A Farewell to Sugar....(The club I never wanted to join, Part I)

As mentioned in my previous post, my dear friend Bev stopped over last Friday evening and brought me a copy of her "Bible" for her cancer recovery.  I haven't gotten very far yet, but what I have read aligned very nicely with the reading I've been doing about how to help the prostate through diet. That, along with a conversation with a friend--about the documentary "Fed Up" which examines how we are poisoning ourselves with sugar and corn sweeteners--and, in truth, what my own internal compass has been telling me., has convinced me that I need to end my addiction to desserts and sweets, and washing it down with diet pop.  I have to be honest and admit that my eating life hasn't exactly measured up to what I intended when I became a vegetarian 25 years ago.

I still believe I eat a more healthful diet than much of the population. Besides forgoing meat, I emphasize whole grains, I try to cut down on processed foods and I don't drink sugary beverages. But if I take an honest look at myself and my eating habits, I have to realize that it often falls apart in several areas, mostly related to sugar.  It doesn't really help to become a vegetarian if you replace meat with high fat cheese, and an all-white diet of white bread, white rice, and white pasta, topped off with white sugar.  I never met a dessert I didn't love (except for a few nasty pretenders that masquerade as desserts.  I'm looking at you: candy corn, pumpkin pie, fig newtons, anything licorice flavored, and lime jello, does anyone actually like them?!)

As I think about facing cancer however, I want to face it with every conceivable advantage and weapon at my disposal. There is so much about cancer that I can't control, that it feels good to maximize those aspects that I can.  So I've had to take a hard look at my diet and conclude

1) It doesn't really help me to replace sugary sodas with a ton of artificial sweeteners
2) The proportion of my diet made up of cookies, chocolate, cinnamon rolls, pie, cake, brownies, candy bars, etc. was really alarmingly high and all those calories are taking up space in my body that needs to be filled with nutrient-dense foods. and
3) Basically the anti-cancer diet is what I should have been eating all along anyway! Lots of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, etc.
4) that I want to make every calorie count in my battle with this enemy inside me.

So, I have survived week one!  So far so good. I actually am missing Coke Zero and Iced Tea with Splenda way more than I am missing desserts.  But I intend to persevere!