A few years ago, during a train ride between Warsaw and Kraków, a colleague told me a story that stayed with me.
He had spent years battling unexplained autoimmune symptoms – fatigue, inflammation, brain fog. Countless doctor visits, multiple tests, and still no answers. Eventually, through sheer determination, he discovered that sugar was triggering an autoimmune reaction in his body. Not just sweet treats, but sugar hidden in sauces, breads, even salads.
He cut it out. Completely. Drastically. And… all the symptoms vanished.
I remember admiring how he got to the root cause, not just masking symptoms. But I also thought: “Wow, what kind of willpower does it take to say, ‘Good afternoon, may I speak to the chef? Which dishes don’t contain sugar? Including sauces?’ – every time you’re at a restaurant?”
It sounded extreme.
Until a year ago, when I started my own sugar-free journey.
🧠 The Silent Addiction
It began with a growing awareness that I was… addicted. Yes, addicted to sugar. Not in the “I eat too much chocolate” kind of way. I mean the hidden sugar – ketchup, yogurt, granola, salad dressings, dried fruit, even “healthy” snacks. The more I looked, the more I saw it everywhere.
And the more I cut it out, the better I felt.
📉 20kg Lighter, 10x Better
I never used to be into nutrition. I played volleyball, tennis, sometimes went for a jog or a skate. At 198 cm and 115 kg, I thought I was in “decent shape.”
Today I weigh 95 kg. And I’ve never felt better.
Clearer mind. Better sleep. Less inflammation. More energy. And all I did was start questioning one invisible enemy: sugar.
🔍 What the Science Says (That We Rarely Hear)
- Sugar triggers insulin spikes, which over time can lead to insulin resistance – a condition where your body no longer responds properly to insulin, paving the way for weight gain, fatigue, and even type 2 diabetes.
- Insulin resistance often begins years before diagnosis, with signs like brain fog, stubborn belly fat, and energy crashes.
- Sugar feeds inflammation, which has been linked to autoimmune diseases, skin issues, and chronic pain.
- Sugar lights up the brain’s reward centers like cocaine does – creating a craving cycle that’s hard to break.
- Most processed foods contain added sugars under 60+ names: maltodextrin, agave syrup, fructose, etc.
🧭 What I Learned
Eliminating sugar requires more than willpower. It requires awareness. It’s about reading labels, asking questions, and embracing long-term health over short-term pleasure. But the payoff is enormous.
Today, I’m not militant about it- but I’m mindful. I know what sugar does to my body. I know how good life feels without it. And I’ll always be grateful to that colleague who shared his story in a train car somewhere between two cities in Poland.
Today, I’m not 100% sugar-free – every day is a mental tug-of-war, where I cautiously navigate choices, doing my best to resist the ever-present pull of sugar. Sometimes winning, but also loosing the battle from time to time.
Have you ever tried going sugar-free – even for a week? What changed for you?
