For those who have not picked up on a recent question I posed a query as to whether anyone else would care to join me in a 7 day stint wihtout sugar in any form in the diet. This would include all known forms, sucrose, fructose, lactose, corn syrup, etc as well as artificial sweetners too.
It looks like 3 of us are taking the challenge!
We're currently debating whether white pots and white rice will be included. We know these to also be a high glycemic load but they are generally eaten alongside other foods that may not have the same detrimental effects so helping to balance the immediate loading.
We are also interested as to how much the craving for sugar in itself is controllable and in the long term (7 days) whether we feel any better or worse in our top 10 symptoms at the end of this period.
We shall be scoring our symptoms before we start on a 0 - 5 rating with 0 being 'no symptoms', 1 being 'not too problematic', 2 'a bit of a bind', 3 'a pain in the neck', 4 'really debilitating' and 5 meaning 'absolutely awful'.
At the end of the 7 days we shall compare our own notes/improvments and hopefully with each other too.
It will be important not to change anything else at this time so that any improvements etc can only be put down to the non-consumption of sugar.
So - what will we be eating?
On the 'as much as you wish list' are: All meats, all fish, all veg, all grains, eggs, all beans, nuts, berries (careful with dried berries as these are usually sugar infused), herbs, spices and water of course and black tea/coffee.
(Milk has its own sugar called lactose of course so if possible avoid this or use skimmed if really necessary as its lactose content is less).
Anything processed - sauces, tinned beans, cold meats (check the label), some sliced breads, alcohol, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate, all fruit juices etc will be avoided as well as the following sugar types:
Sucrose (white, brown or otherwise), fructose (often in bruch bars or packeted items as well as most fruit), honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup, and saccharin or other artificial sweeteners (these because they can mimic the same reactions even though they are articficial).
If we do normally eat processed foods then we shall try to check labels and avoid anything that has sugar added in its contents. (Cooking sauces are notorious for this).
When is this happening?
So, we take the plunge at midnight on Sat 23rd March and complete on Sat 30th.
For myself these are the top 10 symptoms I shall be watching:
I decided to stop all processed sugar about 3 weeks ago.......I have not chosen to eliminate fruit, so will have a medjool date if I have a particular craving for sweetness
The first day was hard, a date worked well and satisfied the need for sweetness.....since then it has been fairly easy and I have wanted sweet things less and less.
Yesterday I decided to have 2 squares of Green and Blacks 70% chocolate and within 20-30 minutes my tummy hurt.......I think it's safe to say my system DOESN'T like refined sugar!!!
I'm sure that eliminating sugar will be very positive, however, with your listed symptoms you may find eliminating grains very helpful and all gluten.
I wish you well, along with the others and hope you find greater wellbeing VERY soon
It's interesting that you said your tummy hurt after the chocolate as I changed my diet to vegan just before Xmas for health reasons and I was sick of being unable to control my weight. if I deviate from a vegan diet not I get a bad tummy ache which in itself now makes me stick to the diet. I gave up regular sweet things a few months before this but keep some grapes and bananas in the freezer and if I want a snake I snake on these, so yummy.
LOL!!!! What is so interesting is we have to get to a level of 'clean ness' to be able to see what our body is telling us xxx
Isn't bread high in the Glycemic index thingy? (sorry spelling prob wrong) 1 slice equivalent to 6 teaspoons of sugar? now where did I read that recently.... 'wheat belly'?
I've been doing a sort of Atkins for a while (unpopular but designed for diabetics - not that I am, I just naturally avoid sugar as I prefer savoury stuff) so just cook from scratch- unprocessed meat/fish dairy & veg (never did actual 'diets', but just go with the flow as hubby has gut problems) so not bothered about sugar, chocolate, biscuits, cake, bread etc... then again I have an advantage with no sense of taste! however I do enjoy a little fruit and a glass of wine. I made my own bacon which is of course 'cured' with salt and sugar! (I used honey but it's still sugar!) it's difficult to avoid.
At work they're always trying different diets, but insist on bringing in cakes & chocolate! and I know low sugar diets cause them to have headaches and cravings, but I don't (well maybe marmite) so I count myself lucky!
Good luck and hope you all feel the benefit after a week (after all sugar is just another poison according to Dr Mercola) J x
I did Atkins years ago. I researched it thoroughly before starting it and decided it made sense for the short term, provided carbs were reintroduced slowly after the initial 2 week induction phase as Dr Atkins recommends. I decided, from what I had read, that the only danger for me personally was if I decided to stay on induction more than the two weeks. It worked well for me although I couldn't do it now. I tried it and felt very unwell due to lack of carbs - low blood sugar. Perhaps once I am fully better and adrenals are sorted, it might be something to try again. I do currently eat a high protein and lowish carb diet but not as extreme as Atkins.
Good luck with the diet. Let us know how you get on.
Just one thing, do you get a craving for salty foods? I just wondered because when I crave salt, Marmite is my go-to food. It seems that my salt cravings were due to low cortisol. I am getting them again now and I have suspected adrenals are being naughty again for a few weeks.
No issues witht he salty stuff for me - that said for many years as a teenager the only thing I ever fancied was Marmite sarnies. Maybe I had adrenal issues right back then 40 years ago!
Hi Carolyn, yes the salty foods is definitely linked to the adrenals.. When I crashed last year, I had cravings for salt, sugar and fat...all at different times.... it's difficult getting the balance sometimes...I'd prefer the salty craving to the sugar cravings I'm having at the moment!
No not strict Atkins I have varied inc veg & a little fruit (natural carbs like spuds and rice but no processed stuff). Yes the adrenal & salt connection - I don't really crave salt but just don't like sweet stuff. (always had 'athlete's' low BP maybe low sugar too).
This led onto my question about other autoimmune problems being treated with HC but not thyroid probs. J
Hi there, yes, bread is high on glycemic load of course but I am already GF and have been for 3 years so don't touch any of it myself but for the others they can check thier bread for added sugars.
They probably don't want to remove gluten right now in all its forms as well as sugar itself as they then wouldn't know if it was the sugar or the wheat that caused any changes.
I think we will try and keep it a confined sugar experiment in its own right at first.
I really hope the sugar is the answer for you.......it is tricky finding what is upsetting our system......Do you know your blood type? I have found some correlation with foods and my blood type, which has been interesting.......buckwheat is a suspect for me.....It's hard to get 100% proof as I feel I have to be VERY CLEAN before I test any of my suspect foods and then only have them as the 'new' food. For a fairly organised person I'm just NOT organised with this LOL!!!!!! Think it's because I am enjoying feeling well and having energy most of the time....catching up on lost time
Thanks for the input here. Going GF was hard in itself for me but absolutely necessary and would never go back to it full time. Because of the huge overlap with endocrine stuff, food intolerances, and genral well-being I think we have to try and get to a place where our system is as clean as possible before we can judge what is irritating what.
Blood type - I'm not sure but I am waiting for a book that describes 4 different type of sugar eaters and how your underlying condition may be responsible for the way that you access sugar. i.e. to relieve a crash and fatigue or to satisfy pleasure centres etc etc.
The book I shall be reviewing is, 'Beat Sugar Addiction Now' by Jacob Teitelbaum. Is it from USA so will accept that there may be some over zealousness amongst it but will add my comments into the blog over the course of the week.
Thanks - I saw it mentioned in the further emails.. so I've ordered it and see what it says. I agree sometimes US publications can be a bit over zealous. good luck
I'm also joining tula59 on this experiment. I will be doing everything she is doing but I will be giving up bread as well. Not because I have to but because I want to. I gave up gluten one year ago but without realising I substituted GF biscuits and cadburys dairy milk. Instead of enhancing my diet and healing myself I made it worse. When I cut out gluten I started buying gluten free products. The issue was though that previously I didn't eat bread, biscuits cakes or pasta. Now I'm eating it all as well as the dreaded chocolate. This is just what I need to kick start me and get me back to normal
I would like to eliminate the pain, fatigue, muscle aches, poor skin and bad digestion. I have a multitude of others but for the mo net I will give these a 5/5.
Thank you in advance for support. Please do come and egg us on and please feel free to come and join us. If you do join us and have a blip, don't beat yourself up......just dust yourself off and start again but be honest
Yeo, just another thought - although it's not to lose weight could we weigh in on Sat eve and then again on the following Sat? Just for the sake of seeing what happens if anything.
Glad you are looking forward to it. Bit scary all the same!
This is really interesting - I am curious to see what results you get. I stopped drinking Coca Cola 3 weeks ago for Lent. I would probably drink maybe 1 can a day and have done for a long time. I don't know if it is reducing the sugar or caffeine or all the other junk that is in it but I am now sleeping so much better and I can actually get out out of bed feeling much more refreshed. I still have the aching muscles etc but it seems to have helped poor quality sleep and sluggish starts in the morning. I am never touching Coke again!
well done for that - I don't know what's in Coke so don't drink it - if you have some left it does clean drains very well 'tho (sorry for cheeky reply but it does!) J
PS Vit D helped my aching muscles/joints - just a thought x
As a lot of those sugars, lactose especially, are fillers in many pills, how are you going to achieve this without stopping any thyroid medication you are on?
In fact, it is disturbing that all kinds of substances, which we may go out of our way to avoid, are being added as pill fillers, ie sucrose, aspartame, maize starch (worse, is it from GM corn?), soya, gelatine, etc.
Thanks for the input. Of course there are numerous additions everywhere and this can only be as clean as we can make it.
Personally not on any meds (I don't need them apparently) so not getting anything else that I shouldn't. My Calcium and Vit D are through Vega who specialse in no -added anything so that's cool.
In fact when I was prescribed calcium (menopausal) by my GP I asked for one without sugar or sweetners etc and there is NOTHING available in MIMMS (medical directory used by GPs) so I have to buy my own at considerable expense!!
If we can find a way of removing 99% of known sugars then that has got to be better than none and we can only go by what happens in this situation.
I agree entirely though that fillers, binders etc are really not helping.
I bought a pack of paracetamol yesterday and found that they contain sodium lauryl sulphate, among other undesireable fillers. I gave up using normal shampoo and toiletries ages ago to avoid this carcinogenic ingredient and now find it is in pills, it's just hopeless. There is no way of avoiding small quantities of poisons at all.
Paracetomol tablets also include sulphites a major no-no if avoiding all nasties. Try to get liquid to avoid the sulphites and you'll just get artificial sweetners - just as bad.
It is a nightmare an absoloute nightmare.
Maybe pain relief etc should just go back to chewing on a piece of bark!
(recommended by my Dad's friend & 'cowman' who was quite happy being a gypsy btw, and he is still very healthy at 90 cooking outside & never living in a house but a caravan at the bottom of our garden - he also taught me, as a child, how to make good catapults and whistles out of willow (withy) - very useful then! as well as catching rabbits, tickling trout and which mushrooms to pick - happy days!)
Hi, good luck with this. I hope you find it effective. For myself, I've become increasingly aware that when I eat sugar and gluten I get extremely depressed and lethargic. I already have Hashi's, Chronic Fatigue and Vitiligo but ironically crave sugars and carbs to boost my mood and energy then end up in a worse vicious cycle! Anyway, I decided to cut out overt sugars and carbs about 3 weeks. I do eat fruit, but only in green smoothies. More veggies, chicken, fish etc. I've done this before and find that after 5 days of withdrawal usually, I no longer crave sugar and carbs and eat less because my body gets more nutrients from better food choices. Once again my mood has lifted a lot and I have more energy! I just need to stick to this way of eating all the time!!! Be careful with bread and potatoes though. For me they act as a 'trigger food'. Once I eat them, I start craving more sugar and starchy foods and end up in that dreaded cycle again!
I think personally I'll keep away from the white pots and the bread isn't an issue as GF already. I have been sugar free once before when treating a gut infection but the trouble was as soon as I started to feel better then I began to sneak it into my diet again.
This is one of my points - if we are off it and feel so much better what is it that drives us back to it again? Is it a response to an underlying problem - we're kind of driven to search it out or are we just addicts that need to stay on the wagon just like alcoholics.
Interesting to read that some suggest alcoholics may also just be getting their sugar fix rather than actually needing the alcohol perse!
Anyway, thanks for dropping in and we'll keep you posted.
The absolute answer is sugar is addictive, I already knew it stimulates the same frontal lobes as cocaine and heroin, but this morning I read that sugar in fact has been found to be even more addictive than these two drugs which in themselves are lethal, with this information it really is quite alarming.
I have never succumbed to drugs as such but I have been surrounded much of my life by alcoholics and drug users. When volunteering/working in Addiction Centres it is noticeable that even when users are attempting recovery they spoon two or three at least sugars in their tea/coffee that is made available to them. I have often felt distressed that so many caring agencies always provide sweet biscuits and sugar at break times, completely unaware of the irony.
I think I read somewhere that the sugar does something to the brain - like drugs...which explains our 'addiction' even when we know that we're going to suffer again....best of luck with the week - I'd love to do it too but until adrenals/thyroid stabilised not wise...
Yes, it seems we are gentically programmed to seek out sugar as after all we need glucose to function. However, it is the amounts of the stuff that we eat that is in question I think.
How are your B12 levels, the vitiligo and sugar cravings could be related.....certainly the sugar craving was for me. My B12 was in range for the GP but very low at 182 and since I have injected life has been much improved.
According to Dr Mercola you should not eat more than 25grams of fructose daily, he has a chart on his site that spells out the sugar content of various fruits. Roughly this equates to 3 pieces of fruit on average. Fructose is the new demon that replaces cigarettes as the major health threat, as a deadly poison that causes chronic diseases and feeds cancers.
Thanks for dropping by. Yes, of course grains are carbs and carbs are sugar. However, the body does require some carbs and our litle experiement isn't so much about removing all carbs - that would be dangerous of course.
I believe that is why the Atkins diet got some very bad press.
Where carbs such as rice is eaten alongside protein and veg then the loading from the rice has less impact.
We are merely hoping to establish whether the removal of known sugars - all that additional stuff that we eat (the unecessary stuff) - is going to help relieve any of our current problems.
On the fructose front - it is added to a great many things as well as appearing naturally in many fruits. I do know from experience under my dietician that only the berries are low in fructose in the fruit category so we will be allowing these. In small quantities of course.
Loving all the positive comments folks :). Yes grains do convert to sugars and also many of us with gluten issues are reactive to grains as well. Although I personally am not bothered with grains lets keep this to the sugar and stuff as Tula explained. This can be a first step and we don't want to make this to difficult for those who have never withdrawn from sugar before. I won't be having grains and will also be doing no carbs but sticking to fresh veg, meat, fish, nuts, berries and stuff.....and noopppppe no sugar box lol xxx
Maybe we should oth do blogs lol. I've just lost the confidence in my ability to be consistent with doing stuff so maybe I will just add to yours Gilly. That way it will follow on. Xx
That's one of the things I noticed with me, my spelling, grammar and correct use of the English language disappeared. It's not the best but was far better than it is now. Some days it's so bad and I just don't care, other days its typo's and they look funny. All part of hypo-ness.
Are we agreed that if we struggle we can come rant our frustrations on here. I don't think I will find it easy by far and I don't want folk to see the good only. I want them to get the reality of withdrawal hehe
Totaly agree will be tough but will give it my best effort! and with regards to reality of withdrawl, its good to share!! (feel sorry for my daughter tho! she be in the main firing line!)
Good luck!!...just out of curiousity, did you see that thing on Sugar on BBC1 the other day? I think it was Panorama but can't remember (mind fog)....very interesting and considering they said on there that the body and brain naturally crave sugar I would be very interested in finding out how you all do and what happens after!!
It may still be on BBC iplayer if you are interested, I have to confess that I couldn't give up sugar for 1 day let alone a week as I use it to keep me awake whilst at work and keep my brain in gear (especially after an allergic reaction night where I go to work having less than 3 hours sleep) so think you're very brave to give it a go!!....I will be watching out for your "blog" with keen interest though and, who knows, if you see major positive results I may be persuaded to join in next time
It's true actually and yes there is something in our brain that craves sugar. Even going back to caveman or tribal days, we had a natural ability for hunting out sugar and honey/necter was very much sought after even then xxxx. Off to get my last few days chocolate supply's xx
Apparently the craving for chocolate can also be down to iron shortage,it contains more iron than beef oz for oz! Well if that isn't an excuse what is!! I allow myself 2 square (3 on a bad day of LIndt 85% dark chocolate - the plain stuff really satisfies the urge).
Milk just makes me want to eat three bars at a time!
Some guy wrote a book in the 70's (I have always maintained sugar is really bad for us), called 'sweet white and deadly', he wasn;t wrong!
Trouble is aspartamine is deadly too. I use Stevia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia for other sweetening if I have a craving...
I have been gluten free, dairy free, yeast free ,sugar free, caffeine free and alcohol free for 10 days! I do not generally eat white stuff anyway....not been easy but hoping to get myself alkaline and rid of the candida, EBV etc...where do people order their grains from to keep the prices down? And where do you order pure stevia from without the inulin?? many thanks
Update - ok so along with this very exciting little experiment I shall be reading a book entitled,'Beat Sugar Addiction Now'. No idea if it is a load of baloney but will comment on this as I go along also.
Also, quite important for me is to gauge any reactions that I do still have to things that I will be eating. Particularly whether my heart rate rockets any time from 10 - 30 mins after eating in the same way as it does seem to currently. I'm pretty sure I will find that this doesn't happen if the foodstuff is not sugar based. (Therein lies a possible connection to knackering my adrenals - which may underpin a sloppy thyroid?)
I have read in many places that if you have an intolerance (note this is not the same as an true allergy which is an autoimmmune problem) for a certain food then an increased heart rate during this time after consumption will often reflect this. (Open to trial and error).
An interesting side thought though is whether we do continue to down sugars to actually get that metabolic 'rush' so that we can get on and get things done. If it is a case that we are 'using' sugar as a means to feel a little more alive and without it we feel just so extra fatigued and tired then at least was could understand why we are so tied to it.
The book I mention above looks at 4 (I think) different 'types' of sugar eaters and possible physical reasons why you may fall into one category of another.
The aim of course is to try and test whether the body can utilise other much more 'stable' foods to produce that energy kick that we may well yearn for. I'm not expecting this to happen overnight nor for it to become completely obvious even in 1 week but maybe over time we could retrain our systems to look elsewhere.
So - I don't think it necessarily means that we are just piggies that want to chomp on the sweet stuff for the sake of it - it may have become an adaptive process.
Moving on quickly, there is also a huge psychological aspect to this as well. Given that our minds and bodies are inextricably linked there has to be a certain amount of dependent behaviour (a belief that we need to eat this or that) and changing ones mindset is also something that may come into this over time.
That will also be an aim of mine - not just to say, Oh I feel physically better off of sugar but also that I accept and believe that this is the case - you know - not to feel deprived in some way would also be good in the longrun.
Anyway, I am expecting some physical and emotional ups and downs but the three of us will keep you all up to date with the good, bad and ugly side of it all I'm sure.
If you have time for reading the above site/link has a pretty easy read on how the link between adrenals/blood sugars and thyroid works (according to him). Not advocating the supplements he talks about but the main article puts things in fairly simple terms. You can even contact this guy apparently!
When I had chronic fatigue 12 yrs ago it was written in my report back to my GP that I had a dysfunction of the hypothalumus/pituitary axis. They never tested of course for adrenals back then but I did in 2009. Off the scale low. So I'm very interested in how this week of very low sugar is going to impact on the whole system.
I have an adrenal test here waiting to do at the end of the weeks experiment and we'll send that off for comparisons sake.
Interestingly he notes that good strong adrenals are a must at the time of the menopause too as the stress upon them is heightened due to the fact that we won't be making our hormoes in the same way after oestrogen and progesterone are depleted.
The suggestion is then that if they are already under par - menopause adds extra strain - they falter further - blood sugars are disrupted - cravings increase - poor blood sugar balance - more disruption - upsets to thyroid function too.
A nice chain reaction. And for those who don't think that sex hormones can be part of your trouble, I read that oestrogen begins to fall once you pass around 40 so even if you haven't high the big 50 (or worse - in the throes of it myself) then it could still be a factor.
Will this start on the road to better diet - maybe, just maybe, lead onto other things?
I will be very interested in your experiment as the tiniest bit of sugar upsets me and wish I could join you. I think I am pretty much doing no sugar apart from potatoes which I feel unable to give up, and a little fruit. Despite this I keep having weekly relapses and my stomach issues nosedive.
What I really want to know is what will you eat instead, especially for breakfast? I am really struggling with this whole thing myself. Lunch and dinner are fine, but I never know what to eat for breakfast as I eat no grains and at the moment no fruit. Also snacks are nuts, and more nuts!
I have Kara coconut milk, but I see that they even put sugar in some form into this. Today I made nut milk with my Vitamix and had that with some seeds and cacao and coconut oil. I don't fancy just having that for evermore though.
I'm hoping to rely on eggs pretty much for breakfasts in one form or another being that they are the most complete type of meal one can have.
If people are worried about cholesterol there was a study that followed people eating loads of eggs every day for some weeks and when they checked their cholesterol it was no higher than before - and remember Maggie T ate three a day or something during her parliamentary years and she had lots of get-up-and-go! (Not that we'll get into politics).
Otherwise it will have to be raspberries/blackberries/cranberries (these are very low in fructose as are all the berries -with GF crackers and marmite with slice of ham. (Grapefruit - lemons and limes are the only fruits to consider 'safe' when avoiding fructose - the berries are next down the list)
The fruit details above are taken from the 'Nutritional Guide for Fructose Malabsorption' document issued by NHS.
Not everso exciting perhaps.
The Kara milk has been my staple for around 3 years now. It really works for me and has the lowest amount of 'sugar' in all milks. (Rice milk is high, as is oat milk and almond milk). You can make oat milk from GF oats but this is a bit wasteful on the oats but at least there is no added sugar in it at all. Just soak them with water and swish regularly then sieve off the liquid.
I do also take a huge probiotic each day. VSL3 with 450 billion good bacteria which I have managed to get via the GP as it is both expensive and can easily be offered on prescription for anyone with IBS issues. Might be worth a try?
Just as one other point, new pots have more fructose than old ones, many medications contain fructose, brown rice is higher than white rice, and cooked veg like carrots are higher in fructose than when raw.
Ok, so only hours to go before we step into the breach!
Have made a start on the book I mentioned so to whet your appetite here's the main thrust of it. (Note this is a review of this book only and does not constitute my own beliefs necessarily).
Part 1
This author believes there are 4 main types of sugar addict:
1. Chronically exhausted and hooked on quick hits of sugar/caffine?
2. 'Feed me or I'll Kill you' - when your adrenals are exhausted.
3. Sugar cravings caused by yeast overgrowth.
4. Depressed and craving carbs? The hormone imbalance culprit.
There are short tests to see which type you seem to come into and you may well fall into more than 1 category.
Each 'type' is expalined in fairly clear English yet 'treatment plans' are easily combined across the 4 types after getting a bit more into why each one may have occured.
1. Generally Type A personality type (sticklers for success, driven, never enough hours in the day, downtime is not on the agenda).
Prone to tension headaches, muscle tightness and keen connection to hypothyroidism. Constantly picking up infections and probably drained of all good nutrients due to the onslaught of sugar.
Often uses caffine as well as sugar to get that lift required. Often suffers from indegestion which is treated with antacids however, these can disrupt absorption of vitamins as well as medications such as Thyroxine!
Big emphasis on getting the right amount of sleep here as insomia plays a large part in type 1's. 7 hours is a minimum! Advice for this to follow.
2. Type 2's are the 'you react, not act' when stress arrives type. People pleasers always putting others first, you won't rest until everyone around you is happy. You probably feel energised when in a crisis and flake when it has passed.
Sugar is used to create the 'pump up' effects that would otherwise be normal with a good set of healthy adrenals.
When the adrenals have become exhausted then long-term chronic fatigue etc can become apparent. Insomia at night is especialy common, as is diabetes and weight gain and muscle pain. Immune system is impaired, blood sugar regulation is impaired creating hypoglycemia, and low thyroid function often follows.
Treating the low throid function is pointless unless adrenal exhaustion is treated FIRST.
3. These folk are beset with an overgrowth of yeast in the gut which simply needs sugar to keep it alive. It secures it's constant supply by releasing chemiclas into the blood stream that tell you to look for more of the same. We all have some yeasts that live quite happily in the gut but an overgrowth can cause a constant craving for sugar.
Gas, bloating, IBS, weight gain, constant fatigue, sinus problems and food allergies are all common symptoms..
The more sugar you eat the more it loves and a vicious circle begins. Antacids once again can support this type of overgrowth as it decreases the amount of stomach acid available to kill these little blighters off.
Allergies/intolerances can also impact on our emotional well-being so we're inclined to reach for something comforting when feeling down also. So the cycle continues. CFS and Fibro are common findings in yeast overgrowth.
4. PMT/ Perimenopause and menopause take their toll on the normal balancing act of the body.
Dropping progesterone around times of menstruation and more significantly when entering menopause lead to feelings of anxiety, depression and irritability. It is our 'feel good' hormone.
Fatigue and depression are again often rebalanced in th eshort-term with eating sugars to try and relieve these symptoms. Lowering oestrogen also causes brain fog, headaches, poor sleep and mood swings.
Eating sugar will temporarily raise seretonin levels ((happy chemcial) but will create imbalances in blood sugar leading to insulin overload leading to a drop in feeling well leading to eating more sugar!
So, those are the 4 types suggested.
Part II goes onto talk about the solutions for these types of additcion and I will summerise this section after I've been thorugh it all.
Meanwhile off to raid the fridge and only 8 hours to go!
Madmoms and Corrine do drop in and give us the low down on how your first day is going tomorrow won't you!
Thank you for your comments tulula. Actually i am more than happy to eat lots of eggs and eat them daily - sometimes 2 of them. However up until now I had them for lunch, but I could switch to breakfast I guess. Trouble is.... with no grains I don't know what to have them with - though I guess I could have salad - somehow don't fancy that for breakfast. One of the dishes I have invented is to have scrambled egg with courgette which I half cook first and then add the eggs into it. I doubt it's original actually!
What are the GF crackers you eat? I have tried some GFgrains and rice cakes don't seem to agree any more.
I have really cut the fructose down in the last few days - I just have lemon juice first thing, and like you have berries in my smoothie. I still have pears lurking in the fridge though!
Yes I have been pretty happy with the Kara milk, though I notice that if I have some later in the day on its own its problematic, so I am diluting it now.
Sadly I can't have the oat milk anyway, as oats cause me problems - even the so called gluten free ones it seems. However as I said, I can make nut milk. Also this week I have experimented with sheep's yogurt and that seemed OK in small doses. (not that this is a sugar issue but it all adds to the mix).
Funny you should mention the VSL3 probiotic as I raised this with my GP but never followed it up, and she didn't come back to me. She was going to check to find out, as I think some places won't prescribe it due to the cost. I use a good probiotic called Prescript-Assist, but as my stomach is still not good I am going to see a Dr F in London who seems to do a lot of work on allergies and intolerances. He works mostly in Surrey, and has been recommended to me for ME/CFS and the like, though I don't think the thyroid is one of his specialities.
It just occurred to me though that if he was in favour of VSL3 he might be willing to write to my GP or write to me with it mentioned which may help.
Thank you for the fructose points which I didn't know re veg and rice. I get more worried about the arsenic content in rice these days!
My VSL3 was prescribed via my visit to a gastroenterologist but I don't see why a GP can't so the same for anyone with IBS type issues. I would go back and ask again. It's 100 times stronger than most good probo's.
The crackers are made form rice and maize I'm afraid.
What about homemade hashbrowns (pots, onion, egg, salt and oil) or omlettes with mushrooms or ham?
Or tom sauce (toms, oil, onion, tom puree, thyme) with haricot beans?
Quinoa is a seed not grain - boiled with veg and stock the night before can be eaten cold or hot the next morning.
Or - ricotta cheese, onion, paprika, beans of your choice, toms, water, parsley. Mash ricotta into flattened rounds and bake for 30mins at Gas 7. Fry onion and paprika for 5, add beans and toms cook for further 5, add rest to bean mixture cook for 10. Servewith ricotta slices.
Yes, that's true, and it's well worth me trying again. However the only other person I knew who told me about it was also given it via a specialist, and I just feel that the average GP would rather not do so due to the cost. I noticed when I looked online that one of the health authorities was now specifying which conditions it should be used for, and IBS wasn't among them. I did a print out for her, and I can't remember who she was going to check it out with.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make those food suggestions for breakfast. I will print them out and try them gradually. I have become so scared recently to try anything new, quite apart from the pain and fatigue, but if I just try one a week I am sure I could manage that.
Once I have done something I get more confident about it and it doesn't take me so much energy or memory problems. I have recently added a flatbread to my repertoire made from coconut flour, gram flour, and ground almonds with egg - it's been so great to eat some kind of bread again.
I have had quinoa in the past and have that in the cupboard. Not quite sure why I stopped it really as I know it is high in protein.
Would I do OK with the ricotta cheese if I can only eat unpasteurised cheese. Is it easier to digest? I don't think I have eaten it.
Glad you will be able to tyy a couple of the other things. Can't be sur ebaout the ricotta cheese it would be a case of try it and see I expect. As I understand it yes, it is easier on the system than any of the other cheeses.
Interesting to hear about your flatbread. Where do you buy the coconut flour from? Perhaps you could spare the recipe - I'd like to try it.
I do find the quinoa a little tart sometimes but apparently if you rinse it well beforehand it takes off the strange aftertaste. It's also high in calcium too.
Ok everyone, just to let you know - I'm not scared - not one bit. It'll all be good - easy peasy.
Mind you already coming out in spots just at the thought. Have wondered if I may come out in more later as I go through the process of detoxing!
(I know it won't be a 'real' detox - just will seem like it).
Anyway, have weighed in at 53kgs.
I know doesn't seem like a lot at all but this is after 2 years of bacterial infection in my innerds that resulted in a weight loss of 16 kgs (unintenional on my part) and this was after an increase of 15kg in the first place which was unheard of previously.
Anyway, if I lose some I do if not then so be it. It's more about getting through the mental anguish I think of not going to the biscuit pot with every cuppa or reaching for sweet stuff after a meal or longing for a bar of Cadburys on a rainly Sun afternoon.
Had bad night sleep, not due to dreams of choc or cake! but noisy neighbours partying till 3am! so didnt start day well!
However, had porridge for brekkie, black tea and soup for lunch. with buckwheat crackers yum!
Made brownies and breakfast bars for my daughter this afternoon and was tempted to try some!! and unfortunetly gave in to a very small morsel of breakfast bar (not brownie i might add!) i think it was because i felt very tired, afterwards I really didnt feel much different, so wasnt worth it! will try even harder to resist from now on, and perhaps have afternoon nap to ease tiredness.
Having stirfry tonight! so looking forward to that!
Well done Tulula, on your first day! keep up the good work!
I will pm you tulula with the recipe for the flat bread.
They sell coconut flour in our local independent health shop, but I make my own by grinding up dessicated coconut. As far as I know this is the same thing. I have had a small electric coffee grinder for years that I keep solely for grinding up seeds and now for this coconut.
Actually I just looked this up and it's not quite the same as dessicated has more fat in it, but it works ok for me with the flatbread recipe.
Ok, here we are nearly at the end of the first day. Kept myeslf fairly well topped up with food throughout the day and no sugar as far as I know apart from 1.5g in the two dashes of coconut milk with my cups of tea today.
Otherwise I do feel pooped, but managed a walk in the freezing conditions so that's ok. Apart from that felt reasonably ok no adverse effects as yet.
The temptation was certainly there when my son devoured half a pack of biccies in front of me and the hardest time was after my evening meal when I always have something sweet usually. However, bit like giving up smoking if you can get by for around 10mins then it did seem to pass.
Thinking I may just get an early night as I do feel 'nice' tired rather than 'wired tired'.
Have read a little more of the book. Will fill you all in tomorrow on the recommendations for each type of sugar addict. The ideas do seem fairly straightforward and I do wonder to what extent the consumption of extra sugar in our diet does lead onto other probs so more interesting reading to come.
Meantime hopefully the other girls will drop by with how their first day has gone and will drop by myself tomorrow myself of course.
Oooo.... just one point - forget to mention that still had those incredible internal shivers for around 20mins about an hour after my evening meal. I will watch this carefully as my meal consisted of mixed veg, chicken and sweet pots only followed by a handful of raspberries.
Internal shivering is often associated with adrenal issues but I'm not sure I can see a conection here unless even the veg had too much sugar in it by way of a few carrots!
If anyone cares to offer an explanation please do.
Well yesterday went quite well. Managed on scrambled eggs with dry fried mushrooms for breakfast. Made some carrot and lentil soup which was delish for lunch and tea with some added coconut oil to help kick start digestion. Really struggled last night as I was craving chocolate but soldiered on. I had a massive headache late evening so tried to get some early zzzzzzzs
Unfortunately for me my daughter is in hospital query(?) post partum thyroiditis but she's pretty sick. Think it's actually undiagnosed Graves' disease as this has happened twice previously. She had it 3 years ago after first child was born, lost identical twins 15 months ago because they wouldn't listen to me when I explained she needed monitoring and treatment and now on fluids and morphine with extremely low bp, tsh 0.01 free Thyroxine of 68 and they haven't got a clue
Sorry I digress but my point is that I. Looking after our newbie of 8 weeks and I NEED chocolate lol. I am coping. Today's tough as I still have the headache. Did the soup again for breakfast and had salad with salmon fillet for lunch. WednesdayI have to go for a coeliac and Crohn's biopsy and so tomorrow i can't eat past 5pm so that will help quite a bit. Nothing like a long awaited hospital appointment to keep you on the straight and narrow
Good to hear you are all doing well. It's the fact I. Not doing this alone that is getting me through. I used to be quite disciplined with sugar so lets hope this week puts me back on track. I desperately need to get well to help my daughter. Her brains like cotton wool and can't process any of this. In the past its always been....oh yeah mums got this thyroid thingy. As much as I wanted someone in the family to understand, I didn't want it this way
Goodness, J so sorry to hear about your daughter must be very worrying for you. Really hope things pick up for her real soon. And you've got so much else on too - you're doing just brilliantly - really well done. Do let us know how she goes please.
Ok a bit of a rough day to be honest (but only in my small world). Managed to get through most of it but did surcumb to a sugar free mint this afternoon. (Does that count as a donation to go into the pot?)
Not that I was hungry at all - no, no excuse just the damn urge to have the sense of sweetness. It did do the trick and I kept myself occupied elsewhere for a while afterwards and it pased off.
I certainly don't feel quite so jumpy, and my skin is looking a tad better me thinks. Less open pores and a little less lines I fancy. (Or it could just be psychological - I'll keep an eye on it. Otherwise day 2 almost done. Quoina and veg, Ham and GF crackers, then prawns for tea with salad, lots of water and redbush tea plus a spoonful of cranberries here and there.
So part two of the Beat Sugar Additction book. How to address the 4 types.
It suggests either cold turkey or a gradual removal and the use of alternatives if withdrawal becomes too difficult. However, these need to be carefully chosen such as maltitol as found in some sugar free chocolates or inositol which can also help with anxiety. Stevia is the only other recommendation.
To help in general slow down on the caffeine intake at the same time as this often triggers sugar cravings. Plus do keep hydrated at all times with water. If you can also try and get good quality sleep that will help refresh you.
Type 1 'The perfectionist'.
Sleep is a major factor with this type of addict and getting it sorted and deep is very important. This can be helped with: Theanine from green tea, valerian and hops (Calms), passionflower and lavender. Plus magnesium and calcium, 5 HTP, or melatonin.
This type is also often plagued by infections so keep levels of Vit C and zinc up throughout. Keep alcohol to a minimum as this contains a lot of sugar itself too and also provokes more sugar cravings. Choose lower glycemic fruit and veg and use whole grains wherever poss. Increase fish intake as this has a claming effect and helps relieve cravings.
Lastly, ensure you have enough iron in the diet as well as sufficient B Vits as all deficiencies in B's can cause fatigue and brain fog symptoms.
A little exercise daily outside wherever poss is a must too. Just adding a minute or two to what is comfortable after a few days.
Type 2 Adrenal Support Needed
Stable blood sugar is paramount here.Don't let yourself get hungry - eat small and often, high protein meals and eggs are great for this. Night-time probs can often be addressed by eating a small amount of protein before bed such as turkey. Nuts can prove a great snack and can help keep those adrenals from kicking in too often.
Try to change from coffee to tea at least if poss and then to decaff tea. High doses of caffeine can aggrivate adrenal probs. If you can't kick out sugar altogether then rich dark choc is better than any other.
Poor adrenals makes it hard to hold onto water and salt so maintain a good level of these. (Take care with the salt intake if you have blood pressure probs already).
Supplements include: Vit C, chromium, B Vits, and adrenal glandulars. If severely fatigued then opt for cortisol or DHEA (by prescription only).
Lastly, do the reality check every time you feel stressed to try and give your adrenals a break. This means asking yourself as soon as possible, 'Am I in real danger?' and reassure yourself that you are not. Repeating this exercise has been shown to help the stress response to last for a shorter time and becomes easier with practice. Choose then to think of something nice you have to be grateful for even if this is simply todays weather or an up and coming meal.
Ok, Type 3 and 4 next time and then onto particular health issues and sugar load. Some interesting stuff to come.
Right away to a bar of ......... no a few cranberries and bed! Sleep tight all and speak soon.
Was wondering, I take vit supplements and was taking vit C chewable but read some where they contain sugar/sweetners and they def taste sweet.Was wondering whether I should change to ones you swallow.
Also sleep is major prob for me at moment 3 hrs sleep a night, tried http5 before got me off alright but still woke up after 3 hrs, same with magnesium, read somewhere you cant take melotonine if on antideppressants which I am. Are there any other supps I could take?
Yesterday went well, although I did have sugar cravings and had to watch my daughter munch on a chocolate smartie cup cake! I stayed strong and didnt give in!
Porridge for breakfast, black tea,
2 sausages green beans & courgette for lunch,black tea,
Buckwheat crackers with chicken for snack,
Dinner chicken with pepper,onion,lime and garlic tortilla, (rather tasty!) courgette and beans . black tea.
I know I eat quite a bit but do feel really hungry a lot I think because i'm so tired, so hopefuly if i can address sleep issue I can cut down on food!
Not noticing any real differences still vry tired but early days, so sticking to it.
Sorry to ask another question! but any ideas on breakfasts as I cant really eat eggs as they bind me up and have severe probs with constipation, have been having porridge made with water but would like a change!
Sorry to hear about your daughter, I truly hope she feels better soon and gets the support she needs it sounds like shes very lucky to have you, well done for sticking to the experiment through so much going on.
I hope this experiment will benefit all of us health wise! and we will see a real difference.
So as a new day dawns on us...I wish you a sugar free will powered day!.
Today going ok, had a few sugar cravings but didnt give in, porridge for breakfast,ham,spinach pepper wrap,carrots and houmous for snack, and walnuts afternoon snack, and slice of ham, and 2 babybels( prob not best to eat!)
Well, good evening all. Hope you have found our blog interesting. We are on the home run now with only two days left to go.
Personally, have found it very tough over the last two days, lots going on in my life and very emotional moments but have managed to stay afloat. Our other two ladies are also hanging on in there and really feeling the benefits. We shall see this blog through until the end of Sat and then begin a new one probabaly with our thoughts and feelings as to how it all went.
Harder than I imagined really, as thought the time span would fly by but Wed found myslef on a lonely hill side in minus 2 for 7 hours with little more than veg soup at hand so sadly downed two maltesers! Oh what shame I have. Still, back on the wagon since and do admit to feeling generally less muscle pains and more capable of getting on with things so long may it continue!
Onto the next part of the 'Beat Sugar Additction' book.
Type 3 Yeast over growth.
With this porblem the drive for sugar is created by the need to feed the yeast overgrowth in the gut and removing sugar is a sure way to unsettle the blighters!
Add to this a good high protein section of the diet and limiting starchy foods does also help. If necessary it is suggested that small quantitie sof rich dark chocolate is permitted or sugar free choc instead.
All sugars of all types are important to remove here. The likes of oregano, garlic, milk thisle and grapefruit seed extract are all supposed to help as antifungals. Probiotics are also suggested as being very helpful.
Where necessary prescription meds may be needed such as Diflucan or nystatin. Getting throught he removal of sugars can be particulalry hard with this type of addict as withdrawal symptoms can be a tad tricky.
Supplement with Zinc, Vits A,C and D. plus check out yeastconnection.com This chapter also takes you through a 17 day elimination diet if needed.
Type 4 The hormone imbalance addict.
I was especialy interested in this section myself. Although all sugars are again for the chop it does imply that dark choc is a fairly safe substitute. Plus, soyabean pods are high on the agenda.
White flour is out! Lots of water in!
Most of the chapter is arranged around the dropping oestrogen either at times during menstruation and why the sugar fix becomes so tempting and aorund menopause when it hits big time. Vits B and 12 are high on the list of supps and poss iodine (dependant on whether you are possibly deficient). These are backed with evidence.
Vit B6 is especially mentioned here as well as Evening Primrose Oil and Fish Oil. Sugar is seen as a real antagonist when hormone levels are low.
Magnesium will help at night with sleep and the theanine in green tea is especially helpful as a anti-anxiety support limiting the need for sugar.
It mentions night sweats as possibly being due to low blood sugar and suggests a portion of turkey or other protein before bed.
The onset of underactive thyroid is also mentioned as a big connection at this time.
Next on the agenda are specific ways to help your sugar addiction and the related health probs from anxiety to IBS, depression and migraines so I will review these next time.
So, away to bed once again and keep tuning in there's more to come!
Another day in and feeling quite tired,yesterday had ok day but ate like I hadnt eaten in a week! I seem to be getting worse! feel peckish every few hours! I sucumbed to potato with dinner last night! and loads of chesse and crackers! and tea with milk.
Today rather tired again , feeling slight sugar craving and eating loads again throughout day.
Breakfast crackers and chicken black tea
Lunch chicken wrap with tomato pepers mayo greek yogurt
snacks throughout day; little cooked sausages, cheese, sliced chicken.water and black tea
not sure what to have for dinner tonight but hopefuly somthing with veggies!
Last day today. What a ride! We'll start a new blog tomorrow called say, 'Sugar Babes - The Results' and pop on ther eto add how we feel the week went, bad bits, good bits etc.
Meanwhile, onto the next part of the Sugar Additciton book and dealing with specific ailments (including hypothyroidism).
1. Anxiety:
The empty calories provided by sugar can cause depletion of important nutrients espc the B Vits. Lack of these can increase anxiety levels. Plus drops in progesterone around periods can increase anxiety. Plus, some SSRIs (antidepressants) can have rotten side effects so if it can be dealt with some other way then this maybe more beneficial.
Supplementing with all the B's, Magnesium, Grren tea, passionflower extract can all help stabilise anxiety and keeping away from sugar will help in other ways too.
2. Fibro/CFS.
These represent energy crisis conditions with poor energy and pain from shortened, unused muscles. Loan sharking with sugar to help energy levels can become habitual and cause a vicious circle.
Too much sugar can deplete vits, leads to poor immune responses, leads to increased infections, leads to high stress on the adrenals, leads to downregulated hypothalamus regulation/poor sleep and an eventual over loading of the entire system.
Using the SHINE protocol is suggested.
Get the.... Sleep routine sorted (if necessary with precription drugs but if poss with a combination of natural support...... Hormonal support is next with thyroid/adrnal or sex hormones.... Infections need to be controlled again by removing all unnecessary sugar,...Nitritional support needs consideration.....Exercise, slowly, carefully and paced with fresh air being a must. S,H,I,N,E.
Here, the thyroid has a big mention as it is well known that depression and thyroid are linked. Often anti-depressants don't help. Plus, Vut B12 is highly linked if depleted. So, all the B Vits, magnesium at night, st johns wort (NOT in combination with SSRIs) etc are considered helpful.
If problems persist then therapy is sometimes helpful of mindfulness (lots of links ont he web) can help. Letting yourself express your anger and adopting a 'no blame' system can also be of use.
..................
IBS, Migraines, Diabetes, Obesity and Sinusitis to come!
P.S. Can't wait until its Easter Sun tomorrow!
Girls - hope the last day is going well. Sick of veg soup!
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All proceeds to TUK..!? Just a thought! 
Sugar Alcohols Ruined My Health: Learn from My Mistakes
Guna T4 D6 Drops
Synthetic T3 without gluten, lactose, maize starch, etc in the ingredients - available in London anywhere?
Which manufacturer?
