Slaying the Sugar Dragon

[zBeverly]

   So here I am on the eve of starting my first W30.  What do I hope to gain from it?  Why am I doing it?  Is it just another fad food thingy/diet I'm trying?  Hmmm.  Why have I spent the last 2 weeks or so pretty much eating anything I want, making sure I "get them in" before I dive in?  It's what I've always done in the past, before embarking on a major change.  

   I'm a 53 year old Wife/Niece/Grandma/Child-of-God/Aunt/Great Aunt/Sister who's pretty much always had some issues with food, with over consuming the 'bad stuff' like ice cream, sugar, cookies, popcorn, potato chips.  Lots of emotional or stress eating.  I used to have eating disorders.  Now I still have mini binges, times when I'm completely ruled by consuming food, but they are less common and no where near the same extent as times in the past and not as long.  Why can't I let this go?  I'm thinking "It Starts with Food" explains it.  I'm not fat (not skinny either) but I have a layer of fat that will not go away.  From all I'm reading it's where I'm storing up toxins.  

   Why do this?  In the past year or so I was re-diagnosed with osteopenia...I am losing bone density.  My dentist asked me if I knew because she could see it in my jaw.  YIKES.  I say re-diagnosed because they told me this over 10 years ago.  So I've 99.8% cut out soda, changed my eating somewhat, and exercise more frequently (except lately).  I have had a Morton's Neuroma for over 3 years now.  Tried many things, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, cortisone and some sort of freezing injections (lots), ultrasound to no avail.  Most everyone says next step is surgery.  It won't go away.  My new Chiropractor says it's also gut related, that people with them have gut issues, might not need surgery.  Hmm, it isn't as bad when I'm not eating sugar.  Hmm.  I deal with Raynaud's Syndrome sometimes and have since college (my finger tips/toes will go white and or numb especially in the cold).  There's drugs for this, nope.  I have TMJ, worsened by the bone density issue. I've never been 'regular' till I met Magnesium.  I'm in the midst of Menopause.  I have periodic joint issues and my knees are close to bone-on-bone.  A few times in my life my hands get so weak that I can't open water bottles or undo my watch latch. My paternal grandmother was an invalid brought down by rheumatoid arthritis.  My parents' generation all have had some form of cancer (except my Mom); Dad died at age 59 riddled with it.  One brother is pre-diabetic, a double-cousin is diabetic. All the women ahead of me have lost up to 3 inches in height, my mom more like 4 inches.  So the epigenetic factors are there.

   Lately there has been stress and I've been in Scarlett O'Hara mode...will think about it tomorrow.  In the last year or so: My husband has had his ascending aorta replaced (like open heart surgery with a twist), chronic pain and a surgery for skin cancer.  Our office is in Ferguson and the only reason our building didn't burn down was someone stomped out the molotove cocktail thrown in the upstairs/un-boarded window, now our business is bad and I'm considering a career change while my husband runs it.  My Uncle/second Dad passed with cancer. There have been some other family issues.  Our sweetest dog died unexpectedly, ripped from our lives overnight.  Another dog almost died, 'my dog', spending 30 hours in intensive care Halloween time. One of my closest friends had a golf ball sized tumor removed from her brain while another close friend ended up in the hospital and now has a rare lung disease causing her to move to a warmer climate.  I was in the Best In Show with only professional handlers.  I have awesome grandkids.  I have a loving husband and 3 great dogs.  I have a good life overall so no stressing over the details!

  I'm not sure if this is a public or private log as I write this.  I'm not whining.  I'm logging.  In writing it down I establish my new baseline of health.  I'm seriously looking for NSV...non-scale victories.  I will know them as I feel them.

   My goals:

1.  Make it through the W30...I didn't realize how pervasive bad food choices are in our lives.

2.  Learn the W30 and enjoy cooking again but in a new way (while incorporating some of the old way for my husband).

3.  View it as an adventure, an experiment. 

4.  Log it.  What am I gaining?  Reduced inflammation and increased bone density!!  An understanding of how I'm addicted to today's food-like substances. How does my body feel?  How am I 'feeling' toward food?

5.  Incorporate what I've cut out one category at a time to see what it does.  Decide if worth it all, part or none of the time for the future.

   My mantra:  Progress, not perfection.  

   My name:  Beverly (or Amma if you're a grandkid)   

If someone else is reading this, may success be yours because you have worked for it.  Savor it.

[swilmer]

Success to you as well Beverly! 

[Ann]

I have had a Morton's Neuroma for over 3 years now. Tried many things, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, cortisone, and some sort of freezing injections (lots), ultrasound to no avail.  Most everyone says next step is surgery. It won't go away. My new Chiropractor says it's also gut related, that people with them have gut issues, might not need surgery. Hmm, it isn't as bad when I'm not eating sugar.  Hmm.

 

 

Hi Beverly,

I have a Morton's neuroma in my foot, also -- and OMG I had those horrible, painful freezing injections, too - like 8 of them over 8 weeks.  Unfortunately, after going thru all that, the shots didn't do much, if anything, to ease my symptoms.  And I have other aches and pains which usually bother me more than my foot (hip, low back, shoulder...).  I'm on Day 6 now, and haven't seen a lot of improvement yet.  But I've done a couple of Whole30s before, and at some point in the 30 days it really did help.  Actually, I just went back and looked at my "success story" from 2012 ... here's an excerpt of my Day 31 report:

 

... Decreased body pains. I have a painful Morton's neuroma in my foot, which I have received cortisone shots for. I haven't been able to comfortably wear any shoes except my Danskos for more than a year, and high heels were out of the question. I can once again wear my pointy high heels all day without significant discomfort! I know it's not a good idea to wear these types of shoes and I'm just asking for my foot to get worse, but it is sooo nice to be able to wear girly shoes once in a while My lower back still has pain, but it has lessened. I can roll over in bed almost without even thinking about it. ...

 

Good luck to you on reaching some NSV's!!

Ann

[praxisproject]

If you need one, you can get a very detailed analysis of your bones from a DEXA or DXA scan.

 

I take Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2, Magnesium and Zinc for my bones (but no calcium).

 

It's worth looking for a Functional Medicine doctor in your area, as you may need some specific nutrition support.

[zBeverly]

Thanks for the good words y'all. Ann, he has recommended probiotics 40-50 billion per serving to get insides balanced. Praxisproject, I did that about a year ago (scan) but haven't heard of functional med doc. Will check into it. I take those vitamins too but also calcium. I'm going to decrease the amount after a week into this. Thx again and Happy New Year!

[meredithm1]

Ha, love this post.  I just turned 50 and I have on kid, a 9 year old, if you can believe it.  Various minor health issues, more on that later, and trying to keep them from becoming major.  My own husband has two heart attacks last year, has to be reanimated 3 times during the first one.  By the third time, I had the horrifying feeling that my boy would never see his father again.  Stressful year, but we're coming out of it.  Now, having turned 50, I'm taking writing classes and trying the Whole30, after watching my sister do it and feel great.  Good luck, and stay in touch.  My first day is today, Friday, Jan 16. 

[MeadowLily]

Good dietary fats go a long way in slaying the sugar dragon.   You could eat 10 white potatoes vs. avocado, a marbled steak or roast, roasted vegetables with coconut or macadamia nut oil,  a grilled burger with all of the great real food toppings (bacon)...the good fats smother sugar cravings.

 

Bone Broth with fresh ginger or lemon works well, too.