Sugar Free February

Sugar is 'the most dangerous drug of our time' and should come with smoking-style health warnings
-- Paul van der Velpen

Is sugar toxic? Here is a 60 Minutes story about the perils of sugar and high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup, which is in almost everything, is the scourge of our modern food system along with Monstanto, factory farming, Nestle and well the list can go on and on.

I have a sweet tooth. Nope let me correct that. I have sweet teeth. Not the "a bowl of ice cream would be nice" sweet tooth. When it's sugar time I attack the candy section of any store like a rabid Wolverine. Once I have my loot I have a stare down with the soda fridge dreaming about what sweet sugary beverage is going to wash it all down. This wreck less attitude towards health ended about 5 years ago. Then I came back to Nicaragua.

Maybe it's the heat sapping all my strength. You can drink as much water as you can but you also loose sugars and salts. The answer is NOT Gatorade. For that matter it's not Pepsi and Penguinos either.

With fellow guides Chichara and Lotta at the base of Telica. Smoking San Cristobal is in the background

So with that being said I have decided that February is Processed Sugar Free Month. No sugary drinks, store bought happiness, bakery delights or fruit smoothies (I drink my coffee black). Fruit smoothies do have the good sugar but they are massive.  I am on day 2 and I have had a headache all day. I am tired and a bit irritable, more so than usual really. I am not hungry but did force myself to cook a large dinner of rice, chicken and veggies. It is insane that I a craving sugar as much as I do right now.

There are many studies and papers that show how addicting sugar is and how it works on the brain and body. I will like to one on WebMD as I am just learning what I can and aside from screaming and causing panic/fear like the main stream media I will let you decide on your own. (It is pretentious of me to think I have that many followers and that much power that I could cause fear and panic. It's the sugar, well lack of sugar, talking). I have been through this before and I know the inherent dangers of the crap I put in my body but a lifetime of bad habits takes time.  There was a time when it was fast food and chicken wings every day washed down by to many adult beverages so I have made some personal progress. That is all a guy can ask for.


** Great article about sugar, obesity and cancer **

Standing near the massive Telica crater

To date, since I joined Quetzal Trekkers in December I have lost 22 lbs or almost 10 kilos. I feel lighter and my clothes fit better. When I go to school I can comfortably tuck my shirt into my pants with a belt to keep it all in place. Do not get me wrong, I could use 15 more but who really gives a sh** about the number. I feel really good mentally (which has always been a challenge) and physically. I am still wired but calmer as I get when I choose this lifestyle as proven in the pasts. What the most important thing for me in my journey for health and well being. It would be to live with Tranquilo - quiet, tranquil, peaceful, calm, relaxed.easy. Everything else is crap.

Live Without Downtime

 Here is an example of how sugar can control you. Atop Telica there is a local guy who carries a cooler with beer and freaking Coca Cola up to the waiting masses. Chichara asks me, "do you want a Tona" to which I robotically reply, "no, I will have a Coke".  Being smarter than the average bear he hands me a beer and says "drink, its much better". Here I was atop Telica on a clear beautiful day and I was choosing a Coke over a Beer. How many of you are going WTF right now? I know. Well the beer disappeared in about 10 seconds and I felt better for it. 

Telica Sunset

I will be spending the next couple of weeks learning and leading on Telica then back to El Hoyo and Cerro Negro. As for teaching, we just completed Mid Terms at school.  The semester ends March 5th. My tourist visa expires on March 22nd so I have about 6 weeks left in Nicaragua. 

There is much to learn, much to share and many moments to be had.