When The Sugar Addicts Attack You...

Options
24

Replies

  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
    Options
    Moderation in all things.

    If you don't want them eating sugar before school (a very reasonable idea), let then have a small treat after school- ideally when they can go outside and get some exercise to burn it off before the dinner/homework evening crush starts.

    Your wife is an adult. You're probably going to have to back off on that one a little bit.

    Lead by example, don't be a tyrant. And have honest conversations with all concerned about why you are working to change their eating habits, providing some incentives for them to jump on the band wagon.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    I was tested for ADD earlier this year after 33 years of struggle. I don't take any meds, I just learned to do things like reading differently. I am a true sugar addict (I would be like 100 lbs without the stuff). How did you start the no sugar? Do you think it's true that the chemicals in food such as MSG are as bad (if not worse) than sugar?
    If you try to be GF free do you still eat white rice?

    Family is as close to GF as they will allow me to be. I just introduced brown rice into the family this morning (I tested it on me to see my reaction and it is a go). I am 100% GF and my children get fed gluten snacks at school because the school doesn't believe in diet restrictions (but they have no problem sending home behavior disciplinary forms). I do read labels for everything I buy and I won't buy anything with MSG, nitrates, or fake sugars (I'd rather it have real sugar than fake). I also watch sodium because sodium increases food cravings. It's not easy being the elimination diet expert in the family because I don't want to say "good food" or "bad food" around the kids because their friends are going to offer them stuff and they are going to eat it and I don't want them to guilt themselves for eating a cookie. But when it comes to controlling behavior, bloating, intestinal damage, and malnutrition; I'm doing everything I can. I just wish people would just eat their damn fruit instead of crave chocolate and tv advertised sweets....
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    Really sucks that ADHD brings ODD (oppositional defiance disorder) with it in 50% of the cases of ADHD.

    Me "Eat this because it's good for you and will keep you satisfied longer"
    Wife "No, I am going to get ____ instead"
    Me "But ____ makes you sick and you know one's never enough"
    Wife "It's MY body, I'll do what I want with it"
    Me "Okay...."

    Sadly, people who are having symptoms of a mental health issue or a cognitive disturbance don't know when they are. I lived 29 years of my life under the destruction of unbalanced meals, and I can feel the difference of a good balanced meal versus a sugar laden and imbalanced one.
  • bombedpop
    bombedpop Posts: 2,183 Member
    Options
    Sounds like the best solution to all your food and financial issues is to just leave the family. Sounds like they are just bringing you down and making you unhappy with all their authority issues surrounding you.
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    Options
    I know that you didn't ask for advice, but would one small treat once a night help the kids? That way they wont feel to deprived (maybe a rice crispy treat or kettle corn popcorn, or a small piece of chocolate). I don't know much about how diet and ADHD do together so I might be completly off the mark here....

    But this way, when the kids ask for things, you just say "not til tonight" instead of a flat "no"
  • SarahAFerguson
    SarahAFerguson Posts: 250 Member
    Options
    Wow, you are in a tough spot. How old are your kids? Mine are under 10 so the struggle to restrict suger is not so intense as it would be with teenagers. It would be nice to get rid of the stuff your kids shouldn't eat, at least for awhile until they can develop a taste for healthier alternative. I should mention that we have severely restricted access to processed/sugary foods, although fruit and home made goodies are still on the menu. Lately we have found that our 6 yo daughter was sneaking candy on the side. She has various dietary restrications that make this not a good thing. The only thing I think will work is educating the kids regarding the good things in healthy foods and involving them in the whole process from meal planning to shopping to preparing food. Hopefully they will internalize the message and take it with them into adulthood. Unfortunately, what ever you try to do is going to be extra difficult with your wife not being on board with the program.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    I know that you didn't ask for advice, but would one small treat once a night help the kids? That way they wont feel to deprived (maybe a rice crispy treat or kettle corn popcorn, or a small piece of chocolate). I don't know much about how diet and ADHD do together so I might be completly off the mark here....

    But this way, when the kids ask for things, you just say "not til tonight" instead of a flat "no"

    When having delayed cognitive abilities (and my tolerance to hyperactivity) is acceptable I will give them sugar. But sugar leaves the system so slowly when a person with ADHD has some unrelented sugar (read: candy bar) and a candy bar at 7pm would give them hyperactivity and issues until 11pm at best. I sneak them honey, maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, and cinn/sugar in their foods, but they want the unrelented type and it's because they actually enjoy the feeling of hyperactivity. My wife actually relates her hyperactivity with "being awake" and my son relates it with "having energy", but the truth is, it is poison to all 4 of us and we'd be better off trying to learn how to live without it.
  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,732 Member
    Options
    Dear OP,

    I truely enjoy all of your posts...please keep them coming. Your logic and ability to defend what some people view as irrationality astounds me every time.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    Dear OP,

    I truely enjoy all of your posts...please keep them coming. Your logic and ability to defend what some people view as irrationality astounds me every time.

    Thank you :blushing: . I speak from the heart since I'm an HSP and I'm very passionate about doing this the best way possible. Very few people are as dedicated to protecting and supporting their family as I am with mine; and too many people are wrapped up with norms/expectations to pay attention to how they are neglecting the people they love. I will fight this sugar monster, even if I have to bake their sugar laden treats myself (and hide nuts, omega fats, and other things in it to balance the sugar out to make it not so impactful on their cognitive functions).
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    Options
    Dear OP,

    I truely enjoy all of your posts...please keep them coming. Your logic and ability to defend what some people view as irrationality astounds me every time.

    I agree....I am just blown away by this guy and his logic in defending his post.
  • zoeluiisa
    zoeluiisa Posts: 392
    Options
    I know that you didn't ask for advice, but would one small treat once a night help the kids? That way they wont feel to deprived (maybe a rice crispy treat or kettle corn popcorn, or a small piece of chocolate). I don't know much about how diet and ADHD do together so I might be completly off the mark here....

    But this way, when the kids ask for things, you just say "not til tonight" instead of a flat "no"

    I think candy every night is unnecessary for any child, even if they don't have ADHD! It should be a treat at a birthday party or Christmas or Easter, not part of their daily routine.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    I know that you didn't ask for advice, but would one small treat once a night help the kids? That way they wont feel to deprived (maybe a rice crispy treat or kettle corn popcorn, or a small piece of chocolate). I don't know much about how diet and ADHD do together so I might be completly off the mark here....

    But this way, when the kids ask for things, you just say "not til tonight" instead of a flat "no"

    I think candy every night is unnecessary for any child, even if they don't have ADHD! It should be a treat at a birthday party or Christmas or Easter, not part of their daily routine.

    But do you really want to teach the children that candy is for special celebrations only? Think about it, they get a promotion at work and instead of going out to celebrate by spending time with friends in a party fashion, they choose to go out to eat and binge on a buffet dinner. Food should never be a special occasion or a reward; this is where our binge eating comes from. Same thing happens to shopaholics who buy things when they don't feel good about themselves.

    I think there is a place in a child's diet for candy, but I want to have it be a controlled situation. School days are NOT a controlled situation. Weekends would make sense. I treat candy like most people treat booze; and considering sugar cripples my children's cognition (as well as my own and my wife's) I think it's safe to say sugar is like alcohol in most ways comparable.
  • peuglow
    peuglow Posts: 684 Member
    Options
    You have a whole family that has issues with ADHD?
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    You have a whole family that has issues with ADHD?

    Believe it or not, yes. I have it and my wife has it. When both parents have it there are increased odds of offspring from 25% to 50% or 75% depending on which chromosome the ADHD gene is on.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Options
    Maybe a good compromise could be to have a higher sugar content day on a day that the kids aren't in school. Maybe Saturday mornings get a more sugary breakfast and Saturday night they can have a sugary snack. That way it isn't all or nothing.
  • AggieCass09
    AggieCass09 Posts: 1,867 Member
    Options
    Sounds similar to phases described here: http://whole9life.com/2012/06/the-whole30-timeline/

    I did a no-sugar diet for 30 days (well 45, but thats beside the point) and those sugar cravings are intense! You are doing the right thing, just stay strong and distract your sugar cravings with delicious veggies and meats! Your taste buds will change (so will your kids and wife) and eventually everything will be easy. I also suggest checking out the Whole9 resources blog since a lot of people will relate there. The whole9 also reduces grains and some other things (alcohol, etc.), but the concept is similar and it is also an effective treatment for ADHD as well. There is scientific stuff there that u can use as proof to people who criticize you.

    Good luck and stay strong!
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    Options
    I don't want to sound like a jerk but it sounds like your whole family needs to be re-evaluated by a new psychiatrist regarding ADHD. Natural sugars from fruit should not be causing those types of symptoms unless your entire family has some severe glucose sensitivities.
  • TheWidget
    TheWidget Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    Would be nice to see the sugar in your food diary but you don't track it. While everything you say and do seems good, how did it ever get this bad in the first place?
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    Would be nice to see the sugar in your food diary but you don't track it. While everything you say and do seems good, how did it ever get this bad in the first place?

    Fixed. I track it on my phone though.
    But the sugar isn't a problem any more. It was before I placed the family on a diet though.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    Options
    I don't want to sound like a jerk but it sounds like your whole family needs to be re-evaluated by a new psychiatrist regarding ADHD. Natural sugars from fruit should not be causing those types of symptoms unless your entire family has some severe glucose sensitivities.

    Imagine if your blood sugar peaked easily and sharply and your insulin was a little slow to push that glucose to organs, muscles, and your brain. so you stayed there for a while (but eventually came down). And when the blood sugar peaks, it wrecks havoc on ALL of your senses causing you to see/hear/smell/taste/touch things that most people can't (or rather shouldn't be) conscious of like the humming of bulbs and stuff and sudden movements in the corners of your eye.

    As a person with a hypersensitive temperament (in every use of the word), I do what I can to keep the hyperactivity at bay knowing how destructive that can be. When not intoxicated with too much sugar, my body uses it's senses more than I'd like it to but I am very alert and can do things at a much more concentrated rate and "in tune" fashion than I'd say most people can. But when I'm on an extreme sugar high, I get double vision and it messes with my senses and causes my senses to feel impaired just like alcohol would. It's hard to explain really.

Categories