What About Sugar?

Oct 23, 13 What About Sugar?

Posted by in Foodie

I have seen some pretty scary obesity studies this week and I have always thought that sugar was the devil.  Since my children were born, I have tried to limit it, replace it, negotiate around it, and keep it away from them as much as possible in their lives.  But this summer, I changed my mind just a little bit. We were in Europe for 5 weeks this summer and we wanted the boys to enjoy the local foods.  For 8-year-old boys, “food” translates into dessert and treats.  And we wanted them to eat croissants and tarts and all the delicious things in France and the amazing wienerbrød in Denmark.  Food was part of experiencing the culture of each country with all of their senses.  I also realized that Orangina is available almost everywhere in Europe and  it has long been on my list for acceptable kid beverages (It is essentially just juice and bubbling water, no added sugar). So we allowed them to have a treat and an Orangina every day.  For the treat, candy would have been off-limits, but they never asked about that. My boys are thin and extremely active and tall for their age.  They both do sports for extracurricular activities and they also run, jump, play hard, and are generally very active people who burn lots and lots of calories.  They eat very few carbs–that is bread, pasta, potatoes, etc.  They get most of their carbs from fruit.  Still with the daily treat, they gained a little weight.  But it seemed to be good for them.  One of them has always been very thin.  He filled out a little.  And he seemed less slight and more grounded in his body. The other added a little weight to his body but has gotten leaner now that he is back to the twice a week swim team routine.  It has made me rethink my “sugar is the devil” mantra.  Could it be that moderation in the sugar department might actually be good...

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Dear Diary, It’s Hard to Come Home…

Aug 25, 13 Dear Diary, It’s Hard to Come Home…

Posted by in Dear Diary, Travel

4 countries 6 currencies 38 days 4 backpacks 3 rental cars 1 car loaned by friends 2 ferries old friends new friends 2 amusement parks 3 medieval villages 1 mountain climb to a chateau daily scrapbooks fresh baked bread old cheese, salami, french wine, Danish snaps, Danish beer, bubbles, 4 swimming pools, 2 hot springs, 2 beaches, and a whole lot of sunshine… It has been a week since we returned from our 5 week trip to Iceland, France, Denmark, and Sweden.  I have had a hard time reintegrating  back into my life.  I have had difficulty writing.  Not because I don’t have anything to say but because I have been on some kind of sensory overload for several weeks now and I have had a hard time forming a thought of my own.  I have been awash in varied and intense emotions. I have had my fill of beautiful places and interesting visual stimulation.  I have had my fill of re-connection and connection with people I have known, and people I have gotten to meet in the last month.  I am physically spent.  I can feel the physical exhaustion hanging on even though I have taken it easy this week and haven’t tried to do too much. I am sated by the time on vacation with my family and have been enjoying some time alone this week.  Being in close quarters with my family was so warm and we have shared a real sense of connection that was sweet and special.  Now we are all disconnecting just a bit so we can go on with our individual lives. People want to hear about our trip and I am not ready to talk about it much yet.  It is like a new lover, something to savor that is greater than words.  If I talk about it, I tie it down, I accidentally commit to giving it a meaning instead of letting my feelings exist on their own in a land without words.  I want...

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