I am following my gut feeling that processed sugar attributes causes Alzheimer's and many other diseases, as such I have decided to go cold turkey and see if I can live without processed sugar in my life for 30 days. So far it has been one week; my biggest hurdle is my morning coffee that I usually pollute with 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar per cup. What can I say, I am French. C'est la vie!!! I normally drink 2 cups every morning, 10 teaspoons of sugar by noon. You would think I would be revved up and ready to go but I am not.
My second biggest hurdle has been trying to find food that does not contain any processed sugar. Read all your food labels; it is alarming. When it states the word sugar; it means the processed type. The position of where sugar is in the label denotes it concentration level in the product. Sugar is almost in everything that you eat unless you eat what I call simple food, one ingredient, no re-engineering or additives, your basic meat, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits. I have been keeping to this simple food routine for one week. I eat meat or fish or some protein source twice a day in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables. I have not seen any significant differences except for maybe more energy, but maybe that is psychological. It is too soon to tell. I drink my coffee with nonfat milk. I am drinking it but I am not liking it yet. Hopefully the acquired taste kicks in soon. I miss my Skinny Vanilla Latte Grande.
I am now on week four of my no processed sugar journey. My breakfast consists of a half cup of old fashioned oatmeal covered with spring water, microwaved for 2 minutes. I then add 1 organic banana, fresh strawberries and non-fat milk. I look forward to breakfast everyday. On weekends, I may change my breakfast to eggs scrambled with broccoli, peppers, onions and fresh tomatoes. I continue to have my coffee with nonfat milk first thing in the morning; it still does not taste good to me. Maybe I have been deluding myself all this time and I really don't like coffee. Maybe it was only the sugar that made it tolerable. As a kid, I hated coffee or coffee ice cream. Coffee may be next on my cold turkey list. For a mid morning snack, I will have organic carrots and fruit, usually an apple. For lunch I will have my Trader Joe's Whey Vanilla Protein mix with a cup and a half of non-fat milk or leftover roasted chicken or some other meat we may have on hand. I may add a few slices of low fat Swiss cheese. For an afternoon snack it will be more carrots and fresh fruit. For dinner, a salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon, fresh vegetables, e.g. summer squash, Swiss chard, broccoli with meat or another protein drink. For a snack, I may have 100 calorie popcorn, low fat Triscuits (my weakness and only processed item) or unsalted peanuts or frozen raspberries. I love berries and crunchy food.
From adhering to this diet, my system has become regular, my energy level is higher and my mind seems clearer and I sleep better at night. I thought I would have weight loss, but nothing significant. I will have to bump it up a notch with some exercise, i.e. walking.
My one month journey is coming to an end. I want to continue with this diet because I feel I have control over knowing what I am putting into my body. You have to take care of your insides as well as your outsides. Like a car, what is under the hood is more important than the rest of the car. With processed foods, the nutrition label has so many words that are not in my vocabulary, words I can't pronounce and words that just don't sound healthy. I want my foods to consist of one word items, e.g. Oatmeal, Apple, Salmon, Chicken, and Broccoli, not Processed Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, added flavorings, etc. Take control of your body, good internal maintenance has to be healthier in the long run, statistically anything that you take care of lasts longer. Be good to yourself. Thank You.
Kathryn Alexander, Hero Cards, Inc. (http://www.herocardsinc.com)
In 2008, Hero Cards, Inc. was founded to provide tangible opportunities for recognizing and thanking individuals who make a difference in our world. The company offers a greeting card line of the highest quality that is both cost and ecologically conscious and provides a percentage of its profits to families and organizations that have faced adversity. Hero Cards are designed and manufactured in the USA of recycled materials. Hero Cards, Inc. is a member of the Greeting Card Association (GCA), the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
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