At the beginning of this year, we sat down with Kanchan Koya, Ph.D. & Integrative Nutritionist, and Sylvie Charles, M.D., founder of Just Date. These two powerhouses are the developers of our first-ever 10-Day Low-Sugar Reset. Since they have so much experience with leading a low-sugar lifestyle full of flavor, joy, and pleasure in food, we wanted to pick their brains about the low-sugar lifestyle and the intentions behind the reset.
What was the intention behind developing a low-sugar reset?
Kanchan Koya, PhD
“Our modern food environment, rife with refined foods and sugars, is a giant mismatch for our ancestral brain. When our brain encounters these ultra-processed foods, it finds them exceptionally rewarding and can begin to crave them. This can set up a vicious cycle where we want more of these refined, calorie-dense, yet nutrient-poor foods.”
Sylvie Charles, MD
“Based on the science, Dr. Kanchan Koya and I firmly believe that reducing overall sugar intake and avoiding blood sugar spikes is a crucial part of the journey towards optimum health. Blood sugar spikes and the subsequent crashes are responsible for the immediate impact of refined sugar that you feel – fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, and more (we’ve all been there). It’s also largely responsible for the long-term disease that over 30-50% of Americans experience: diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, and cancer, to name a few.”
Is there a reason it’s only 10 days long?
SC
“To kick off 2023, we want to make it easy for you to reduce refined sugar. It takes 10 days for tastebuds to regenerate and develop new preferences and sensitivities, so you can actually make an impact on your own preferences for sweetness in a 10-day time period! We partnered with Dr. Koya to develop 10 days of meals, snacks, and desserts to give you a taste of a low-sugar lifestyle and just how delicious and satisfying it can be.”
KK
“A post-holiday reset can help restore balance to those reward circuits in our brains as well as our tastebuds so we can relearn how to enjoy whole, unprocessed foods and crave refined foods and sugarless. I partnered with Sylvie to empower people to take back control of their brain chemistry so they can enjoy delicious, whole vibrant foods that support their health and well-being with no compromises on flavor.”
What’s some advice you have for low-sugar newbies?
SC
“Over the last few decades, refined sugar and artificial sweeteners have become an ingredient in just about everything – so it can seem like an insurmountable task to reduce sugar in our daily meals and snacks. Through the recipes in the reset, we’re here to share with you that it’s not just possible; it’s even more delicious, nourishing, and abundant than you ever imagined.”
KK
“My biggest piece of advice for someone that is struggling to cut back on their sugar intake is to adopt an abundance mindset. Instead of thinking, I have to give up sugar which is so sad and depressing, focus on all the wonderful, nourishing, delicious foods you get to add to your life! Real whole juicy fruit, nutty and comforting whole grains, spiced-up vegetables and legumes, and delectable comforting treats made with Just Date that won’t send you on that destabilizing blood sugar roller coaster. That sounds pretty delicious to me, and that’s exactly what we have attempted to do with this reset.”
We are kicking off this reset on January 17th, 2023, but this reset can be done at any time of the year and multiple times a year. We can think of a couple of times throughout the year, when we may want to reset our tastebuds after a deluge of sweets and treats, like Easter or Halloween, for example! There’s no shame in taking a break to celebrate and enjoy some traditions with friends and family, so long as you lovingly and gently help yourself to get back on track afterward. Check out the 10-Day Low-Sugar Reset to get started today!