Friday, January 31, 2014

Sugar

I have a very sweet tooth. I love candy and sweets, and have a hard time moderating myself. I also have adverse reactions to sugar, which would make you think that it would be easier for me to avoid. Yet I always forget how I’m going to feel after, when I’m popping candies into my mouth. I’ve noticed in the last week or so that I now get a headache after eating candy. I suspect because I’ve been eating healthier lately, that the sudden rush of sugar goes straight to my head, literally. It also plays havoc with my blood sugar.

As a teenager I struggled with Hypoglycemia – the opposite of diabetes – where my body produced too much insulin. If I didn’t eat regularly and let my blood sugar drop, I would pass out. I have too many stories about passing out in strange and embarrassing places, before I learned to listen to my body and fuel it appropriately. Over time and likely with my weight gain, my body shifted to a pre-diabetic mode and I was dealing with the opposite problem. While I’m no longer considered in either state, I feel the effects of my blood sugar levels almost instantly. Within minutes of having a high dose of sugar, my cheeks and ears turn bright red and start to burn and I can start to feel light headed and sick to my stomach.

And yet it still doesn’t stop me from eating it.

I came across a group today that is running a 30 day challenge starting on February 1st. They are challenging people to change just one thing for 30 days to help your goal of a healthier lifestyle. While I always maintain that I don’t deny myself anything and that I’m not on a “diet” but on a new way of living, I am going to deny myself candy and sugary foods for the next 30 days. I don’t need them, they do nothing good for me and there are plenty of healthy, sweet altrenatives if I feel that I just can’t go on without some extra sweetness. I’m sure I will feel better for it too.

Are you interested in making 1 small change for 30 days? Come join us!

1 comment:

  1. I know what you mean about a sweet tooth! It's really hard to work nights too, where the vending machine calls your name all night long. Ugh! I think I will join you in the denial of sugary confections. It's not like I need them anyway ;)

    ReplyDelete