I don’t eat sugar anymore (An Introduction)

I love food.  All kinds of food.  I love making food, reading about food, sharing food with friends and family.  And I use to love sugar.  Well, maybe not sugar specifically, but sweets, especially baked goods.  And now… Well now I still love food and everything about it, but I don’t eat sugar anymore.

Less than a year ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.  This blog is not about my health issues, or how I my Fibromyalgia came about, but I feel that I have to put that out there in this introduction because it is a big piece of what lead me to the path of eating sugar-free.  A huge part of Fibromyalgia is fatigue.  And when I say fatigue, I don’t just mean “being tired.”  It’s like an all-over exhaustion in every aspect of your being – mental, physical, emotional.  Imagine waking up with the worst hangover you’ve ever had, and the feeling of exhaustion you have after the hardest workout of your life or running a marathon, and the tired achy feeling of having the flu.  Combined.  That’s fibro-fatigue.

So on my journey to recovery, or at least semi-recovery, I’ve learned a lot about treatments, medications, self-care for pain management, “pacing,” and other things that are a part of this world I now exist in.  And I’ve learned a lot about the impact of diet and nutrition on overall well-being.  

We’ve all heard of, and many of us have experienced at some point in our lives, a “sugar crash.”  It’s that feeling of afternoon tiredness or grogginess after you eat a big piece of cake at lunch.  Or it’s little kids eating too much candy and running around crazy only to drop down exhausted a couple of hours later.  Medically, having severe “sugar crash” after eating sugars or carbohydrates can be an indication of reactive hypoglycemia. 

What’s really happening is this:  Our blood sugar levels need to be relatively constant for us to function normally.  Certain hormones are involved in ensuring a normal range of glucose in the body – including glucagon and insulin.  When you eat, your blood sugar rises and you produce insulin which initiates absorption of the glucose and thereby regulates your blood sugar levels.  When your blood sugar drops for some reason, the body produces glucagon to increase glucose levels.  However, when you eat a high-carb or high-sugar snack, your body may experience a rapid increase in blood sugar followed by a rapid decline of blood sugar following consumption of the high-sugar food.  Basically, your body reacts to the large and sudden intake of high amounts of sugar by over-producing insulin, causing a drop in blood sugar levels.  This makes you feel tired, light-headed and even confused.

So as I was learning about my symptoms, “triggers” and treatments, I was tracking food I ate, when I took medications, how I felt, and so on.  I started to notice that I was experiencing a lot of “sugar crashes.”  Pretty much anytime I ate something that was high in sugar or “white carbs” I experienced a high level of fatigue afterwards.  But what I noticed that really made me pay attention was that it didn’t seem to be just a brief “sugar crash” a few hours after consumption of high-sugar foods.  Instead, I realized sugar seemed to be a trigger that made my fibro symptoms, most notably fatigue and “brain fog” worse, sometimes causing a “flare” for days at a time.

Since I was trying so hard to combat fatigue with a plethora of treatments, medications and supplements, it just made sense to me to get rid of something that I knew was causing fatigue.  So I don’t eat sugar anymore.  At first, it was a difficult adjustment, although maybe less difficult than I would have anticipated.  To be honest, I probably miss “bad carbs” like bread and regular pasta more than “sweets,” but carbs become sugars so I’ve cut down on those too.  

And the million dollar question of course is – did it work?

Definitely, eating sugar-free has made a positive impact on my overall well-being.  I’m not free from fatigue, because I won’t be “cured” of Fibromyalgia, and I still have to have a lot of ongoing treatments, medications and supplements.  But making this one change has been a huge part of my path to improvement and recovery.  I’ve made other dietary changes as well, including eating small meals more frequently throughout the day and making sure I eat a protein each time. 

I’ve certainly deviated a few times, with negative consequences.  Most notably, last year at our office Christmas party I decided it would probably be ok if I just ate a “few bites” of chocolate soufflé.  It wasn’t ok.  I felt sick and tired afterwards, and as delicious as that soufflé was, it wasn’t worth it.

In this process, I’ve researched sugar free recipes, learned how to read labels for “hidden” sugar content, scoured restaurants and bakeries for sugar free offerings, and read books and articles about sugar-free diets.  Sugar-free eating is good for many people for many reasons, whether you are diabetic, trying to lose weight, or just trying to eat healthier.  I decided to share my adventures of baking and preparing sugar-free treats, searching out sugar-free desserts that are still delicious and gourmet, and learning all about sugar free eating through this blog.  I hope you enjoy it.