getting what it really needs. Most of my patients say, “Dr. Hyman, I didn’t know I was feeling so bad until I started feeling so good.”
Rethinking Weight Loss and Optimal Health
Perhaps the most important piece of news when it comes to genes and weight is this: You can put your genes on a diet and program them for weight loss and health.
Yes, you read that right. You can’t swap out the genes you have inherited, but you can literally reprogram your genes to help you get slim and healthy. How? That’s easy: Through food.
You see, food contains not just calories or energy to fuel our cells; food contains information. It is the control mechanism that regulates almost every chemical reaction in our bodies by communicating instructions to our genes, telling them whether to gain or lose weight, and to turn on the disease-creating or health-promoting genes.
This is the groundbreaking science of nutrigenomics. With every bite of food you take, you are sending direct messages to your genes, which control the production of all proteins in your body. And the proteins (hormones, neurotransmitters, and all sorts of chemical messengers) are the very things that control your metabolism, appetite, and health. When you think about it that way, suddenly choosing the right foods seems like a no-brainer!
It all comes down to quality. Whole, real, and fresh: Those are the three key words you need to know when it comes to choosing foods to program your genes for weight loss and health. Everything else should be considered “not food.”
That’s the foundation of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. Rather than becoming another diet you’ll struggle to adhere to, this plan shifts perspective so that you become a qualitarian, not going on a diet.
The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet focuses on real, high-quality, whole, fresh foods to put your genes on a diet and make the pounds disappear. The plan contains three phases, all of which are key to your success. Here’s a sneak preview about what you can expect in each phase as the pounds melt away and you take your health to a whole new level.
Phase 1: Prep Phase
Here you’ll find everything you need to get started and set yourself up for optimal success, beginning with your pantry and ending with your mind-set. Ideally, set aside two days for this phase before you begin the program, to physically and psychologically set the detox process in motion. During those two days, you’ll gather all the food and supplies you need.
The key to weight loss and health is planning and preparation. The reality is that many people spend more time planning parties and vacations than planning their health. You have to design your life for success and create an environment that directs you toward the right choices automatically. For instance, if you have nuts in your pantry instead of a sheet cake, you are more likely to make a good choice.
Setting up your mind, kitchen, and work or school environment right is essential for long-term health and weight loss. Before you get started on the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, set aside two days to do the necessary preparation.
To optimize your results and avoid detours and delays, you’ll want to have everything you need ready to go. There are six simple things you’ll do during the Prep Phase, and in my book I’ve provided step-by-step instructions about how to do each:
- Detox your kitchen.
- Gather your supplies.
- Taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar.
- Align your mind and intentions.
- Measure yourself.
- Join the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community.
During the Prep Phase, your Detox Journal is your lifeline to rooting out the mental obstacles, beliefs, and attitudes that can sabotage your success. The goal here is to bring awareness to what stands in your way and consciously shift your focus to what you want and know you can accomplish.
Phase 2: the 10-Day Detox Diet Plan
Here you will receive a specific directions on what to eat and when during each day of your detox. I’ll also give you everything you need to know to do the essential daily practices, including exercise, the UltraDetox Bath, journaling, and daily relaxation exercises (all of which are critical for healing!).
Each of the 10 days has a specific focus to help you remove the most common obstacles to weight loss success and provide the tool kit to get and stay healthy.
Your template for the 10 days is simple. While the daily to-dos are the same, the recipes and daily theme are customized so you’ll know exactly what to cook, eat, and focus on each day. All you have to do is follow each step carefully and the results happen automatically.
The elements included in the 10-Day Detox Diet are designed to work together to create powerful results. You don’t have to believe or understand them— just do them anyway. They work automatically. Once you do them, you will discover their hidden synergistic powers of healing.
Again, I’ll provide a comprehensive, day-by-day strategy for everything you need to know about how to do each of the practices.
Phase 2 will transform your eating, but it also gives you the chance to connect with yourself— to examine your thoughts and beliefs, and the ways in which you live that don’t support the greatest expression of who you are. Ten days may not seem like a lot, but you will get a taste of what is possible.
Phase 3: the Transition Phase
This phase gives you a road map for what to do after your 10-Day Detox Diet, and how to transition to a long-term health and weight loss strategy based on my book The Blood Sugar Solution. I know you’ll want to continue feeling as great as you do immediately after the 10 days!
The first two phases give 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 Phase 3, I provide 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.
You’ll also 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. Simply put, Phase 3 provides the blueprint for a healthy, happy, lean life.
How important do you think preparation and long-term planning are for weight loss? Share your experiences below or on my Facebook page.
We have helped thousands of people Detox and get a health reboot. Would you like to join our 10-Day Detox DietChallenge in April and get ready for bathing suit season? Click here to learn how you can become a 10-Day Detox Dietsuccess story.
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Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!