Where do I begin? I had a sweet tooth of epic proportions that few could match (in my mind).
My fondness for sweet stuff began as a child. I remember Mom having to hide her candy bars from me because I would come home from school and eat any sugary goodies I could get my hands on. This was a problem because junk food was a staple for her and my stepfather after getting high. Not my problem, though. I could blame my Dad, who took great pride in the blizzard concoctions he created or my grandma who affectionately shoved treats in my face to show her love.
Really though, it’s hard to know who or what is to blame when sugar is everywhere! No birthday is complete without cake. Try getting through Valentine’s Day or Halloween without consuming some form of candy. And Thanksgiving without pie- forget it!
My affection for caffeine was taken to a new level when coffee creamers came out with so many cool flavors: caramel, mint chocolate, toffee and so forth. in 1995, my friends and I visited a quaint little coffee shop called Starbucks, which was gaining in popularity. Given their assortment of lattes, frappuccinos etc. I was a goner.
But in the end, it was Ben and Jerry who had my heart. Cherry Garcia and Coffee Toffee Crunch were my favorites. After a rough day at work, I would stop at the store and get a pint (perfect serving size, I thought). I’d also get some orange jelly sticks to eat on the way home- you know, to tide me over for the 5 minute drive before I could consume said ice cream.
The worst binge I ever had however, was while I was house sitting for my husband, then boyfriends’ parents. I had no roommates and no one looking over my shoulder to judge me. This was going to be bad, very bad! I couldn’t decide between two flavors of ice cream, so I got both. Edwards makes these delicious pies that come two slices to a package- key lime was my preference for the evening. I went back to my empty abode and began noshing- on all of it. In one sitting, I ate two pints of ice cream and two slices of pie.
Some people would say I’m lucky because I don’t have a weight problem, because for some reason our society mainly gauges health by “thinness”. All that did was enable me. I wasn’t healthy. When you eat so much sugar you can’t function or think straight, which I did many times, that is too much. I’ve often marveled at how someone could eat a whole pie and people would laugh it off, but if that same person did a line of cocaine, it would be major cause for concern. Guess what? Sugar is 10 times more addictive than cocaine!
I also had chronic inflammation in my neck, which cause me to be late for work many times until I could see the chiropractor. It also led to several visits to a physical therapist.
Sugar is a huge cause of inflammation, which may not mean much to you, but these are some- not all- of the ailments inflammation contributes to: Alzheimer’s, dementia. cancer, MS, lupus, arthritis, allergies, depression, Crohn’s disease, gout and thyroid issues such as Graves disease. I KNEW THESE THINGS LONG BEFORE I EVEN TRIED TO CUT BACK ON SUGAR. After all, I was addicted, as is most of the population at this point.
I jumped on the artificial sweetener bandwagon like so many others. Problem is, they are all man made chemicals that your body doesn’t know what to do with. Often times, it will see it as a toxin and attach it to fat cells in your body. This is why stubborn fat is often a toxin problem more so than an inactivity problem. My source on this is Dr. Pedram Shojai. Also, they are many times sweeter than cane sugar, so it takes more and more sugar to feel satiated.
I think what really made me get serious about cutting back on sugar is the link between that and depression, which I’ve battled most of my life. It’s thought that inflammation in the brain disrupts serotonin levels which can contribute to depression. Cutting back has meant breads, pastas, grains etc. all of which convert to sugar in your body and thus, cause inflammation.
Whenever I hear of a way to dramatically improve my life/health, I GET PISSED OFF AT FIRST BECAUSE IT ALMOST ALWAYS INVOLVES CHANGES I’M NOT READY TO MAKE. You will make changes if and when you are truly ready- and not a moment before! And those changes must be catered to your individual needs. We live in a one size fits all society, but our bodies and our systems are unique to us in so many ways.
I would recommend making one change at a time so you know what is causing which change in your physical/mental state. I would also say to give each change a few weeks in order for your body to adapt. If you feel better, keep it. If not, lose it and try something else. I highly recommend a dietician to help guide you in terms of finding healthy choices, and to help sort through all the B.S. As always, consult your doctor before making dietary changes if you have a medical condition.
It took many years of pain, fear and setbacks for me to get to the place I’m at now. I drink tea not coffee, because I only enjoy coffee when drenched in sugary creamers. I love the smell of coffee and the thought of coffee, but I’ve found I don’t need it like I swore I did. If I have a treat, it’s usually only on special occasions- but I enjoy the hell out of it and I feel no guilt whatsoever! For the most part, I try to limit sugary treats to fruit,but not dried fruits, which have higher concentrations of sugar.
At work I’m seen as this person who has great willpower. But the thing is, the less processed sugar I eat the less I crave it. Also, my palette has changed to where I can taste sweetness in foods that I couldn’t before. And yes, my mental outlook has improved dramatically. I rarely have to see the chiropractor either, and at almost 40, I feel better and more energetic than I did in my twenties!
I truly am and addict. I think once you become one, you are always susceptible. But with each passing day I feel stronger, healthier and happier. Best of all, finding a way to end my love affair with sugar makes me wonder what else I’m capable of!