any suggestions for coping better when cutting out sugar ?

[IsaFrench]

due to gut issues (yeast ?) I've been trying to cut out most sugar (and bread/yeast containing food/cheese ...) for the last 2 weeks and have seen a real improvement in my symptoms (intense, but really really intense anal itching)

.... but it's hard to break a habit and I relapse at least twice a week, usually just for tiny amounts of sugar
+ have given in to artificial sweetener in hot drinks a few times too ...

I wish I would be totally sugar free, at least of the processed kind

I cook more from scratch now but still eat 2 to 3 pieces of fruit a day and any vegetables (even sweet ones like carrots or beets) + pasta doesn't seem to affect my symptoms either ....

anybody BTDT who could suggest coping tips for resisting to sugar ?
thanks in advance

[LilacMama]

I've done it before. It was tough. It does get easier -- it you don't cave to temptation you do start to lose your taste for sugar after 2-3 weeks. I ended up drinking tons of tea just because hot tea is comforting to me and I needed lots of comfort! Good luck!

[ursusarctos]

Originally Posted by LilacMama

It does get easier -- it you don't cave to temptation you do start to lose your taste for sugar after 2-3 weeks.

What helped me was eating something high in protein every time the sugar craving set in.

[elleystar]

Yes it is really hard to overcome that addiction! The only thing that works for me is cutting it out completely. Not even the tiniest bit of sugar. If I just 'cut back' and have some now and then, say maybe a cookie every few days, my body doesn't get a chance to kick the addiction for it and suddenly wants MOREMOREMORE! On the other hand if I can just abstain for a week or so, all of a sudden I quit thinking about it and wanting it, even natural sweeteners like honey. I've actually been just over a week now eating Primal as well so I've just gone through it again too.
Just be sure you are feeding your body well with other foods. Definitely be sure you're getting enough fat-it will help you feel much more satisfied. Good luck!

[laohaire]

I've had the same experiences as the others. I have to quit totally, can't just reduce. It takes about 2-3 weeks (though even the 1 week mark still is a lot easier than, say, the 2 day mark) to start to kind of forget about sugar, though of course you can still be tempted if someone eats something right in front of you, or you see an ad on TV. (After about 6 months, I found I could resist even those).

I am a veteran sugar-quitter which means I'm also a long-time failure (that is, I have quit sugar quite a few times). However, each time I find it works best for me to have a "crutch" to get through it. It works for me because the crutch doesn't stay long-term, it's just a crutch and soon I forget about it naturally. The most effective crutch for me is bitter chocolate - chocolate with no sugar at all (of course it's still loaded with carbs but not SUGAR). It gets my feel-good chemicals dancing, but I'm not addicted to it like I am to sugar, so I only need to eat it for a few days to get past the worst cravings.

[cristeen]

I'm going to chime in and say

Don't "cut back"... commit yourself to "cutting out" completely for 3 weeks. Whenever you have a craving, fat and protein will help stave it off. Meal planning can really help.

After 3 weeks, not only will your cravings be gone, but you'll have formed a habit of avoiding it, and it just gets easier from there.

I must say though, that unless you're in a non-Christian community, this is the hardest time of the year to try to cut out sugar. I'm facing that particular task at the moment too, and know how difficult it will be.

[FernG]

Eating kimchi or fat/protein always made my sugar cravings go away. I also tried to be out of the house and exercising as much as possible. Meal plan and load your crock pot so you won't have to spend much time in the kitchen. Then plan to be out and doing something active. It will get soooo much easier in 2-3 weeks.

[laohaire]

Oh, yeah, that's true - I had to be sure I had regular meals. If I got too hungry, the sugar cravings were hard to deal with. Really hard.

[Shantimama]

When I have done this I have had to make sure to keep my protein intake steady throughout the day and drink LOTS of water. I often mistake a craving for something sweet for thirst and keeping well hydrated helps with the elimination of sugar.

[MamaMamaMama!]

I agree on the fat and protein. T

[kaleidoscopeeyes]

I cut out sugar cold turkey at one point. I would have committed murder for a cookie for the first 3 days. By the 4th day I was down to maybe committing a misdemeanor. After that though, I really never thought about it. I did eventually relapse and was fine with the occasional sweet (I love my desserts) but have gotten a little out of control lately. Did I mention I work at Starbucks? Yeah. Cutting back has definitely never worked for me. I have to just do it cold turkey. I know it will be painful, but if I can just hold out a week, I'll be just fine.

[elleystar]

Originally Posted by laohaire

I've had the same experiences as the others. I have to quit totally, can't just reduce. It takes about 2-3 weeks (though even the 1 week mark still is a lot easier than, say, the 2 day mark) to start to kind of forget about sugar, though of course you can still be tempted if someone eats something right in front of you, or you see an ad on TV. (After about 6 months, I found I could resist even those).

I am a veteran sugar-quitter which means I'm also a long-time failure (that is, I have quit sugar quite a few times). However, each time I find it works best for me to have a "crutch" to get through it. It works for me because the crutch doesn't stay long-term, it's just a crutch and soon I forget about it naturally. The most effective crutch for me is bitter chocolate - chocolate with no sugar at all (of course it's still loaded with carbs but not SUGAR). It gets my feel-good chemicals dancing, but I'm not addicted to it like I am to sugar, so I only need to eat it for a few days to get past the worst cravings.

Isn't that the truth? I think for most of us it's a battle we'll fight our whole lives. It's just too readily accessible and too easy to slip back into old habits.

However, I have found this, have you?: Ever since the first time I quit sugar (did Atkins for 2 yrs, actually) I've never truly gone back to my old way of eating. And it seems like each time I go through it, I get a little better. I learn a few more things, discover some new foods I like. Read more about food and cut out more and more conventional things. Each time I learn to cook more from scratch. So when I look at it that way, and honestly compare my general diet now to my college days, I am AMAZED at how much I have changed. Even when I find I'm slipping and I'm making desserts several times a week, at least now they're completely from scratch, made with high quality ingredients, the sweeteners are natural and generally cut way back, and we enjoy them much more. Better than the box-mix brownie days, kwim? And when I let my bread consumption creep up, it's homemade soaked artisan style, not soybean oil laden preserved junk from the store.

So anyway just my thoughts about how I always feel like I'm fighting this battle against sugar. And even when I feel like I'm losing to it, I really am doing pretty awesome.

[gardenmommy]

Originally Posted by elleystar

Isn't that the truth? I think for most of us it's a battle we'll fight our whole lives. It's just too readily accessible and too easy to slip back into old habits.

However, I have found this, have you?: Ever since the first time I quit sugar (did Atkins for 2 yrs, actually) I've never truly gone back to my old way of eating. And it seems like each time I go through it, I get a little better. I learn a few more things, discover some new foods I like. Read more about food and cut out more and more conventional things. Each time I learn to cook more from scratch. So when I look at it that way, and honestly compare my general diet now to my college days, I am AMAZED at how much I have changed. Even when I find I'm slipping and I'm making desserts several times a week, at least now they're completely from scratch, made with high quality ingredients, the sweeteners are natural and generally cut way back, and we enjoy them much more. Better than the box-mix brownie days, kwim? And when I let my bread consumption creep up, it's homemade soaked artisan style, not soybean oil laden preserved junk from the store.

So anyway just my thoughts about how I always feel like I'm fighting this battle against sugar. And even when I feel like I'm losing to it, I really am doing pretty awesome.

This is so true! I find that even though I can't seem to totally get away from sugar because it is SO addicting, I make better choices now that I did 10 years ago when I first started. I am a "failure" too, but I try not to think about it like that, because it really gets me down. Instead, I try to remember what Jordin Rubin said in one of his books: something to the effect of "if you fall of the bandwagon, remember you are only one meal away from getting back on it". IOW, one bad choice, one bad week, month, even year, doesn't mean that you can't get back to what you know is right for you. I try to have a period early every year where I go totally sugar-free, because I find that sets me up pretty well for the rest of the year for being able to take it or leave it.

[WuWei]

If you don't have/had mercury fillings in your teeth, add kombucha which helps with the sugar cravings.


Pat

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by elleystar

Isn't that the truth? I think for most of us it's a battle we'll fight our whole lives. It's just too readily accessible and too easy to slip back into old habits.

However, I have found this, have you?: Ever since the first time I quit sugar (did Atkins for 2 yrs, actually) I've never truly gone back to my old way of eating. And it seems like each time I go through it, I get a little better. I learn a few more things, discover some new foods I like. Read more about food and cut out more and more conventional things. Each time I learn to cook more from scratch. So when I look at it that way, and honestly compare my general diet now to my college days, I am AMAZED at how much I have changed.

I totally agree with this. I don't ever consider myself a failure in that aspect, it is a continual journey and I constantly get better- before I delved into any kind of healthy eating 9 yrs ago soda and chips was my usual lunch fare. There are ebbs and flows like anything else. also, as like many here I am sure what I think is healthy constantly evolving as well- what to eat- how much to eat and when to eat- I don't ever think sugar will be considered healthy at all, but as to what my diet should and shouldn't include well, I always see that as up to advisement based on how I feel and what I learn.

[treehugginhippie]

Originally Posted by WuWei

If you don't have/had mercury fillings in your teeth, add kombucha which helps with the sugar cravings.


Pat

interesting! what does k do when you have fillings?

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by elleystar

Isn't that the truth? I think for most of us it's a battle we'll fight our whole lives. It's just too readily accessible and too easy to slip back into old habits.

However, I have found this, have you?: Ever since the first time I quit sugar (did Atkins for 2 yrs, actually) I've never truly gone back to my old way of eating. And it seems like each time I go through it, I get a little better.

Yes, sugar is not only too accessible but also PUSHED on us (or at least me) by other members of society. Or, at least, my mom.

The first and best time I quit sugar (I don't know exactly how long, but it was months - maybe 8 months?) I failed not precisely because I gave into a temptation, but because my mom was on my ass about it for so long I gave in with a slice of cake just to shut her up. (Can you tell I'm angry about it? I really am...).

My experience with the cake did not make me an addict again, per se. Rather, I was very pleased that the cake did NOT make me feel the way I used to. It tasted good, to be honest, but it didn't excite all the little happy hormones in me, and a few bites was enough. I was really thrilled with that.

So the real problem was that I figured I could give in on occasion and shut my mom up, since I figured I'd beat the addiction. Well, a few more times was too many, and I got lax and eventually got addicted again. That process fortunately took a while (a year, maybe?) but I was still addicted again, all the same.

Since then, I've quit for weeks but not for months. Other than that first time, it wasn't my mother's fault. (Of course it wasn't even her "fault" the first time either... but I do still blame her).

Yes, it's changed, but not just the sugar. I've overall been finding a good way to eat. But for sugar in particular, it used to be a daily craving. If I didn't satisfy my daily craving, before, I would not even be able to go to sleep. I would be thinking about and lusting sugar. I had some gross things to eat in a pinch, too - like I might soften a bit of margarine (I don't eat that stuff anymore now, just butter - but never like this anymore ) and add sugar and a pinch of flour. I think it was supposed to be kind of like an icing. Disgusting. I never want that anymore.

Now my problem is emotional. When I've been stressed, had a fight with my husband, I want sugar. Ice cream, usually. Just had it last night as a matter of fact. Otherwise I can now go for about a week and a half without "needing" it. Though, I probably eat it about once or twice a week on average. Mostly emotional but some just circumstantial (like, the dairy farm we go to sells this killer chocolate chip muffins... I don't have to be stressed to want one of those, ykwim?).

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by treehugginhippie

interesting! what does k do when you have fillings?

When we have excess mercury the body stores it in muscle. And candida binds with mercury to protect us also.

Kombucha has saccharomyces boulardii which displaces and replaces candida albicans. Candida binds with excess mercury to store it out of circulation to protect us from toxic levels of mercury (if we do not detoxify effectively). When we kill off the candida, we release mercury into circulation which redeposits into our organs and brain. Some people experience this as "die-off".

The Catch 22 is that candida loves sugar in our diet.


Pat

[*Karen*]

Originally Posted by WuWei

When we have excess mercury the body stores it in muscle. And candida binds with mercury to protect us also.

Kombucha has saccharomyces boulardii which displaces and replaces candida albicans. Candida binds with excess mercury to store it out of circulation to protect us from toxic levels of mercury (if we do not detoxify effectively). When we kill off the candida, we release mercury into circulation which redeposits into our organs and brain. Some people experience this as "die-off".

The Catch 22 is that candida loves sugar in our diet.


Pat

Wow, interesting. I am cutting out sugar and white flour entirely in an attempt to reverse DD's tooth decay. Can you tell me how to effectively detoxify? Thanks so much!

[WuWei]

Originally Posted by *Karen*

Wow, interesting. I am cutting out sugar and white flour entirely in an attempt to reverse DD's tooth decay. Can you tell me how to effectively detoxify? Thanks so much!

Detox is a complicated topic. WhoMe on the Allergy forum has been our guide. She has info at Detox Puzzle.

But, magnesium, zinc, B6 and B12 and molybdenum and folate are critical to opening detox pathways.


Pat