CLL and sugar

[Lthgj]

I have had CLL ten years. After eating more food with sugar than usual during holidays, night sweats were horrible. After completely cutting refined sugar from my diet, the sweats have stopped completely.

[Ladylin151]

Night sweats can be for other reasons than CLL. My husband has CLL but his night sweats were from a fungal infection in his lungs. I do not have CLL but I have night sweats when I have high blood sugar. Are you diabetic or close enough to diabetic that this comes into play? If you don't know your A1c, that would be worth checking in to.

[NaturalWaze]

Hi,

I, too, have noticed a correlation between night sweats and sugar intake. Typically I do not eat sugar, but when I veer off from healthy eating, the night sweats remind me why I stay away from sugar. Even healthy sugar, like dried fruit, can cause this.

The night sweats are like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It’s validating to hear this from someone else!

[GrapeGrower1]

Same thing happens to me. I've cut out refined sugar completely and my night sweats are gone. I do still get them if I've got a sinus infection or chest cold. From everything I've read about CLL and other cancers, sugar is like fertilizer to cancerous cells.

[Big_Dee in reply to GrapeGrower1]

The jury is out on that one. Some cancer doctors suggest that sugar may feed cancer, others don't think so. If you stopped all intake of sugar and carbonates, your body would still convert body mass to sugar. With out sugars you could not live.

[GrapeGrower1 in reply to Big_Dee]

I won't argue with what your saying, but there are so many other reasons to cut refined sugar that I just feel it's a safe bet.

[Big_Dee in reply to GrapeGrower1]

Hi GrapeGrower1

Not an argument, just reporting comments from doctors. I personally do not use refined sugars or artificial sweeteners, but instead use honey when needed.

[Big_Dee in reply to GrapeGrower1]

Hello GrapeGrower1

I should have also mentioned that I had drenching night sweats until I had B+R treatment, now have none. I would agree whole heartily that night sweaqts were no fun.

[KellyM]

I feel like this is the sign I needed. I'm ashamed to say that I've put on almost 30 pounds since my diagnosis in 2015 (I'm a total stress eater). Yesterday, after seeing a photo of myself from the weekend, I decided that I have to change my eating habits. I've always felt better when I'm not eating refined sugar/carbs. Thanks for your post! It's helped more than you know

[GrapeGrower1 in reply to KellyM]

Me too. When I hit the 200 mark it schocked me into action.

[Farrpottery]

Cancer cannot thrive in an alkaline environment. This would mean stopping all sugars and pre processed foods.

Fungal infection cannot thrive in an alkaline environment.

Urinary infection cannot thrive in an alkaline environment.

[Jemorgen]

It’s an interesting discussion. I know I have a tendency to binge on chocolate for months on end then cut added sugar out (with varying degrees of success). The Canadian guidelines recommend a max of 26grams (6tsp) of added sugar per day. That’s pretty much what you get in a bottled drink or yogurt, let alone baked goods.

So I don’t drink my calories except for an occasional glass of wine or gin 😉 (juice has a lot of sundown I stay away from that), eat plain yogurt (which has natural sugars but not added), I stay away from baked goods and watch for sauces/condiments and other prepared foods. That takes out a lot of added sugar.

That leaves me with my battle with chocolate cravings. This time around I have this CLL/SLL diagnosis which gives me more incentive to eat better.

I do wonder about the science behind “cancer feeds on sugar”. I’d be interested to know if it’s as direct as “sugar in, cancer grows” or if that connection was established in a petrie dish.

Thanks for bringing this to the group.