A little something non-partisan on diet, nutrition

My mom saved me from gaining weight as a teenager by restricting dietary sugar and fats. Though I resented it, I eventually saw that she likely saved me from diabetes. She was not as successful with Dad.

Nor me, when it came to high cholesterol. When my doctor eventually recommended statins in my early 60s, I demurred. I had read Teicholz's "Big Fat Surpise", which argues (with evidence) that sugar causes ill-health, not fats. Americans have cut down on fats big time, which makes us hungry for sugar.

So I gave up processed sugar.

It wasn't hard. I stopped buying beloved milk chocolate (only worked because we live 40 minutes from town). I started reading food labels — and saw processed sugar everywhere! (Did you know that most mustard has sugar in it? Even already sweet things have "added sugar"). Not fanatical by nature, I kept drinking beer and sneaked some Lindt past myself on occasion. And ate all the good fats I wanted. (Avocados, yum!)

Six months later, my husband complained, "You haven't made any chocolate chip cookies lately!" I hadn't even noticed. I was good for almost 10 years. Now, sugar mostly tastes bad to me. (Except in pie.)
Lately I've padded my diet with lots of meat and sugar (to counteract chemo side-effects.) Unsurprisingly, I'm drowning in cholesterol. My NP guesses (with evidence) that there is a genetic component, and I've agreed to a low dose of statins.

While I quietly revert to my old diet.

NANCY GERTH

Sagle