Trip Down Energy Lane

(I promise to get back to the three words - and please don't think scantily-clad women! Chemicals, people, chemicals!)

I'm thinking about embarking on a quest. This is a lingering idea that always formulates in the back of my head when I get particularly run-down, stressed and lose all energy and time for exercise. A few years ago (ok, it's been more than a few - closer to five!), I was "diagnosed" with chronic fatigue syndrome. I say "diagnosed" because, after finding a low level of the mononucleosis virus in my system, assuming it has always been there - and will always be there - and having no other good ideas, the doctor said I probably had chronic fatigue.

Since then, I found some things that mask this "thorn in my side": Coffee (a lot, first thing in the morning), running (which I hate and don't think I could be paid enough to start up again), and 10 hours of sleep a night, plus a 1-hour nap in the afternoon (this is a completely unrealistic option - no one has this kind of time).

So, after rotating through these options, and doing some research, I've come across two other remedies that dovetail nicely and could bring about a measure of relief. Both involve food. Duh, duh duuuuuuh. (ominous strings).

I'm not a little girl, all petite and cute and I'm not obese, but like most Americans, I could stand to lose a few. The main reason: I am a carb-oholic. I love bread, pastries, milk, casseroles, pasta, rice, etc... The problem with these very delicious foods is that they wreck havoc on my body. (Or so I'm coming to think...) I just finished reading the book "The Metabolism Miracle" and watching the documentary "The Future of Food" on Hulu (most amazing site ever). While devoted to two completely different subjects, both got me thinking. Maybe this horrible lack of energy and bleariness all day long is due to something I'm eating! (A novel idea, no?)

When you hear that 75 percent of the things we eat are made from corn products (a very simple carb) and are processed to the Nth degree, it makes you think. When you read about the way some people's bodies react to carbs (insulin spiking then falling dramactially / crashing, causing huge energy swings), it makes you wonder. Then when you realize you have been eating processed food and loving them for most of your life, you wonder why you aren't more exhausted and have even bigger problems!

So, I'm thinking about beginning a journey. Perhaps slowly, at first, but as I look towards the future, I can see the possibilities of a life-long change. I've decided there are a few things that could make a huge difference:

- Cut out sugars - completely
- Move away from milk (have you ever looked at the carb count for a serving of milk? HUGE!)
- Get rid of the breads (tearing up a little on this one)
- Really get on the bandwagon for veggies at every meal (even breakfast - yikes!)

So, this plan would involve recipe research - almost every recipe I own contains carbs; very intentional grocery shopping; willpower in the store to resist the "good-tasting-but bad-for-you" stuff and a little extra time in the kitchen (one of our special words for this week!).

There's my quest idea. When I tried to make a drastic diet change a few weeks ago, this happened. And while I don't relish another such episode, maybe I need to buck up and get serious about this stuff. My body may revolt, but like a child (or naughty dog), I need to train it for its own sake.