December, unsweetened, No. 3

12/3: Bristling a bit

This blog chronicles the author's attempt to endure the month of December, 2019, without eating sugary foods or drinks.

Yup, she said it. Holly used the word "addiction" in referring to my relationship with sugar. Three times, just yesterday.

The suggestion that I'm addicted to sugar made me bristle. All my life I've prided myself on the strength of my will. I've always been quick to claim I don't have an addictive personality (whatever that means).

Addictions, as I typically think of them, can surely be fatal. But sugar never killed anyone, right? It may have shortened some lives, having marginally contributed to, say, heart disease, stroke or diabetes. There were probably, however, a host of other more compelling factors that were in play.

Addiction is defined by Medical News Today as, "a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm."

If that's the case, though, isn't everyone "addicted" to something? Doesn't everyone, by choice, do something over and over again, even though it's harming them in some way, however insignificant it may seem?

Jordan Almonds

My mother, who had a weakness for Jordan almonds, was always fond of the term, "All things in moderation." I thought it was only slightly immoderate to have had a second slice of pecan pie after Thanksgiving dinner. And after dinner the next day. 

Okay, yes, I've had nagging headaches the past couple days, and maybe I've been a little irritable. Holidays are stressful. It's not necessarily sugar withdrawal.

Addicted to sugar? No. I'm going to continue bristling about that, for now.