Sugar, pregnancy and children
We all tell ourselves little lies.
In the recovery world that little trait, if taken to far, is called denial.
When it comes to our sugar use or abuse, those little lies are common.
It’s easy to lie to ourselves about our sugar intake, how much it is harming us and it’s detrimental effects on our body.
Mostly it happens because the effects of sugar happen over long periods of time.
A couple of pounds gained a year. We can’t really see how it causes all the internal diseases.
And of course it tastes good.
I’ve come to believe, as have many people that have quit, that we don’t eat it for the taste but for the “feeling” it provides.
When you’re off sugar for a time almost everyone who tries it again thinks it tastes “to sweet” to actually eat a lot of. We actually get acclimated to it because of the nice feel good. But that’s for another post.
Today we’re here to talk about getting pregnant and kids and sugar.
One of the cool things I get to see, in working with a lot of people on their sugar consumption, is the reasons “why” people want to quit.
One of the main reasons is to set a good example for their kids. So they are honest enough to admit it was an issue for them but until there were children in the mix they were either unable or unwilling to change the behavior.
Many of you know that over 28 years ago my wife at the time and I committed to having a sugar free pregnancy.
Easy for me to commit to – right?
I was already sugar free but she wasn’t entirely convinced that this was such a good idea and she didn’t really want to do it. I’m not exactly sure how I convinced her to give it a try.
But she did it.
So from the womb forward my beautiful, brilliant, identical twin boys were never exposed to processed sugar in any form.
That lasted until they were six years old.
I remember the day like it was yesterday.
We were both tired.
For six years we had literally battled family members, school administrators and general naysayers who thought we were “depriving” them of one of the joys of childhood.
It was tough.
We were at a roller skating birthday party. Then the birthday cake and ice cream came out.
BOTH of my boys cranked their little heads 180 degrees with this look on their faces as if to say “Dad can we PLEASE have some this time?”
My wife and I looked at each other and with the same wordless communication and said to each other “Let’s just let them this time”.
We caved.
Six years of hyper vigilance just broke down to social acceptance for the kiddies.
After that day we went right back to no sugar at home or school but at social events like birthdays once a month they were allowed to have a little cake and ice cream.
So at this point you are probably asking one of two questions: Why? And Was it worth it?
I think I can answer both questions at the same time with the story of the first six years and the pregnancy.
My wife had carried 14 pounds of babies during the pregnancy and gained a total of 21 pounds.
I might be able to stop the story right there for a lot of you.
The rest of the story
I’ve come to believe that the most damage done by sugar is done in the brain. The feel goods that we get from sugar come at the expense, long term, of our permanent feeling of well being. This I’ve proven over and over with the people we work with. Those good feelings will return naturally after being burned out by sugar – if you stop.
As for sheer mental capacity I had read many times that the most important time in the brain development of a child is ages zero to 3. I just wasn’t willing to risk compromising that time just so the kids could eat candy.
Today quantitative, scientific proof on all the things I speak about literally comes out daily now but in the early 90’s – not so much.
As with a lot of what I write about, I draw my opinions from a blend of reading the research daily and over 25 years of sugar abstinence and working with sugar addicts and addicts of all kinds.
I’m a kinda smart guy. I did well in school but was to much of a partier to apply myself to much. I was lucky it came easily. My ex-wife was also just an OK student.
While I can’t prove scientifically (just yet) what we did helped the boys brains develop better – so I’ll just let you be the judge and to see if you might want to give this gift to your kids..
By the time they were 3 years old they could read small kids books by themselves. (we did work with flash cards before then – they loved that)
They were placed in gifted programs right away and went to an internationally famous high school program called the International Baccalaureate Program.
One of the boys got a perfect score on his SAT college entrance exams and his brother missed one question. For a point of reference – Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg got perfect SAT scores. It’s pretty rare.
It’s a little dad bragging for sure but I believe deep in my heart that the sugar freedom they had in the first six year of life contributed to the development of their brains in a positive way.
So why do I tell you all this family and personal stuff anyway?
I tell you because many, many times mothers or mothers to be, like my ex-wife and others I’ve helped quit sugar,
… will do for their children what they will not do for themselves…
I’m not below the concept of “by any means possible”. If I think I can get you sugar free for 9 months or longer (nursing etc.) I’m going to tell this story, over and over.
Largely what we have to go on is the emerging science of greats like Dr. Robert Lustig and others and, more importantly, the beautifully honest people who have had issues with sugar and are now at peace with it.
The people who are now here to help you.
The ones that can tell the stories of their addiction honestly, what it took to change and, better yet, the story of how their life is today.
If you have any doubts please feel free to contact us so we can match you up with someone who has walked in your shoes.
If you haven’t taken our little sugar quiz please feel free right here.
If you know you’re ready to get started right away join our little private group here:
