Hello, my name is Annabel and I’m a sugar addict. It’s been 6 days since my last sugary morsel.
As you’ll probably gather if you’ve been following this blog for a while, I like my sweets! Whilst I haven’t really eaten refined sugars for a while, I am always looking for loopholes to weasel in that sweet treat, bending the Paleo rules to allow in those date balls, maple syrup and honey’d treats. Raw cacao also became a friend for making things chocolatey. I’ve always been drawn to sweet things ever since I was a kid stealing chocolates from under the counter of my parent’s newsagency. There’s something that feels rewarding about sugary things that a handful of nuts or a bag of chips just can’t provide.
I have given up sugar before – the longest stretch was for about 6-8 weeks, but never before in the way I’m doing now. They say that the things you crave are often the things you need to give up (I meant who ever craves silverbeet or kale?), so I’ve known within myself that sugar hasn’t been treating me kindly for a little while. Even over the last few weeks I’ve had increasing bloating (like a rock hard 6 mth pregnant belly after some meals, even after a green smoothie) so I knew something wasn’t right with my gut. I’m learning more and more what it means to listen to my body.
So I took myself off to my long suffering and amazing friend and naturopath Sharon Wilford, and true to my ‘gut’ feeling, I had fungal and candida issues that have invaded and camped out in my gut affecting not only my gut, but general inflammation, my central nervous system and a patch of itchy psoriasis between 2 fingers that has prevented me from wearing my wedding rings all summer. Enough. Apparently the only way to rid myself of these nasty fungal & candida squatters is to starve them out for at least 3 weeks. That means no sugar of ANY kind – not even fruit or starchy veg (my favs of course like sweet potato, beetroot, even the humble old carrot is relegated to the kids for now). ARGGHHHH. Is it even possible?
Well, I’m here to say, that it’s been possible for almost a week so far. I’ve been VERY strict and it’s been very hard BUT so far I’ve done it without even a lick. The good news is the bloating stopped almost immediately but here’s what else I’m hoping improves – the skin on my fingers, stiffness in my joints (almost all of them but in particular spine, right sided knee, ankle, a finger joint), the demyelination weakness in my right arm and leg, energy levels, balance and sugar cravings. Not expecting much am I?
During the next few weeks I’m inspiring myself by trying to come up with as many ways to eat green leafy vegetables without turning into one and reading and listening to all things about how evil sugar is. Fortunately that’s not hard as whilst I’m an addict, I do believe it’s pretty evil and there are plently of experts out there who agree. I’m excited about That Sugar Film that is released here in Brisbane in 2 weeks and I just bought The Sugar Book yesterday and am enjoying feeling virtuous whilst I read it. I’m also planning on reading ‘Grain Brain’ by Dr Permuletter that I’ve had sitting on the shelf for a while.
Well I’ll keep you posted on the progress and post some very healthy foods over the next few weeks at least (apart from the Easter Rocky Road which I know is evil and I shouldn’t foist it upon you, but hey, I’m not forcing you to buy any?!
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