As many of you know, I have recently embarked on a journey to eliminate excess white sugar from my diet. Refined sugar robs the body of nutrients, supresses the immune system, and can even cause wrinkles to the skin. My primary reason for getting off the stuff, however, is for my own mental health. Refined sugar is also known to cause anxiety, an issue I've struggled with for some time. God is very clear in His Word that we are not to be "anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phil. 4:6). Scripturally this is handled through faith in God, and by a laying down of your own wills and desires to the Creator. And although anxiety cannot be cured any other way, I don't believe it wrong to help yourself out by removing any known physical causes. Going sugar free has been much easier than I anticipated, and I love that my energy now stays consistent throughout the day. I do feel calmer, and though I suppose only my husband could attest if this is true, I do feel that I don't freak out as much.
That said, let me warn about the weirdest physical experience I've had in a while. On Thursday of this week I traveled an hour away to another office within my company for some adoption training. I left around 9, and stopped to grab a tall mild brew from Starbucks. I didn't worry about breakfast because, seriously, how long could this really take? I expected to be done in 2 hours and perhaps meet up with some friends for lunch before I had to head back to Nashville for a Child Family Team Meeting at 3. Now, I have never experienced what it is like to be diabetic. I worked at a camp for diabetic kids once, and we were told what the children are like when they experience being "low." The kids become very angry and irritable and do not act at all like themselves until someone provides some kind of sugary snack to get their sugar level back on target. I in no way mean any disrespect, as I have friends and in-laws with diabetes, and in no way do I pretend to understand what they go through. All I can state is what I experienced and how I felt.
The training began to drag on, and although interesting, I began to have trouble listening as it went on well past lunch time. I became increasingly irritable and felt very warm. By about 1 pm I remember thinking, "If I left right now I wouldn't make it to the restaurant before I died." And indeed, that's how I felt - like I was dying. I know it sounds crazy dramatic - believe me, I felt crazy! Now 10 out of 10 people who meet me can tell I'm no scientist. But my best guess is that because I don't eat refined sugar, there's no excess sugar in my body - I have to receive it through the food I eat. I think that at this point I was really feeling the lack of sugar, and all my body was going on was straight caffeine. I dragged myself away at 1:30, knowing I had barely enough time to stop before I had to head to Nashville. As I got out on the main road, the light turned red and I had to stop. It was at this moment that I started uncontrollably crying. It was the like my body and my mind had completely separated from each other. While I was sobbing, my mind was thinking, "You have truly gone insane! You are on your way to eat! Why in the world are you crying? Stop!" But I couldn't stop. I really couldn't. I whipped into Wendy's and ordered a chicken sandwich combo. Before I made it to the highway I had devoured the fries (the new natural cut ones, love those!). When I was about 3/4 of the way done with my sandwich, my entire mood changed. I suddenly felt completely at peace. I was calm and content, as if absolutely nothing had happened at all.
The moral of the story is an empty sugar-free stomach and straight caffeine make an insane combination. I've been trying to think of a spiritual parallel for what I experienced, but nothing comes to mind. What do you think?
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