october is the official kick-off for the holiday season with cooler weather, autumn colors and a constant flow of sugary treats and carb loaded goodies. with halloween right around the corner, a squash becomes pumpkin pie, children become goblins, and snacks become bags of bite-sized candy. while all is good for an evening, the massive rush of sugar only begins here and tends to continue on through the new year. this not only has detrimental effects to your waist line, the overdose of sugar can also change your body chemistry and your mental productivity. here are a few motivators to keep your sugar and carb binging in check this season and a fantastic tip to help you stay on track when that candy corn is personally calling your name! 

it also rots your insides because your body doesn’t know what to do with it. there is not a single physical need for sugar, and it is not needed in our diets. it is full of calories, and those calories can increase the fat in your blood elevating triglyceride levels and ldl, while decreasing your good cholesterol, hdl. the extra sugar also takes your insulin and blood sugar levels for a ride and when abused for too long can increase your risk of diabetes. then there’s the crash. while sugar may perk you up when coursing through your system, as it tapers out you feel exhausted. your body just worked hard to bring itself back to normal, and now you need a nap!

the holiday season comes every year, at the same time, with the same events and dietary stumbling blocks. to keep your body happy, healthy, and safe this season, there is a tip you can put into practice now with upcoming sugar fest of halloween and use it to carry you through the year and into 2020: be proactive! it sounds silly, but when you know these tasty temptations are approaching, the best plan of action is to anticipate your chocolate weakness and give yourself an equally delicious alternative!

keep a box of chocolate dream protein o’s at your desk or better yet, substitute all the candy in your house for plant-based o’s, sticks, and puffs. not only will you be handing out delicious, enviable halloween treats, you’ll also ensure that there are not bowls of toxic sugar bombs sitting everywhere. that may sound a tad dramatic, but start putting a negative spin on sugary treats to help you turn them down when others offer. it’s good to remember how the sweet tooth lowers your energy and puts your body at risk for disease and a stomach ache!