September 11, 2008

Putting the Fun in Fungi

The doctor said it straight. If you want to get rid of these infections, you have to stop eating sugar. You can choose molasses, maple syrup, or honey, but even that is really too close to sugar.

She continued, I am putting you on a major course of antifungal treatment. We can kill the yeast, but if you keep feeding it sugar, we'll never get anywhere.

This is not news. I have been dealing with imbalances and infections since I was 2. It's just that after 29 or so years of guilt- and shame-filled restricting and overeating, I was really enjoying having all of the food groups on the table. I was sort of hoping for a pass.

Nope.

Typically, when I get news of this type, I try to do everything perfect, black or white. Please the doctor. Get her approval by being the model patient. Send in my entry form for Ms. American Patient. My answer would have been, Fine, no sugar ever. But when I go to the white or dark side, I start to Show Out, loudly. It's just not peaceful.

There has to be another way.

So I asked her. What are my options? This won't work if I feel deprived. That's when she threw me the molasses bone. She said, I usually have my patients work with dieticians who take a hard line with them so I don't have to.

Been there, done that.

I called my dietician. She is no food Nazi. She is meeting me next week with a macrobiotic cookbook. I might not be able to eat sugar, but I will eat dessert, dammit.

I choose to believe that this situation is workable. I am not sure exactly how. I did find some sugar-free, vegan cookies tonight. My kid liked them. So did I.

I started taking the medicine. I can tell it's working because I feel sick and tired. That is, my body feels sick and tired. The real me is soaring.

No comments: