Life After Sugar
Episodes
278. "Cutting sugar can help lessen symptoms of Hashimoto's": Monica
10 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Monica grew up in Australia with pretty health-conscious parents. But as life got busier and more stressful, she started eating more and more sugar. ...
277. "I'm more connected with my body when I don't eat sugar": Suann
03 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Suann grew up in northeastern Canada eating the way most of us did: a diet full of sugary cereals and processed foods.But when she grew older, she sta...
Which is worse: cholesterol or insulin?
26 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I want to talk about something that confuses a lot of people: cholesterol. What it actually is, why your body needs it, and why the L...
275. "Cutting refined carbs helped me train for a marathon": John
19 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
John grew up in Indiana eating Hungry Man dinners, boxes of sugary cereal, and green-frosted Ninja Turtle pies... and no-one ever told him sugar was a...
274. "My faith helped me quit sugar": Christine
12 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Christine spent 30 years trapped in the cycle of yo-yo dieting. She tried everything from Weight Watchers to a hospital-supervised liquid protein pro...
273. What to say when someone offers you sugar
05 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What do you say when someone offers you something with sugar in it… and you don’t want it?Or you kind of do... but you don't want to sabotage...
272. "Mindful eating helped reduce my sugar cravings": Angela
29 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Angela grew up with a lot of stress and tension around food at home.In her 20s, she struggled with severe sugar addiction alongside anxiety and depres...
271. "White sugar and flour were our biggest triggers": Violet
22 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
When Violet's husband’s health crisis forced them to look for solutions, sugar and white flour weren’t even on the list.In this episode, Viol...
270. "Detox" symptoms to expect when you first cut sugar
15 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever thought about cutting sugar, flour, and processed foods, it's better to be prepared for what you might experience.In this episod...
269. "I'm worthy to have a life free from cravings": Evon
08 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Evon Dennis grew up in a large family where most meals were home-cooked. But as her family’s income increased, so did the presence of ultra-processe...
268. How perfectionism gets in the way of healthy eating: Courtney
01 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You can do everything “right” and still not feel like you're "good enough".In this episode, I talk with Courtney, a health coach an...
267. How to feel in control of sugar cravings after 50
22 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re over 50 and sugar cravings feel stronger or harder to manage than they used to, you’re not imagining it.In this episode (which I recorde...
266. "Wellness doesn't have to be so complicated": Jenn
15 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You probably don’t need more health information. Chances are, you’re already overwhelmed by it.In this episode, I talk with Jen Trepeck, health co...
265. "Cravings begin in the mind": Dr. David
08 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cravings don’t usually come out of nowhere. They’re often the body’s way of asking for relief, comfort, or a break from stress, even when it fe...
264. Sugar and emotional eating
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What is emotional eating?For a long time, I didn’t think emotional eating had anything to do with me. I thought I just liked sugar. I thought I nee...
263. The biochemistry of sugar and energy: Dr. Elizabeth
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week, Dr. Elizabeth Wanek, has a chemistry degree, a medical doctorate, and decades of practice.She challenges conventional healthcare t...
262. Natural sugars, added sugars, and nutritional guidelines
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What actually counts as a whole food — and why does that matter when it comes to sugar?In this episode, I unpack the difference between foods with a...
261. “Sugar isn't a treat for me anymore”: Mirinda
11 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Mirinda shares her honest journey with sugar, dieting, and the lifelong food noise so many women know well. Growing up with mixed me...
260. “Your body needs less sugar and more real foods and healthy fats”: Dr. Aaron
04 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I’m joined by Aaron, a family physician who explains why most doctors get surprisingly little training in nutrition — and how tha...
259. The pros and cons of cutting sugar
28 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cutting or reducing sugar can feel incredible… and also uncomfortable.In this episode, I talk honestly about both sides of the journey to your "...
258. How was your (sugar free) year?
21 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi, it's Netta.I'm recording this episode in December 2025, and if your year wasn’t perfectly sugar-free… don't worry. I'm gu...
257. “Small diet changes can reverse Type 2 diabetes”: Dr. Oberg
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with Dr. John Oberg about his groundbreaking work helping people with Type 2 diabetes.His medical practice dramatically improv...
256. "I can manage my Type 1 diabetes with less sugar": Ty
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I’m chatting with Ty, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was just 8 years old.Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune conditio...
255. What to do when cravings hit
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cutting sugar can feel empowering… until the cravings hit. In this episode, I walk you through what’s really happening when you stop eating sugar...
254. How to get more energy with less sugar: Uma
23 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with Uma, a health coach and yoga teacher based in South Africa. Uma shares her personal journey of growing up with a diet fu...
253. “Yeast overgrowth can make you crave sugar”: Dr. Carolyn
16 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Carolyn Dean, who is a medical doctor, naturopath, and author of Exposing Sugar Toxicity.We discuss sugar and cra...
252. The link between self-esteem and sugar
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore the emotional side of sugar cravings, and how low self-esteem can quietly keep us stuck in the sugar cycle.This episode was...
251. "As a functional doctor, I always ask my patients to cut sugar": Dr. Anju
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Anju, a former family doctor who shifted into functional medicine after realizing that treating symptoms wasn’t en...
250. How to develop a healthier relationship with sugar: Kim
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week I’m chatting with dietitian and author Kim Shapira about what it really means to feel free around food...and how we can build a peaceful, ...
249. Cut sugar, OK! But cut flour?? Why?!
19 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When I first told people I’d cut out sugar, everyone was so impressed — “Wow, that’s amazing! I could never do that!”But when I mentioned I’...
248. "My eating disorder was a way to cope with my emotions": Mallary
12 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, my guest Mallary talks about her moving story of living with an eating disorder that began after losing her mother at the age of 12. ...
247. "My Lyme disease symptoms lessened when I cut sugar": Sarah
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week is functional medicine nutritionist Sarah Reilly, founder of Get Nourished. Sarah opens up about her long battle with undiagnosed ...
246. What I learned about food - and time - in Italy (Part 2): Netta
28 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ciao! Take the time to listen to this episode... because it's about what I learned about food in Italy...but especially, it's what I learned...
245. "Eating less sugar saved me from weight loss surgery": Jonathan
21 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up, Jonathan described himself as "the fat kid".His weight yo-yo'd constantly, reaching over 400lbs as an adult.Jonathan had tr...
244. "Try cutting sugar! What do you have to lose?": Marcia
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week is very special... because it's my mum, Marcia!And it's her birthday too!In this episode, we talk about how and why my mu...
243. "Just 7 days without sugar can have a positive impact": Alicia
07 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alicia ate sugar and processed foods all her life, into her 50s.Then after a medical appointment, she realized that she needed to make a change for he...
242. "I lost over 200lbs when I decided to cut sugar": Alex
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alex struggled with food for most of his life, but he never knew that he had a real problem with food addiction.He thought that he was lazy, weak-will...
241. What I ate in Italy (Part 1): Netta
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ah! Italy!La dolce vita!Pasta... pizza... gelato!Delizioso!So did I eat all those typical Italian foods during our trip to Italy in July-August 2025?B...
240. "My mom's MS symptoms improved when she cut down sugar": Jen
17 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jen grew up in the Midwest in the 80s, eating lots of fast food and sweets. Her mom had multiple sclerosis, and when Jen was in her 20s, her mom’s ...
239. "Cutting sugar and intermittent fasting helped me in menopause": Lisa
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk with my guest Lisa Fischer about how she let go of diet rules and found a way to feel good in her body again. Lisa shares how...
238. "You can age more gracefully with less sugar": Dr. Mark
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Change is hard.But sometimes, NOT changing can keep you stuck.In this episode, my guest Dr. Mark Sherwood talks about the challenge of changing what y...
237. The benefits of making your own fermented foods and drinks
27 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You probably know quite a few fermented foods and drinks, like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, cheese, miso, and kombucha.Even wine and be...
236. "A balanced diet doesn't need added sugar": Dasha
20 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dasha is a registered dietitian who grew up in the US with Russian parents. Her family ate home-cooked meals but also sweets.In this episode, we talk ...
235. "I'm slowly changing my habits around sugar": Alex
13 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alex joined the Freedom from Cravings Formula 12-week program in January 2025.She's been following the 5 steps of the program and attending our w...
234. "Too much sugar can lead to a fatty liver": Jodie
06 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jodie grew up eating relatively healthy foods. But it was later in life, when she started having health issues, that she was diagnosed with celiac di...
233. "Sugar was toxic for me": Emmanuel
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Reverend Emmanuel is an empath. That means that he's very sensitive, and feels everything around him.From a young age, he used processed foods an...
232. Tips for spotting hidden sugars on labels
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is all about hidden sugars and how to spot them on food labels. And also the question: what about naturally occurring sugars? I want yo...
231. "I stopped suffering when I cut gluten and sugar": Jennifer
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When she was younger, Jennifer suffered terribly from pain, inflammation, lack of energy, bloating, plus a ton of other symptoms.But she was always to...
230. "I used sugar to numb my emotions and my pain": Denise
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Denise grew up in an abusive and traumatic household.She tried all kinds of ways to numb her pain, and sugar was always there for her.In high school, ...
229. "Moderating sugar and eating clean works for me": Irene
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Irene grew up with parents who grew up on a farm. Her mother loved sugar and processed foods, but she also did a lot of cooking, making hearty meals.B...
228. Rosemary's insights about her treats and triggers
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Rosemary is in the Freedom from Cravings Formula 12-week program.She very generously gave me permission to share an excerpt from one of her weekly Acc...
227. "Sugar made my inflammation and gut issues worse": Shannon
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When she was in her 20s, Shannon's body was constantly stressed. She was managing a gym and doing bodybuilding shows, but she'd never felt ...
226. Some of my favourite sugar free recipes: Netta
11 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I share a few of my favourite sugar free recipes.Full disclosure: I'm no Masterchef! Plus I have a pretty busy life.So listen t...
225. "Sugar affected my migraines": Marieke
04 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Marieke lives in Belgium. She grew up eating healthy foods like whole grains and vegetables. But Marieke also had a bit of a sweet tooth.And she had ...
224. "Cutting dairy and sugar gave me back my health": Mark
27 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark's health issues started early in his teenage years. Growing up in the north east of the UK, he'd been put on antibiotics for an ear inf...
223. Listener question: What if I don’t have enough willpower to cut sugar?
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's a question I get a lot: What if I don't have enough willpower to cut sugar?Well... here's my own question: What if it's not e...
222. Talking about probiotic foods with Dr. Steven Gundry (Part 2)
13 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of my chat with best-selling author Steven Gundry MD.Listen to Part 1 of our chat here.2500 years ago, Hippocrates said: "All dise...
221. Talking about gut health with Dr. Steven Gundry (Part 1)
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Gundry, MD is a cardiothoracic surgeon and bestselling author of "The Plant Paradox" as well as his most recent book, "The Gut-B...
220. Listener question: What is insulin resistance?
30 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a layperson like me (that is, not a health professional or a nutrition expert), then you may not know what "insulin resistance&quo...
219. "My health was transformed when I cut gluten and sugar": Colleen
23 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Back in her 20s, Colleen was suffering from chronic exhaustion, pain, and bloating. She was unable to function and she was sleeping all the time.Despi...
218. "Genetics affect how your body deals with sugar and cravings": Martin
16 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Martin grew up post World War II in the Czech Republic in central Europe, in a small village.He says that his family was poor, but they ate all kinds ...
217. "THIS made living sugar free so much easier!": Netta
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hi! It's me, Netta. And I have to tell you that all my life I was a real sweet tooth.People made desserts just for me, and my whole identity was ...
216. "Now I eat the foods that make me feel good": Cindy
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cindy started swimming competitively when she was 10 years old. She didn't really think about what she was eating because she was just swimming s...
215. "Sugar is instant pleasure, but long-term pain": Dr. Bob
23 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
My expert guest this week is Dr. Bob Rakowski who is a seasoned functional medicine practitioner with over three decades of experience. In this episo...
214. What does it feel like to live sugar free?
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it feel like to live sugar free?Every individual has a different answer. And in this episode, Freedom from Cravings Formula graduate Noreen...
213. "Fasting and less sugar helped with my weight at menopause": Karen
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When she was younger, Karen never had a weight problem. She was tall and slim.But then with the ups and downs of life, including several very stressfu...
212. "Eating sugar can create stress in your body": Amy
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Amy is a functional medicine nurse practitioner who is passionate about helping patients reverse disease and obtain true health and healing.In this ep...
211. Listener question: Are sweeteners better than sugar?
26 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Netta, are sweeteners better than sugar?"It's a question I often get asked.So you'll get my answer in this episode... although it...
210. "For me, less sugar fits perfectly with intermittent fasting": Pamela
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Pamela is an intermittent faster.And for her, eating less sugar (or low carb) fits perfectly with her IF lifestyle.For Pam, it was a process to find w...
209. "I used to love chocolate... Now I don't need it": Sharon
12 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sharon used to LOVE chocolate. She ate it every day. She couldn't imagine life without it.And she certainly never wanted to give up chocolate.So ...
208. How to make new and sustainable habit changes
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's the new year, and there might be some tweaks you can make to your everyday habits so that gradually you get to freedom from cravings.The boo...
207. How will you feel with less sugar? (Part 3)
29 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is the last episode of 2024, so let's finish off the year in good cheer and in good health. And maybe good health for you includes less suga...
206. How will you feel with less sugar? (Part 2)
22 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the fears that people have (and I definitely had it myself) is that if they cut sugar from their diet, then there's nothing left to eat.I ...
205. How will you feel with less sugar? (Part 1)
15 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the end of 2024, and this short episode will help you start to shift a few beliefs about how you will feel with less sugar.For example:how r...
204. "It was sugar - not fat - that made me put on weight": Meredith
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meredith grew up in the 80s and 90s eating all the "low fat" products because she was convinced that eating fat made her put on weight. It w...
203. "Eating clean improved my health after bariatric surgery": Camilla
01 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Camilla has experienced a lot of health issues in her life, including bariatric surgery.In this episode, she talks about how early her sugar addiction...
202. Is it possible to enjoy the holidays with less sugar?
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's November, and the holiday season is upon us.So is it really possible to enjoy the holidays with less sugar?You'll find the answer (well...
201. "My obsession has been replaced with peace around sugar": Vanessa
17 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vanessa has traveled all over the world.And she came to the conclusion that sugar is literally everywhere!That's not good news for anyone... but ...
200. Why I created the Life After Sugar podcast
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the 200th episode of the Life After Sugar podcast! Woo hoo!!I started this podcast in January 2021, and it's become a passion for me, a...
199. "Cutting sugar saved me thousands of dollars on drugs": Carol
03 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Carol didn't really have a problem with sugar until later in life.After each of her 4 pregnancies, she put on weight. Despite challenges like a d...
198. "I don't numb the pain away with sugar anymore": Sarah
27 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sarah grew up with a mother who was very intentional with feeding her family healthy food. She cooked everything from scratch. As a child, Sarah didn&...
197. "I finally feel like I have power over sugar": Acquanda
20 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Acquanda grew up eating what she calls "semi-healthy foods", like flavoured yogurts.Then when she moved close to her sister, who's a gr...
196. Whole, processed and ultra-processed foods: What's the difference?
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whole foods... processed foods... and ultra-processed foods (UPFs)... What's the difference?I'm not the first to ask this question.In fact, ...
195. "I quit sugar one day at a time": Barry
06 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Barry is 62 years old. He's a 4-time world juggling champion. He spent 34 years touring around the world doing shows, corporate events, TV shows,...
194. "I'm no longer addicted to sugar and ultra processed food": Ellen
29 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ellen was a food addict from the age of about 7, she says, with a history of obesity. Doctors and dietitians had put her on many diets as she was grow...
193. Small but powerful mindset shifts in "life after sugar"
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Maybe you believe that a meal isn't complete without dessert.I mean, you can't have a meal without finishing it off with something sweet. Ri...
192. "Cutting sugar helped me to heal my trauma": Judi
15 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Judi came from a home with a lot of trauma. Growing up, there was always sugar around. Her mother baked a lot, and that was Judi's go-to whenever...
191. Netta answers your questions about sugar and cravings
08 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I'll be answering a few common questions that I often get from listeners, including: how do you know if a product has naturally...
190. "Fasting is so much easier without sugar and alcohol": Lisa
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Lisa was around 20 years old, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. One of the main side effects was weight gain. And that set her down a path o...
189. "More protein, less sugar... no cravings!": Lori
25 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Lori was growing up in Los Angeles, she loved all cookies, deserts, and ice cream. Every week when she got her allowance, she spent it on candy a...
188. Simple sugar free recipes
18 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Want some simple sugar free recipes?You'll find several in this episode!You'll also find my general tips to avoid refined sugar and starches...
187. "Cutting sugar helped reverse my diabetes": Dana
11 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dana stopped sugar - more specifically, white sugar and flour - in December of 2021. In this episode, Dana tells how she was very addicted to sugar f...
186. "I'm working on changing my habits around chocolate": Beck
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Beck signed up for the Freedom from Cravings Formula 5-step program in the spring of 2024 because although she knew all about the negative effects of ...
185. What I ate on my trip to the UK
28 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I talk about what I ate on my recent trip to visit my family in the UK.Yes, you can travel and still choose to eat real, whole foods!...
184. "My 5 tools to heal from sugar addiction": Siobhan
21 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is Part 2 of my chat with Siobhan Harris, who struggled with sugar addiction her whole life.Listen to Part 1 (Episode 179) here. In this ...
183. Two moms talk about intermittent fasting, sugar, and gut health
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This is a crossover episode with my friend Michelle from the Fast and Fabulous podcast.We talk about:how I fought against cutting sugar for the longes...
182. Talking about gut health in Dr Michael Mosley's book
07 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Michael Mosley is the author of several books, including The Fast 800, The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet, and The Clever Guts Diet. Sadly, he passed awa...
181. "I didn't realize how much hidden sugar my family was eating": Nikki
30 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
My guest this week is Nikki, who's a fellow mom with 3 boys at home. In this episode, we talk about whole foods, how she feeds her family, and h...
180. What my Italian son taught me about food and carbs
23 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From November 2023 to June 2024, we had an Italian student staying with us. Not exactly an exchange student, more like a big brother for our daughter....
179. "The diet culture made my sugar addiction worse": Siobhan
16 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From early childhood, Siobhan remembers sneaking cookies before anyone else woke up in the morning. Even as a toddler, she was never able to eat sugar...