I had been feeling for a while that sugar {at least, processed food} was the cause of my ups & downs in the day. Running after my little man, keeping 'house', working & blogging, I can't really afford to be anything other than 'on'. I was finding I felt terrible the next day after a sugar hit. I found if I caved into a sugar craving, it never really satisfied, I kept going. One row of chocolate wasn't enough. I generally felt terrible whilst eating it, knowing it wasn't 'good' for me, but it was in the fridge, it is campaigned as 'treat yourself' food & sometimes, I'm just damn exhausted!
I'd been curious about learning how to read nutritional labels. I still wonder why this isn't taught in school. My sister found out she was gluten intolerant & when she finally avoided gluten, she felt significantly better. I wondered what it might be that I was sensitive to. Sometimes my eczema flares up more times than others. Sometimes I feel really sluggish, sometimes my digestion feels this way too. I made sure to include enough iron into my diet so that it wasn't anemia like it had been in the past. I experimented with lowering my gluten intake for a day or two & it actually did make a difference {cue excited text messages to my sister} but it wasn't "it". I increased my yoghurt intake, thinking it could help digestion. I made sure everything was low fat, as I thought was important, as we're sold in 'health' messages.
Please note, my fructose-free journey is a personal choice. My husband is actually a full-blown sugarholic with absolutely no intention of changing. We're talking a house full of soft drink, flavoured milk, sweet biscuits & chocolate. {Which, yes, does make it that teeny bit harder, as temptation looks at me as soon as I open our fridge or pantry or look at my husband devouring a pack of Malteasers!} I'm just highlighting this to let you know that I'm not preaching for all to make this fructose-free choice. It's not that way at all. As you can see, not even in my own home! I'm just sharing for those of you who asked & for those who might be interested in my current journey. If you want to try it too, I recommend these following three items, which were the holy trinity for me in convincing me & helping me follow this fructose free lifestyle.
• 'Sugar - The Bitter Truth'
- As soon as I finally watched this video ~ a lecture by Dr Robert Lustig ~ I was awakened to how the body works & how it processes fructose. It gets quite scientific & is mainly using US information/figures but the truth speaks for itself. I haven't touched anything about 6g/100g sugar since watching this video. Set aside 1.5 hours.
• David Gillespie's 'Sweet Poison - The Quit Plan'
- This is a fantastic book & gets into more detail following on from the information taken in from the above video. I was ready to read this after watching 'Sugar - The Bitter Truth'. It is Australian so it's highly relevant to our local food supply/supermarkets. David's 'cold turkey' approach suited me & was helpful to read. Also a lot of detail about alternative natural sweeteners. It reinforces that this is not a diet, it's an educated way to be mindful about what we put into our bodies & to remember that food is fuel & there is a lot of great whole foods out there for us to enjoy.
• Sarah Wilson's eBook 'I Quit Sugar'.
- I love this eBook as it is only 40 pages, it's short, sweet {ha ha} & easy to follow. The withdrawal process is well & truly covered with SO many helpful hints to get you through. There are many suggestions of foods to swap with, foods that are wonderful for your body & a shopping list for what to look out for at your supermarket/local farmers market/health food shop. Although I didn't phase out fructose, I went straight 'cold turkey' ~ it's helpful in the way that Sarah recommends that this is an experiment, be kind & gentle with yourself, and that it's OK to slip up. Many brand recommendations which is handy & the whole guide is following Sarah using herself as a guinea pig, & letting us know what worked/didn't work for her in her journey of becoming fructose-free.
// WEEK 1 //
I've been feeling fantastic this week which I was surprised about as I was half-expecting the Sugar Withdrawal Monster to rear it's ugly head. Apparently, according to Sarah, I've still got that to look forward to. YAY! As mentioned, I went cold turkey on fructose. I love Sarah's approach & it has helped me immensely, but for me, after watching Dr Lustig's presentation, I couldn't knowingly put any more into my body. It hit home HARD. I think I've been subconsciously reducing my sugar intake, as I do try & eat as healthful as possible. Perhaps this has helped the transition? I've been researching more articles on fructose, enjoying finding new recipes, purchasing more whole foods & expanding my knowledge on the subject. Dad was up visiting for the week & I was able to incorporate the small fructose-free adjustments to my life easily & without being a bore. I haven't felt deprived once. I've already lost weight. I feel lighter & happy that I'm respecting my body/soul. I can feel that this is the right path for me. I've had a few conversations about what I've learnt & have passionately discussed, but I've found I've been able to follow this journey quietly & simply. I'm enjoying the process.
// Foods I've been enjoying //
♥ Veggie burgers w/ haloumi & salad
♥ Veggie pizza
♥ Tuna mornay w/ rice
♥ Fish/prawns {caught by my husband} w/ salad
♥ Salmon & avocado sushi
♥ Eggs
♥ Fetta
♥ Haloumi
♥ Parmesan
♥ Rocket
♥ Spinach
♥ Cherry tomatoes
♥ Shallots
♥ Cucumber
♥ Onion
♥ Mushrooms
♥ Chai tea w/ cinnamon
♥ Coffee
♥ Peach green tea
♥ Milk
♥ Coconut, olive & flaxseed oils
♥ Herbs & spices
PS: for those who are mamas out there, I'm working on a post at the moment with some snack & meal ideas for the little ones. Leo generally eats anything I put in front of him, but I did specifically reduce his sugar/fruit intake from his first mouthful of solid food. It's funny how we know 'instinctively' what is right for our babies, but can't seem to follow the path ourselves, unless we get a huge awakening like I've recently had!
Big love to all & whatever journey you are on at the moment, just keep following your instincts & keeping in touch with how you feel about different decisions thoughtout the day. Only you know what is best for you. ♥
Happy Friday!
• David Gillespie's 'Sweet Poison - The Quit Plan'
- This is a fantastic book & gets into more detail following on from the information taken in from the above video. I was ready to read this after watching 'Sugar - The Bitter Truth'. It is Australian so it's highly relevant to our local food supply/supermarkets. David's 'cold turkey' approach suited me & was helpful to read. Also a lot of detail about alternative natural sweeteners. It reinforces that this is not a diet, it's an educated way to be mindful about what we put into our bodies & to remember that food is fuel & there is a lot of great whole foods out there for us to enjoy.
• Sarah Wilson's eBook 'I Quit Sugar'.
- I love this eBook as it is only 40 pages, it's short, sweet {ha ha} & easy to follow. The withdrawal process is well & truly covered with SO many helpful hints to get you through. There are many suggestions of foods to swap with, foods that are wonderful for your body & a shopping list for what to look out for at your supermarket/local farmers market/health food shop. Although I didn't phase out fructose, I went straight 'cold turkey' ~ it's helpful in the way that Sarah recommends that this is an experiment, be kind & gentle with yourself, and that it's OK to slip up. Many brand recommendations which is handy & the whole guide is following Sarah using herself as a guinea pig, & letting us know what worked/didn't work for her in her journey of becoming fructose-free.
// WEEK 1 //
I've been feeling fantastic this week which I was surprised about as I was half-expecting the Sugar Withdrawal Monster to rear it's ugly head. Apparently, according to Sarah, I've still got that to look forward to. YAY! As mentioned, I went cold turkey on fructose. I love Sarah's approach & it has helped me immensely, but for me, after watching Dr Lustig's presentation, I couldn't knowingly put any more into my body. It hit home HARD. I think I've been subconsciously reducing my sugar intake, as I do try & eat as healthful as possible. Perhaps this has helped the transition? I've been researching more articles on fructose, enjoying finding new recipes, purchasing more whole foods & expanding my knowledge on the subject. Dad was up visiting for the week & I was able to incorporate the small fructose-free adjustments to my life easily & without being a bore. I haven't felt deprived once. I've already lost weight. I feel lighter & happy that I'm respecting my body/soul. I can feel that this is the right path for me. I've had a few conversations about what I've learnt & have passionately discussed, but I've found I've been able to follow this journey quietly & simply. I'm enjoying the process.
// Foods I've been enjoying //
♥ Veggie burgers w/ haloumi & salad
♥ Veggie pizza
♥ Tuna mornay w/ rice
♥ Fish/prawns {caught by my husband} w/ salad
♥ Salmon & avocado sushi
♥ Eggs
♥ Fetta
♥ Haloumi
♥ Parmesan
♥ Rocket
♥ Spinach
♥ Cherry tomatoes
♥ Shallots
♥ Cucumber
♥ Onion
♥ Mushrooms
♥ Chai tea w/ cinnamon
♥ Coffee
♥ Peach green tea
♥ Milk
♥ Coconut, olive & flaxseed oils
♥ Herbs & spices
PS: for those who are mamas out there, I'm working on a post at the moment with some snack & meal ideas for the little ones. Leo generally eats anything I put in front of him, but I did specifically reduce his sugar/fruit intake from his first mouthful of solid food. It's funny how we know 'instinctively' what is right for our babies, but can't seem to follow the path ourselves, unless we get a huge awakening like I've recently had!
Big love to all & whatever journey you are on at the moment, just keep following your instincts & keeping in touch with how you feel about different decisions thoughtout the day. Only you know what is best for you. ♥
Happy Friday!
10 comments:
This is really interesting Nikki, and I can absolutely relate to what you are saying. I have those ups and downs from sugar, my skin reacts, and the boost from it is only momentary. Over the last couple of years I have been experimenting with eating habits also... And of course you feel great but it's never enough or 'just right' for me.
You've encouraged me to have a look at this video and possibly give it a go! Best of luck and I hope you get some positive changes!
xo Bek
Wow I just watched "Sugar - The Bitter Truth" I must say it was definitely an eye opener! You don't realise how much damage fructose can do to our bodies. I think the next step is to read the two books you have mentioned. I love my sugary treats so I am a bit unsure how I will go giving up but am also keen to see how it makes me feel. Thanks for making me aware!
Donna x
It obvious that the high-processed products are harmful for our bodies, but thinking that fruits and honey, which contain natural fructose, are as harmful... is pushing the concept too far !
Hi Bek,
Sounds so similar! Yes, have a squiz & see if it connects for you! Let me know what you think! Thanks so much, I'm seeing so many positive changes ~ at end of week 2 now. Loving it! :)
Donna ~ it is isn't it! I had NO idea how much damage it could do. But it makes TOTAL sense if we look at it in an evolutionary sense! Berries, fruits, bee hives etc were RARE so our bodies evolved to store store store when we happened to stumble upon it & also was able to process without damage in such small quantities. No worries about sharing! There are so many alternatives out there if you are interested. There is a sugar 'dextrose' available in the home brew section of the supermarket which is pure glucose, which if you are a bit of a baker, might be worth trialling! If you are interested in an experiment, I'd go with the eBook as it is a slow gentle process designed especially if you have quite the sweet tooth :) Let me know how you go!
Anon 2.57 ~ each to their own, absolutely! I was surprised to learn how our bodies metabolise fructose, I had no idea! Of course if you are not consuming any added sugar, 1-2 pieces of sugar & a teaspoon of honey here & there would be able to be processed fine by the body, as it's what it's designed for. It's a personal choice :)
If you are interested, I found the video above really interesting.
I also saw this article the other day which explains quite simply the difference between sucrose & fructose --> http://www.helium.com/items/2181734-sucrose-and-fructose
Appreciate your thoughts on it all :)
xxx
Edit ^ I meant 1-2 pieces of fruit {not sugar} oops!
xxx
Awesome start Nikki! I've been sugar free for 6 weeks now and honestly have never felt better in my life. I followed Sarah's approach only coz I was coming out of a huge sugar coma from the Xmas holidays :P
Keep it up and let me know how you go :)
I've blogged about my IQS journey as well :)
So I went to the library today to get The Sweet Poison Quit Plan and there was a 3 month wait on it! Yikes! Then whilst in Big W I had a look in the book section and they had it there for $22 so I just bought it. About to sit down with a cup of tea (no sugar of course!) and have a read.
Also I started a blog today so if you want to check it out it's donnajayne.blogspot.com.au I remember you asking me a couple of weeks ago if I had a blog, I have thought about it for a while and you inspired me to get my butt into gear and get one started!
Donna x
Sig ~ it's an amazing process, I'm now into my 9th week & have made so many positive changes in my life.. I'm inspired & full of energy.. it's been such a great move!!
Donna ~ I love your blog & your beautiful bump!! Don't be too hard on yourself whilst pregnant, I just think it's great to be informed & made educated decisions :) DVDs coming your way, yoga mama!!!
xxx
I've been reading this and Make Bliss Happen with great interest. After being blighted with bloating and lethargy from asthma and acid reflux, I'm not sure I have got anything to lose. So I'm giving it a go! I'll let you know how i get on
Just started reading your blog. And love it! I like that you're based in Australia (QLD:)as it is easier to relate to (when talking products etc). I am on the path to clean, green living so you're blog is a great inspiration. You've also inspired me to start my own blog. Keep on doing great works!Look forward to your posts. TC :)
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