Sitting across from the doctor, I was relieved.
I’d been experiencing dizzy spells, exhaustion and terrible moods.
Aged 40, I had three kids under 10, and I wanted to be the best mum to them, and wife to my husband, Clive.
After lots of back and forth with doctors looking for an answer, one had recommended a glucose tolerance test.
And now, the results were surprising.
I wasn’t overweight, but I was hypoglycaemic and pre-diabetic.
The doctor asked me to list the foods I ate over a day.
“Some days I’ll demolish half a Sara Lee cheesecake for breakfast and a packet of biscuits in the afternoon,” I confessed. “Chocolate is my weakness. I can eat an entire block before coming to my senses.”
Saying it out loud, a terrible thought entered my mind: I’m a sugar addict.
I discovered the benefit of adding more protein, which helped keep me fuller longer.
A small amount of fresh fruit helped with sweet cravings.
Months later, tests showed steady blood sugar.
My energy had returned, and I was exercising.
A year on, I embraced a more moderate approach.
I would have two squares of dark chocolate every day and when I went out for a meal I’d have half a glass of wine or strawberries and fresh cream for dessert.
Then, aged 53, I was in the US with Clive, a property developer, for a business trip.
By chance, I found myself chatting with a woman who introduced me to a natural, sugar-free alternative – Xylitol.
“You can bake with it and enjoy the foods you love,” she said, offering me a few sachets to try.
Back home, I made lamingtons, cheesecakes, chocolate mousse and ice- cream. They were delicious!
Eighteen months later, in 2002, I brought a small shipment to Australia.
From there, I built my business SweetLife to distribute Xylitol across the country and share recipes and healthy living tips.
I hadn’t worked for 25 years as I’d been a stay-at-home mum, but I taught myself to use a computer, spent three years taking business classes at night and began doing 90-hour weeks.
SweetLife is now in its 22nd year and is a big success.
I’ve had the opportunity to speak to thousands about transforming my health and help them with theirs.
“The healthier and fitter you are, the more you’ll enjoy life,” I tell them.
Today, I’m 76, a grandmother of four, and I’m very fit, thanks to tennis, yoga and weekly Pilates.
And I’m as happy to wear a bikini on Perth’s Cottesloe Beach as I was 40 years ago.
People are always surprised when I tell them my age.
If they ask how I stay looking so youthful, I say I’ve been sugar free for 35 years.
This year, Clive and I will celebrate 50 years of marriage – and I can credit part of its longevity to my commitment to being the best I can be.
Age is just a number, but AGE is also my mantra for living: A is for attitude, G is for gratitude, and E is for ‘ego-tude’.
I made the last word up, but we all need a little healthy ego, it’s what drives us to be our best!
‘Honestly’ Sugar Free Baking is available now at sweetlife.com.au
