No, I am not joking. Addictions run fast and wild throughout my family tree and regardless of what it may look like from your side of the white picket fence, the one that I have spent years building, I am not exempt. From a Western point of view it probably is attributed to some genetic, biochemical, neuro-whatever, chromosomal glitch. A more Eastern perspective points to the existence of shared karma in which we did little in the past to temper our cravings or develop inner discipline. To me, both make sense but too much focus on the why makes it easier to slide around the main point of what I am I to do about it now?
My addiction is to sugar.
No, it hasn't caused me to end up in jail, to lose my children or my job, or impacted me in any of the other ways that "real" addictions do but my minimal research shows that sugar addiction is becoming more and more recognized as problem, one it seems that is responsible for many of the major illnesses that modern society is fighting, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
My personal relationship with sugar is more muted, so far. It includes spending far too much money on iced mochas and processed foods, which crowd out more nutritionally dense foods which then, in turn, impacts my general sense of well being and cognitive functioning. I simply am not thriving in the way I want to, that I deserve to. And as some of you know, about a year ago my bio-mom passed away of ovarian cancer at the very young age of 57 and only two months ago my diabetic husband had a heart attack, almost leaving me as a widow at the age of 40. So, to me, sugar addiction is the real deal. Refined sugar is not my friend and, really, it isn't even a food it is a chemical.
The plan is for me to start tomorrow. Right now, I am fresh off of the internet where I searched for any tips and techniques (and, honestly, if any 12-step programs existed-there weren't) and sucking down my second mocha of the day. As it goes with the internet, there was a lot of info (one site listed 146 reasons why sugar sucks) and I am not sure how much of it was truly reliable but some of the things that resonated with me were to go cold turkey because it is really is too strong of an addiction to wean yourself off of, to drink lots of water to flush the sugar and other toxins out of your system, and to remember that brown in beautiful. You know brown rice, brown bread, yada, yada, yada.
Of all the things on my list, I believe that this will be my biggest challenge.
Argh, Sugar! It's everywhere.
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome Julie!! I like your goals, especially 71-80. If you ever want someone to do one of your adventures with, such as exploring Orcas, I'm game. Looking at this makes me realize how much of my life is part of a list of goals, more so than I even realized. I like the ones that are daily choices, like finding joy!
Thanks. You are, too! I would love to hit Orcas with you someday soon.
ReplyDeleteYou should make your own list. It is very revealing to see what flows onto the paper, even to the writer.
I would love to see everyone's list.
~Julie