THE END OF A LOVE AFFAIR WITH SUGAR {part 2}

{Confused? This post is number 2 in a series. You can read post number 1 right here.}

As I researched all sorts of ailments unrelated to my sugar intake at all, I began having tiny suspicions that eventually led me like a trail of breadcrumbs to a site that explained everything.

I was startled to learn that sugar stimulates the same brain pleasure receptors as drugs like heroine and morphine. Stopping my sugar intake was mimicking that of drug withdrawal! If sugar is addictive to that extent, it must've truly been doing awful things to my body! The website went on to list indications of a detox/withdrawal that matched my strange conglomeration of symptoms exactly: cravings, headache, flu-like symptoms, cold sweats, anxiety, irritability, and extreme fatigue. 

Finding this information acted as validation that a sugar detox was the right thing to do. I continued to eat as natural and healthy as possible, took vitamins, and avoided sugars and refined carbohydrates (like white rice, flour, and most cereals) that have the same effect on our body as sugars.

But sugar is so addictive I was apparently relying on it for daily energy and mood boosts. This became especially apparent at the end of the day by powerful cravings for treats to comfort and reward myself for surviving stressful, hard, tiring days at work. Ice cream, cereal, cookies, pastries, a candy bar...these "rewards" have been more frequent than I'm proud of. 

Then there are the awkward social situations. Friends serving pie, neighbors dropping by with treats, Halloween parties, and the teacher's lounge I had to avoid for an entire day because of the pile of soft, frosted sugar cookies on plate in the middle of the table. 

The next Relief Society activity is entirely planned around everyone bringing a favorite holiday treat to share! I guess my stalk of celery and I will be sitting home that night. 

Then the dreams started. Of frenzied binges on cookies. Or of a magical tree with innumerable streamers hanging long and bright from its branches. The tree was the scene of a party. People milled through the streamers, visiting each other, and enjoying the countless sugary desserts tied for the taking to each strip of color. It was beautiful.

A vision of the tree of life, I tell ya.

But in all seriousness, this no-sugar-thing is totally working. Within ONE week, my most serious health issue cleared up completely. Like, after five whole months of bleeding and years of irregularity, I felt my cycle correct itself. Other effects of my new eating habits include: better sleep, clearer skin, a disappearance of some poochy stomach bloating that I thought was normal, and an overall feeling of good health.

So now that I have been off sugar for about a month and I can see it's benefits, the BIG QUESTION is: 

Am I doomed to avoid sugar for the rest of my life? 

I doubt it. Or I should say, I hope not. 

It's not a practical way to live. No one would ever know what to cook for me...the crazy 'health nut'. And what about the fact that every holiday is somehow tied to sugary treats? That would mean no more birthday cake, no more Christmas Eve chocolate fondue, no more conference morning french toast, no more New Year's Martinelli's, and no more Halloween cookies monsters. What else is there to live for?! 

Okay, I'm just kidding. Don't answer that. 

But I have decided to be strong until Thanksgiving. To give my body time to undergo a proper detox. This doesn't mean I'm going to let it all fall apart after that...not now that I am aware of sugar's  powerful hold on me. I'll just be more aware and moderate. Maybe I'll allow myself a slice of pumpkin pie (Or now that I think about it, I believe my aunt makes a sugar free pie every year). It might be helpful to see if my body can handle a little bit, just around holidays, without going haywire again. An experiment. 

Well, there's my sugar shpeel. I appreciate the encouragement from post number 1. Your support helps. It's still a daily fighting battle, and sharing it with all of you kind of forces me to be even more accountable. I'll keep you updated and maybe blog some of the healthier recipes we've been using lately. Please share any ideas you have...especially for snacks! When cravings hit, my go-to snack has been an apple with natural peanut or almond butter, but I fear this will get old real fast.

Also, thank you to Ellen, whose own journey with infertility and a sugar fast was an answer to prayer. This post was the push that initially got this ball rolling.