I’ve Got the Sugar Blues

Kalpana's Corner

I am experimenting with removing refined sugar and alcohol from my diet.  It is actually quite challenging in some unexpected ways.  As a child and through college, I perpetuated a routine of eating sweets, low  glycemic carbohydrates and sugar from alcohol.  This gave me pleasure, and a sense of well being but being “on sugar” is kind of like being on drugs because my brain did not fully learn to generate a sense of natural contentment. In retrospect, I wonder if as a child my culture and environment had encouraged other activities like dance, playing instruments or creative interests, I may not have eaten my way to enjoyment. 

When I became an adult, I noticed a clear dynamic of needing sugar vs liking it.  In doing more research, I learned my gut flora is likely out of balance which can increase my cravings for sugars. So, I’m finally committing to a diet free of refined sugar and alcohol to see if I can stop needing them to feel good.  If any of you have ever tried something like this, you can sympathize with how difficult this can be.

I am currently doing a couple of different things with my diet to augment the process.  I am taking Undecenoic acid derived from castor bean oil.  It is known to work in a safe, effective manner by converting harmful yeast back to their normal fungal form while not harming other microbes of the body.  A good psyllium fiber complex with l-Glutamine helps eliminate toxins and strengthen my gut lining.  I follow this by adding bifidus and acidophilus probiotic complex to restore the healthy bacteria.  Coconut milk, avocados and protein rich foods like eggs and chicken are now increased in my diet.

This month I am using my withdrawal symptoms as a mindfulness exercise to observe feelings of incompleteness, boredom and emptiness.  It is particularly hard to stick to a plan when experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety as a result of the process. The staff here at Triangle Acupuncture encouraged me to implement a twice a week acupuncture regimen to alleviate mood swings to sustain the diet changes.  As my body adjusts to life without excess sugar, I am getting glimpses that there could be a stronger and broader scope of my I- am-ness other than my cravings.  Hopefully including acupuncture in this process, I can facilitate new pathways of natural endorphins, organic feelings of satisfaction, reduce the effects of detox, and rebalance my digestive system flora.

Tune in next newsletter to see if can make it through!

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