FAQs

1. What should I expect from SYS? During the program, you can expect:
● Daily emails chock full of empowering educational and inspirational insight - these should take under five minutes to read
● Daily reflections to help you assimilate the new information - reflections should take less than five minutes a day
● Healing recipes to help you feel healthier
● The knowledge you need to make the best food choices
● Tools to buy the healthiest available foods at the grocery store
● Information to help you overcome obstacles that keep you stuck in your old
disempowering habits
● Mindful eating tools so you eat the amount of food that your body desires to feel well nourished
 

2. What can I eat on SYS?
You can eat everything you usually eat except added sugar (including the 94 aliases for sugar),
artificial sweeteners, corn, white potatoes, white rice, white flour, low-fat dairy - full-fat is ok.
 

3. Do I have to buy anything special to participate in SYS successfully?
Sort of - you will need to purchase unsweetened items of foods that you often use (condiments, yogurt, cereal, bread ) and non-white flour versions of popular foods such as pasta and bread. We also recommend certain supplements to help ease withdrawal and inflammation, and others to promote a healthy gut biome. A supplement list is provided.
 

4. How much fruit can I eat on SYS?
During Days 1-4, there is no fruit except lemons and limes. Day 5-10, you may eat up to two cups per day of low glycemic fruit - berries, apples, peaches, and pears.
 

5. Can I eat Dried Fruit on SYS?
No, dried fruit is packed with sugar! After SYS, use small amounts of dried fruit as a source of sweetness in recipes (2 figs, 2 dates, 10 raisins, 3 pieces mango, etc.)
 

6. Do I have to measure food, count calories, eat on a schedule, eat a fixed number of meals a day, or prepare special recipes?
No! We encourage you to eat your fill of nutrient-dense food. If you find that you are hungry, add more fat, fiber, or protein to your meals. We will guide you to eliminate the evening snack, which interferes with sleep and causes unnecessary insulin spikes.
 

7. Can I drink coffee every day?
Yes. You may drink up to two cups of coffee daily without a sweetener. If you add a creamer, use full-fat only! Coffee is the most significant source of antioxidants in the American diet (just because our diet is awful!) If you are sensitive to coffee or have difficulty sleeping, finish your coffee consumption by 11am.
 

8. Is it OK to consume dairy?
Yes, full-fat dairy (4% or higher) is permitted. But since you are changing things up, you may find the 10 days more impactful if you eliminate cow's milk, and try goat and sheep alternatives. Post nasal drip, skin issues, and eczema can be associated with dairy. So if you are struggling with any of these, try taking a break from dairy all together.
 

9. Why is full-fat dairy preferred?
Full fat is ideal because it is minimally processed and in its natural form. When fat is removed, sugar is typically added. This was the problem in the 80s with all the low-fat food; to make it taste better, food manufacturers loaded items with sugar. Once fat was removed from our food supply, our country became more obese. Fat was vilified due to a debunked study and it is now known that a low-fat diet does not cut health risks. Yet, many Americans continue to associate cardiovascular health with low fat products. Fat was never the problem - sugar is the problem.
 

10. What about alcohol?
If you drink, please do so only in moderation (one drink daily for women and two for men.) Note that one drink per day can’t be saved up to allow for multiple drinks in a day on the weekend. Only consume alcohol with meals that contain a healthy amount of fat. Choose dry wines or clear spirits, which are lower in sugar—NO ALCOHOL ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. A sure way to spike your insulin is to participate in cocktail hour with no food or ordering a drink while waiting for your food! Be aware of what constitutes a standard drink: 14 grams of pure alcohol. These are approximate amounts as some brands have higher alcohol content
● 12 ounces of regular beer, which is usually about 5% alcohol
● 5 ounces of wine, which is typically about 12% alcohol
● 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, which is about 40% alcohol
● 12 ounces of hard seltzer, which is about 5% alcohol
 

11. Are some grains better than others on SYS?
Gluten-free grains (quinoa, brown rice, amaranth, millet, wild rice) will be the best choice. Seed
crackers are great!

 

12. Can I eat bread?
Yes, but be careful. Many bread companies add sugar to their bread! Don’t eat a sugar sandwich! And gluten-free doesn't mean healthy. GF bread is often loaded with potato flour, tapioca flour, and sugar. DO NOT EAT THIS!
 

13. How much water should I drink?

 When you are adequately hydrated, your energy levels will be high, your hunger will stabilize, and your attentiveness will increase, helping you make healthy choices and resist sugary snacks. Follow these rules:
a. Divide your body weight in half. That is how many ounces of water you need daily. (For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, you should drink 90 ounces of water daily.)
b. Drink an additional eight ounces of water for every 20 minutes of cardio or 30 minutes of weight training.
c. For every ounce of alcohol consumed, add one ounce of water.
d. Drink an extra eight ounces for every 30 minutes outdoors in hot weather. e. Herbal tea counts toward water intake, but coffee does not.
 

14. How much protein should I eat?
Aim for a minimum of 50% of your body weight in grams daily, but you may consume 100% of
your body weight in grams daily to lose weight. (4oz of chicken breast has 31g of protein.)
 

15. Are there suggestions for fiber intake?
Fiber (25 - 35 grams a day), in conjunction with fat, will help stabilize blood sugar. Aim for 3g of fiber per serving. (Most of us only get half of the necessary fiber due to the Standard American Diet (SAD)).
 

16. What are the best fat sources, and how much should I eat?
Fat should make up 35% of your diet, so add fat to every meal! Enjoy avocados, olives, nuts (especially walnuts, almonds, macadamia,) nut butters, krill oil, wild-caught salmon, sardines, grass-fed butter and ghee, and whole, organic, cage-free eggs. Integrate healthy oils such as avocado, coconut, olive oils, and but avoid toxic industrial seed oils canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, safflower, soybean, sunflower, and palm oil.
 

17. Is popcorn a good snack on TSE31?
Popcorn contains no nutrients, is easy to overeat, can be full of pesticides, and is derived from corn, one of the most modified crops in the world. During SYS, please refrain from popcorn. However, for future snacking (as far as mindless snacks go,) popcorn is not the worst choice. With a glycemic index of 55, it doesn’t spike your blood sugar. So, choose organic, non-GMO, unsweetened popcorn. Measure your servings, and eat from a snack bowl! No eating out of the bag!
 

18. Should I expect to feel symptoms of withdrawal?
Yes, withdrawal is real, and you will likely feel some symptoms by Day 2. But you will have prepared yourself. Drink plenty of fluids, rest, and take supplements, especially magnesium. You may experience headaches, irritability, nausea, constipation, itchy skin, bad breath, fatigue, and body odor. But none of these will last long! By Day 6, you should be feeling better!
 

19. In a pinch, are Starbuck’s Egg Bites a good option?
It is best to focus on fresh, natural options that have not been processed. However, something like these egg bites are fine when in a bind. Remember, we're not striving for perfection here! It's very challenging to be prepared during our hectic lives. So when you can choose food that is nutrient-dense (vitamins/minerals/bright colors), minimally processed such as veggies, nuts/seeds/fruit which are all loaded with fiber to keep you filled longer, that is ideal. The egg bites are reasonable, packed with protein, and have 3 grams of sugar. Since there is no sugar in the ingredient list, the sugar naturally occurs in the dairy/cheese.

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