Yeah, so … I turned 51 this Saturday, and as you know, when you reach that stage of life where you’re “not getting any younger” (ha!), it becomes increasingly important to focus on what you eat and drink. If you don’t, well—you might not last as long, and your quality of life could take a hit. To put it more bluntly: I need to eat better—again.

This isn’t just because of my birthday. The concrete push came when my doctor pointed out that my cholesterol levels were a bit high. The prescription? Surprise, surprise—more exercise, less fat and sugar. So, I decided to start with the easiest (ha, again) part: cutting out the little snacks I rely on for comfort. That means less chocolate, fewer extra glasses of wine (a very strong temptation as a special-needs parent), and scaling back on excessive coffee. I also switched to low-fat milk. Since I don’t eat much meat—just fish—that part was easy.

The effects aren’t just some vague “maybe I’ll avoid a heart attack in five years” benefit. I’m noticing changes now—especially in my mood. Eating less sugar means my blood sugar isn’t spiking and crashing, so I feel more clear-headed. After two months, the cravings have eased. I don’t feel the same urge to grab a soda or a sugary treat because my body just… doesn’t want that rollercoaster anymore. It’s a self-perpetuating cycle: the more sugar you eat, the more you crave when the crash hits. Breaking that loop feels like a win.

I’m grateful for my doctor’s pointed finger wagging at me to pull myself together. Not only might this lower my risk of heart problems or strokes down the line, but it’s already sharpening my mind. And with a life like mine—especially as a writer—I’ll take all the clarity I can get. (Now, if only I could tackle the coffee addiction…)

Life in the Trenches

Not much has changed on the home front. We’re still busy in the trenches, day in and day out. A few days ago, I hit a breaking point—threw some things around the kitchen in frustration. Sometimes, it feels like living in an eternal prison. (No wonder my characters are so neurotic. There’s not much separating me from Carrie or Jonathan, honestly.)

But I bounced back. I thought about my son, how much I love him, and how committed I am to helping him. It’s funny—a friend once said that children make you feel like both the weakest and the strongest person in the world. That’s absolutely true, whether your kids are neurotypical or have special needs. For parents in the latter category, those extremes just last a little longer.

Detoxing from Doomscrolling

I won’t dwell on the world situation. It is what it is, and hopefully, it’ll improve eventually. (How much chaos we’ll endure first is another question.) My coping mechanism lately has been focusing on the positive: writing, my love for my son, a good cup of tea, sunshine—those quiet moments I wrote about last time.

I’ve also been cutting back on news consumption. Just like sugar, it’s an addiction. I subscribe to breaking news alerts from Danish national channels and check the BBC in the morning, but that’s it. No constant doomscrolling. And it’s working. Despite the horrors in Gaza, Ukraine (which is less than a day’s drive from here), and the general chaos—especially in the U.S.—I feel steadier.

The trick, I’ve learned, is substitution. You can’t just stop a habit; you need to replace it. For news, I’ve resubscribed to Audible. (Yes, I have issues with Amazon and their proprietary audiobook model, but it’s a crutch for now.)

The point is: if you want to cut back on something—sugar, caffeine, news—you’ll have more success if you replace it with something else. For me, listening to audiobooks engages different senses and keeps me from reflexively opening news apps. Will it last? I don’t know. But for now, it’s helping.

And really, that’s all any of us can do—take it one step at a time, stay positive, and find small ways to make the chaos manageable.

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Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash

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