The Classic Sugar Control Program

Here is the basic Sugar Control Program, first promoted by the late Dr. Victor Frank. Keep in mind that the Sugar Control Program is not recommended as a "forever diet." It's a good short-term therapeutic diet for helping to reset the sugar handling mechanisms in the body. It is generally recommended to be followed for 2 weeks at a time.

In my book, The Issues are in the Tissues, I told the story of a lady who heard me give a lecture at City College about 15 years ago, made an appointment for a free consultation/exam (about a month out) and then showed up to the appointment just to say thank you and that she didn't need it anymore! She followed my brief outline of this sugar handling diet, and within that month, almost all of her symptoms had cleared up!

So here it is!

WATER: #1 - the most important mandatory step of this program - aside from sugar avoidance - is the water intake! Drink one quart per 50 pounds of body weight per day. An alternate method is to take your body weight in pounds, divide that number by 2, and drink that many ounces of water per day. Using the second method, you will get a slightly lower amount of water. I know it's a harder goal the heavier you are. Do your best!

It's probably a lot more water than you are used to drinking, so make a plan and pace yourself. Aim to get that first quart in before noon! If you can do that, you will notice an improvement in afternoon energy levels. It's OK to add slices of lemon or cucumber into the water if you need something to taste. Also, if you feel like you're just peeing all the water right out almost immediately, then take a few pinches of raw sea salt when you drink water. I prefer the grey Celtic sea salt, but pink Himalayan is OK, too. Any raw, unrefined salt will do - not the iodized white salt - no umbrella girl!

PROTEIN: Adequate protein is also important for helping to balance sugar handling issues! So for our purposes, you can basically have unlimited protein. Dr. Frank always recommended at least 9 oz of red meat per week (about the size of a deck of cards). Chicken and fish should be unbreaded. I recommend avoiding dairy for most people, but Dr. Frank's guidelines say it only needs to be avoided if there are skin or weight issues present.

*If you are a vegan and getting no animal protein, it is recommended that during this program you take L-Methionine and B12 supplements.

VEGETABLES: Green veggies are unlimited. Yellow and orange veggies (like carrots and squash) are limited to 2-3 small portions per week. Tomatoes are unlimited. (Yes, I know they're fruits but most people still think of them in the vegetable category!) Garlic and onions are unlimited.

FRUITS: Fresh fruits are unlimited, as are canned fruits packed in water or their own juices. Fruit juices, however, are only allowed if you juiced it yourself.

BEVERAGES: Black coffee ☕ and black tea are allowed 1-3 cups/day. Herbal teas are OK.

Water should be your primary beverage. 💧

SNACKS: Raw cashers, raw brazil nuts, raw coconut 🥥, yellow or white cheese (aged) 🧀 and fresh fruits 🥝 are the recommended snack items.

Butter and fats (but not margarine or trans fats) are OK.

FOODS TO AVOID: *The foods on the "avoid" list are NOT all "bad" foods! Some of them are downright healthy, such as beets, yams and cauliflower! And honey can be quite therapeutic! But avoiding them for the short term and in the context of this program helps to reset the sugar control mechanisms in the body, and that's why there are on the list.

⛔Sugar

⛔ Sweeteners (including honey)

⛔ Pasta of all kinds

⛔ All wheat products

⛔ Cauliflower

⛔ Rice* (except as listed below)

⛔ Frozen and concentrated juices

⛔ Canola oil, margarine

⛔ Alcoholic beverages (yes that includes wine)

⛔ Potatoes

⛔ Yams

⛔ Dried beans and lentils

⛔ Beets

⛔ Frozen foods (commercially frozen)

⛔ Tofu

⛔ IF IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT. ⛔

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:

You have to eat something every 2 hours of your waking day! ⌚ (If you're like me, you might have to set a timer for this!)

2 slices of rice bread or sprouted-grain bread are OK to eat.

Roasted rice may be eaten. Here's how to make it: place any whole grain rice in a dry skillet and cook until it's golden brown. Some of the rice grains may pop! Let it cool and then store or proceed to cook it as you normally would cook rice. This roasting process burns off some of the sugars in the rice, which turn it into a slower-burning fuel inside of your body. In this way, it behaves more like a protein than a carb while your body is digesting it. NOTE: When done correctly, this is a very smoky process! Make sure that your kitchen has adequate ventilation! You may even need to find a way to do it outside!

This would be a great time to discover the wonderful world of mushrooms! 🍄 There are so many varieties and they can be a satisfying part of a hearty meal. (But DON'T ever eat one that resembles that cute emoji!)

If you have to modify this program based on personal medical considerations, then do what you have to do. Focus on eliminating the sugar.

The first few days are often the hardest. We can do it! 💪🏽