Use the following guidelines alongside our How to Quit Action Plan in Part 4 of the How to Quit book.
- One week before you begin to quit, take the Basic Supplements, plus the Mood Prescription, which includes tryptophan and/or 5-HTP for promoting serotonin, as well as chromium for supporting blood sugar balance.
- Set yourself reasonable targets based on halving your sugar intake each week until you have none. For example, if you normally have two sugars in your tea, have one in the first week, and half a teaspoonful in the second week.
- Switch to xylitol so that you don’t have the blood sugar rush.
- Have half a teaspoon of cinnamon in a drink, on your cereal or on a light dessert. You can also get supplements of cinnamon, in which case take these with the chromium supplement in the Mood Prescription (see pg 416) .
- If you are craving sugar, first have a large glass of water, then a piece of fruit with some nuts or seeds (eating protein with carbohydrate keeps your blood sugar level even).
- Always eat breakfast. You are aiming for three meals and two snacks a day. By eating little and often you help support your blood sugar balance. (See Chapter 11 for details of the low-GL diet.)
- Minimise caffeine and alcohol, as these both affect your blood sugar.
- Follow our How to Quit Diet in Chapter 28, Part 4.
The most important keys for you to follow are:
Rebalance Your Brain with Amino Acids (Chapter 7) – this is because specific amino acids, especially tryptophan, help restore the underlying serotonin deficiency that leads to carbohydrate craving.
Balance your Blood Sugar to Gain Energy and Reduce Cravings (Chapter 11) – this gives you the understanding necessary to become a master of controlling your sugar balance, energy, weight and cravings.
What to expect 30 days later
After 30 days your cravings for carbs will be much reduced and probably your need for extra chromium will be too. So, cut back to one 200mcg tablet with breakfast, but do keep taking the Basic Supplements. If you find this doesn’t work as well as the two you were taking as part of the Mood Prescription (see pg 416), there’s no harm in continuing. Perhaps try taking 2 x 200mcg.
For more information read How to Quit Without Feeling S**T
The advice given here is not a substitute for the advice of your doctor or other suitably qualified person. For any serious addiction it is vital that you do have professional support. The recommendations given here help to ensure you are optimally nourished after stopping an addictive substance which may have had a negative influence on your nutritional status.