What you eat absolutely matters

Dear Diary: 21 August 2025

​So, I’ve been trying to be intentional about what I eat. I know from past experiences that if I can curb my appetite - the natural way - without starving myself - then that’s half the battle won!
 
For the past month, I’ve been noting things a lot more than I used to, mainly because I’m working on a new book on navigating the perimenopause years. Didn’t I just go on an epic journey – packed with insights and new discoveries!

I've been eating relatively well, at least over 80% of the time. Made sure to increase my protein intake, reduced carb portions as well as sugar. I’ve packed in good grains and nuts, green smoothies and noticed one thing: the sugar cravings have been significantly reduced.
 
I’ve also noticed that drinking sparkling water whenever I feel like having a sugary cup of tea deals with the craving right there and there.
 
I’ve noticed that my energy levels have increased, my alertness on fire, days of feeling fatigued are a thing of the past. The weight loss is slow and steady, but I’d rather have it that way. Quick weight loss solutions usually come with other side effects. However, when I woke up this morning, I was relaxed about things. Instead of having first meal of the day with protein or muesli – jam packed with almonds, pumpkin seeds, brazils, cashews and more goodness without added sugar, I simply reverted to my old ways.
 
Had three thin slices of bread (granary loaf) with good butter. No added oils to make it spreadable - another change I consciously made to my diet.
 
I’ve reduced my sugar intake, and I only use brown cane sugar.  Will talk about that in the book. Made my milky cup of tea using filtered milk because I couldn’t find organic milk at the supermarket. I’ve also been regularly purchasing organic milk for the past few months. Added a teaspoon of sugar. That’s me sorted. Popped a few supplements.  
 
Four hours later, I’ve had to make a bowl of muesli, something I’ve never had to deal with in the past month. Why? Because I’ve been more than OK to eat two good meals a day without snacking in between.
 
Having bread and tea, something we grew up doing, somehow wasn’t enough to sustain me throughout the rest of the day. I felt so hungry that I couldn’t focus on work. Found myself constantly wondering what to eat. The chocolates that have been lying around in the house (thanks to son) suddenly became very attractive! Had one from the Cadbury Milky Tray. The sugar tasted intense because I haven’t been eating that much sugary stuff at least in the past month.
 
What surprised me the most was the intensity of the hunger pangs. I knew that there was no way I’d focus on work, had to eat something chop - chop.
 
I believe that this is how we easily pack in the calories per day. And I believe this is how many people stay trapped in a cycle of over-eating, even when advised to eat less by their doctors. The type of bread, although granary, is still refined, perhaps teetering towards empty calories. Yes, you may fill up your tummy for a bit, but it doesn’t do much to nourish, let alone make you feel satiated for long enough.
 
And that also contributes to high sugar spikes because the starch is quickly turned into glucose. When the body releases insulin, the glucose is converted into glycogen and returns to normal glucose levels! Do I sound smart? That’s because I asked my son  who got an A in A ‘Level Biology and is en route to Medical School. Had asked him to explain things in layman’s terms, knowing that some people will read this as they try to work out the how’s and why’s.
 
But the whole process is FAST because there is no fibre or protein in the equation. Fibre and protein act like fire breaks, in that they slow down the digestive process which also reduces hunger pangs. I’ve learnt that a slow, natural digestion process also supports the release of hormones and peptides to regulate blood sugar, and one also feels fuller for longer. It goes to show that the body is a well – designed machine, created with checks and balances in place. But many times, we eat the wrong things or even over-eat, which in turn affects how our bodies process things in order to try and counter some of the bad habits we adopt while we think we’re living.
 
Without that ‘resistance’ which still acts a facilitator in the digestive tract, everything is basically going down a slippery slope! Result? That initial sugar spike quickly becomes a ‘new low’ and it becomes a crash. And then you absolutely feel hungry again.
   
I think for most people, that’s where we’ve been losing the weight loss battle. Because I kid you not, I was hit by a ferocious wave of hunger I haven’t had in a while. And I’m grateful for this mishap, because it’s given me an opportunity to learn.
 
Now that I've had a bowl of muesli, I can get back to work for another couple of hours or so. But after that, I’m going to make sure that I make a decent meal for dinner.
 
So, eating more protein and fibre will reduce the occurrence of these hunger attacks, which make us want to eat more and more.
 
I never used to like eggs that much but they are a good source and more affordable source of protein. So, I’ve been making scrambled egg ( 3 or 4 eggs) and usually fry a chopped onion first, then add the eggs. But feel free to make your eggs however way you like them.
 
Other sources of lean protein can be found in poultry, legumes, cheese, red meats and tofu. This isn’t an exhaustive list.
 
It’s also important to know that we live in different places of the world where availability of certain food items vary. This could be due to seasons, geography or even economic factors. In some countries, it might be very expensive to get protein sources.  
 
I’d say try to add foods such as green vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts and other legumes and be very OK with it. I know some people who think that eating vegetables is a sign of poverty, without realising that the more natural the food is, the more nutritional benefits for our bodies. Most ‘nice’ things we crave and like are doing more harm than good to our bodies, and these things also contribute to serious perimenopause symptoms, not forgetting other potential health issues. And a lot of us have a lot of unlearning and learning to do so that we can support the vessels that carry us throughout the many different cycles of life.
 
Signed,
 
Fortune Ma-one

P/S
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