I have officially begun a two-week fruit challenge, thanks largely to the robust—and by “robust,” I mean nearly impossible to resist—support of my friend Randi.
Randi is a passionate believer in the power of fruit. I am now reasonably certain she is either on the payroll of the National Fruit Growers Association or quietly preparing to open a produce stand.
Her argument is simple: eat more whole fruit, eliminate some of the processed carbohydrates and pay attention to how my body responds. My argument was also simple: “But fruit has sugar.”
Apparently, this was not the brilliant scientific rebuttal I thought it was.
So, for the next two weeks, I’ll be eating considerably more fruit while closely monitoring my blood sugar, energy levels and any sudden desire to swing through the trees. This is not a crash diet, and I am not expecting to be transformed into a completely different person. Although, if I emerge two weeks from now with perfect blood sugar, boundless energy and the ability to fit comfortably into pants I wore ten years ago, I may have to admit Randi was onto something.
After the first full day, the early results were encouraging. There were small blood-sugar spikes after eating, but the numbers returned quickly to stable and consistent levels. One day is hardly enough to declare victory, but it is enough for Randi to begin drafting her “I told you so” speech.
And honestly, she may deserve the opportunity to deliver it.
There is something wonderful about having a friend who cares enough about your health to share what she has learned, answer your skeptical questions and keep encouraging you until you finally agree to try something different.
Two weeks seems manageable. It is long enough to learn something but short enough that I should survive—even if, by the end, I never want to look at another blueberry again.
So, the challenge is underway. The fruit bowl is full, the blood-sugar monitor is ready and Randi is standing by to supervise the experiment.
I suspect she has already purchased a small trophy for herself.
Most of all, I want to thank Randi for her encouragement, patience and unwavering belief that this challenge was worth trying.
The Valley Viewpoint 