Don't jump all over me for this, because I'm not pointing fingers, just making a casual observation. A lot of people get freaked out when they read about germs in restaurants. I suspect a lot of home kitchens are as dirty as some restaurants. You get used to a particular mix of bugs in your water and when you travel, sometimes you get "turista" from drinking the water in the new place. It doesn't necessarily mean the water is dirtier, because the locals are drinking their water with no problems. I liked the last paragraph in that article about lemon slices in restaurants-- sometimes you just gotta trust your immune system.
As far as sugar is concerned...
I've been on a super low-carb diet for a while now. I've lost a lot of weight, and I'm feeling more energetic than I ever did before. Studies have shown that, while the muscles and brain will use sugar and carbs first for energy, things actually run more efficiently (70% more!) when using energy from fatty acids. When I get hungry, it's not the "hands shaking, can't think, gotta eat NOW" kind of hunger that happens because of the peaks and lows of glucose swings. Although I still occasionally find myself saying "gee, a bowl of ice cream would be nice", it's easy to resist. If I get a craving, it's more likely to be for a plate of bacon and eggs than something sweet. This represents a 180 in my life.
