I want to share my failures and foibles with you as much as my successes. I’m human! I make mistakes in life and in my food choices. Being a health coach doesn’t mean I eat the right thing all the time. Just like you, I’m always learning more about my body and how it responds to inputs.
Recently, I gave up chocolate. Crazy, I know. Dark chocolate is delicious, and it’s high in antioxidants and fiber, plus low in sugar. What’s not to like? Well, I did some blood testing and found out that chocolate is one of the foods that triggers my immune system to overreact. With an autoimmune disorder (Crohn’s Disease), one of my health goals is to create an atmosphere in which my immune system can relax, so I want to minimize the foods and experiences that cause it to “flare.”
So I’m not going to be eating chocolate for three months. I’ll give my immune system a break. Hopefully, when I reintroduce chocolate (and some other foods), my body will welcome them as friends and not as foes. Sometimes we all need a break – even from things and people we love, right?
No chocolate? Ok. And I still need something sweet once in a while. It’s ok to have a treat now and then. I went to the local market and read all the ingredients on the various bars they sold. Many of them had flax seed, which is another food I’m avoiding now, so that limited the selection. I chose the Blueberry Pecan & Fiber KIND bar:
Ingredients : Almonds, blueberries (blueberry pieces, whole dried blueberries), raisins, pecans, honey, cashews, non GMO glucose, crisp rice, chicory fiber, soy lecithin.
Vitamins and Minerals : Vitamin A (0% DV), Vitamin C (2% DV), Calcium (4% DV), Iron (4% DV).
Serving Size : 1 Bar (40g) Calories : 180 Fat Calories : 90 Total Fat : 10g Saturated Fat : 1g Trans Fat : 0g Cholesterol : 0mg Sodium : 25mg Total Carb : 23g Dietary Fiber : 5g Sugars : 12g Protein : 3g
image courtesy kindsnacks.com
I reasoned that while 12 grams of sugar was fairly high for me, it would be compensated by the fat, fiber, and protein.
I was SO wrong! After lunch, I ate this bar for “dessert.” Almost immediately, I got a pounding headache. Then, I began to feel anxious about everything in my life that was uncertain. Considerations that moments before hadn’t worried me now felt like elephants and my life turned into the proverbial china shop.
In the middle of the work day, I called a friend to discuss these “problems.” And the rest of the day, I kept telling myself to “calm down, breath, and stay present – everything will be ok!”
I knew that the sugar in the bar had caused this anxiety, but that didn’t make the feeling less real in the moment. Just think how awful my life would be if I ate a bar like that or sugar in another form every day! And consider why so many kids are diagnosed with learning disorders or ADHD. How would their behavior and experience of life change if they started eating more protein and a lot less sugar?
What connections between food and mood can you start to see in your own life?
No more unKind bars for me!
Next time, I’ll have some Mary’s Gone Crackers with almond butter. I know that will keep my grounded and present in reality.
image courtesy amazon.com
Eat well. Be well. Thrive.
Dear Chloe,
you know that I love the KIND Bars – here and then. Not on a regular basis, since I tend to eat an apple or other fruit instead.
I found those bars (next to Lara- and GoRaw bars) quite convenient when I travel.
But I will def. watch out what will happen next time I will eat one of those.
Maybe I might experience similar symptoms, maybe not
Xo,
C.
Yes, you do!
You’re right – they are convenient for traveling. Let me know if you every feel anxious after eating one. Maybe your body processes the sugar differently than mine does. We are all unique creatures!
Good work on making that distinct connection between sugar intact and anxiety! But I wonder about the crackers. They are so, so, hard. I wonder about the tenderness of the intestine wall. Would a grain, warmed with a little sweetness of some sort be a better choice?
Thanks, Cathleen, that’s a great point. You’re right, the crackers can be very hard! Sometimes they do hurt the roof of my mouth. You could do the warm grain with almond butter or peanut butter for some protein – that sounds delicious! Great idea.