Sadly enough heroin comes in many forms–one with which I’m currently intimate is sugar. You have most likely heard about the numerous studies where rats prefer sugar over addictive drugs like heroin. Suffice it to say–it’s a real deal!
OK, yes, I had a great time through the Holidays–traveling out the West to Colorado to be with family–and lots of joyous eating, etc., occurred. What’s not to love about those sugary, glutenous delights like Christmas cookies, those decadent dark chocolate cherries (hey dark chocolate is healthy–right?) and a couple of celebratory glasses of red wine–to name a few examples. (smile)
And as I cracked into a bag of miniature Snicker candy bars–thinking to my “Queen of Denial” self–it’ll be OK, I can handle this–after all it is the Holidays! Imagine my surprise when my GI (gastric intestinal path eventually resulted–UG! At which point I ask myself–when will I ever learn?
I knew it would be easier to get back on track with the wellness plan that I knew worked after returning home–however, it’s taking me a while to get back on track. It seems I make good or at least better food choices during the day now that I’m back in my home environment, however, my sugar cravings seem to be more challenging in the evenings.
So what’s a wellness warrior to do? I need to come up with a plan to get back on track with what I know works–and connect with someone to hold myself accountable to become heroin (sugar) free again.
Part of that plan is to post on our refrigerator what my food boundaries will be–non dairy, gluten and sugar free is what works for me during my healing process. And even though my husband comes home with skabumba I should not be drinking or eating because he is trying to be kind since he knows what I typically like–my strength and resolve need to be in place (remembering how utterly miserable I recently felt). And so saying, I would like to introduce you to a relatively new eating plan that I am beginning: the Pegan plan.
That’s right, I wrote Pegan–not to be confused with “pagan” as addressed in the Bible referring to a non religious or heathen individual.
The Paleo – Vegan Connection
The Pegan plan is a combination of these two popular plans (notice I’m not using the word diet).
Paleo eating is based on the eating habits of our Paleolithic-era ancestors which includes primarily those foods available prior to the birth of agriculture. This includes fresh eggs, seafood and meat, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, avocado and olive oil, herbs and spices.
In contrast, Vegan eating is free from all animal products which include eggs, meat, fish, seafood, honey and dairy products.
Both plans are based on the concept of whole food nutrition–fresh and wholesome foods that have been minimally altered. The Pegan plan is a combination of these two plans–it follows the rules of the Paleo plan but does limit consumption of animal products that would normally be included.
The Pegan plan hit my radar after I had viewed the documentary “What the Health” (available on Netflix) which touted the significant benefits of eating a plant-based plan (Vegan)–sharing numerous conditions that improved after just two weeks (i.e. diabetes and arthritis).
Then I watched a Dr. Oz show that shared the Pegan concept created by Dr. Mark Hyman. Since I was undecided whether to personally become a Vegan, I was intrigued by this newly-learned combination.
The Pegan plan is simple and easy to follow. The main idea is to increase vegetables and decrease meat. Dr. Hyman also recommends that we move toward an eating plan that is gluten, sugar and dairy free. Hmmm–sounding familiar, right? More sources of protein like nuts, seeds, eggs, and fish may be included.
To better define this relatively new eating option, I will address more in my next article and share my journey along the way toward a 2018 wellness reboot.
I love this helpful expression: “Every Moment Is a Fresh Beginning” – T.S. Eliot