Are you a sugar-burner? Do you see yourself with any of these characteristics?

• You are hungry all of the time, sometimes shaky if a having not eaten.
• You are unable to be satiated; you may look for something sweet even after finishing a meal.
• It is difficult for you to lose fat, even with diet and exercise.
• You crave carbohydrates.
• Trouble falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep
• Lack of energy throughout the day, especially after lunch
• Difficulty waking up in the morning, or not feeling rested upon waking
• Wake up without feeling hungry or craving sugar or caffeine

Or are you a fat-burner?

• You can easily burn fat during exercise, rather than relying on glycogen stores.
• You can use fat for energy.
• You have lasting energy throughout the day.
• You have no change in energy after meals or between meals.
• Your craving for carbohydrates are reduced or non-existent.
• You can eat some carbohydrates without the fluctuation in energy and still burn fat.

Did you see yourself with some sugar-burning traits?  The road to becoming a sugar-burner is often like a walk in a dark forest.  You don’t really know how you got there.  Especially with so much conflicting information on how to eat and the grocery store isles being filled with more and more processed foods, even “healthy” processed foods that are being sold often do us just as much harm. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is a catalyst for becoming a sugar-burner.  The average American eats 140 lbs. of sugar per year, that’s 6 oz. per day. Many processed foods have an excess of carbs and sugar. Sugars are hidden everywhere, even in foods most people see as healthy, like flavored yogurt or low-fat cheese. Even people with less conventional diets that that do not have a good ratio of proteins and fats are at risk for being a sugar-burner.

What can happen from being a chronic sugar-burner?

• Fatigue and inability to lose weight
• Depletion of important vitamins and minerals due to the stress of the fluctuations of glucose in the body.
• You can become insulin resistant, which causes leads to hormonal issues for both men and women.
• You can suffer from depression and mood disorders.
• Delayed healing and joint issues
• Premature aging and slow memory.
• You can also develop thyroid issues, which can be very difficult to manage and to resolve.

How to be a fat-burner? You can make the switch!

• Incorporate a proper balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet. Begin with 40% carbohydrates, 30% proteins and 30% fats as a goal and tweak if needed.
• Eliminate processed foods and eat only foods found in nature.
• Eat carbohydrates that are mainly low glycemic, raw or lightly cooked vegetables. You can include starchy unrefined complex carbs (potatoes, whole grains, brown rice).
• Eliminate snacking unless you are hypoglycemic or have impaired adrenal function, if you do need to snack make sure it is balanced (40/30/30).
• Avoid all processed sweeteners! Even low and no-calorie sweeteners stimulate an insulin response. If you use sugars, make sure they are natural (i.e maple syrup, local honey) and keep them to a minimum
• Eat a balance of wholesome, natural fats such as grass-fed butter, coconut oil, olive oil, flax, etc. Avoid all hydrogenated oils as well as improperly processed oils.
• Choose proteins that are organic, pastured, grass-fed, and free-range. Processed proteins usually contain added chemicals and sweeteners that should be avoided. Dairy should be whole, raw or cultured (homemade yogurt). Avoid farmed seafood and soy products.

Whether you incorporate all of these suggestions all at once, or one at a time, you can easily make the change.  Some people find it more beneficial to completely switch to the nutrient-dense diet, while others like to take it one stage at a time.  Either way you are helping your body and your brain to the get the much-needed nutrients by cutting out the sugars and chemicals that are a burden to its natural processes.  Never before in the history of mankind have we had the need to lower blood sugar.  Wouldn’t it be nice to help ourselves get back to the way we were supposed to eat, which will help us to feel better, sleep better, think better, plus so much more.