Image source: 123rf.com/khosrork
It’s raining outside and the wind is audibly whistling a tune about how cosy it is at home today. What’s more, it’s Sunday and we’re making ourselves comfortable on the sofa with the kids. We’ve just tucked into a hearty raclette dinner and our bodies don’t really need anything else right now. Or so you’d think. In reality, we’re fetching a packet of Kinder bars from the fridge, because our well-trained taste buds are crying out for dessert. Today, I’m giving in. I take a delighted bite out of the chocolate. I haven’t eaten any sugar for seven weeks.
No honey or maple syrup either. Why? It was a completely spontaneous decision. During our detox retreat in Mallorca last year, I discovered the power of nutrition and its impact on my wellbeing and appearance. After such an eye-opening week, you don’t just go back to your old eating habits. So last year I was already eating far fewer sweets and gluten. But to give them up completely – I wouldn’t have thought that was possible.
I sleep like a baby (with beautiful skin)
In mid-January, I came across a documentary about sugar. I was still feeling rather overloaded after Christmas – we all know that post-Christmas feeling of having put on three kilos and having a sluggish metabolism. The effect of cutting out sugar surprised me: I suddenly slept like a baby. Nothing in my diet has such a strong effect on my skin as cutting out sugar.
What does sugar do to your skin?
Sugar causes inflammation
Sugar consumption leads to inflammatory reactions. This not only contributes to serious illnesses such as diabetes or Alzheimer’s, but also manifests itself directly on the skin in the form of spots and acne.
Sugar eats away collagen and elastin
Sugar breaks down the enzymes responsible for the skin’s elasticity and firmness. The skin becomes saggy, ages prematurely and becomes more susceptible to sun damage.
Sugar destroys the intestinal flora
Sugar has a similarly harmful effect on the gut as antibiotics. An imbalance in the gut flora leads to a sallow complexion, blemishes and rosacea.
Dark patches and unwanted hair growth
Insulin resistance caused by high sugar intake can lead to dark patches of skin and increased hair growth on the upper lip, chin and sideburns.
Sugar upsets the hormones
A balanced hormonal system is crucial for our mental and physical well-being. Sugar throws this system completely out of balance, which has a direct impact on the appearance of our skin.
How I feel without sugar
After two weeks, minor blemishes had cleared up, my teeth had become whiter and that notorious afternoon slump had completely disappeared. Whilst others were yawning sleepily after a meal, I remained full of energy.
Why so radical?
Sugar is a drug with an addictive potential similar to that of cocaine. I find the advice to „consume sugar in moderation“ cynical. Anyone who is addicted needs clear boundaries. So: No Sugar, full stop.
What helped me
1. Eat until you’re full: I make sure I get enough healthy fats, which provide energy and keep me feeling full for a long time.
2. Mental balance: Instead of using sugar as a treat, I go for a walk or do some yoga.
3. Motivation through knowledge: Documentaries such as *Sugar Rush* provide new images for the subconscious.
My sugar-free snacks
Nuts and almonds have become my go-to snacks. Sugar-free liquorice also offers an intense flavour without the guilt.
H2 How can you tell if someone is a „Sugarface“?
A „sugarface“ is characterised by blemishes, fine lines and deep furrows on the forehead. The skin looks grey, tired and thin. If sugar puts such a heavy strain on the final link in the chain – the skin – what on earth must it be doing inside the body?
Every day counts
I live by the motto: „Every day counts“. Sugar keeps us on a tight leash, but every sugar-free day is a boon for body and soul.
8 thoughts on “Wie Zucker die Haut altern lässt: hast du ein „Sugarface“?”
I've been eating hardly any sweets for years and have been avoiding the obvious sugar for some time now. It's not difficult for me as I don't like chocolate and the like. It all tastes like industry.
However, sugar is also found in bread, pasta and virtually all ready-made foods (sauces, ketchup, mustard, ready-made products) as well as in wine and sparkling wine. This makes it difficult to give up sugar. Sure, we can bake our own bread and use the pasta machine, but that's hardly feasible in everyday life. I also like drinking wine. It takes a lot of motivation to avoid all that.
In summer, we make our own ice cream in an ice cream maker. I use coconut blossom sugar. It's a dream. It's expensive, but as I only use it for making ice cream, it works. I assume that coconut blossom sugar is better metabolised.
By the way: sugar is the food of cancer cells. In alternative cancer therapy, sugar is also completely avoided, thus starving the cancer. The rest is done by a better functioning immune system. Sugar also acidifies the body and cancer only grows on acidic tissue. It is therefore not only smart for beauty reasons to avoid sugar as much as possible.
Kind regards
Barbara K.
Dear Barbara,
You're absolutely right, it's really difficult. In my case, the retreat last year meant that I switched to a very vegetable-heavy diet anyway and I really enjoy it, it suits my taste perfectly. We've been baking our own bread for years, my husband is the bread machine boss. ? Nevertheless, we do eat pasta from time to time and occasionally bought bread. But I don't use sauces and ready-made products because the amount of sugar is not comparable to pasta. I also have to have a glass of dry wine now and again. If you don't eat sugar, dry wine tastes quite sweet anyway, so you can't drink much of it.
I think it's always a question of where you're prepared to compromise. I'm afraid that if I were to eat coconut blossom ice cream, for example, I would fall into the sugar trap again. Unlike you, I don't have a healthy limit when it comes to sweets...? Everyone has to feel for themselves where they want to draw the line.
Thank you for pointing out cancer! I'm surprised that it's not a bigger issue and practically non-existent in conventional medicine. I think this is a gross omission, but this topic is beyond the scope of my blog.
I am still looking for a way to turn "sugar fasting" into a "sugar-free lifestyle". It won't work without compromises.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Best regards,
Christina
Hello dear Christina,
I also gave up sugar for 7 weeks and tried to avoid all foods that contain sugar (e.g. sausage, etc.).
Unfortunately, I didn't really notice anything on my skin (face). BUT: when I started eating sweets again after these 7 weeks, I have to say that I got one or two skin blemishes.
I agree with you: sugar is the new cocaine! I very much hope that the general public will focus more on this and that the food industry will change its ways. Unfortunately, I'm a sugar junkie and I find it hard to give up sweets (because it's so convenient!). It's much easier to eat a piece of chocolate or similar than to prepare something "sensible"...
But if everyone's awareness is raised, it will help...
Best regards!
Alex
Dear Alex,
When I started giving up sugar, I swung back and forth between not eating and being a sugar junkie for a long time. But after each sugar abstinence, I ate less and less sugar. Today, I eat a little sweet treat one or two days a week.
It's a process, don't give up straight away. It doesn't work straight away, we're just too surrounded by sweets. I say it's like the saying of alcoholics anonymous - every day counts!
Best wishes and all the best,
Christina
Hello Christina,
I think it's great what you're doing and how you're doing it. I can see for myself that giving up sugar keeps you young and healthy. I came to it because of my migraines. I lived without white sugar and pastries for twenty years. Every two months I got a craving for marzipan chocolate. I usually ate it all at once, then I felt sick and didn't feel like eating sweets for another two months. I got rid of the migraine in no time.
Due to a new life situation, I became a sugar consumer again for more than ten years, which had a negative effect on my skin and figure, and the migraines also returned. Now I'm living a sugar-free life again, but with fruit in moderation and lots of vegetables. Nobody believes that I am seventy. Perhaps my facial gymnastics with the umlauts have also contributed to this. Incidentally, I only moisturise and use oils on my skin.
All the best and continued success,
Helga
Dear Helga,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Very exciting. May it also motivate others to rethink. It's really difficult to give up sugar - but I don't find it so difficult to live sugar-free afterwards, you get used to it. I also make small exceptions, but be careful, you can get addicted again faster than you think. ????
All my love,
Christina
Dear Christina, thank you for your great videos and tips and of course your courage. I have borrowed your latest book and also tried some exercises.
At the moment I'm soooo unhappy with my appearance. I'm 58, the menopause has me in its grip with hot flushes and mood swings.
My frown line is getting deeper and deeper and a second one is starting to appear, I'm completely unrelaxed in the forehead area and am already doing the massages you recommend.
And I think I have a "sugar face" too. I think I'm addicted to it, I can't get away from it, do you have any helpful tips or other women?
Thank you very much.
Dear Andrea,
Getting off sugar is not easy. It took me several attempts - I wanted to tell you that so that you don't get frustrated if it doesn't work straight away. It doesn't have to work at the first attempt. I still fall back again and again, but basically I see myself as "living sugar-free", it's just a kind of new identity that you build up. There is a difference between seeing yourself as a "smoker who is trying to quit" and a "non-smoker who has just relapsed".
There are now lots of books on this subject, so perhaps you will find something helpful there that you can pick up again and again when you find it difficult.
Sugar is a drug, that's a fact, it's quite normal that it's not easy. But it's definitely worth a try!
Best wishes and all the best,
Christina