I never really took Lent sacrifices seriously. Growing up Catholic, I was used to the no-meat-every-Friday routine and one-meal-a-day fasting for holy days of obligation. Honestly, the tradition meant nothing to me. I was never a big meat eater anyway, and could last a day with just small snacks--no full meal necessary.
This year though, has become a year of detox. I really enjoy and find true results in juicing and cutting down on the bad stuff. This year's Lent, I decided to use the occasion to take matters on a more spiritual perspective, to really dig deep and think of things on which I have become extremely dependent.
The funny thing is, although I enjoy green juices and loading up on clean, whole foods, I would constantly shrug off the fact that my body is still pretty saturated with the bad stuff, that is, in the form of sweets.
Calling me a sweet tooth is an understatement. I actually think I have an addiction to processed sugars. Candy bars, store-bought chocolate, gummy bears, ice cream, and, my biggest weakness -- chocolate robin eggs -- are only a few of the things you can find in my secret stash. Yes, I do have a stash of sweets at home that I regularly dig through for a much needed daily sugar fix. It's that bad.
And so this Lent, after 29 long years, I have finally decided to sacrifice the one thing I was never willing to give up -- until now.
My husband, who is a health practitioner, noticed that although I drink so much more water than the average person (I normally drink about 3 liters of water a day), I still feel thirsty throughout the day. He's thinking that my body is probably taking in too much sugar than my system could process, making my blood thicker. He even blurted out the worst possible diagnosis, the one diagnosis I fear...
Pre-diabetic.
Of course, it was just a hunch. But it was a hunch strong enough to ruffle my sugarcoated feathers.
I also want to tackle the deeper side of a detox, as detoxing should not stop on the physical. I wanted to explore how giving up sweets for 40 days could enhance my emotional and spiritual journey.
Sugar is -- as silly as this might sound -- a huge part of my life. It's a part of me, kind of like an extra leg. Experts would call dependencies a crutch, and I think that's exactly what sweets are to me. I dig through my stash because a bar of chocolate makes me feel relaxed after a long, tiring day at work. Cola flavored gummy candy gives me a wonderful high. I depend on sweets to feel better, and that's definitely a crutch.
It would be a real struggle giving up sweets for 40 days, and how I could fill that emotional void with something else. In the words of Make It Blissful's Martine: "...it's going to be a struggle. And that's good, because then I'll have the space I need to grow."
(Check out Martine's own journey to a Lent detox here)
I am currently on Day 3, and so far, I haven't had any real cravings yet, which I am very grateful for. I think I'm about to binge on pears tonight, though. For some reason, I am starting to crave fruit.
Are you doing a detox or Lent sacrifice this year? Let's support each other!
No comments:
Post a Comment