I love eating cakes!! Not all cakes though, I definitely have favorites. Tres leches, carrot, fruit sponge, pound and cheese cake just to name a few. Unfortunately sugar is not always good for me or you either. I know that, but I eat it anyway.  I eat sweet when I am hungry. I eat sweet when I am sad and depressed. I eat sweet just because I can!

That being said, believe it or not I started a sugar fast. Yes, that’s correct a sugar fast!  

I started it on January 17^th, 2021. My sisters in Christ and good friends Dahlia and Samantha invited me to join their sugar fast.  I must admit I have never consciously gone several days without sugar. This was a totally new experience for me.

Okay let me clarify that statement…I have fasted before (see my previous posts on my fasting journey). I have gone on complete water and liquid fasts several times. A sugar fast NEVER! 

SUGAR FASTING

What exactly is a sugar fast you might ask? That’s a really good question. I did not know myself!!

It sounds a bit weird at first, but a sugar fast is serious business. Think about it!  Can you imagine eating only foods without sugar? Eating foods without sugar or artificial sweeteners is healthier for us in the short and long term. Sounds simple enough right. But is it really…hmm??

Each day proved to be totally different and presented its own challenges. The first two weeks of the sugar fast were fine. However, week three was particularly difficult for me as I was celebrating my birthday during that week. Unfortunately I broke my sugar fast for my birthday and a couple more occasions. Why…oh why did I succumb you may ask? The truth is that I never realized how much sugar I ate!

Do you realize how much sugar we consume every day? There are natural sugars and artificial sugar. Sugar, researchers have found, are at the root of almost all diseases. Somewhat like the love of money. But I digress…It’s like we are addicted to, and totally hooked on sugar. No one believes that something that tastes so sweet, can ultimately cause us so much pain.

Right now think about your most recent meal. Did any of the foods that you eat have sugar and in particular, artificial sugars and sweeteners? If you read the labels carefully of the processed foods that you are consuming (or about to consume) almost every food that I eat, that you eat, has sugar. We know desserts and pies have sugar of course. Most breads in fact have sugar as well. Again read the labels. Lots of canned beans have sugar. Read the labels too. Then there are liquids. Unless you are having plain water, every drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), juice, tea that you make or purchase has sugar. In fact sugar from the liquids that we drink is the number one cause of tooth decay!! So my dentist has told me!

SOMETHING ABOUT SUGAR!

Why do we crave sugar so much though? And when do we use sugar the most? Here are some possible answers:

Sugar comforts us

For most persons sugar is your “go to” food when you are depressed or sad. Sugar gives a natural high even though it ultimately also brings you low.

Sugar is everywhere

It is accessible. At least in some countries. Years ago when one of my friends visited Zimbabwe on a mission trip she noted that almost all the foods, cakes and desserts were almost totally devoid of sugar. They looked sweet, but there was no sugar at all in the desserts! We cannot even imagine that scenario.

Sugar tastes sooo good!

You must admit, sweet tastes good! No one wants to be eating salty foods all the time! Salt is good for flavor that’s true but sugar definitely tastes better!

Sugar is inviting

Sugar looks safe and inviting. What do you think would happen if every time your favorite foods and desserts were advertised that instead of using stunning scenery and beautiful looking models, advertisers used lions or snakes next to your food? Would you buy or eat sugary foods then? Would you still want that cake or alcoholic drink? Food for thought!!! Seriously, we need to think before we eat.

So believe me, a sugar fast is no joke! It sounds easier than it actually is!! I had never attempted this type of fast before. This was definitely a new experience. I was pretty skeptical. I doubted whether doing this type of fasting would be useful at all. However I decided to take the proverbial “plunge” and began my first sugar fast. In addition to fasting from sugar we were also praying.

An added twist…ah…the saga continues…There were answers, but I will write about that another time (To be continued)…