Saturday, July 2, 2011

Honey Wisdom

My husband is wonderful and I'm sure most of you can relate because you all think yours are more wonderful. Well I am especially loving him today because he isn't afraid to say or suggest the hard things to me and despite all my petulant whining and excuses, he keeps affirming me and encouraging me to go higher.
I wish I could say after our little argument discussion last night about a new suggestion that I felt that highly of him. The argument ended though with me stating like a spoiled child, 'well I just don't want to and that's my answer.'
Wow, smooth.
Today however I'm able to coherently look at all that was said and begin to agree with his point and see the value in the change. Oh, it will be a hard change to make for sure, a real sacrifice and it will probably nearly kill me, or at least really severely injure....my flesh.
He suggested I stop making........cookies.
What a crazy thing to suggest! That was my first thought.
I love cookies! Love them! I make a batch at least once a week and that is a real cut back for me, because if I had my way I would make them three times a week. I would like to say that I cut back because of health reasons, but to be honest, it was because butter is so expensive. I like butter almost as much as I like cookies.
So I thought I was doing ok with just once a week.
Ken, though, has a major issue with my cookies, physically. He can't control himself, he gobbles them all right up. Maybe I should be flattered that he can't resist my delectable desserts, but I'm not flattered because he then ends up with a horrid sugar induced tension headache. Every time, for real.
Back to the issue though. I love cookies. How could I go without them? It is not affordable for me to buy store bought on a regular basis, and I simple love the process of making them. Also, about once a month I feel as though I may die if I don't eat something with large chunks of chocolate in it.
So we talked about why it was so hard for me to give them up, which led us to my attachment to refined white sugar.
That was the real issue, the reason I love cookies. Those raw cookies with healthy things in them and low calories are boring in my opinion. White sugar is what makes a cookie worth eating. If I wanted healthy I have healthy raw cookie recipes that utilize my dehydrator, but alas, I almost always choose the recipes that call for white sugar. I crave the white sugar.
You are probably wondering how much I am going to over-dramatize this whole story. Well I'm about finished. Be prepared though. I'm about to challenge the rest of you to examine yourselves. Are you addicted to refined white sugar? Wanna be free of it?
You gotta detox then.
I detoxed from white sugar about a year ago and it was the most crazy experience. I've never smoked or drank or done any other drugs, so I wouldn't know about hardcore type addictions. Yet I would compare the experience to quitting caffeine, which I also did about a year ago. There will be physical symptoms like fatigue, headache, and depending on your level of addiction to sugar, there could be other symptoms.
The ones that really shocked me were the emotional symptoms. Before doing my sugar detox I had thought myself a friendly, loving person.
You take away my security blanket, the comforter of my flesh though, and watch out! I had rage, I had anger, I had bad attitudes. I had the most violent thoughts I've ever had while coming off of sugar. Most people thought I was doing really well with the detox, but they couldn't hear what I was thinking and most of what I was thinking was horrific. The simplest things would set me off into a tantrum, and some days I would just cry I craved sugar so much.
It was weird....and sad.
So now I"m about to do it all over again.
Who's with me?!?
I'm starting officially Thursday July 14th and eating nothing with refined white sugar until Thursday July 28th.
Two weeks. Two weeks to be free.
After that then our cravings should be under control and hopefully we will crave things that are actually healthy for our bodies.
Notice how I"m saying 'we', that's because I'm still inviting you to detox with me. You can make this an official fast for the Lord, but I'm not calling mine that because I remember all to vividly how 'unspiritual' my thoughts were during my last detox. I will try a fast maybe after I kick the sugar.
So stay tuned, I plan to blog about the irrational and crazy journey to freedom from sugar. Hopefully it will make you want to do it too! I hope.

PS, then after I'm free I plan to start exploring the wisdom of using other sweeteners....like raw wildflower honey and molasses and real maple syrup.

1 comment:

Swires Family said...

Oh Katrina:) You are so fun! So glad God created you with your exact personality:) I'm just giggling with God about how much I enjoy your sense of humor:)
P.s. Aren't you guys like serious intercessors? Why not pray that Ken be set free from his headaches and you both be set free from addiction and THEN you dont have to give it up at all :) hehe I'm kidding of course...maybe...