After 90 days of abstinence, I felt generally neutral around the food. It only called to me when I was hungry (more than six hours between meals), angry (resentful), lonely (needing to make phone calls and connect with FA members), or tired (needing to rest).  H.A.L.T.—Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.

One day I found myself in the frozen food aisle of the supermarket. I began noticing new flavors and new concoctions of desserts. It was an uncomfortable feeling. My higher power influenced me to grab my cell phone and call an FA friend. The friend said, “Remember, that flour and sugar are poison.”

I asked her what she meant by that. She answered, “That particular food is poison and will kill you eventually. Get away from it.” I did leave the aisle and did get over it.

I never heard the food called poison, but later in the week, when reading the AA Big Book, I read about alcohol being called poison. I am so grateful to that friend. To this day, four years later, I still remember her helping me to stay abstinent. I know now that food containing flour and sugar is poison to me.