I thought sleep issues, numbness, headaches and belly fat were just parts of life. However, after the constant headaches and other effects worsened, I was diagnosed with diabetes. While my blood sugar numbers were just barely over the diabetic mark, I felt AWFUL! I was thrilled to know what ailed me was a food I could easily avoid. I did just that, I didn’t reduce my sugar consumption, I completely cut it out permanently. I added additional protein at every meal and my health and QUALITY OF LIFE skyrocketed!
Honestly, life without sugar wasn’t completely foreign to me. My dad struggled with blood sugar issues as well. For as long as I can remember, he hasn’t touched sugar either. It wasn’t a big deal growing up but he never even had pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas. He handled it well and I was determined to also. My dad and I were about the same age when we started having these blood sugar issues. We both had a major sweet tooth that led us down this path.
While most of us are familiar with many symptoms of high sugar consumption, few people know the ones I experienced. Did you know avoiding sugar changes your palate for the better? Forget artificial sweeteners, honey or agave, you won’t crave sweetness anymore. Your sweet cravings will miraculously go away and you’ll feel so much better!
It is so important to mention that many people have also found their depression, anxiety and brain fog lifting after cutting out sugar. Sugar is a highly addictive substance that can wreck your gut, your health and even your looks. It is inflammatory and is associated with so many illnesses. As the obesity crisis in this country soars, there is no question sugar is a MAJOR driver.
People often ask me how I felt as I was eliminating sugar. I felt off, like I was missing something for the first few days. However, after the first week I felt better and watched my life return to normal. It has been many years now and it is one of the best things I have ever done for myself.
Why can some people eat all the sugar they want? My opinion: they can’t! Maybe they seem healthy enough but in years of living like this and talking to so many people about it, no one is immune from the effects of sugar. It is not a matter of if, but when high sugar consumption will affect you. Whether it’s cancer, depression, diabetes, or even just premature aging, our bodies were not meant to process processed sugars like table sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
Today I still enjoy fruit as a dessert. Fruit is nature’s dessert, our bodies actually benefit from these “sweets.” While our society is based around sweets, lattes and holiday desserts, there are more options than ever that are low sugar if you prefer to go that route. A little research and trial and error goes a long way!
