Clearing Space with Rule # 5

This spring cleaning for the body is clearing space for a new burst of energy!

After awakening at 2:13 a.m. this morning, my brain was zooming and I couldn’t go back to sleep; so I got out of bed and quietly tip-toed downstairs to begin my day. In addition to preparing for a class I had tonight, I spent the day working compulsively on website design; and before I knew it the day was done and I still needed to write about Rule 5.

If you’ve had an opportunity to see a few minutes of Ellen Degeneres during the past week, you may have heard her mention that she has also begun spring cleaning for the body. As I write this, I’m watching a recording of her show from earlier today, and she just mentioned that she has given up sugar. This is her ninth day without any form of sugar. What perfect timing for today’s rule! Somehow it’s a bit comforting to know we’re all in this together.

Rule # 5 – Avoid foods that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients.

Pollan reminds his readers of a food industry practice that most people know by now, that labels list ingredients by weight; so any food product that has sugar in the first three ingredients ”has WAY too much sugar.” Also, when processed foods and snacks are mainstays of our diet, it’s hard to avoid the 'pride of food science'—over 40 types of sugar are now used in the food industry! Corn sweetener, beet sugar, cane juice, dextrin, fructose, sucrose, glucose, and a dozen other –‘tose names.

For now, Ellen and I are united by Rule 5 and we invite you to clear space for a new burst of energy and a new spring in your step!