The Hunt For Root Cause
Do you ever refuse to be honest with yourself? I often know what I need to do to improve various ailments, but I give excuses or refuse to try specific solutions because it seems easier to look the other way and pretend it's not an issue.
Some of us have a preconceived notion that change is hard. The good news is that although it may be uncomfortable at first, you usually see a benefit pretty quickly, so change becomes more manageable. It's all in the mindset. Get your mind on your side and most things are within your reach.
I have been a long-time follower of David Asprey, a "bio-hacker" and a creator of the Bulletproof Diet. He has written several New York Times Bestselling books. My favorite book of his thus far has been "Game Changers What Leaders, Innovators, and Mavericks Do to Win at Life." Additionally, he has a line of supplements and some food items.
A few years back, I received a promotional email from his company with a free offer of a box of twelve Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough protein bars. I am an avid ingredient reader so after glancing at the list, I decided to take advantage of this generous offer. I mean, at 2 grams of sugar (zero added sugar), how could I not? I can honestly tell you that they were amazingly delicious. I told my mom about them and she loved them as well. We both became utterly addicted to them. They were my perfect "go-to" snack.
For several years I continually ordered them. I would keep some in a freezer for a cooling, delicious treat. Every day I would look forward to having one around three PM when I needed a pick me up. It was a great way to break up my workday and keep going for few more hours.
I don't usually get headaches but I started feeling a pressure headache now and then. I couldn't figure out why. I tried all my traditional remedies for headaches – you know, Peppermint E.O., no soy sauce, no deli meat, started drinking more water, etc but nothing worked.
While enjoying my treat one day, I had a thought for a second that maybe my favorite treat could be the cause. I decided to stop entertaining that thought immediately as I continued indulging in my treat. My headaches continued. Then I thought maybe my noise-canceling earphones or cell phone were to blame. I kept looking for the root cause of my ailment.
It took a lot and a long time of living with the discomfort of my headache, but finally, I decided to take a closer look at the ingredients.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH
Ingredients: Cashew butter, inulin, hydrolyzed collagen, MCT oil powder (caprylic and capric acid triglycerides from highly refined coconut oil, tapioca dextrin), organic unsweetened chocolate, cashew meal, sunflower lecithin. Less than 2% of: organic cacao nibs, safflower or sunflower oil, vanilla extract, sea salt, organic stevia leaf extract, natural flavor.
Although I always knew tapioca dextrin was there, I assumed it was harmless because it came from tapioca, a South American tuber. After all, it wasn't the main ingredient so I also thought it couldn't be that bad. Upon further research, I learned that dextrin was a heavily processed product with a very high glycemic index. I decided to replace that treat with a few roasted nuts and chocolate chips. My headache went away.
The point is to be honest with yourself. If you have a hunch that something is causing your discomfort, experiment and see if you can find an alternative substitute for your habit. Replacing a habit is easier than completely getting rid of it because of the emotional attachment. And it may be all you need to propel forward with your goals.
I'm not saying that tapioca dextrin will negatively affect everyone, but I want all to be aware that certain ingredients found in our everyday foods could be the cause.