About a month ago my mom, aunt, grandma, and I did something crazy. We stopped eating sugar. For the first 21 days we eliminated all sugar: refined and natural, as part of the 21 Day Sugar Detox. We strictly adhered a "Yes No Food List" which outlined in detail the foods that we could eat during the detox period. Among many things, all breads, pastas, grains, and potatoes were on the no list. Our saving grace was that each day we were allowed either one green tipped banana or one green apple. We ate a ton of vegetables, meat, and full fat dairy over the course of these 21 days.

Why did we do this? We read study after study that told us how sugar can cause:

1. Mood swings

2. Acne, rashes

3. PMS, painful periods

4. Unrestful sleep

5. Muscle fatigue or weakness

6. Susceptibility to colds and flu

7. Other food addictions

8. Anemia

9. Depression, anxiety

10. PCOS, infertility

11. Adrenal fatigue or dysfunction

12. Vision impairment

13. Neurological disorders

14. Insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes

15. Alzheimer's disease

16. Susceptibility to certain types of cancers

With all of the potential dangers from eating sugar, we decided to dive head first into the detox. The first four days were the hardest. The sugar cravings were intense. I was thinking about sugary food the same way that an antique collector might think about artifacts, simply obsessed. Then, the headaches hit on day two. I only experienced a dull, achy throb behind my eyes and at the base of my neck, but my aunt felt like an explosion had gone off inside her cranium. After about four days, the cravings and headaches subsided which made the detox significantly easier.

Our key to success was food prepping. Each Sunday we swapped meal recipes, hit the store, and crafted our food for the week ahead. This preparation allowed us to make healthy choices when hungry instead of caving and grabbing a piece of candy or bag of chips.

Now that we are done with the 21 Day Sugar Detox, we feel liberated! Sugar does not own us anymore! We have implemented some natural sugar, like berries, back into our diets, but we are still not eating any refined sugar. Why? Because we don't even want it anymore. Without it, we feel incredible! We know that if we go back to our old ways of eating we will go back to feeling bloated, lethargic, and sad.

Here is what we have noticed as a result of the 21 Day Detox, and why we are encouraging all of our friends and family in starting this journey:

1. SO MUCH ENERGY!

2. Weight loss

3. Acne disappeared

4. Mental clarity

5. Elevated mood

6. No more PMS

7. No more pain with the monthly cycle

8. Less anxiety

9. Motivation to get things done

10. No more mid-afternoon fatigue

11. More restful sleep

12. Cravings for vegetable (score-who knew this was possible?)

13. Compliments that my "skin is just glowing"

14. Increase in happiness

15. More satisfaction with life

I am so thankful that we discovered that 21 Day Sugar Detox, our lives are a thousand times better because of it! I am never going back to a life of sugar addiction. I encourage you to consider the 21 Day Sugar Detox for yourself, you won't regret it!