Connecticut Green Living

The following article by the author first appeared on Examiner.com June 15, 2016 Well, I made it - seven days without sugar ... sort of. Let's say I gave up 90 percent of the sugar I was consuming. That's an A- by any measure. I gave up donuts, cookies, ice cream, even dried creamer in my coffee; plus, I felt weird putting Splenda, a sugar substitute, in my joe. I did use some honey. But mainly, I swapped out natural substitutes such as vanilla or cinnamon for a kick. I feel terrific! I am still waking up every morning with an ache in my mouth (bone spur following extraction) but I feel lighter - which I hope proves true when I go get my annual physical Tuesday. Point to make: I felt eager to book the physical because I am anxious to step on the doctor's scale. The United States Food and Drug Administration states in "How Sweet It Is: All About Sugar Substitutes" that there are five sugar substitutes: Newtame (relatively new), Equal, Sweet 'n Low, Swe...

The following article by the author originally appeared on Examiner.com, June 13, 2016 Today I was told I look thinner. This came an hour after I told a source, "If I sound grumpy, it's because I am giving up sugar for a week." He laughed. The truth is, I'm amazed by how empowering it feels to get a handle on my  sugar addiction . I've eaten more fruit in the past few days than I ate the entire previous three weeks. I just tasted some Raisin Nut Bran and it seemed too sweet for me. I am feeling weak, though, and am not sure why this is. Perhaps, getting used to new eating habits I also need to become more educated. U.S. supermarkets chockful of processed foods are not on my hot list this week, and yet, this is what I can afford. Thankfully, it's summer and I can get apples fairly cheaply. My beloved peaches are cheaper, and watermelon can be bought in smaller slices if I can't afford the whole fruit. People who are pinching pennies often find their w...

The following article by the author originally appeared on Examiner.com June 11, 2016 I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't glad I'm more than halfway through this self-inflicted sugary deprivation week . I'd also be a liar if I said I had given up all  sugar this week - but it's really not my fault. I have realized more than ever that in America, land of the processed food obsession, it's really tough to find enough to eat sometimes if one wants to go sugar-free. For example, I'm on a tight budget. I was craving a breakfast sandwich. I looked at the labels and it just appeared nothing was sugar-free. I had no choice but to break my own ban in the guise of a sausage/egg/cheese/English muffin sandwich. (You don't want me passing out, do you?) I also decided I could buy some bread, after all, if it touts "no high fructose corn syrup" and 21 whole grains per serving, and is low in fat (also no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.) I see it...

The following article by the author originally appeared on Examiner.com June 10, 2016 I want to cry right now - probably for no reason. I am aware, though, that this has as much to do with the sugar making its way from my bloodstream as it does a link to anything in particular (missing my family, my mentee's upcoming high school graduation, how much I miss Ho Hos...) So here's where I stand. I'd give myself a solid A- for how well I'm doing off sugar. I've switched from adding cream and Splenda or dried creamer and sugar to my coffee to going with some vanilla extract and/or cinnamon as needed. Sometimes I'll just drink it black. I've bought a new kind of meusli-ish cereal that doesn't have sugar; snacked on cashews; and rediscovered how much I love grapes. But there are slips: feeling the need to finish the cans of Pringles I'd bought prior to starting "Seven Days" , and then wondering if the balsamic vinegar-olive oil combo I was soak...

The following lightly edited article was originally published by the author on Examiner.com, June 8, 2016 Quitting smoking is a terribly difficult challenge. This writer tried in the eighties, only to resume the nasty habit in the mid-nineties. But eventually, it was mind over matter, and I quit in three days (smoking fewer and fewer cigs each day) in 2008. If only giving up sugar were that easy! Here in the US, refined sugar is in everything from spaghetti sauce to "healthy" breakfast cereals and bars. Fruit juice is one of the biggest culprits, with more per average serving than in many candy bars. The only way to really avoid juice sugar is to juice the fruit (or vegetables) yourself. Nevertheless, I'm taking on what I've coined the "No Sugar for Seven Days Challenge" and implore my readers to follow suit. Whether our motivation is losing weight, setting a good example for our kids or, in my case, stopping constant cavities and other dental woes, ...