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Sugar addiction?


calypso

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I know there are many others here right now who are in a POTS hole right now, but I need some quick advice or I'll be falling in with you.

I am having trouble with sugar lately -- I know it makes me feel worse when I consume any sugar beyond fruit or milk, but for some reason I still feel the need to do it. I am sure it is psychological, or I am just caving in and have no willpower. But I am wondering if anyone here has any good ideas on deterring me from sugar. (I say this as I just finished baking chocolate chip macaroons for a co-worker's retirement party. I had to have just one.)

I've heard of a couple supplements/herbs that are supposed to quell sugar urges, but I don't know if they actually work. Any ideas?

Amy

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I am also a sugar junky. Have you ever tried a sugar substitute? I am replacing regular sugar with a sugar substitute called Sugar Twin. I was surprised about 2 weeks ago to read that Splenda was not so good for you, they cut out the "bad part" of sugar and replace it with something not so ggod either(I'll look for the article and paste it here for you, if I can find it, or you can check, I read it on Webmd). Sugar twin is a one to one replacement and tastes just like it. I use very little now and only when I'm not sure what to replace it with.

Have you tried eating something like fruit, melons, apples, bananas, or something spicy-turkey sausage is my favorite, I make my own.

Having one cookie isn't that bad, it is when it is more than one it is a problem. I have a house with two kids and often several neighbor kids so snacks abound here. I just remember that I will NEVER get my weight off by eating those snackes. I have in my frig at ALL TIMES sugar free jello and pudding, with and without fruit, I want something sweet, there it is. Another thing I find very helpful is to right down EVERYTHING I eat, including calories, fat, trans fat, and sodium, if I know it.

I hope it helps.

best of luck,

black-still in the hole-wolf

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Hi Amy - When your body has a problem with candida overload it will crave sugary foods like crazy b/c Its the only way candida can survive in the body and florish. It can also mimic many POTS symptoms such as fatigue, irritability and dizzyness which is why it makes it so important to make sure if you do have a problem to get it ubder control to your best extent.

Candida/yeast thrive on all sugars, even artificial, fruit sugars, yeast containing products such as condiments, white products, or any processed foods.

Eliminating these things can help get it under control. I know it doesnt sound easy and At first you can have strong sugar cravings b/c your body goes through a period of Die off of toxins...but after a week or so it gets better. But the reward for me has been very worth it.

I have been on this diet on and off for about 8 years..whenever I stray from it all my symptoms get worse... Although there are times in the last 8 years I need a break to enjoy some foods ....Lately I have been "guilty" of not eating like I should.

I also take a good acidophillus supplement to replace good bacteria in the gut.

I also take diflucan occasionally to help clear my system. There are also lots of natural antifungals as well such as grapefruit seed extract.

I hope some of this info can help. I am sure ohers will have some good advise as well. Take Care :P

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Calypso,

(oops I was writing this at the same time as the others who replied above me, so it looks like I'm providing similar info...sorry!)

You may want to try either going cold turkey or sticking to just fruit when you're craving sugar. I too crave sugar and I eat completely healthy all day except my one vice is feeling like a need a sugary snack after a meal. If I'm at work, I'm always tempted to get a Reeses cup from the candy jar (and lately I've been giving into that temptation a lot). I find that if I chew a piece of gum instead, it often takes away the craving.

You could also try low glycemic alternatives like pouring a little agave nectar over some berries or on an apple. They also make low glycemic bars that satisfy the craving for sugar, but the downside is most of them are made with malitol or sugar alcohols which can upset your tummy if you're sensitive to it or if you eat a lot of them.

Sugar cravings can be a sign that yeast (candida) is ruling your body, as they thrive on sugars, so you crave sweet things more. Doing a candida cleanse (several products are available that do this at the health food store) and eliminating sugar completely for a month or two often produces good results and gets rid of cravings. But you may not have that problem. And it's not easy give up this habit! :P (If you need a "no sugar" buddy, I'll be glad to go cold turkey with you for a while, because I know I really need to do this for myself! :) )

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Hi Amy - I'm with Gena - If you do decide that you want to give lessening the sugars a try, I'll do it too.... I have been eating lots of bad things lately and need a kick to get me started up again.. let me know :P

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Jenn/Gena,

I have always had a tendency toward yeast in my body -- yeast infections, now I have some horrendous gas (which is being attributed to yeast/bacteria in my GI tract), so it wouldn't surprise me if I had candida buildup. I kind of wonder if that could be related to my massive weight loss and inability to gain any weight.

I agree that a team effort may be in order for us to kick the sugar habit. I was really good during my college years about staying away from sugar, but when I met my husband, I got used to his dessert habits and started craving dessert after every dinner. Now it's more like after every meal -- even breakfast!

Blackwolf, I appreciate your advice. I will try going for something spicy -- that sounds good to me, too. Thankfully, I like a wide variety of foods. I am not into sugar substitutes -- I just don't trust them due to the saccharin scare of the '70s and '80s.

What do you say we all start Monday? That gives us two days to mentally prepare. I promise not to gorge chocolate or anything this weekend! If anyone else wants to join us, great. I'll try to think of a few options to sugar in the meantime.

Amy

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Guest tearose

Okay, I've had just about enough of this...I can't keep it in anymore...

I am not ready to give up sugar!!! :o

I will support all your efforts! :)

I will even learn ways to make delicious no-sugar sweetened cookies and cakes and chocolate snakes for you!

Someday I will try to do without sugar...I promise.

But for now, please send all your sugar, cookies and cast offs to me!!

I will dispose of them properly!

:o

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Amy,

Are you taking acipdophilus (pro-biotics) on a regular basis (can help with keeping the bad bacteria and overgrowths in check)and have you been tested for celiac? The weight loss and gas and bloating can be attributed to a number of things, but it's exactly what I experienced before I was finally dx'd with celiac. (Gluten inotlerance seems to be common thread here, so I am curious.)

Monday sounds like a good day start going sugar free. Count me in!

Tea, I'll gladly send you all the sugar loaded goodies you can stand...doesn't it aggrevate your symptoms though? I can only get away with eating small amounts of sugar at a time, or else my heart rate goes whacko! :o

Gena

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Amy,

I understand the cravings. I have had them, too. About 20 years ago I quit sugar cold turkey. By this I mean anything with sucrose or dextrose, honey, etc. but I still eat fruit and milk. It was the hardest thing I ever did. I kept trying to assuage my cravings with a banana, orange, or anything naturally sweet. I could eat a truckload of fruit and when I was done I still craved a cookie.

It was withdrawal and my life was **** for 2 weeks. I did not break down once, though and after 2 weeks it got better. I don't know of any way to do it successfully except to quit cold turkey and it is ****.

However, the other side of the coin is that after you get over the cravings, you can live quite well without it and weight (at least for me) normalized on its own.

Only thing is, though, even after 20 years, if I eat one thing with sugar in it, I immediately have the craving for more. So I just don't go there except . . . I can handle a spoonful of ice cream once in a while without wanting a second spoonful. But I would never eat a bowlful.

Good luck!

Michigan Jan

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I was diagnosed with systemic candida about 3+ years ago. So I did the serious anti-candida diet for like 9 months (no sugar AT ALL.) Then did a modified diet (with moderately sweetened "desserts") and when I was re-tested a year later it was completely gone. I still maintain a low sugar and rotation diet and I've been candida free ever since. Crook has some good books and I have lots of recipes on my cool foods site that are low sugar as well:

http://www.coolkarma.com/foods/

For me the first three months were unbelievable. I told my doctor that if anyone had a tendancy for depression he would need to watch them VERY carefully if they attempted an anti-candida diet. But after that first trimester -- it was really pretty easy. I don't have cravings any more. And if we do have cake at the house (which is rare) I'll just have a tiny bit.

I heard Zen master Cheri Huber say just this week on her radio show that sugar addiction ranks up there with heroin.

So give yourself lots of grace and patience. It's not easy at first but once you see the summit the view is amazing.

Good luck on your culinary journey.

EM

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Mmmm...sugar...I keep craving sugar lately which is really unusual for me. A few food things that might help...

Eat the sweet stuff in moderation. I don't use the artificial stuff, and accidently ate some a few weeks ago. It made me really sick and tasted horrible.

I like the naturally sweetened apple sauce-it comes in a glass jar. It has less calories and sugar but tastes really good. You can mix it with the chunky apple sauce and put cinnamon on top. I really like it, for a snack or dessert. Add in a cookie if you want but limit yourself.

I make cookies and freeze them. Sugar cookies freeze really well. I do this with brownies too-cut it into a serving or even smaller. Than they aren't sitting out, they stood good much longer, when you want something you can get it, also good if you feel too bad to make them. I also make dough, roll it into logs and freeze it. If you want a fresh chocolate chip cookie, you can just bake one or two and not a ton of them.

You can use apple sauce as a replacement for oil and even as a sweetner in many baked goods. I came up with a combination for muffins several years ago, but haven't done it in awhile so I will try to figure it out and post the recipe. The store ones, mixes, and many recipes have an insane amount of sugar and oil. I figured out how to reduce, and have them come out really good.

I found if I eat one really good piece of candy-a small square of a great chocolate or a small piece of Maple candy, that is all I want and than I don't eat so much sugar. I am trying to think of what else is helpful..I know there are some foods and recipes that would be great but they are slipping my mind. Fresh berries, or even frozen berries are great. Not sure if the natural sugars are too much though...I like to get frozen blueberries and eat them frozen. You can do this with fresh grapes too. A good alternative to other desserts.

Hmm-I don't know if this is helpful or not, some of this stuff seems to junky. The applesauce is a good one though...

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eating sugar gives me terrilble stomach cramps, so have to stay away from it, i dont even take a taste of regular ice cream or anything sweet, coz i know i wont be satisfied with just one bite, and then i cant get that taste out of my mouth, so better not to even touch it, and i take a powder daily called syndrome x by nature's benefit, which i think has helped me to control the sugar cravings,

radha

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Hi Amy;

There have been some great suggestions here!!! If you do feel you have a candida problem the safest natural way I found to totally get rid of it is with Oil of Oregano, or Oreganol P73 (this is the purest). You can find it at a health and nutrition store. You have to take it under you tongue because it is very bitter but it does the trick. I had problems with candida. So I got Oil of Oregano and took 5-6 drops under the tongue, with a full glass of water, at night for roughly 1 month. There are NO side effects and it WILL NOT affect your POTS. Some anti-fungals can be very hard on the system. I would also recommend the acidophilius that the others here talked about. You might want to try these since there are no side effects and you won't have to take a perscription if it isn't necessary.

I have experienced, with my dysautonomia, that Insulin Resistence can be a problem. My body craves extra sugar to give it a boost when I feel dizzy or fatigued but then I crash and feel worse. When I cut back on sugar my symptoms like fatigue eased up considerably. I was so hooked on sugar I felt like I couldn't go one day without it. I replaced all my sugar snacks with poteins such as salty peanuts (gotta have that salt!), peanut butter crackers, cheese (all kinds), vegetable sticks, fruits (and more fruits). Sure I have sweets once in a while, but I really pay for it if I over do. The one thing that motivates me is deciding if I want the sugar or do I want to become diabetic!!!

Hang in there!!! It won't happen over night!! You'll find something that works for you!

Kathy

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Thanks for all the ideas. I am heading out of town for the weekend but will check back in on Monday.

Gena, I did try a gluten-free diet for a month and also am taking acidophilus daily. The gluten-free diet made me feel much worse -- despite the fact that my fiber intake was still high, I got extremely constipated. So I gave up. I also didn't really experience any more energy or anything like that, and I was told that I would notice a difference in the first three weeks if I were to benefit at all.

Amy

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Guest tearose

hee, hee,,,Hey cheering squad, we have to help these peeps, feel their pain and be real with them...

so continuing... pom poms ready...

Glad to be alive on April five!

Snuck a little fix on April six! (had to do eat only celery for rest of day)

Celery tastes like heaven on April seven!

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Amy - I;m with you! I promise no sugar..... The only sugar I will eat is 1/2 a bannana b/c It helps me with potassium and general well being....

I have been bad with the sugar substitutes so I will be stopping those too :)

I know what its like.. My husbands idea of a good meal is tons of Friendlys ice cream with ready whip, oreos, chip Ahoy, Reeses Peanut Butter cups, and kit kats! It sso hard to have them around.

Tea rose.... I know its a trek wo my place but maybe you can raid my cabinets too make sure I am sugar free! LOL

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Guest tearose

Okay, calling all supporters!

For our brave members who are going to put down the sugar tonight at midnight...you can do it!

Be good role models to us who are not able to do this yet!

Stock up now on good things to satisfy a sugar craving!

remember "Sugar free after April Three"

"crave it no more on April Four"

"celery tastes like heaven by April Seven"

rah, rah, rah,

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Tearose,

You crack me up! Yes, I guess it's easier to be a cheerleader than to be a player in the sugar-free bowl, right Tea? :P

Keep those cheers coming next week. We'll really need you by day seven to remind us that celery tastes really does tast like heaven (not!). :lol:

Gena

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Just wanted to check in : Tearose Keep up the Cheerleading!!!

I have been pretty good this weekend.... I only had one sugar free cookiw with Maltitol in it...other than that no sugar... just protien, whole grains, and 1 fruit.....

I am still craving the "unantural sugars" This week will be a challenge :lol:

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I heard something today worth adding to the chain--something that might work as a cheer for some...

The son of a friend of mine, the greatest 5-year old boy I know, said the following while eating a bowl of strawberries:

"Fruit is G-d's candy."

Isn't that wonderful? (I think I'll remember that one for a long time to come...)

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Guest tearose

Amy, are you back yet?

Hope you had a smooth trip. Now put that cookie down and go to sleep! :lol:

Jenn and Gena are joining you and they are ready!

Good luck to all who are putting the lid on the sugar bowl!

good night all, tearose

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Don't have much time right now but wanted to check in and say thanks for all of the cheers! Tearose, you crack me up with your rhyming.

I actually haven't wanted any sugar today -- yet. I finished yesterday with waffles (and syrup for breakfast, and my daughter and I shared a vanilla ice cream cone. But today thus far I have had a half a pear and that's it for sugar.

I am trying to forget about the Girl Scout cookies that will be calling my name from my pantry tonight following dinner.

I'll check in tonight with a report. Jenn, Gena, are you guys hanging in there?

Amy

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Hi amy - Still hanging in there...Had a half of a bannana with breakfast, but thats it...no sugar.....

Keep up the good work!!

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