I hope you can stand some rampant joy, dear readers, because this column will be written in a state of euphoria.
The past week has been one of the absolute best in my life.
As I wrote on Facebook:
“Yiiiihaaaa! For the first time in 20 years, I am OFF ALL MEDICATIONS!! Two decades of epilepsy problems are suddenly under control thanks to changing my diet (reducing carbohydrates/sugar). Absolutely amazing, I feel like I’m flying!”
That’s how it is.
Avoiding carbohydrates/sugar has given me a new life. A healthy life.
Suddenly, I feel strong. Energetic. Light.
To get well when you’re sick is like a dream. A feeling difficult to understand for healthy people, I think.
I recently thought back on my 23 years as a sports journalist at Corren. I did this because I’ve now changed tracks and become an editor in chief.
It became a fantastic trip down memory lane. From my first tentative steps into the building, with Jörgen Auer as a great mentor, to all the wonderful encounters and experiences at small and large sports arenas.
Jörgen, who not only taught me how to make a newspaper, but also so much about life and sports beyond all the results. Although no one took results more seriously than Jörgen, no one on the sports editorial team viewed sports, and life, the way he did.
When others entered the newsroom from various matches, agitated by losses and victories for the local teams, Jörgen would smile and say something like: “Ah well, it’s only sports.”
Jörgen got me, the sports nerd, to see that sport is so much more than goals, scores and expulsions. Like life itself. Filled with the same emotions, joy, sadness, excitement and community, but also necessary things like organization and economy.
Honor to goals, scores and expulsions, but it’s the people who make up the sport.
With this dimension that Jörgen gave me in mind, my years as a sports journalist became like a dream.
Unfortunately my health wasn’t like a dream during these years and now that I know what has caused me so many problems – eating too much of carbohydrates and sugar, I also realize how minimal help sports have provided in this context.
Enter a sports arena anywhere, and it’s a night-mare for those who don’t tolerate sugar. Those of you who do, are really to be congratulated.
The selection of sweet drinks, candy and junk food is enormous. A sale that provides sports Sweden millions of dollars every year.
The bars at the major stadiums, with all the alcohol they offer, are of course big sources of income too, but Swedish sports events make the most money on the junk food sold at the arenas.
This was the selection I, idiot that I was, binged on during my 23 years when sports arenas were part of my work place, without understand how negatively it impacted my brain.
Of course, my responsibility, but I wonder what responsibility the sports community feels about the diet they’re offering their customers?
What diet does the sports community stand for?
Is it hot dogs, french fries, chocolate, chips and soda that our teams want to be associated with?
If I were part of a local hockey team, I’d open a couple of stands with a healthful selection.
This would be an income to be proud of.
Christer Kustvik is editor in chief at Corren and writes his column on Fridays.