Insulin Resistance, Inflammation and Disease

I have put myself through many sugar detoxes, one lasting ten years, trying to relieve myself of the  grip of this addiction and how it has affected my health (as you can see in the number of posts in my blog relating to this subject....).  Sugar comes in many forms - alcohol, white sugar, honey, fruit, starchy carbohydrates like white flour and fried potatoes, juice, etc - and if you crave any of these forms then you are most likely addicted.

There can also be an emotional addiction to sugar, certainly in my experience, in that it provides enjoyment in life and fulfills a yearning not being met in other more healthy ways.  This enjoyment in moderation is not usually problematic but most Americans don’t really know what moderation is in this arena. The brain, body, and emotional aspects of this addiction can make it harder to quit than some hard drugs!

Years ago in an endocrinology seminar I learned of insulin resistance and how this leads to inflammation in the body, which can cause a variety of diseases. I read recently of the connection between dementia/Alzheimer’s and sugar/starch addiction. Insulin and the process of converting sugar into energy is vital to our health.  Too much sugar can cause problems with this conversion, disrupting many normal body functions as well as emotional and mental stability.  Practicing balance is the end goal, but discovering what your body can actually handle usually requires gradual abstinence and reintroduction of these possibly dangerous substances.

More posts will be forthcoming to help you increase your awareness of the affects of sugar on your body, in a gradual whole food sugar detox program that I will guide you through.  I do not recommend sudden abstinence, and please consult your doctor if you suffer from any long term health conditions!

10 Day Sugar Challenge

Upcoming: 10 Day Sugar Challenge!  It’s time for me to take a break from sugar. How about you?  Please see my post called Sugar, Sugar, Sugar - Is there a middle way? for a description of my thoughts on sugar addiction.  Also check out the links below for information on the scientific research done on the brain/sugar connection.  It's important to get educated on this topic before starting the challenge.

https://www.sciencealert.com/watch-this-is-how-sugar-affects-your-brain

http://www.sugardetox.me/science/

Rib Arthritis

Turns out the gallbladder surgeon says that though my gallbladder is not functioning properly, my side/rib pain is more likely to be arthritis related to my fibromyalgia. The problem area is on the right side where my lower rib connects to cartilage (I can feel this developing on my left side as well). Good information to know!  And at this time gallbladder surgery is not necessary for me, the surgeon says. .

Our Stones Turn To Gems

“No Stone will be left unturned” a longtime MasterPath student once told me at a seminar. And he was right!  Yes we must face our fears and weaknesses coming from all reaches of our inner universe.  But with devotion in our hearts, cheerfulness in our  stride, and a dependence on the strong arm and love of the beloved Master, these stones turn to gems, and we learn how to create a life of love, power, and wisdom one step and experience at a time. We are so blessed!!!  💙

Gallbladder Pain

For the past several months I thought I had the stomach flu off and on, with frequent stomach aches, fatigue, and a strange pain in my right rib. Next thing I know I’m heading to the ER with a terrible pain in my abdomin and right side. After a variety of tests and ultrasounds it turns out my gallbladder is not working properly.

The gallbladder is an important part of digestion and good digestion is the key to good health. I’m now wondering if my gallbladder has been the cause of all this discomfort and fatigue. More time, doctors, and tests will help answer this question.

Sugar, Sugar, Sugar - Is there a middle way??

Well today is my birthday and you know what that means - sugar, sugar, sugar......  I know I have choices when it comes to sweets on my birthday but boy is it hard. Everyone wants to go out and celebrate and that usually includes sweet foods, dessert and cocktails, all of which I love!  What shall I do??

I'm reading a very interesting book called Sugardetoxme, that explains the science of our brain's response to sugars and sweeteners (even no calorie ones) of all kinds. I, like the writer, have a sweet tooth. She has chosen to completely detoxify from sweet foods of ALL kinds except a small amount of low sweet whole fruit. She explains that even fruit smoothies where the fruit is blended to a pulp loses fiber and stresses the body, and fructose in general is extremely hard on our blood sugar regulatory system. She informs us that metabolically we really can only handle 100-200 calories of sweet foods/liquids per day of ANY kind (including lactose milk sugar and the no calorie herbal sweetener stevia).

It's true that many, many people on the planet, and especially in America, are terribly addicted to sugar (and other stimulants), causing a wide variety of health problems, but where do you draw the line?  Especially in this day and age when sweet foods are so readily available everywhere you go and for every occasion imaginable, and Jamba Juice and Starbucks have become a daily habit.

I'm fascinated by this scientific analysis of the full effects of sugar spelled out so well by this author, and commend her ability to abstain from sweet foods completely, possibly living the healthiest life she can live while also helping others strive for this as well. Can I do that?  Food, and especially sweets, are consumed for a variety of reasons and I know I eat them for fun, emotional issues, stress, fatigue, social occasions, habit - you name it. When I have completely cut these foods out for long periods of time in the past because they made me so incredibly sick that I had no choice (even absolutely no fruit!), I felt deprived and like I was going to go crazy, though my health did improve over time.

Ultimately I believe in the middle way in all things. Enjoy life but do it in balance. Find sweets that work for you even if they might have a small side affect, once in a while. Force never works!  Love yourself and love life, as naturally, healthfully, and in balance as you can. Don't go to battle or become obsessed with food and let that consume you just for "perfect" health or a skinny body, forever and always. If you can do it and be happy then good for you!  But there are many other things to work on in life besides food, things that can change your health and who you are as a person in a deep way, so you can experience more LOVE - romantic, supernatural, personal, familial, etc - such as improving communication, decreasing stress, caring for ourselves and others in a variety of ways, experiencing new things, finding a higher calling, living a full life as best you can. LOVE of ALL kinds is the true lifelong elixir. Don't get bogged down by food!!!

For more to come on sugar detoxing the middle way, follow my experience and instruction as a long time "sugar sensitive"/hypoglycemic, as I uncover this middle way in my life, recorded in this blog.  

Controlling Hypoglycemia

Depending on which doctor you talk to or what book you read there may be simple to complex instructions on how to control hypoglycemia and how to eventually overcome it, but what it comes down to is listening to your own particular body. We are each biochemically unique and our diets eventually will have to be individualized once we become adept at listening to what we need. Keeping a diet journal is a great way to track your food responses and log what works and what doesn't. Also over time you will find your body will change and your needs will change, so becoming a bit intuitive about these signals is very helpful.

The basic rules are both diet and lifestyle changes. You must cut out sugar of all kinds, white flour, dried fruit, fruit juice, caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco. In my experience ALL fruit had to be cut out, and some doctors may also require a grain-free diet as well. Some can get away with eating low-sweet whole fruits such as apples, berries and melons. Again this will be individual to you and based on trial and error. In some case (including my own) sugar and refined grains have to be reduced in a gradual manner in order to not cause too much disruption to the body. Extreme fatigue is often the most difficult symptom to manage, especially without caffeine. I will talk more in my next post about Sugar Detox and how to do it.

Reducing stress is also required. This can be logged in your diet journal as well, noticing what causes stress or anxiety so you can brainstorm possible solutions. Find ways to reduce stress throughout your day through meditation, deep breathing, deep relaxation tapes, yoga, tai chi or qi gong, stretching, therapy, etc......  Be patient, stay positive, and trust the process. It will get easier and you will feel better!