Lemon water and healthy fats will get you back on track.
The healthiest choice isn’t always an option. In Best Worst Choice, experts explain what you can do to make the most of those less-than-ideal situations.
The gist:
Birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations often go hand in hand with sugar intake. If you overindulge so much that you feel sluggish and your sleep is impaired, there are a few smart strategies you can follow for the next three to four days to help you bounce back.
Expert insight:
Start each morning with a glass of lemon water, says Holly Niles, CNS, functional medicine nutritionist in Lenox, Massachusetts. Your liver makes a waste product called bile as it processes all the sugar. The flavonoids in citrus fruits like lemon may flush it out of your system more quickly.
Another thing that helps your body process sugar: hydration. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day, Niles says. Eat mostly vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats, which stabilize your blood glucose levels and keep you full. Reset your mental focus and put the excess sugar to good use by exercising each day, she adds.
Finally, stop eating (sugar, especially) at least two hours before bed so your body has time to digest.
The bottom line:
If nothing else, skip simple carbs for three to four days and eat no more than two pieces of fruit per day, Niles says. Sugar intake heightens cravings for more sugar. These limitations will keep them at bay.