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Sugar addiction like drug abuse, study reveals
Replies
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GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
How does that address the question she posed about mislabeling alcohol as "containing carbs" and suggesting that this may be the reason that alcohol is addictive?7 -
I should hope so. I would've died long ago if it wasn't.
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I should hope so. I would've died long ago if it wasn't.
I think we are ALL addicted to food, without it we would die.
Our bodies are addicted to food, our minds are addicted to overeating..3 -
janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
https://dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol
@janejellyroll this shows examples for carbs in different drinks starting at Zero carbs.
I only know carbs are addictive in my case and can not speak for others.0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
https://dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol
@janejellyroll this shows examples for carbs in different drinks starting at Zero carbs.
I only know carbs are addictive in my case and can not speak for others.
None of those carbohydrates are from the alcohol itself. Yeah, a Cosmopolitian has carbohydrates -- due to the mixers. Are you saying when someone is craving a drink in your family, you could just give them the non-alcoholic portion and that would settle them down?
I've known alcoholics, unfortunately. It takes more than Coca-Cola or some orange juice to satisfy the cravings of the ones that I've known.
And if you say that carbohydrates are the lowest common denominator in your family addictions, you are speaking for others, you're saying they were addicted to carbohydrates instead of alcohol.
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janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
If the carbohydrate were the issue, why wouldn't an alcoholic be happier with a glass of Coca-Cola or a pint of ice cream?
And yes, I do know people who prefer their alcohol either low-carbohydrate or carbohydrate-free. Since we're asking each other about personal experiences, maybe you can answer the question I asked earlier: would the alcoholics in your family turn down a rum and diet coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it didn't have carbohydrates?
Sugar was added to some cigarettes to make them tastier, do you think that smokers are really just addicted to carbohydrates? This is one of the most ridiculous arguments that I have seen on this website. We *know* that alcohol is addictive, it's one of the oldest addictions that humanity has encountered. We know this addiction can thrive even when the alcohol doesn't have many carbohydrates or any carbohydrates -- look at the major problems Victorian-era England had with gin (which is carbohydrate-free). Just because some people enjoy their alcoholic mixed with carbohydrates doesn't mean that they aren't addicted to alcohol. Did you know they have to lock up hand sanitizers in rehab centers because some alcoholics will try to drink them? They're not craving carbohydrates.
I know from your posts that you are extremely fearful of carbohydrates and you attribute vast amounts of harm to them, but this is just a reach.8 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
Yes. Quite a few.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
If the carbohydrate were the issue, why wouldn't an alcoholic be happier with a glass of Coca-Cola or a pint of ice cream?
And yes, I do know people who prefer their alcohol either low-carbohydrate or carbohydrate-free. Since we're asking each other about personal experiences, maybe you can answer the question I asked earlier: would the alcoholics in your family turn down a rum and diet coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it didn't have carbohydrates?
Sugar was added to some cigarettes to make them tastier, do you think that smokers are really just addicted to carbohydrates? This is one of the most ridiculous arguments that I have seen on this website. We *know* that alcohol is addictive, it's one of the oldest addictions that humanity has encountered. We know this addiction can thrive even when the alcohol doesn't have many carbohydrates or any carbohydrates -- look at the major problems Victorian-era England had with gin (which is carbohydrate-free). Just because some people enjoy their alcoholic mixed with carbohydrates doesn't mean that they aren't addicted to alcohol. Did you know they have to lock up hand sanitizers in rehab centers because some alcoholics will try to drink them? They're not craving carbohydrates.
I know from your posts that you are extremely fearful of carbohydrates and you attribute vast amounts of harm to them, but this is just a reach.
Why would anyone be fearful of carbohydrates or anything else. In the process of getting required fats and protein some optional carbs come along for the ride.0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
My dad used to mainly drink whiskey. If it has carbs, it's not a lot.
Dry wine really isn't high carb either, and that was my drink of choice. Orange juice or a coke would have been a better source of carbs. (I also never really liked sweet wine at all although I found a way to appreciate some of them when I was trying to convince myself I was just an oenophile.)0 -
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That's ridiculous, and utterly wrong. There are different types of addiction, and some are more complicated than others. That's why addiction medicine is a whole separate field of medicine and study.
I'm an alcoholic thanks to my genes, so I'm very careful about my alcohol intake in order to not experience negative consequences that plagued my youth. Similarly, the heroin addict who no longer uses heroin is still an addict -- they've just controlled their addiction by abstaining.
This is why many people stick with the 12-step programs forever despite never (or rarely) touching the substance they're addicted to. You don't magically stop being an addict just by choosing to abstain.
1 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
So just to be clear... you think it is the carbohydrates in some alcoholic drinks that is causing the addiction and the subsequent problems for those who can't control their intake, and not the alcohol itself. Is that correct?1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
So just to be clear... you think it is the carbohydrates in some alcoholic drinks that is causing the addiction and the subsequent problems for those who can't control their intake, and not the alcohol itself. Is that correct?
Alcohol was not involved in my carb addiction I do know. Beer seems to be preferred by some to get drunk and get carbs at the same time.0 -
So it's the carbs they are addicted to not the alcohol?0
-
GaleHawkins wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »DietVanillaCoke wrote: »Sugar addiction? Not exactly. A self control issue? For some, yes. Some people are more prone to be "addicted" to things and with help and discipline they can stop.
I'm yet to be held up and mugged on the street by someone wanting a pixy stick. So I'm going to say no on this. Also when people rob a house, they don't steal your sugar and candy... they tend to go for, money and jewelry, if you had meth in the house and a meth addict knew it, they'd probably go for the meth too... but I doubt if they eat sugar they'd steal all the sugar in the house...
I think the issue is self control and demonizing sugar is a way to say "I'm not fat because I lack discipline and have no self control"... "I'm fat because I'm addicted" and not feel as guilty. At the end of the day it's still a self control issue, which isn't 100% "addiction". With discipline you train yourself to stop eating large amounts of high calorie garbage... though I imagine some people might not find it that easy to do and maybe they need to go cold turkey... I don't think everyone needs to though.
A year ago I could eat a whole 500gms of chocolate in a day... feel horrible about it, then I'd go eat a burger. I don't think it was "sugar addiction" for me. It's because I didn't give a damn and I enjoyed eating it. It didn't seem like it was harmful, it was just food and I loved food. It made me feel great, but that's hardly an "addiction" you could compare to taking heroin. Yes my brain's reacting to it and that's why i feel great but food can do that. I feel great after I walk, watch a good movie or read a good book. What changed me was seeing so many docu's on obesity and the health related issues. I now feel disgusted at the thought of eating so much garbage. I look at what I'm planning to eat before i buy it.
Yes you are correct in saying "Some people are more prone to be addicted to things..."
Addictions are a common trait on my father's side of the family. In my case I do not think I had a specific "Sugar Addition" but it more a "Carb Addiction" in general. I never drank alcohol because I grew up seeing how it was abused by my uncles and the negative impact on the wives and kids but I sure was able to abuse/over eat carbs in food that was negative for my health until I went off of sugar and all forms of all grains 30 months ago. Thankfully I am seeing some health gains even at my age after giving up that addiction cold turkey finally at the age of 63. While from time to time I will eat a piece of candy the urge to keep eating it still strong after the first piece. In the past I never opened box of chocolate covered cherries that I did not wind up eating the entire box in short order. Perhaps I still have that addiction but I just made the choice not to live off of mainly carbs any longer.
There's a danger in watering down definitions as this trend often masks root causes.
If you are able to not consume a substance (in this case alcohol) due to recognition of a negative impact, then you are by definition, not addicted.
That is true. I am not addicted to alcohol because I have never consumed any. Since alcohol typically is a carb containing drink and carb additions runs in my family and in me specifically I just see "carbs" as being the least common denominator in my family food addictions.
Some alcohol-containing drinks may have carbohydrates, but alcohol itself is carbohydrate-free. Vodka, rum, whiskey, all free of carbohydrates. If someone has trouble with alcohol, framing that as a carbohydrate issue doesn't really make sense.
We *know* that alcohol is addictive. We don't know that for carbohydrates. Are you saying the alcoholics in your family would turn down a rum and diet Coke or a glass of neat bourbon because it wouldn't satisfy their addiction?
All of the alcoholics that I knew personally in my family are now dead. Getting drunk every time one starts drinking carries grave health risks.
I'm not saying it doesn't, not at all. But what does that have to do with your statement about carbohydrates being the least common denominator in your family additions?
Do you personally know any alcoholic that drink/eat Zero Carbs in the process of getting drunk on a regular bases? Carbs just seem to be the least common denominator in most all food addictions that I have observed.
So just to be clear... you think it is the carbohydrates in some alcoholic drinks that is causing the addiction and the subsequent problems for those who can't control their intake, and not the alcohol itself. Is that correct?
Alcohol was not involved in my carb addiction I do know. Beer seems to be preferred by some to get drunk and get carbs at the same time.
That's not what I asked. If you are dealing with alcoholics, are you suggesting that the carbohydrates in the mixers is to blame for the addiction, rather than the alcohol? If you are suggesting that beer is the alcoholic beverage of choice for *some* alcoholics, why do you believe it is the carbohydrates rather than the alcohol itself that is to blame?5 -
singingflutelady wrote: »So it's the carbs they are addicted to not the alcohol?
I do not know the facts about "they".
Could not one be an alcoholic just because they liked getting stoned without being an addict? I stopped abusing carbs cold turkey by just deciding to do so in hopes of pain management instead of starting Enbrel injections promoted by the MD's that I was working with. I know people who made the decision to stop abusing alcohol and never drank anymore. Same thing with some chain smokers. It was a hellish two weeks for me when I stopped eating foods with added sugar and any form of grains. After two weeks the carb cravings just started fading way quickly. Over two years later the carb cravings have not returned and I have maintained my weight loss for two years now. Just stop eating processed food took added sugar and grains out of my Way Of Eat for the most part manages my pain well and all of my health markers are still improving. At 65 they are better than when I was 45. I was doing Low Carb High Fat before I learned the term. After I started reading on MFP I realized I was accidentally doing LCHF without knowing what it was. As long as it manages my pain without side effects of Rx meds and improves my longevity odds I will stay with this WOE.
0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »So it's the carbs they are addicted to not the alcohol?
I do not know the facts about "they".
Could not one be an alcoholic just because they liked getting stoned without being an addict? I stopped abusing carbs cold turkey by just deciding to do so in hopes of pain management instead of starting Enbrel injections promoted by the MD's that I was working with. I know people who made the decision to stop abusing alcohol and never drank anymore. Same thing with some chain smokers. It was a hellish two weeks for me when I stopped eating foods with added sugar and any form of grains. After two weeks the carb cravings just started fading way quickly. Over two years later the carb cravings have not returned and I have maintained my weight loss for two years now. Just stop eating processed food took added sugar and grains out of my Way Of Eat for the most part manages my pain well and all of my health markers are still improving. At 65 they are better than when I was 45. I was doing Low Carb High Fat before I learned the term. After I started reading on MFP I realized I was accidentally doing LCHF without knowing what it was. As long as it manages my pain without side effects of Rx meds and improves my longevity odds I will stay with this WOE.
So again, I ask you, are you stating that alcoholics are addicted to carbohydrates and not to the alcohol in the drinks they abuse? A simple yes or no will suffice.2 -
WinoGelato wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »singingflutelady wrote: »So it's the carbs they are addicted to not the alcohol?
I do not know the facts about "they".
Could not one be an alcoholic just because they liked getting stoned without being an addict? I stopped abusing carbs cold turkey by just deciding to do so in hopes of pain management instead of starting Enbrel injections promoted by the MD's that I was working with. I know people who made the decision to stop abusing alcohol and never drank anymore. Same thing with some chain smokers. It was a hellish two weeks for me when I stopped eating foods with added sugar and any form of grains. After two weeks the carb cravings just started fading way quickly. Over two years later the carb cravings have not returned and I have maintained my weight loss for two years now. Just stop eating processed food took added sugar and grains out of my Way Of Eat for the most part manages my pain well and all of my health markers are still improving. At 65 they are better than when I was 45. I was doing Low Carb High Fat before I learned the term. After I started reading on MFP I realized I was accidentally doing LCHF without knowing what it was. As long as it manages my pain without side effects of Rx meds and improves my longevity odds I will stay with this WOE.
So again, I ask you, are you stating that alcoholics are addicted to carbohydrates and not to the alcohol in the drinks they abuse? A simple yes or no will suffice.
Human behaviour traits causes are seldom simple Yes or No issues and even more seldom when talking about addiction causes perhaps?0 -
Interesting discussion.
When I was still drinking, I actively sought out anything that had an alcohol content. It didn't matter if I had eaten or not, and my diet was extremely carb heavy the last few years of my drinking. I didn't know, or even think about that then, but looking back it's easy to see. No amount of carbs quelled that need for a drink.
I also knew what my history was - constant blackouts, suicidal, you get the idea. Knowing that getting alcohol in my system was likely to start another trouble laden binge never deterred me from getting that drink. Bounced checks, lies etc...
I never did that to get sugar or carbs lol.
Today, there are zero cravings to manage, not for alcohol, carbs or sugar...
There aren't any obsessions either, and I sometimes wonder if some folks think an obsession = an addiction. The latter is far more insidious and dangerous as far as my personal experience goes.3
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