Déjà-Vu . Period .

I'm getting déjà-vu as I write this.  As I was signing in, flashbacks of dreams and memories that never happened came to me.  As if I know what's going to happen next.  I had a conversation with my cousin Kate in my early twenties about déjà-vu, and I loved her take on it so much that it's become part of my philosophy.  

Déjà-vu moments are like little checkpoints in life that are telling you you're on the right track.  Like someone is encouraging you and rooting for you behind the scenes and déjà-vu is a way of marking it.  When I get them, it feels like I've dreampt this exact moment years ago, before I knew the people around me or how my life's path would unfold.  I've never had a negative déjà-vu experience.  It always happens in moments where I'm doing something that makes me feel good.  Like I planned for it before I got here, and I mean got here, in this life. 

I was planning to write a blog inspired by the sweetest banana I ever ate.  I guess I could get to that now. 

I've decided to do a three-day sugar detox.  Three days because I know that's realistic for me, and I want to attain this goal, and sugar detox because I've been consuming it like crack for the last week and a half.  Maybe 3 days isn't long enough to make a significant impact on my system, but I live by baby steps now.

Speaking of babies, this was bound to come up sooner or later: you'll be happy to know that my menstrual cycle is and always has been very regular.  But even though I can pretty much pinpoint the exact date it will hit, I always forget that my emotions are also along for the ride.  Sometimes I find myself intensely craving sugar, usually chocolate, so I'll over-indulge, and then the downward spiral into self-loathing begins until I remember Aunt Flo's coming to town and I eat to fix my monthly cycle.  The cramps don't go away, but the ridiculous moodswings do.

When I saw that palm reader, she could tell just by looking at my hand that I crave sugar when I'm on my period.  She suggested strawberries and dark chocolate.  I should have listened to her advice last week.  Instead I ignored all internal-dialogue, body talk included, and straight up binged.  Ice cream, cookies, you name it.  It was vicious, and way beyond my normal allowances.  It got to the point that I alternated stores to score from, in case they recognized me as the sketchy sugar junkie.

It just so happened that I got an invite a few days ago by one of the lovely vegan ladies I follow on Facebook, Jae Steele.  She started a group aimed at supporting each other on a Spring cleaning via sugar detox.  Perfect timing!  Once I took back control over my cravings, I knew this would be a good opportunity for me to try a cleanse, and get rid of the insatiable sweet tooth I'd recently developped.  So I joined, and started exploring the page, and today is my first day. (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126880337361396) 

I'm not going to pretend like I'm avoiding sugar altogether, it's in just about everything we eat, but I'm going to avoid added sweeteners, so no processed foods, basically.  This morning I made a smoothie, with berry juice (Sunrype), kale, frozen strawberries and coconut.  I threw in some chia and hemp seeds for protein.  It's a really good mix.  I could have used water instead, in fact I probably should have, but the juice has been in my fridge long enough and it's time to be consumed.

Anyway, at around 11:00 I ate a banana.  Perhaps my tastebuds are just hyper-sensitive due to my brain withdrawing, but it tasted remarkably sweeter than usual.  I took the time to notice, and I think that's something I could do more of when I eat.  If I detect the natural sweetness of the foods I enjoy, I think I'll be less likely to crave artificial sources when I'm pms-ing.  It's about being mindful and tasting what we put into our mouth.

***

This morning I had the pleasure of watching some grade 6 students give presentations on nutrition.  I gave them a list of topics to choose from in early March and asked for a powerpoint show.  The one that stood out most was the presentation on the healthiest people in the world.  Japan, Greece, and Italy were at the top of the list, because of the whole foods they eat, as well as their way of eating.  They take their time to eat, celebrate food and use fresh ingredients.  One of the kids said it's because grammas are the ones cooking!  And it's true - my grandparents always cooked using fresh ingredients, and rarely fed us processed foods or frozen meals.  They predate the microwave and come from a different generation obviously, but it's so easy for us to forget fresh nowadays and just reach for something quick and easy. 

Lots of people have the same opinion about this, how we need to slow down and yield, but you know it's true.  We just choose to ignore and go on living our fast-paced, stressed out North American lives because we might fall apart if we don't.

Peace and love,

Katie