In this post, Coach, Trainer and former sufferer of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia Simon Pimenta explores sugar in the diet and shares strategies for transitioning to healthier eating in a way that works for you.
The experts are lining up, telling us that we need to reduce sugar in our diet.
Foods high in sugar can cause a hike in blood sugar levels, causing an energy spike, followed by an energy crash.
If you are already having issues with a lack of energy, reducing sugar intake is a smart move, as you are reducing the load on an already compromised body.
Why Focus On What You Eat?
Some people think that you don’t need to consider diet in relation to ME/CFS.
I recall chatting to other hypnotherapy/NLP practitioners who thought that you only need to focus on mindset and reduce stress if you have a health challenge.
That’s ‘either/or’ thinking- the idea that you do one or the other- x or y.
The alternative is ‘both/and’ thinking- the idea that you can do both x and y.
Tony Robbins take a ‘both/and’ approach.
He works on his mindset and takes an interest in optimum nutrition, amongst other things.
He’s a smart guy and someone I think is worth listening to.
I also prefer to listen to the experts, who say that too much sugar in the diet is associated with problems such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity.
Here’s the thing- for some people, making changes to diet has made a dramatic difference.
So why would you not do something that could make a noticeable difference?
Even if you don’t notice the difference, you are taking steps that are going to improve your health status and protect you from the conditions just mentioned.
How Much Sugar You Are Eating?
People often don’t realise how much sugar their foods contain.
When I had ME/CFS, a Doctor trained in Nutritional Medicine told me to cut out sugar as I had candida.
You can read more about candida here
That was quite a challenge, but I did it, as it made a lot of sense in terms of the symptoms I was experiencing.
I watched 2 interesting TED talks on the topic of nutrition and sugar recently, which I found illuminating.
1. Sugar…it’s not so sweet
This TED talk delivered by Calgary Avansino on sugar explores how much sugar is hidden in the food we eat.
Even if you are healthy, the body cannot cope with more than 7 teaspoons of sugar per day- it may be less.
The average person in the UK consumes 20 teaspoons of sugar per day!
Any idea how many teaspoons of sugar are contained in:
Your favourite cereal?
A tin of baked beans?
A glass of orange juice?
I’m not a purist.
I like sugar laden desserts.
However I make eating them the exception rather than the rule.
And I am exploring how to make more healthy alternatives.
Google ‘paleo desserts’ and you will find some tasty treats that are healthier.
You can watch the video here
2. Unprocessed — how I gave up processed foods (and why it matters)
The other related video I watched was delivered by Megan Kimble. The title explains the topic!
3 Tips For Improving Your Nutrition
If you recognise that you might benefit form making some changes, here are a few pointers:
1. Ready Meals
If you are struggling with energy, cooking from scratch may not be an option, so ready meals can be a solution for getting a quick meal.
However, overlying on them can be problematic long term, as they can be high in sugar, as well as unhealthy fats, preservatives and additives.
There are cookbooks geared towards quick cooking.
Check out my book recommendations for a couple of books for quick/budget healthy cooking (both by Jamie Oliver- but there are loads of others out there).
Also, check out Huel, which is a nutritionally complete powdered food that contains all the proteins, carbs, and fats you need. You literally mix it with water, or add vegetables or low sugar fruits, like berries and use a blender for an instant meal.
I wouldn’t live on it, but it makes a handy quick meal if you are too tired to prepare a meal.
It is available in many countries.
2. Go guilt-free!
It is vital that what we eat doesn’t become a source of stress.
When we eat, it is better to eat it in a calm state of mind.
A friend Julie Silver, wrote a book about food and nutrition, Food Awakening: Nutrition for NOW –
One of her core concepts is to eat what you like.
The idea is that if you remove guilt from the equation, that as you educate yourself about nutrition, you will start to make smart food choices.
There’s no point in getting stressed about what you eat. If it’s so called ‘not healthy’ but you enjoy it, it’s good for your psychological health!
With that in mind, I will have some dark chocolate later…
3. Make Small Changes
Making changes slowly is an option and is gentle on the body. You don’t have to overhaul your eating habits in one go.
You could start with just one meal, for example replacing the cereal and toast with an omelette.
In Closing
Reducing sugar in the diet is beneficial to health.
What small step could you take to reduce the amount of sugar you consume?
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SIMON PIMENTA is a hypnotherapist, coach and trainer working with people to boost resilience and performance, and minimise stress.
After working in a demanding job as the Director of a Housing Trust, he went off sick and remained unable to work for the next 8 years.
He discovered a pioneering approach to resolving health issues and got back his health, and now trains others using these same techniques.