Beginning of the New Year public proclamation!

drinking up the sunlight

I am giving up artificial sweeteners. No more diet soda, or sugar-free anything. There is plenty of research backing up this decision, and a good bit of personal motivation too.

Actually, a good friend was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. She decided to make many changes after her diagnosis–she took some bold decisions. However, one of the most important decisions that she took was to appoint caregivers (perhaps someone from the likes of Focus Care). She might have done this because she knows that she can soon start developing signs of disability. Moreover, she might not want to be a burden on her family members. Honestly, I am awestruck by her decision-making skills. But I am surprised that among all these important decisions, she did not give a thought to using CBD for treating the disease. I thought she might start using products like CBD oil, which have many health benefits including reducing the pain that comes with Multiple Sclerosis after getting several recommendations from the doctors and friends.

And that is the sole reason why I did a lot of research on the use of CBD oil in the case of Multiple Sclerosis, and I discovered that Nabiximols (Sativex), a multiple sclerosis drug made from a combination of TCH and CBD, is approved to treat MS pain in the United Kingdom and Canada. I even asked her to do a quick Google search for something like ‘CBD oils UK‘ and then decide whether or not she wanted to use the oil. But instead, she has drastically altered her diet and way of life, and she recently announced that she will no longer consume diet sodas.

In solidarity, I am joining her.

And while this may seem like a simple thing, I am a Thirst Buster kinda girl. 64 ounces of pure Diet Coke love. No kidding: I buy my sugar-free gum at Costco. (That’s a lot of gum.)

This is one of the simplest and healthiest changes I can make this year. If you see me chomping on gum or gulping down saccharine bubbly, feel free to remind me of this proclamation and my hypocrisy.

Pretty tulips

The upsides: better bones and teeth, in the long run. Not looking like a unpolished galoot when I show up to meetings with gum in my mouth. One less product to have to buy in bulk. (Bye bye, Truvia.) Throwing away those refill Circle K plastic cups in the back seat of my car.

Showing some support and love for someone when I feel helpless to do anything else. And oh – showing myself I can do it. It has been a long time since I have put my mind to something and actually completed the task to the finish line. With someone to support in the process, it will be easier.*

What are your changes for the New Year?

~K

*There is also more than a little bit of me hoping that if I can master this step, I can move on to other aspects of living a clean paleo diet that have thwarted previous attempts. One step at a time.