Day Five-

I shopped at Tesco for basics; even more carefully looking at labels. This 'exercise' that I'm doing is making me more aware of the whole food and drink thing and I was pretty obsessed before!
Minor discussion with my ex husband over the children's diet. He favours buying white bread, I prefer whole meal or brown. The kids like packet cereal, mainly because they've seen the enticing commercials for them in TV. I prefer them to have porridge, home made pancakes, or boiled eggs for breakfast, with at least a portion of fruit. Ummm going to be an interesting week.
Standing in the queue at the checkout I took an interest in people's trolley or basket contents. The majority were stacked full of packets, and boxes, and cartons. 'Non nutrient' foods that have been 'man made'. I wondered whether these are 'holiday treats' or whether this is their normal diet.
I hope it's the former!
Another sugar fact that should concern us: "sugar habits can cause and/or aggravate nearly 150 serious health problems, including fatigue, osteoporosis, arthritis, Chrohn's disease, migraines, emphysema, kidneys disease, memory loss, cancer, food allergies, asthma, gallstones, cataracts, sexual dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, depression, eczema, and even fertility . Sugar can also speed up the ageing process". Connie Bennett, author of Sugar Shock and Beyond Sugar Shock. I'll explain why at a later date but hope that's given you food for thought.
I worked out a long time ago that sugar and alcohol made my skin and my gut worse, but it didn't stop me consuming the stuff, in all sorts of forms. Why? Because we are "tempted, bombarded, teased, barraged incessantly, to purchase and overeat cheap, calorie packed, energy depleting foods". Connie Bennett, again. And a lot of it tastes good too! It's obviously made that way.
From an early age most of us are introduced to sugar, and love it! We're programmed to; after all breast milk is sweet! Sugar makes us feel good, it gives us a lift temporarily, it gives us more energy, temporarily, its a sociable thing to do, so why wouldn't we want to eat it!
Nat keeps asking me "mummy why do they make sweets taste so good when they're bad for us?" good question. Answer: so we'll buy more!!
The sugar industry around the world is gigantic, it's seemingly unstoppable. I for one believe sugary products should be taxed heavily ( I can hear your protest shouts from here!) because people just don't know when to stop eating them.
I heard a story about a lady on the research panel for an ad agency who admitted to eating large amounts of shop bought gâteau. Not as an occasional treat but for breakfast!!!!!
Morrisons currently have an offer on - buy one gateau, get THREE free! And they only cost a pound! CRAZY!!!
We are being actively encouraged at every turn, to buy sugary products- and it's the sugar that's the problem not the fat! More on this later but our health problems, a large proportion caused by sugar, are draining the NHS resources. Our obesity epedemic means hospitals have to have a proportion of larger, re-enforced beds to accommodate people- where will it end??
Better get off my soap box for now, but I will return.
Oh one more thing! Just read this in Men's Health Magazine: avoid putting sugar in your tea to cut your risk of a heart attack by 20% (based on a average six cups a day) American Heart Association.
Went for a brisk walk this morning, early, before the kids woke up, along the coastal path in Padstow. Such a treat and something I do every morning when I'm here. At the war memorial overlooking the Camel estuary I stop to do body weight exercises: squats, lunges (forward, back,side), press ups,and tricep dips etc. It's my favourite place in the world and sets me up for the day, clearing my mind and energising my body.
My diet today:
Breakfast: Aloe gel, hot water with lemon) two poached eggs on a bed of buttered spinach. Love this!
Lunch : hummus, carrots, turkey breast, tomatoes and leaves from the local farm shop. Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries with almond flakes and a small blob of cream. Yum and very filling!
Coastal walk this afternoon to walk off lunch, and a couple of hours on the beach in the sun. That's my Vitamin D stores replenished for a while.
Dinner: another challenge as we went to Rajanos, Italian restaurant in Padstow. We sat in full view of rows and rows of bottles of wine, and to watch people on the other tables drinking it was a tough one I have to admit. I'm not a massive drinker since having my kids. Can't metabolise it anymore, can't deal with kids with a hangover but also am acutely aware of what it's doing to my gut and skin (and other parts of my body that I'm not so aware of). So had sparkling water with a slice of lime - I can feel the halo above my head! Ha ha.
After pestering the waitress to ask the kitchen whether various dishes contained sugar, I settled on pollack in garlic and olive oil, with a large salad.
Back at the rented house I had blueberries and coconut cream for dessert.
Very, very sleepy by 9pm- lack of sugar or just sea air?
Day 5 done! 37 to go!