Oh sugar, how i love thee..

This is the point where i stand up and say "Hi, my name is RC, and i'm a sugar addict".

Yes that's right. An addict.

I used to call it a sweet tooth. The more i read about sugar and it's effect on the body, the more i realize that i don't have a sweet tooth, i have an addiction. One of the hardest things for me about going paleo has been giving up processed sugars. I don't have a problem going grain free. There's been some initial stomach irritation, which is to be expected anytime you go from eating a diet that's 80% grain (yep, i'm guilty), to 0%. But the sugar withdrawal is killing me.

I get cranky, i get headaches, and i get CRAVINGS. The sugar issue is the one problem that's always derailed my best dieting intentions. It's the reason i havent been able to stick to almost every other diet i've tried. The more i start to read about sugar, and it's affect on the body, the more i start to realize why i'm having a problem.

Because i eat as much sugar and refined carbs as i do, i've pretty much rendered my body incapable of regulating itself when it comes to blood sugar and insulin levels. I'm not diabetic, but they way i've been eating, i think that's probably only because it doesnt run in my family. I just lucked out with good genes. Because my body has been relying on outside sources of sugars, it doesnt know what to do or how to react when i suddenly deprive it of those things. The blood sugar gets low, and instead of the body reacting normally, as it should, it goes "OH MY GOD WE'RE GOING TO DIE. GIVE ME SUGAR NOW!!!!". Sorry for the all capitals there, but i'm not exaggerating. The sugar cravings are intense. And, like a spoiled child, when i don't give my body the sugar it wants, it throws a temper tantrum. Killer headaches, irritation, low energy levels, you name it. At some point, i always give in. That "giving in" always takes the form of some awful but delicious sugary bready substance. It provides the immediate short term energy and sugar boost i crave, but does me no favors in the long run.

I can go without the grain. I can go without the seeds. I can go without the beans, vegetable oils, and the dairy. Where i'm really going to struggle is with getting rid of my body's dependency on processed sugars.