Authors: Mark Hyman
Tags: #Health & Fitness / Diet & Nutrition / Diets, #Health & Fitness / Body Cleansing & Detoxification
For the “before” part of the questionnaire, rate each of the following symptoms based upon your health profile for the past thirty days. You’ll take this quiz again after your 10-Day Detox, but it’s especially important that you take the time to complete and score it now, before you embark on the program. Without that baseline score, ten days from now you may have a hard time believing just how different your “after” results really are.
0 = Never or almost never have the symptom
1 = Occasionally have it, effect is not severe
2 = Occasionally have it, effect is severe
3 = Frequently have it, effect is not severe
4 = Frequently have it, effect is severe
_____ Nausea or vomiting
_____ Diarrhea
_____ Constipation
_____ Bloated feeling
_____ Belching, or passing gas
_____ Heartburn
_____ Intestinal, stomach pain
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Itchy ears
_____ Earaches, ear infections
_____ Drainage from ear
_____ Ringing in ears, hearing loss
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Mood swings
_____ Anxiety, fear, or nervousness
_____ Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness
_____ Depression
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Fatigue, sluggishness
_____ Apathy, lethargy
_____ Hyperactivity
_____ Restlessness
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Watery or itchy eyes
_____ Swollen, reddened, or sticky eyelids
_____ Bags or dark circles under eyes
_____ Blurred or tunnel vision (does not include near- or farsightedness)
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Headaches
_____ Faintness
_____ Dizziness
_____ Insomnia
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Irregular or skipped heartbeat
_____ Rapid or pounding heartbeat
_____ Chest pain
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Pain or aches in joints
_____ Arthritis
_____ Stiffness or limitation of movement
_____ Pain or aches in muscles
_____ Feeling of weakness or tiredness
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Chest congestion
_____ Asthma, bronchitis
_____ Shortness of breath
_____ Difficulty breathing
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Poor memory
_____ Confusion, poor comprehension
_____ Poor concentration
_____ Poor physical coordination
_____ Difficulty in making decisions
_____ Stuttering or stammering
_____ Slurred speech
_____ Learning disabilities
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Chronic coughing
_____ Gagging, frequent need to clear throat
_____ Sore throat, hoarseness, loss of voice
_____ Swollen or discolored tongue, gums, or lips
_____ Canker sores
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Stuffy nose
_____ Sinus problems
_____ Hay fever
_____ Excessive mucus formation
_____ Sneezing attacks
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Acne
_____ Hives, rashes, or dry skin
_____ Hair loss
_____ Flushing or hot flushes
_____ Excessive sweating
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Binge eating/drinking
_____ Craving certain foods
_____ Excessive weight
_____ Compulsive eating
_____ Water retention
_____ Underweight
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
_____ Frequent illness
_____ Frequent or urgent urination
_____ Genital itch or discharge
Total before ___________
Total after ___________
GRAND TOTAL BEFORE
_______________
GRAND TOTAL AFTER
_______________
Optimal health: less than 10
Mild toxicity: 10 to 50
Moderate toxicity: 50 to 100
Severe toxicity: over 100
If you are overweight, there’s a very good chance that you’re a food addict. But 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. You are hooked—a junkie mainlining some of the worst, deadliest drugs on the planet: sugar and anything that turns to sugar in your body. That’s why you’re here to detox.
The $1-trillion 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. We need a big solution that reaches deep into what is offered in our supermarkets, restaurants, schools, and workplaces. We need a solution that addresses the policy roots in agriculture, food marketing, dietary recommendations, and the way doctors are trained to diagnose and treat patients.
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 druglike foods and beverages you’ve been hooked on. We now know—because it has been scientifically proven—that 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 what we’re going to do here. In just ten 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.
But 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 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. It is for anyone who wants to experience what true wellness feels like, and for most people, that realization is just ten 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.” After doing the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, you’ll likely be saying the same thing.
Let me give you a quick overview of the book.
In
Part I
,
I explain the nature of food addiction and how our biology has been held hostage by the food industry. I will help you fix your “fat thinking,” dispelling the myths that keep you fat and sick and helping you find a path to food freedom.
In
Part II
,
I explain how the program works, including what you’ll do, what you’ll eat, who you will have on your side, how you will track your results, and how you can get rid of the bad stuff and add in the good stuff to create effortless healing and weight loss.
In
Part III
,
I’ll take you through the Prep Phase, during which you will do six simple things to get ready: detox your kitchen; gather your supplies; taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar; align your mind and intentions; measure yourself; and connect with the Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet online community to get the support you need.
In
Part IV
,
I’ll give you a step-by-step, goof-proof plan for each of the ten days. You will receive your daily schedule and learn about each component of your daily routine, which, when done synergistically, will generate powerful healing and weight loss. Each day has a unique focus and a journaling exercise related to the changes you will be experiencing. These are designed to take you deeper into the detox process and help you transform lifelong bad habits into conditions for lifelong success.
In
Part V
,
you will learn how to gently and safely transition into a long-term plan personalized specifically for your needs.
In
Part VI
,
I’ll explain the power of giving back. You’ll find out how you can be part of the larger solution to the health and obesity crisis
affecting our families, our communities, our nation, other nations, and even the planet. You’ll also discover how becoming a part of this new, empowering health revolution can benefit you directly.
Part VI
provides very specific starter ideas for us all to get healthy together.
Part VII
contains the meal plan and recipes designed specifically for the 10-Day Detox Diet. You will find easy and delicious recipes to follow for each day’s meals. There are two plans to choose from:
the Core Plan
, which features simple meals easy enough even for novices in the kitchen, and
the Adventure Plan,
for those who have more time to enjoy cooking and want to experiment with some new flavors and ideas. I’ll also give you my “Cooking the Basics” tips with ultrasimple yet delicious vegetables and proteins that you can use as substitutions whenever you are pressed for time.
Most people don’t realize that there is a silver bullet for weight loss—a secret ingredient that, if used correctly, can help you shed pounds and keep them off for good: friends! In fact, when it comes to weight loss, studies show that social threads have a bigger impact than genetics. When people join together to lose weight and get healthy, not only is it more effective, it’s also more fun! Losing weight is a team sport. That is why I created an online course for the 10-Day Detox Diet. There you can find Detox Buddies or join a Detox Group and support each other through the process. Need a text at 3:00 p.m. to help encourage you to walk past the cookie jar? We’ve got you covered! Plus, you’ll find videos from me and essential tools to help automate the process: menus, automatic shopping lists, interactive tracking tools, cooking tips and advice, one-click ordering for supplies, journaling tools, automated reminders, and even an app to help you use your Detox on the go. It’s everything you need to make your Detox easy to use and to share. Just go to www.10daydetox.com/resources to learn more and sign up.
Everyone needs support and encouragement, to one degree or another, in order to succeed. I encourage you to get the support you need through our online community, through nutrition and life coaching, or through my online 10-Day Detox Diet course, where I will be with you every step of the way with videos, daily webinars, daily e-mails, interactive support, and tips. You will even have the opportunity to join small groups online and detox together. Go to www.10daydetox.com/resources to learn more about the different types of support and communities available to you.
At www.10daydetox.com/resources you will find additional information on where to find the right foods, personal tracking tools, supplements, lab testing, and more. I want you to have all the support you need. Connect, enjoy, and thrive!
I have one strong caution for you before you get started: This program works so well that your blood sugar and blood pressure can drop dramatically in just a day or two. If you are on prescription medication (including blood pressure pills or insulin), you must work with your doctor to carefully monitor your blood pressure and blood sugar, and adjust your doses as necessary. Having your blood sugar or blood pressure run a little high for a week poses almost no danger (if your sugars are under 300 mg/dl and your blood pressure is under 150/100), but rapid drops in blood sugar or blood pressure can be life-threatening. So please be sure to talk with your health care provider before embarking on this journey.