After a relaxing week in deepest darkest Wales, I am back in Devon and back to another challenge…
The dreaded and much resisted removal of sugar and anything containing it from my diet once again!
Over the past couple of months I have noticed a number of my symptoms pre SCD/GAPS diet creeping back in. The PMS that miraculously disappeared within weeks of starting the SCD diet had started to worsen again. At first it was bearable for the sake of being allowed the occasional piece of fruit, a cheeky bit of 85% dark chocolate and the odd bit of cake. However, I have realised that it is most likely the sugar that is causing the hormone disruptions in my body. The rest of my diet has remained fairly similar to the SCD/GAPS diet apart from having oats for breakfast since having to avoid dairy and eggs following my York Test results.
From what I have read sugar is a big culprit in hormone imbalances. It isn’t something that I have wanted to accept, but accept I am!
So as we enter the Christmas recipe development zone please spare me a thought as I stand poised with cake batter on spoon longing for it to reach my mouth before having to drop it into a bowl of water to prevent a sugar relapse!
Sugar for me is a drug. I have written about it before. I cannot just have one piece of chocolate or one piece of cake. Once I start there is no going back. The dark slippery tunnel engulfs my entire being like a long, twisty enclosed slide…finally spitting me out at the bottom in an undignified mess, wishing that I had never set foot in the tunnel in the first place.
For some it is alcohol, others it is illegal drugs. In my view, sugar should be treated with the same respect and caution that alcohol or drugs should be. Be wary…without you realising it you can be entrapped in a downward spiral of longing with dire health consequences.
In addition to avoiding sugar I am back on some herbal concoction that is supposed to help balance hormones along with some natural remedy that will hopefully boost my immune system (since when I had some stool test results back a while ago they showed that I had zero IGA – one of several components to our immune systems)…we’ll see what happens!
Anyway what it means is that you may see a few less ‘healthy’ sweet recipes on here for a while. For the time being even fruit and natural sweetners like honey and maple syrup are off the menu!
However, since I am back on day two of my sugar detox (feels like deja vu) I thought I would share this fabulous recipe with you. If you have problems like me and you crave something sweet after a meal then give this a go. It has worked a treat over the last couple of days and I can see a new addiction starting! I have just ordered a lot of dairy-free milk, fresh ginger and more star anise to see me through the next few weeks!
This chai-spiced milk really hits the spot when you ‘need’ something sweet. I’m hoping Roo will enjoy it too since it is tricky to get enough calcium into her and she hates hot chocolate (as do I since it is so full of sugar!). This really is a great alternative. It is filling, warm and satisfying and tastes sweet despite containing no sugar or sweet things at all! If you tolerate dairy, there is nothing to say you couldn’t make this with normal cows milk, I am sure that would be delicious too!
In fact in a few weeks time I shall be trying it with A2 milk…a milk I recently came across that has some of the milk protein that people tend to react to taken out. I am hoping that I will be able to tolerate that without my dreadful eczema returning…
As always do let me know if you try the recipe. It’s great to hear your feedback, good or bad!
Chai-Spiced Milk
Ingredients
- 1 mug dairy-free or dairy milk of choice I have been using a mixture of unsweetened almond milk and gluten-free oat milk
- Thumbnail piece of fresh ginger sliced
- 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 1/2 star anise
- 1 cardamon pod
- 3 cloves
- Sprinkle powdered tumeric
- Pinch vanilla powder
Method
-
Place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring slowly to the boil
-
Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before straining into the mug or a couple of small cups
Why not pin the recipe for another day?
Kate - glutenfreealchemist says
You poor thing! Not sure I could manage without any sweeteners at all….. I am most definitely a sugar addict (the type who waits for hubby to go to bed and then hits the marshmallow… chocolate… ice-cream…), although I can survive without the processed stuff quite happily. But NO sweetener of any kind? Ouch!
Hopefully it will all be worth it in the end. The chai spiced milk sounds lovely…. maybe you should just set up that with a drip-feed?!
Vicki Montague says
Hi Kate, yes it is a nightmare for a sugar addict, but going ‘cold turkey’ is the only way…and actually means I have less cravings. Once I start….a little leads to a LOT!! On the plus side, I have been sleeping so well since removing it from my diet so that is a huge bonus! Only time will tell what other benefits there are!
Midgie says
I am slightly addicted to chai latte’s at the moment so this is definitely on my list to try! I find if I eat refined sugar or white carbs (flour/rice) I get really lethargic and cranky and my ezcema plays up! Hope the change in diet helps you hun hormones have a lot to answer for!! My asthma is completely controlled by them!
xxx
Vicki Montague says
Gosh, I never even thought about asthma being controlled by hormones. Our bodies are so amazing aren’t they…but when something goes wrong it is hard to discover what caused it!
Amy J says
I love chai tea and have tried to make my own a few times using chai tea bags but it just doesn’t work! This is at the top of my list of things to try now, so thank you! 🙂
Vicki Montague says
Do let me know what you think! It beats a hot chocolate if you can’t have sugar!!