I've been doing a lot of reading recently about diet and there are so many different messages out there!

"Sugar is as addictive as heroin!"

"But honey is good for you."

"Wheat is responsible for the diabetes epidemic in our society!"

"Wheat is fine if you stick to the whole grain varieties."

"Low carb, keto and paleo are the way to go!"

"Low fat is the way to go!"

I'm so confused.

There are several reasons to be concerned about diet.

Health is primary. Obesity is closely related to diabetes type two – which is closely related to Alzheimer's Disease. In addition, certain diets (using the word in its widest meaning) induce energy, clear-thinking and a sense of well-being – and who wouldn't want that? – Whereas others make us feel lethargic and bloated. Some diets claim to cure "brain fog" and to make us feel happier. Again – I'm all up for that!

My interest in diet was sparked at a recent business network meeting. Our speaker was a woman who radiated energy and passion. She is a nutritionist and she positively bounced as she spoke.

"How many of you here feel hungry and tired all the time?" she asked. I raised my hand. I had recently realised, while staying with friends abroad, that they did not need the constant refuelling that I did. It had become a joke as we wandered around the Belgian towns, "Hold on – it's been two hours since we fed Mary; where's the nearest eatery?" I discovered that frequent daytime naps are not a usual thing among my friends – even my Italian friends, who I thought, should do the siesta thing with aplomb.

This knowledgeable and passionate woman, who specialises in the treatment of diabetes type two, started to explain about the symptoms of "pre-diabetes" and I realised, with horror, that I ticked all the boxes.

We think that diabetes type two only occurs in people who are morbidly obese. But that is not the whole truth. People say I don't look overweight to them, but I know the scales tip on the cusp between overweight and obese – I just carry it well – and dress it better!

That's why I started to read.

I won't go into all the background and the scientific studies. I will just say that, at this point in my reading, I have thrown out all my low-fat yoghurts and low-fat spreads; all my diet sodas and ultra-lean meats. I have embraced natural fats, natural diary and all things unprocessed.

But I have cut sugar right out! And most of the carbohydrates that are readily processed into sugar.

The result is not a dramatic weight-loss (darn it! I was rather hoping, I must say), but a sense of increased energy. I no longer experience the feelings of exhaustion when the sugar crash hits. And I have not had cravings for bread or biscuits or chocolate – other than the 70% dark chocolate – and that is just a girl thing.

A girl thing – definitely!

Mary

A Moodscope member