Could You Make That Less Sweet?

Abstract

Growing up, I loved sugary snacks and drinks and would often tag along with my parents to the grocery store so that I could get something for myself. Unfortunately, due to a family history of diabetes and a rather high sugar diet, I eventually became pre-diabetic at the age of nine. Luckily enough, I had early intervention and my doctor recommended a strict diet along with exercise; I was soon able to lower my blood sugar within the normal range. However, that didn't mean I wasn't devastated by lack of sweets and would stare with envy at my friends as they often had desserts with their meals. As I grew older and studied biology in college, I gained a better understanding of how the human body realized how important diet was to preventing disease. I now am much more health-conscious, being careful about what I eat and making time out of my day to exercise for at least thirty minutes.

I created this art piece to capture the distinct ‘sugar rush’ that you get from consuming something sweet. I wanted to showcase how sweets made me feel and why it was so hard for me to accept that I couldn’t eat sweets as I wanted anymore. In turn, I hope this art piece encourages others to reflect on their own diets.