I haven’t gone into too much detail here about exactly how I’ve changed my eating, other than that it’s essentially “pure food” – no packaging, and no preservatives.  That’s true, but it actually goes a little beyond that to no sugar, and no gluten, either.  For years diets have told us to check the “glycemic index” of food, to see if it contains the same kinds of carbs our bodies convert straight to sugar, but lately it seems to be catching on in a deeper way.

This isn’t a diet for me, though, it’s a revolution of my eating as well as my thinking.  I finally started listening, and in light of the strong tendency to diabetes in both my family and my husband’s, I’ve started doing some research.  Two very recent articles have really grabbed my attention.  One is Is sugar toxic? – CBS News.  I didn’t get to watch this last night but I read the transcript today and it’s really kind of horrifying.  In a (good for you!) nutshell, sugar doesn’t just convert to fat.  It affects our cholesterol and, by directly spiking our own insulin, can make some tumors grow faster!  So, we cut out the candy, right?  It’s far more reaching than that… overwhelmingly so.  Grab any package on the shelf (even some in the “natural” section), and you will find sugar high on the ingredient list.  If not sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, which is just as bad.  It’s in EVERYTHING.  The “healthy” whole-grain bread, peanut butter, salad dressings… it’s endless.  And since it acts on our brain instantly to release feel-good dopamine, it’s very addictive.  And that’s just the processed sugar.  There’s also the food our body converts into sugar, like white potatoes.

So as a former addict, was it hard to stop the sugar?  Yes and no.  It was overwhelming at the beginning of last week when I had a stark, bare, pantry and had to rebuy a food supply that didn’t include sugar.  And this is a girl whose ultimate treat is a Cinnabon with extra frosting.  Was.  I was at a lovely party this weekend, and the star of the food table was a beautiful chocolate-frosted chocolate cake.  I’d already survived passing up parts of the other eats that were off my list (like the cute flower-shaped sandwiches since bread is out, and the crackers and cheese because crackers = bread and oh yeah, I’m also off dairy for at least 6 weeks.  More on that later.), and normally I’d feel like I deserved a tiny piece of cake as a treat, but this time I passed.  Someone who knows I’m on this journey asked me if it was hard to give up the cake, and to my surprise I answered, “No”.

It’s not hard right now, because this isn’t just science, or medical logic, but a spiritual issue.  I believe God is asking me to submit my most basic wants to Him, and I am certain that some of the information that’s crossed my path recently is by His direction.  Saying no to cake simply because it will keep me from losing weight is a frail premise – many times before I’ve alternately given in and eaten the cake, or stood firm for that moment but obsessed over it.  This weekend, though, I was free.  I know exactly how delicious chocolate cake tastes, but armed with all the knowledge of what it will do inside my system and how clearly God has called me to walk away from that, I have no desire any more to eat it.  I did learn a good lesson though… if you want to eat healthy, plan ahead!  I certainly don’t expect any hostess or anyone around me to cater to the choices I’ve made, but I do realize I’m going to get pretty hungry eating nothing but fruit and raw veggies at a lunchtime party, so a bag of nuts in the purse is highly advised!

One more article on the diabetic line of things… I read this last week: Why the New Surgical Cure for Diabetes Will Fail!  I think the title should maybe say “May Fail”, but obviously it doesn’t have the same impact.  The article refers to the new study in the news regarding the reversal of diabetes in gastric bypass patients, shortly after surgery and long before major weight loss is achieved.  It discounts that study somewhat, because while the research is true, the same results are achievable with diet changes, in as little as ONE WEEK.  That’s amazing!  Please understand, I have friends who have achieved tremendous success with bariatric surgery and I wish them all the continued health and happiness life can possibly contain.  But it is eye-opening to learn how much POWER we have over ourselves.  Hook into God, and the power is unlimited!  I’m not diabetic, but I could easily be soon if I hadn’t started this change.  And I don’t believe my food revolution will prevent every and all disease from knocking at my door.  I do believe, though, that “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” – Philippians 4:13.

What’s He giving you the strength to walk away from?