Your natural rhythm on and off sugar

# 196 of 1000

     After 196 days on this journey, it seems what I have let go of has been more important than what I have added.  One of my most significant reductions has been sugar.  The sweetness in life, turns out has a counterpart, an unruly distant cousin called sugar.

   I have a natural sweet tooth but I am learning to embrace my more savory side.  My sweet tooth has seen me through the ups and downs in life.  Or so I thought but what my sweet tooth has done was create those ungrounded ups and madding and often tearful downs.  This sugar induced rhythm isn't the natural rhythm I'm looking to discover on my 1000 journey.

  Before bed, I had a little bowl of petite baby peas lightly steams and tossed in garlic ghee.  It was pretty sweet the label gives it 4 grams of sugar.  The label also shows it also has 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.  It was both comforting and yummy.  I have been craving peas lately.  They are a good spring food for my spirit.  My skin seems to soak up its spring green color- chlorophyl and as funny as it sounds they make me happy.

   As I write this blog, it is the wee morning hours on a Friday.  Last night I went to sleep quickly but not instantly, there were a few minutes I could breathe in deeply and completely relax- 21 breaths.  And then this is the good part, I slept without any waking pauses until one minute before my alarm went off this morning.  I woke up to spring birds singing.  It almost sounds like a fairy tail.  But it was a real tail.  I reflected back on what I did last night that created such a lovely sleep and I remembered the peas!

4 grams of sugar is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of sugar.  So if a label says it's product has 12 grams of sugar then this means you are consuming 3 teaspoons of sugars.  Labels are tricky little guys.  If you look on the ingredient list, sugar may not even be one of the top ingredients.  (You do read your labels right???)  But if you look a little deeper you may find sugar listed in a variety of ways.  Brown sugar, turbinado sugar, honey, high fructose corn syrup.....  this is a big list I believe there are something like 56 different sugars commonly listed.   Label reading has almost become a course in chemistry.  Keep it simple.

By keeping it simple, your life is not only greatly enhanced but also so so so much easier.  Like last night the ingredients in my little bowl of baby peas were three:  Peas, garlic-ghee.  And yes it did have 4 grams of sugar but those 4 grams are naturally occurring and surrounded by protein and fiber.  I am not a chemist nor a nutritionist but I can tell you this- 8 hours of uninterrupted, restful and delicious sleep, waking up before my alarm to birds singing and then being inspired to write is better than any sugar laden product out of a bag or box!

Giving up sugar is not easy, I understand this from the crumbs at the bottom of my cookie jar.  But and this is a huge BUT, the benefits to your spirit, your energy, your skin, your bright eyes, your deep restful sleep, your productivity, your immune system, your natural rhythm, your life are soooo worth the couple of days of cravings.

From my own experience, I can tell you this...giving up sugar is not a destination but a journey.  Some days will be like waking up after eating peas and some days will be trying to avoid the land mines of a family gathering.  Do not be hard on yourself, be kind on this journey.  Celebrate your successes, notice how your body, mind and spirit feel on and off sugar and then let your body tell you what to do.  This life of ours is a long journey.  Consider the impact of what sugar can do over a course of a lifetime.  And then consider what your life would be like following its natural rhythm and getting off the roller coaster of the sugar ride.

I wish you great joy on your journey.  And if you find yourself at a crossroad on your journey, try eating a little bowl of peas before bed!
        Denise