I Didn't Realize My Sweet Tooth Was Affecting My Back Pain
For years, I focused on my spine as I tried to manage my back pain.
After 3 back surgeries, a failed spinal fusion, additional herniated discs from a rollover car accident, and years of recurring pain, that seemed like the obvious place to look.
What I didn't realize was that some of the things influencing how I felt had nothing to do with my spine itself.
One of those things was my sweet tooth.
The Pattern I Started Noticing
I didn't connect dessert to back pain overnight.
What I started noticing was that days filled with blood sugar highs and lows often left me feeling:
More pain
More tired
More irritable
More hungry
More uncomfortable physically
At first, I treated all of those symptoms as separate issues.
I didn't realize they might be connected.
What Blood Sugar Swings Have to Do With Inflammation
When we eat carbohydrates, our blood sugar naturally rises.
That's normal.
The problem isn't that blood sugar rises.
The problem is when blood sugar rises rapidly and then crashes.
Those larger swings can place additional stress on the body.
Over time, repeated blood sugar spikes can contribute to increased inflammatory signaling, oxidative stress, and changes in how our bodies regulate energy and recovery.
For someone already dealing with chronic pain, recurring injuries, or inflammation, that matters.
Because inflammation doesn't stay neatly contained in one place.
It can influence how we feel throughout the body.
Why This Mattered For Me
I wasn't eating candy all day (although I did occasionally indulge on candy).
In fact, many of the foods creating blood sugar spikes looked healthy on the surface.
The issue wasn't just sugar.
The issue was how certain meals affected my blood sugar response.
As I learned more, I started paying attention to how I paired foods together.
Instead of eating carbohydrates by themselves, I began combining them with protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
Why?
Because protein, fat, and fiber help slow digestion and absorption.
That creates a more gradual rise in blood sugar instead of a sharp spike followed by a crash.
The Goal Was Never Perfect Blood Sugar
I still eat dessert.
I still enjoy sweets.
The goal wasn't perfection.
The goal was reducing the dramatic highs and lows I had become accustomed to experiencing.
Over time, I noticed:
Less pain
More energy
Less irritability
Less of the roller coaster I had previously accepted as normal
And that became another piece of the puzzle in understanding my pain.
The Bigger Lesson
This wasn't really a story about dessert.
It was a story about paying attention to the signals my body was giving me.
My body was leaving clues.
I just hadn't connected the dots yet.
Pain isn't always caused by a single thing.
In my case, blood sugar regulation became one more factor influencing how I felt.
And it was one more reminder that sometimes the answer isn't found by looking only at the painful body part itself.
If this resonates with you, follow along on Instagram at @alera_functional_health where I share more root-cause health and inflammation support strategies.
You can also get a copy of my Root Cause Roadmap: 7 Hidden Reasons Your Back Pain Keeps Flaring Up (Even When You’re Doing Everything “Right”) on my homepage.
If you’d like a personalized plan that fits your life and helps you feel your best, I’m here to help. Interested in learning more about how you can optimize your health and finally find relief from your symptoms? Schedule a free Discovery Call with me by clicking here.
About The Author
Erin Briley is a Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor who helps individuals understand their bodies and pursue sustainable, root-cause healing. She guides clients in making sense of their symptoms and identifying the deeper factors influencing their health. Her own recovery from chronic pain through functional nutrition strengthened her belief in the power of personalized lifestyle changes. As a mom of three in competitive travel sports, she focuses on simple, realistic habits that help people boost energy, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and feel confident in their ability to thrive.
