Treat Your Body Right

Sugar Plum Fairies dance in our heads—and in our stomachs—this time of year. 

As this month’s article “The Sweet Danger of Sugar” points out, too much sweet stuff doesn’t do a body good, and December takes the prize as the month with the most desserts. Between the homemade treats around the house and the trays of cookies around the office, it’s an impossible feat not to eat them!

I enjoy sugar. I grew up with a father who ended every dinner with dessert; it’s all I knew. Unfortunately, he also enjoyed soda, lots of it, and my siblings and I drank it like water. Our grandmother kept a full candy bowl and handed us treats whenever we visited. Sugar was always around us, and no one was educating us on its negative effects, other than the fact that eating too much of it caused cavities.

When I had kids of my own, I wanted to change the sugar narrative. But rather than not allowing sweets in our home, I put guidelines in place. The treats we allow must contain something nutritious, and they aren’t the type of food you snack on all day long. A scoop of coconut ice cream with a dark chocolate shell, an organic milk ice cream bar, and berries with whipped cream are just some of the treats my kids grew up on. 

At various times over the years, I’ve given up refined sugar entirely, allowing myself only the natural sugars found in fruit. I usually lost weight and gained mental clarity and energy. 

So between the gift-giving and the parties, choose your treats wisely this holiday season. You’ll be giving yourself the best gift of all: better health, stronger teeth, and a smaller waistline. 

Let’s leave the belly bulge to Santa. 

From our house to yours, wishing you the most wonderful holiday season filled with joy and good health! 

Cyrece