Life Without Refined Sugar

 
New! Larger type for those of us with near-vision issues. Got to love middle-age!

I've been hearing a lot lately about people giving up sugar for different reasons. Some people give up different forms of sugar. Some people give up all forms of sugar. Some give up white sugar and refined flour products. Sometimes it's about controlling blood sugar. Sometimes it's about having whole grains and natural sugars for improved health or to lose weight. And... some people are just health nuts.

For some ladies cutting sugar out of their diet has helped with hot flashes, which I have been suffering with for several years. I talked to one woman last year who uses herbs and natural supplements. She told me that she rarely eats sugar and assured me that she has no hot flashes unless she's eaten something with sugar in it. Since then, I've been telling myself that I can't live without my chocolate and my cappuccinos and cakes and pies. But I can definitely live without the hot flashes, which for some ladies last TEN YEARS! After one incredibly bad hot flash this week where I sat outside with no jacket or sweater and temps in the 30's with the heat coming over me in waves (it was one of the worst), I thought it might not be so bad to try eating no white sugar for a month as a trial. Typical for me, I've chosen the Christmas holidays, the time of year when people eat, serve and share the most sweets! I'm not planning to make a huge deal of it, I'm planning to just bypass the sweets and go for the veggies and fruits and nuts. (I'm also a vegetarian - not vegan - so I still eat cheeses and eggs and a little butter.) I'm the adventurous type and willing to try new things so I have a good attitude about it. Note: I cannot take hormones because even the lowest dose gives me terrible migraines. I would rather deal with the hot flashes than the migraines I had when I was taking the Pill back in my 20's. But it would be wonderful if this works for me. Then I can encourage other ladies who are suffering with menopausal symptoms and who are ready for a change. (Pun intended!)

Progress report - this is day 4. If I even THINK of something sweet today my mouth waters. I'm warily staying away from the sweets we have, the protein bars with chocolate, and the instant cocoa mixes in the cabinets as I don't want to test my resolve. I'm not really craving sweets. I'm still having hot flashes. I don't think it's been long enough to tell a difference. I went to the store on day 1 and got a jar of unsweetened applesauce (great with cinnamon!), unsweetened peanut butter, and some health food crackers with no sugar. I'm only cutting out refined sugar so I'm still having a little raw wild honey in my tea. I'm having a glass of water with a teaspoon of lemon juice in it each day, and for a treat I'll have a glass of water with a splash of tart cherry juice. I'm still having fruits but not canned fruits. I'm on the fence about raisins and prunes, and will probably keep them to a minimum since they are so very sweet and I don't want to skew the results. I want to give this a real try.

I haven't subjected my family to the same rules. They can have whatever they want. This is my experiment, not theirs. I'm not whining or preaching about it, I just want to see what happens. I will definitely share on here how it goes.

If you are thinking of trying this I suggest looking at several articles first, and see how other people have done it. Also, don't quit cold turkey. There are real withdrawal symptoms to deal with. I'm having jitters, shaky feelings, and the first night was in a really bad mood for while. And this is with cutting way back, not even completely cutting it out. I think today is the first day I've had nothing with white sugar in it. So with my fingers crossed, here we go!

Have you ever altered your diet to deal with physical symptoms? How did it go?