– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young – - Ah, sugar, I knew you when….

– Time For A Tiara: Column by Ginna Young –

About a month ago, I had kind of a health scare. Maybe it wasn’t as big a deal as I feel it was, but I was really concerned.

One night, laying awake in bed, I suddenly got so dizzy. Everything just swam and I had to grab onto the sides of the mattress, because it felt like I was falling off. I wasn’t, of course, but that’s how it felt. Well, after tightly squeezing my eyes shut for a long while, and trying to turn my neck to and fro, so it was “back in place,” the spell eased enough I could get out of bed.

At first, I thought it was vertigo, which I had once before, but I realized, I had no nausea like the last time. I walked around for a minute and while I felt kind of weird, I wasn’t dizzy. I went back and laid down, and it hit again. I fought with it all that night, every time I turned over.

When daylight came, I got up and was fine, except I still felt fuzzy and weird. I constantly kept turning my neck, thinking something was out of whack. But, then I looked in the mirror and had to face a hard truth I’d been denying for a while.

There were these bright red veins on my cheeks and my face was flushed, although I wasn’t hot. I stopped fooling myself and realized I could be a candidate for a borderline stroke. If nothing else, these were the warning signs to make some life changes.

See, strokes run in my family on Dad’s side and I recognized the signs. A few months ago, while Mom was still in the hospital, after her emergency surgery, the doctor at the time, asked if we wanted her to take this one blood thinner, to prevent clots. The only thing was, if she was to have an injury or something unforeseen, she could bleed to death. If she didn’t and got clots, it could cause a stroke.

Well, both of us made the rapid choice to take the blood thinner. I, for one, stated that I’d rather bleed out, than have a stroke, as I’ve seen what it can do. The doctor looked right at me and said, “Me too.”

I’ve known for a long time, I needed to make some lifestyle changes. I don’t eat right – mostly fast food, chips and candy – snatched at weird times, whenever I could manage it with my weird schedule. I pretty much ran on caffeine, since I suffer from migraines and headaches.

More and more, I was downing multiple cans or bottles of Coke, Dr. Pepper or Pepsi, in a pinch. I was even doing “preventative” caffeine, meaning I’d drink the pop before I got a headache. I really, really love Dr. Pepper, too.

Well, after my scare, I cold turkey, quit sugar (candy, cake, cookies, etc.) and pop, caffeinated or otherwise. I even decided not to have my monthly cup of jet black coffee made by the Gilman Village clerk. Seriously, Candice makes thee best coffee!

So, I have only had natural sugar, such as fruit or the little bit I get from bread, etc., and water is the only thing I’ve had to drink. I’m not going to lie, it hasn’t been easy.

I sometimes get the shakes, I want pop so bad, but it’s been a whole month, and I’m holding strong in my new lifestyle. A friend said it was harder to quit smoking, than it was to give up Mountain Dew, so I think I’m doing well. I also never got that withdrawal headache I was expecting.

I don’t know if it was coincidence or not, but one week after I quit my bad habits, my dizziness went away, which means I was able to rest more. Every single time I’d turn over in bed, the world would just swim, which is so not restful.

I think quitting the caffeine and sugar played a part in it, but I also credit dear, sweet lady, Rebecca Keiser, with my turnaround. I ran into her in the store and honestly, it was hard to even smile, I felt so...driftless and dazed. Being the caring soul she is, she noticed and asked what was wrong.

I told her and she said she’d pray for me. That night, my dizziness stopped. A few days later, I felt amazing, for the first time in a long, long while and she messaged to see how I was doing. She had diligently prayed for me during that time. Thank you, my friend, I love you and your beautiful soul!

No matter whether quitting caffeine and sugar was the reason my dizziness subsided, or the amazing prayers, I feel better than I have in years. I truly think I was poisoning myself with caffeine, hence the reason I didn’t get a terrific headache after I quit.

I’m not writing off ever having a thing of pop or candy on occasion (maybe once a month?), but for now, I’m going to keep on as I’ve done the last month. Someone asked me how much weight I’ve lost, but I don’t know and I don’t care. That’s not what it was about. It was about being healthier and I know I’m healthy, even as a (very) full-figured woman.

Maybe I’ll try to cut down on what I eat... less bread, not as big portions...but I am just concentrating on this one step, for now. Even though I’ve done so well to resist, thus far, it is hard, I won’t lie.

For example, the other night, at a volleyball game, a little kid walked by me with a large package of candy. I seriously contemplated grabbing the candy out of her hand and running, but I didn’t.

I didn’t like that kind.