Quitting Sugar

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

you do realize the mammary glands produce milk sugar, its not the same as the sugar that you ingest.. LOL

Having breastfed several more children than you, I can say I do realize what mammary glands produce. I even can tell you that cows milk is different than breastmilk! wow! One of my children had severe blood in their stool until I eliminated dairy. Sooo.. again... personal experience here: no sugar, no yeast overgrowth. My point simply being might be cause to think about sugar intake.

OP: what was your carb intake before, in grams, and what is it now, since you have been limiting sugar?

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

How exactly does cancer feed on sugar?

Unless you're diabetic, why would you quit sugar?

Why wait until one is diabetic to act? That is one of the stupidest and most common statements I see on MFP. News flash: type 2 diabetes is preventable. Been there, did it.

Yup, loads of people here are going to tell you "don't do it". I am going to tell you that it's literally saved my life. NO exaggeration.

Are you saying that sugar directly causes Type II diabetis?

Apparently, type II diabetes is caused by eating sugar...(presumably "processed" sugar)...

...and not by obesity.

I learn something new every day on MFP.

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

Someone better tell the American Cancer Society that sugar causes cancer then.

Quote from them:

"Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day."



Edit as I quoted the wrong post ...

Unless you're diabetic, why would you quit sugar?

Why wait until one is diabetic to act? That is one of the stupidest and most common statements I see on MFP. News flash: type 2 diabetes is preventable. Been there, did it.

Yup, loads of people here are going to tell you "don't do it". I am going to tell you that it's literally saved my life. NO exaggeration.

Are you saying that sugar directly causes Type II diabetis?

Apparently, type II diabetes is caused by eating sugar...(presumably "processed" sugar)...

...and not by obesity.

I learn something new every day on MFP.

Just wanted to pop in and say here that obesity does not cause Type II diabetes either. It is a risk factor, just like family history, ethnicity, and age.

But still not sugar, right?

im just going to hop skip and jump over all the posts and answer the OP

i have cut out processed sugars. i cut it out slowly as i made changes to the way i eat. i started by weaning it out of my coffee. i never limit fruits or vegetables though.
i didnt have any of your 'symptoms' though. maybe because i weaned off it? or maybe i didnt eat as much sugar as you may to start with? who knows.

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

Someone better tell the American Cancer Society that sugar causes cancer then.

Quote from them:

"Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day."



Edit as I quoted the wrong post ...

Nope, didnt say "causes". And said, "thought to" However, this is a good reminder to me to use careful word choices in posts! For instance should have been using the term "refined sugars" as I am huge fan of veggies and fruits!
Buuuut, at the risk of further offense.... I still stand by my thought that a diet high in refined sugars is just not the best choice.
The cancer issue is certainly controversial, lots of hits can be found describing scientifically the thoughts behind both yae and nae. And here I would further show my bent by citing Michael Pollan. The Standard American Diet is without a doubt not causing us to be any healthier.

http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/cancer/does-sugar-feed-cancer-cells-1

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

you do realize the mammary glands produce milk sugar, its not the same as the sugar that you ingest.. LOL

Having breastfed several more children than you, I can say I do realize what mammary glands produce. I even can tell you that cows milk is different than breastmilk! wow! One of my children had severe blood in their stool until I eliminated dairy. Sooo.. again... personal experience here: no sugar, no yeast overgrowth. My point simply being might be cause to think about sugar intake.

of course its different than cows milk, that doesnt change the fact it has milk sugar, I have no idea what your kid with GI bleeding has anything to do with this.

I will tell you from my experience it was a little more than a week. Maybe 2. And I would like to tell you my personal reason at the time for doing so. I had a baby and neither she or I could get over thrush. Yeast overgrowth from breastfeeding, on nipples and in baby's mouth. We tried RX treatments, many rounds, natural treatments such as grapefruit seed extract. It wasn't until I completely eliminated sugar that the yeast overgrowth died. Yeast feeds on sugar. And I mean completely, no carrots, no ketchup etc.... And yeast is NOT a good thing to be present in high levels in your body. Neither are cancer cells which alsoare thought to feed on sugar.
Now, I find myself with much of the same feelings of the OP. For general health and other food related issues, sugar in various forms seems to be a culprit. So, for my 2 cents. I agree. The sugar detox diet talks about weaning with green apples versus other varieties, grapefruit. I also know that fat can be a good way to provide satiety. Organic coconut butter (I like Artisana) tastes like candy but has limited sugar. I have heard L Glutaminine powder helps but have never tried it.

Someone better tell the American Cancer Society that sugar causes cancer then.

Quote from them:

"Eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day."



Edit as I quoted the wrong post ...

Nope, didnt say "causes". And said, "thought to" However, this is a good reminder to me to use careful word choices in posts! For instance should have been using the term "refined sugars" as I am huge fan of veggies and fruits!
Buuuut, at the risk of further offense.... I still stand by my thought that a diet high in refined sugars is just not the best choice.
The cancer issue is certainly controversial, lots of hits can be found describing scientifically the thoughts behind both yae and nae. And here I would further show my bent by citing Michael Pollan. The Standard American Diet is without a doubt not causing us to be any healthier.

I would like to see studies that indicate such a risk if you have links to them. I would also be interested in how 'refined' sugars have a risk attached to them and yet fruit sugars do not. If you have any more information, that would be great.

OK, Ill bite, Sara! Here are just a few links, I think the first one gives a fairly balanced approach. This is not really an area of my personal "knowledge" my main personal experience was really the experience of fighting a different bodily imbalance and having success with eliminating (in my case actually all) sugars for a time. Anyway, this is some interesting reading at least...

http://www.dana-farber.org/Health-Library/Sugar-and-Cancer-Cells.aspx

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/sugar.htm

http://www.infowars.com/new-mri-research-reveals-cancer-cells-thrive-on-processed-sugar/

http://www.healthline.com/health-news/aging-sugar-the-reason-diabetics-are-prone-to-aggressive-cancers-080513

Thank you.


With regard to this one:

http://www.dana-farber.org/Health-Library/Sugar-and-Cancer-Cells.aspx

It is a similar write up to the link provided by another user above. It is about spiking insulin being a risk factor. However, eating a mixed macro meal will suppress the insulin response, and also, protein is also insulinogenic, as are carbs in general (lower fiber ones moreso usually). Its not as simple as just sugar, and the article itself recommends eating fruit.

It raises a good point - that people can end up taking extremes and not eating certain foods. However, those foods have a very beneficial component to them.

In conclusion, it states

"There may be a connection, however, between a diet high in refined, processed foods combined with a sedentary lifestyle that may lead a person to become overweight and eventually experience insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can cause an increase in blood levels of insulin and related compounds that may act as growth factors. The connection between body weight, insulin levels and cancer survivorship is currently being researched. In the meantime, becoming more physically active, striving to maintain a healthy weight and eating a plant-based diet including substituting refined sugars and white flour with whole grains and other unprocessed carbohydrates can all help to keep insulin levels in check and promote cancer survivorship."

Unless I am missing something, it is showing a risk that overeating/under-exercising is the risk. Sugar happens to be a calorie dense food that may contribute, with the rest of your food, to gaining weight. Unfortunately the article did not expand on the more specific relationship/correlation between sugar and cancer.


This one:

http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/nutrition/sugar.htm

This one is an article with no citations and lots of leaps. Also, seems a little tin foil hat as it is insinuates that doctors are keeping this secret from us.


This one:

http://www.infowars.com/new-mri-research-reveals-cancer-cells-thrive-on-processed-sugar/

The second part of the article is pretty much saying the same thing as the first. I would need to search for the actual study they mention in the first section re the MRI results and read in more detail. The thing that jumps out at me though is they refer to glucose, whereas table sugar is sucrose, so I am more than a little confused why sugar is being singled out. However, maybe a more detailed description of the study will be clearer.

http://www.healthline.com/health-news/aging-sugar-the-reason-diabetics-are-prone-to-aggressive-cancers-080513

This one is the same issue re insulin as noted two of the ones above. A slightly more detailed description of the study noted is here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb10986577.htm. It is on fruit flies and relates to metabolic issues.

The article linked initially notes: "“Research now shows that although there is a genetic link that increases risk of both type 2 diabetes (which accounts for the vast majority of diabetes cases in the U.S.) and also a genetic link to cancer risk, lifestyle still has very powerful effects influencing if or when someone develops the disease," Collins said. "What has increasingly come to light in recent years is that many of the same lifestyle choices that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes also increase the risk of cancer.”

Funnily enough, the Tips for Healthier Living" in the article do not mention restricting intake of sugar, processed or otherwise.

I'm trying to quit eating sugar. I don't include fruit in this, but I am limiting my fruit intake to 1 serving per day.
The sugar withdrawals are intense! Headaches, fatique, hypoglycemic blood sugar levels, even shaking at times.

Have you been able to completely quit sugar? Did you feel withdrawal symptoms? How did you deal with them? How long did it take for the effects to stop?

You should perhaps what you mean by "quitting sugar" and why you are planning on doing such, if you want a more comprehensive response from people on MFP.

If you research the human brain, you will come to find that it essentially runs on glucose, which is what sugar broken down in the body turns into. So by limiting your sugar intake as a whole, you are basically limiting your brain's primary source of energy, which is required for even the most basic of functions.

I think that (like previously mentioned above me) you may be confusing processed and refined sugars, for sugar as a whole. When it comes down to it, sugars are just like every other nutrient and macro-nutrient: you can get them from healthy and unhealthy sources. The same goes for sugar, since you can consume rather refined sugars, or sugars in fruits, such as fructose. That being said, fruit has healthy and unprocessed sugars: fructose. Why limit yourself to one serving of fruit a day, when the sugars are healthier sources of such, and fruit has so many other nutritional/health benefits? I could understand limiting your consumption of refined sugars to once a day, but why fruit? Not all sugar is unhealthy.

I think that you may be trying too hard to place foods into these concrete categories of "good" or "bad", when in reality the only category you should be placing things into is "food", also sometimes called "energy". While there healthier sources of nutrients than others, the bottom line is that no food or drink is inherently good, or bad. Everything is healthy in moderation, as long as you practice portion control and reasonable consumption of said foods. If anything, trying to completely cut out a food group (sugars) or even refined sugars ( which I would assume is a major part of your diet?) is setting yourself up for failure, because this dichotomous perspective of food just never seems to be sustainable. (The only exceptions of these rules that I can think of are sugar alcohols, and sodas).

Just try to find less refined forms of sugar to fuel your body, and treat yourself every once in a while. You'll be just fine.

This series of short videos from Univ. California is really an eye-opener: http://www.uctv.tv/skinny-on-obesity/

There is no difference between 'natural' and 'processed' sugar: fructose is fructose. It is addictive. It raises insulin levels, and over time creates insulin resistance which, other than the well-known consequences, also causes more food to be stored as fat and decreases satiety (so you never feel full). Those are facts from the science. Take 30 minutes to watch the series.

Gave up sugar for twenty minutes and this is what I saw.

This series of short videos from Univ. California is really an eye-opener: http://www.uctv.tv/skinny-on-obesity/

There is no difference between 'natural' and 'processed' sugar: fructose is fructose. It is addictive. It raises insulin levels, and over time creates insulin resistance which, other than the well-known consequences, also causes more food to be stored as fat and decreases satiety (so you never feel full). Those are facts from the science. Take 30 minutes to watch the series.

And if you do, I would suggest reading this:

http://www.alanaragonblog.com/2010/01/29/the-bitter-truth-about-fructose-alarmism/

and watching this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMc0_s-M08I