Reduce Sugar for Energy and Less Painful Periods
Small Changes Make a Big Difference
An occasional series on small but helpful changes for a healthier fertility awareness lifestyle.
By Melissa Gorley, FSI Coach and Staff Writer.
Small changes made consistently make a real difference. Why is this?
One small change is doable. And sustainable. One small change often leads to another. Together, multiple small changes add up to make a significant difference- whether it’s in our relationships, in our day’s work schedule, or in our health and fertility awareness lifestyle.
Recently, I gave up almost all of the sugar in my diet, except that from fruit. I gave up sugar because I was feeling tired (despite regular sleep, exercise, and a good fertility-blend multi-vitamin) and I was feeling swollen or inflamed whenever I indulged in it. I also was having a resurgence of painful cramps with PMS (despite staying hydrated and regularly taking a good omega-3 source).
Keeping moderate amounts of fruit on the daily menu and allowing small sweets on special days makes this change from refined sugars, including sugar substitutes, doable and sustainable for me. Since I don’t like the taste of coffee with cream but not sugar, I drink black coffee now. I find that I drink less coffee now than when I was also drinking it for the dessert effect and that the caffeine in the coffee that I do drink seems to give a stronger boost. I no longer feel crampy or swollen at any point in my cycle. Giving up sugar has resulted in losing a couple inches from my waistline, another happy unintended consequence.
More fibrous fruit, less dairy, less caffeine, more energy, no swelling, no PMS cramps. All from giving up sugar. One small sustainable change led to another, without too much effort on my part except for the initial decision to experiment with fasting from sugar.
What challenge could you problem solve for healthier cycles or easier charting? An FSI Coach can help you see opportunities and find solutions.
Check out fertilityscienceinstitute.org/coaching to begin your journey to confident charting today.