All that's sweet is not sugar

After reading an article about this guy who went off sugar, I started thinking about how I might reduce my sugar intake. He described unpleasant side effects after eating "healthy" foods that contained more than the recommended serving of sugar every day for two months. I started thinking about how I consume more sugar than I need to because I have a sweet tooth. I add sugar to my tea; I put it in muffins and pancakes on a Saturday morning; I follow recipes for cookies and brownies, never questioning how much sugar it calls for. I figure because I was making them from scratch and knew there weren't preservatives and fake sweeteners included, then they weren't so bad for me.

Here's how I've started to reduce the "optional" sugar in my diet:

• cinnamon or vanilla in tea, instead of sugar or honey
• yogurt which already has enough sugar in smoothies
• rice bran syrup substituted for at least half the sugar in muffins and brownies
• avoiding the chia tea mix at work in favour of real tea leaves from home

The results this week have been more in the sense of convincing myself that things still taste good without as much sugar. It's been too short and too small measures to notice any differences health-wise.

Anyone have any other tips for reducing sugar consumption?

'Every silver lining has a cloud.' – Mary Kay Ash

I went for my regular check-in with my neurologist this week. I was pleased to tell him that it's been weeks since my last migraine – it's so nice to be measuring in weeks, not days at the moment. On a friend's suggestion, I asked if fewer migraines could be a result of being on anti-inflammatories and codeine. The neurologist agreed that those drugs could be having a positive effect. He told me that they used to perscribe anti-inflammatories for migraines, but people experienced too many stomach and liver issues after being on them for extended periods. Once my hip is sorted and I'm off the anti-inflammatories, I'll have to see how the migraines are. Maybe there's an anti-inflammartory that's easier on the stomach. Maybe I could just take them when I feel a migraine coming on, rather than daily. The reduction in migraines is the silver lining to having this hip problem. Maybe anti-inflammatories will become a gold lining if they lead to another treatment for my migraines.  

'Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let everynew year find you a better man.' -- Benjamin Franklin

This year my goal is to have fewer migraines than last year. It's started out well since I haven't had one in over a week. As long as I don't start getting them a couple of times a week, then I'll be doing better. Ideally it will be a healthier year, but I'll have to see how hip surgery goes. Once the labral tear is all fixed, I'd like to get back into yoga, bike riding and tennis. I'd also like to restart boxing, which I did a few years ago and enjoyed.

What are your health goals for 2015?

You can read my Small Considerations blog for some links to websites to help you with your resolutions.

'The basis of optimism is sheer terror.' – Oscar Wilde

Sometimes finding something wrong is a good thing. For the past several weeks (months, maybe) I've been having pain in my hip. Last week I had an ultrasound to see what was actually wrong. Today I met with a specialist. She said either a muscle tear or swelling and inflammation are likely the problem. In one sense this is a positive result because I'm not crazy or a hypochondriac. There really is something measurable wrong. Through past experiences and the intangibility of migraines, I sometimes start to wonder if it's all in my head, metaphorically. I'm glad there's a good chance this hip issue isn't chronic. Already it's a better diagnosis than migraines.

'[Migraine] is what I sell, it's my stock in trade.' – Marlene Dietrich

I haven't had a migraine in over a week (knock on wood, rub my lucky rabbit's foot, throw salt over my left shoulder etc.). Instead I've been experiencing pain in my hip, which extends down my leg. So this afternoon I got to thinking: would I trade weekly migraines for hip pain? For now the answer is yes. I feel like I could treat hip pain better than the myriad migraine symptoms. Also, hip pain doesn't carry with it as many emotional side-effects. I'm sure if I had chronic, incurable hip pain that stopped me from bike riding, playing tennis, going for walks, sitting for long road trips, sleeping comfortably etc., then perhaps I'd rethink the swap.

"Bart Sells His Soul" ©Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation 

This reminds me of a Simpsons episode when Bart makes a trade with Millhouse: Bart's soul for $5. What follows are all sorts of unintended consequences for Bart. It's a pertinent warning, even if my migraine-for-hip swap is as imaginary as Bart and Millhouse.

'Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the mouth.' – Mike Tyson

This will be a busy, social week. Monday was breakfast with a friend, then work. Tuesday I have writing class, then work until 8pm. On Wednesday it's class again, followed by work, then short film awards for this year's students. In the morning on Thursday I have a meeting, then work, and book club in the evening. Friday is a normal, full day of work.

In order to get through it all without falling into a cycle of migraines, I need to make a plan.

1. Take Monday afternoon off work when a bad headache hits.
2. Think about taking Tuesday off work because I'm still feeling achey.
3. Skip Wednesday morning's class so I hopefully have enough energy to make it through the awards show.
4. Meditate each morning and take it easy each evening. 
5. Go to bed early.
6. Have a nap or do yoga between work and book club on Thursday.
7. Give myself permission to take Friday off if needed.

'Television has done much for psychiatry by spreading information about it, as well as contributing to the need for it.' – Alfred Hitchcock

At 8.30pm tonight I was going to turn off the TV because I didn't think there was anything on. I had had half an hour of post-work decompression and it was time to do yoga. Instead I stumbled onto Felicity Ward's Mental Mission documentary. It was excellent: touching, funny, poignant, engaging and important. I could identify with a lot of what she said. Some of the points made about depression – it being isolating, feeling like it's never going to end but knowing logically that it will etc. – were also relevant to migraines. If you're able to watch it, I strongly recommend it.