In my case, it’s all about the creeping increase of sugar in my food intake. For me, it’s a real issue. I have a propensity towards sweetness, always have had, and from time to time my body finally gets my attention with some things that really aren’t right. And while I am not saying that it’s all to do with sugar, the intake of sugar is a definite underlying factor in my body’s calibration. It’s sort of like a meshed circle. I get pressured or stressed, so I increase sweetness in my diet as a counteractive combatant. But my body can’t take the sustained increase of acidity. And also it is quite possible that in the increase of sugar, I might also be denying my body some nutritional input that I would have given it if I wasn’t reaching for the sweet things.
In my case, the go-to is chocolate, always chocolate. Dark chocolate in all its forms and glories. Also, I love to bake, so I often bake a little batch of something before work so that I can have something to nibble (or hoover down!) in my breaks. It’s all healthy (well, most of it!) – just too much. For my body.
I really don’t like being dependent on something, not being able to say no. I want to regain the upper hand. I want to be in control. And I want to do the right thing for my body, too. And the way Western society is pitched these days, sugar is an integral part of most people’s dietary intake. There are some people that are outside of this, though. I have a daughter that doesn’t and never has had a sweet tooth. She doesn’t choose foods that are sweet. She doesn’t like sweet things, she wrinkles her nose up at them and chooses something else. She was the one that always had the drawer full of Easter eggs in December. And I have a friend who also does not have a sweet tooth, and who assures me that sweet things hold absolutely no interest with him. He bakes oatcakes or bread.
At that time I was amazed and astonished at the results. Firstly that I made it through. Secondly, that my body felt so good. As I recall, I didn’t lose very much weight, maybe a kilo or two, but my body shape changed and I felt less spongy, less fluidy, less weak. More clear in my head. Stronger.
But that was a few years ago, and while I have maintained most of the good eating principles, I have also slipped towards some of my old habits. And I have had some big neon signs within my body’s eco system that are telling me that all is not well. One is my skin, always an accurate barometer for me. In my case, I get little red patches on my hands that are intensely itchy. And my hands swell up. My throat gets gunky. And I have had one or two issues with my cycle that I feel almost certain has as an underlying issue this thing with sugar.
I wasn’t sure if I could do it. I took a long time to make the decision. I thought about it, had conversations back and forth with myself and sometimes with friends, made a few lists, made a few half-hearted attempts to initiate something. But the other day, I just did it. I didn’t eat any chocolate, I didn’t eat any sugar.
I’ve drawn the lines a little differently this time, so that I can sustain my intentions. Instead of feeling like I am grieving a loss, I have taken the time to put in some really cool stuff that I can eat in lieu of what I would have gone to before. I learned to make tamari sunflower seeds, which I now have in my fridge (much cheaper than buying them and quick to make). I bought some liquorice root tea. This tea has a duel purpose: it supports the adrenals so that I don’t stress out while I am not having chocolate, but it is a naturally, almost decadently sweet beverage that makes me feel like I am having a wonderful treat. Chick pea chips. And a raw snickers slab sitting in the fridge for when I want a treat. And I have bought a block of 85% Lindt, which I am not particularly fond of right now (it not being a single origin chocolate), which is an excellent go-to (should I require one) without being a magnetic pull.
And here’s one of the biggest things that is working for me: I have left all my open chocolate blocks around the house. I have one at the computer, one on the couch, one on the dining table, one by the coffee-making things, and a packet of chocolate-coated goji berries by the other couch. This has been crucial, in a strange sort of way. If I had packed them all up I would have instantly felt deprived and my thoughts would have constantly gone to the cupboard. If I had gotten rid of them, I would have retaliated, and bought more. I thought it through, and that’s what my reactions were telling me. So I left all the chocolate out. This means that I could have some, they are there if I want some, but I am choosing not to right now because for now I am not having any sugar. So far it has worked very well. I like the power this has given me. And you know what? My body has gotten on board and I haven’t been craving it – well not too much, anyway.