Growing up, I was the kid who saved half their box of crackerjacks for later. Too much sugar was, well, too much. Sometimes I would forget to eat the other half of the box, too.
Even as an adult, I never really ate a lot of sugar; even in the ‘anything goes including six beers at one setting’ days. I liked carbs, like everyone else. But eating granola out of the box while studying was as out of control with sugar as I ever got.
Somewhere over the years, that changed. Sugar did something to me it had never done before. It suddenly had the power to control me. Read on.
After giving up dairy, more or less, a couple of years ago, I searched for a natural, healthy, non-dairy coffee creamer. (Yes I gave up dairy; no I didn’t give up coffee.) Coconut oil was pretty good. Coconut milk was better, although even it did not turn my coffee the right shade of tan. Then along came SO Delicious coconut mild coffee creamer Barista style French vanilla, and I thought I had arrived.
SO Delicious coffee creamer is so delicious. It is the perfectg coffee creamer for many, many people, I am certain! It has a wonderful list of ingredients: organic coconut milk, natural flavors, and just the slightest amount of cane sugar to make it a touch sweet. And there’s the rub.
After starting to use SO Delicious mild coffee creamer Barists style French vanilla, I suddenly realized that I just LOVED coffee. I started drinking two or more large cups every morning and sometimes another mid-day. After work, I might have a mixture of caf and decaf. At night, I might make a whole pot of decaf to drink while watching the Warriors games. Each cup with just a splash of SO Delicious nild coffee creamer Barista style French vanilla. Mmm,mmm good!
Sometimes, while standing in front of the refrigerator, when I was thirsty, I might just have a little drink of it, right out of the carton.
Then when I would run out, I would hesitate about putting it on the grocery list, because deep inside I knew that something was not right. But my partner, noticing that I went through it pretty quickly and realizing that I must really like it, and happy that he was pleasing me, would buy ever more cartons, never wanting me to run out again! Sometimes there were three pints in the fridge at a time to make sure I did nto have to go without. I drank more and more coffee and went through them faster and faster.
This, gentle reader, is addiction.
Sugar is the most addictive substance known. rats who will starve themselves to death for heroin or Meth, will give up both for sugar. We all were born with a love of sugar: breast milk is basically sugar water with lots of vitamins, minerals and immune system boosters. So the Grocery Manufacturers Association has us. Sugar is in everything. If you don’t believe me, just look at the ingredients of any processed food that you buy, or as I prefer to call them, food-like substance.
Somewhere between saving half of my crackerjacks for later and So Delicious coconut mild coffee creamer Barista style French vanilla, something in my body changed.
In my twenties, as a fit and muscular runner, I read an article in Shape magazine that started like this: It is the saddest thing in the world to realize that you can never eat again. That resonated with me then, and still does. It has been a long time since I could eat whatever I wanted.
After I used up the last carton, and mustering up all of my courage, I forced myself to tell my partner not to buy any more SO Delicious Mild Coffee Creamer Barista style French vanilla. He did not ask why, so I am guessing that he knew why. I went back to coconut milk, coconut oil, and a touch of stevia for my coffee, even though it made it the wrong color.
Just like that — I quit drinking decaf during the Warriors games.
Just like that — I quit drinking coffee after work.
Just like that — I started feeling better.
The resolution of all addictions starts with the same thing: honesty with yourself. I can’t eat sugar. It makes me high. It makes me feel great for a while. Then I need another fix. You may not be as addicted to sugar as I am, but may I humbly suggest that you give it up for a couple of weeks and see how you feel. See what it is like to have your blood sugar even all of the time. You may be amazed at the results.