I'm not really into working out. I figure if I walk around the playground for 30+ minutes or dance with the kids at school (if we're stuck inside), then I'm doing well enough on that front. I've never belonged to a gym or anything. Walking, dancing, badminton, playing tag, and chasing after young children are basically the extent of my "exercise."
Then I found out two things from my doctor that really concerned me: 1.) I might need surgery, and 2.) I’m borderline
for Type 2 diabetes. It’s remarkable how quickly I’m willing to consider
alternative, natural options when you threaten me with a knife, a laser, or a needle.
I stared at the list of foods it was recommended I cut out of my
diet. I was more than just a little skeptical
I could pull it off. Sure, I could cut
out one or two of the categories on the list. Red meat and dairy, be gone! But I
couldn’t see myself sticking to any diet for the long haul that required I stop
consuming so many of the things I’ve eaten all my life.
I’ve always
liked candy, cookies, ice cream, cake, and other sweets, so I was extremely incredulous
that I would be able to remove almost all refined sugar from my diet. For most of my life, I indulged my sweet tooth whenever possible. Ice cream, frozen yogurt,
candy, cookies, soda and such could usually be found in our fridge or the
pantry, so I'd help myself.
Back to Basics Bible Style
Last Spring,
a friend of mine through Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) joined a group that would be reading about and attempting what is called The Daniel Fast. I was intrigued by this idea. My sister, her best friend, and a group of
women at their church in Ohio did the Daniel Fast together last year as well.
I’d researched it a little bit, but I figured I should give it a try once I compared the anti-inflammatory "what not to eat" list recommended by my doctor and the "what to cut out" foods listed for The Daniel Fast and realized that many of them overlapped.
Of course, the spiritual element of prayer, Scripture study, and fasting appealed to me. I knew that it would only be through the grace of God that I would be able to cut out basically all refined sugar.
I’d researched it a little bit, but I figured I should give it a try once I compared the anti-inflammatory "what not to eat" list recommended by my doctor and the "what to cut out" foods listed for The Daniel Fast and realized that many of them overlapped.
Of course, the spiritual element of prayer, Scripture study, and fasting appealed to me. I knew that it would only be through the grace of God that I would be able to cut out basically all refined sugar.
My mom and
sister did The Daniel Fast together this past fall.
I decided I would start mine on October 1, 2014. I had a CRHP retreat I was making and one for our two year spiritual direction (SDI) course in September, so I figured I
should wait until after those to go on a strict diet.
Curious to see if I could even pull off The Daniel Fast, I started a week or two early passing up almost all cake, cookies, sweets, and other treats. I knew the true test would be the CRHP retreat when I was sleeping on a sofa ten steps away from the kitchen that was well-stocked with a variety of sugary delights. I wondered if I’d be able to pass on cake and such during the day only to lie awake all night with constant cravings for candy, cake, cookies, chocolate.
I made it. One of the
most shocking things of all is that I didn’t have as hard a time greatly reducing my sugar and wheat intake as I thought I would.
I could participate in the prayer time, discussions, meals, and
relaxation periods without feeling like at any moment, I would break down and
rush into the kitchen to feast on any desserts and sweets in sight.
Addiction and Grace
What I didn’t realize and wasn’t prepared for is that, we all have addictions. There are elements in each of our lives that drive our thoughts, decisions, emotions, and behaviors a great deal more than we think they do. Reading Addiction & Grace by Dr. Gerald May helped me realize some things about addiction in general, myself in particular.
Addiction& Grace is an in-depth look at human nature, the way the mind, body, and
spirit work, and how all are subject to God’s love through grace. By weaving together an impressive variety of
strands from psychology, neurology, and spirituality, May illustrates the
complexity of each human being as well as each person’s simplicity.
May defines addiction in a way that is much broader than some probably would be inclined to think of it, but he clarifies how we are affected by different types of addictions as well as what will likely be necessary in order to treat them. He talks about not replacing addictions with other addictions, but allowing the space they once filled to remain. The writing is easy to read and includes a number of perspectives from different world religions, though, he mostly focuses on Christianity.
May defines addiction in a way that is much broader than some probably would be inclined to think of it, but he clarifies how we are affected by different types of addictions as well as what will likely be necessary in order to treat them. He talks about not replacing addictions with other addictions, but allowing the space they once filled to remain. The writing is easy to read and includes a number of perspectives from different world religions, though, he mostly focuses on Christianity.
Through a
customized plan of prayer and fasting undertaken for 21 days, I discovered how
serious and detrimental my addiction to sugar had become. Doing The Daniel Fast really opened my eyes
to what May writes about: the necessity of admitting we all have addictions, creating
a plan of action, having a willingness to accept the grace God gives us, as
well as the support of other people in order to make changes.
