Sugar cravings, night time binge eating from Parkinson’s Meds

[talan001]

Anyone have this issue and any ideas on how to break this? I have gained a lot of weight and constantly crave sugar, especially at night. It is like I can’t turn the hunger switch off. I really notice it when my meds wear off. Looking for anything that would work to stop this.

[MBAnderson]

You might try going on YouTube and enter Dr. Eric Berg. He has several short, 5 or 6 minute, videos on diet and sugar craving. They are all worthwhile. Essentially, eating sugar creates a feedback loop whereby the more you eat, the more you crave it.

[kolsen133 in reply to MBAnderson]

If you can get past a week of ignoring sugar cravings it gets easier as our taste buds refresh after a week.

Also gluten intake sets up a cycle of lethargy from the dulling of the gluten which our bodies respond to by looking for energy and the easy and harmful source is sugar.

With love Kim

[swva]

You might try the Keto diet. It might be hard the first week or so. Sugar is like a drug, the more you eat the more you want.

[LAJ12345]

The good thing is once you stop having sugar for a while fruit and vegetables taste really sweet! Have some sweet potato or raw carrot. The occasional date or fig, or even 90% dark chocolate tastes really sweet after a while.

[Hidden]

Sugar seems to accelerate my meds and they wear off quicker. A doctor told me to binge on celery instead of sweets. Clueless, I thought. But since then i have realized that i need to take control. If i can not or will not control the binging, i can and will control what i binge on. Keep your power. Choose wisely. Be creative and discover alternatives. I found that i was eating when i was tired. Sometimes a nap is what you really need and want.

I hope this helps. You have options.

[october61]

talan001,

My wife emptied the cupboards and fridge, kept money from me so that I couldn’t buy anything myself. That worked for me.

[Donzim]

suggest you are having a drop in glucose availability to the brain. there are some who don't metabolize energy from carbs but are desperate for energy so they continue to reach for what has been the first line of defense in the past...carbs. i suggest that you try coconut oil. when the body can't get energy from carbs, it turns to getting them from fat, then to protein, each of which take longer to provide that much needed source of glucose. Start the coconut oil with a teaspoon several times a day. As it solidifies at room temp, you can scoop out what you need and put it in a paper cup and into the micro for JUST A FEW SECONDS. then, down the hatch. work up to two tablespoons. it takes about six hours for the effects to be evident. cut down on carbs....i think the limit is less than 65g per day. my poor husband had such a sweet tooth from this problem that the police picked him up as he 'escaped' to go in 95 degree heat to get to a grocery store for a candy bar. he told me he was just going to walk around our condo building under the shade of the overhang. overall, the effect the coconut oil had on him was dramatic, however. during his last two years, he had round the clock aides because he forgot that he couldn't get out of bed and suit up for the game.....he had to be watched all the time. he took the oil every 3-4 hours and the aides agreed independently that it was a wonderful source of energy for him.