Happy Halloween! How to flush sugar out of your body.
It’s inevitable. If you’re a candy lover, you will be called to indulge when Halloween treats and sweets are everywhere.
So how to flush sugar out of your body? Here’s a plan for how to deal with the day after the sugar overload so you don’t actually feel like the Day of the Dead on November 1st.
A Candy Hangover Is Real
Just ask any elementary school teacher. Adults feel the effects even more. Consuming large amounts of sugar in a short amount of time can cause rapid changes in blood glucose levels. This can lead to headaches, nausea, dizziness, fuzzy thinking, general malaise, and dreaded mood swings.
Here are five simple things you can do to help ease your candy hangover.
1. Plan Ahead.
Knowing is half the battle. Identifying candy as a weakness allows you to create a plan for dealing with the after-effects. Overdoing it because you told yourself you couldn’t have any candy but gave into your craving halfway through the day isn’t the best strategy. Rather, allow yourself to enjoy some treats but set a limit on how much you can have ahead of time. This will force you to be mindful of what you are eating and allow you to savor the treat.
2. Drink Tons of Water.
Can drinking water lower blood sugar? Start Halloween morning off with a big glass of water and continue to drink plenty more throughout the day. Studies show that drinking plenty of water helps glucose flush out of the blood. The average person should aim for eight glasses per day. Drinking plenty of water while you are indulging your sweet tooth — and throughout the day after — will help your body get back to normal.
3. Sweat it Out.
Get your body moving with some form of exercise. Exercise forces your body to use glucose to feed the muscles. This is a great way to burn up some of that extra sugar. Don’t feel like running a marathon? Simple walking or some gentle yoga will do. If you can muster a little more energy, some sweat equity will go a long way to torching all of the candy corns swimming around in your system.
4. To Much Sugar? Go For Protein.
The best thing you can do to get off of the sugar-coaster is to go low-carb for the day. Think protein and low glycemic veggies instead. Start your morning off with poached eggs over a bed of spinach. Limit grains to three half-cup servings of whole grains only.
5. Get a Good Night’s Rest on November 1st.
Wonky blood sugar — coupled with caffeine from any chocolate you might have consumed during a candy free-for-all — can mess with your sleep on October 31st. Plan to get your ZZZs back on track the night after so you can wake up feeling refreshed and like Halloween never happened on November 2nd. Plan to go to bed at your regular time on November 1st and aim for at least eight hours of shut-eye. Also, check out our “detox post” to help with a sugar detox.
Bonus Tips
Here are a few tips to get to sleep in no time.
- Limit screen time for an hour before you plan to be asleep.
- Make sure your room is dark and at your ideal sleeping temperature.
- Making sure you are hydrated throughout the day is important to flush your body, but limit liquid intake before bedtime so your bladder doesn’t disrupt your sleep.
Sugar FAQs
It depends on the type of sugar. Sugar in candy turns into glucose very quickly, 15 – 20 minutes. It can take 3-4 hours for your body to mop it up if you are a type 2 diabetic. If you’re not a diabetic, it takes about 1-2 hours to get back to normal blood sugar.
Normal blood sugar range is 85 – 105 in most people.
An A1C test result reflects your average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. Your doctor can take a blood sample and get you the results of an A1C test.
Below 5.7% is normal.
5.7% to 6.4% is considered pre-diabetic.
6.5% or higher is considered diabetic.
Photo ©Unsplash/Sheri Silver
This post is not intended to substitute for medical advice or prescribed medication. Especially if you have special health needs or a special diet, consult a physician before undertaking any new diet or exercise plan.
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