Breaking the 'tired = sugar binge' cycle, help/public shaming needed!

lenibells · January 2015

Hi everyone,

I'll start by saying I have M.E. (Also known as CFS), I've been a sufferer for around 17 years. I've lived with it for longer than I did without it, to an extent I know no different. I've got a handle on it as much as anyone can, some days/weeks/months not giving in is a real fight and others it's do-able. I'm very very fortunate that I even have the choice of fighting past it and leading a normal life, I've had bed ridden months/years in the early days but not for a long time unless I get ill.

I exercise and I enjoy it, I've always liked being active, I'm not always capable so I take advantage when I am. I'm a class lover... Zumba, Aqua, dance, step, circuits etc... I'll enjoy them all and I will push when I'm there. I'm averaging 3-4 classes of various intensity a week. My problem is when I'm on a during the day especially on a rest day or after a workout, I binge. I can't seem to control my overwhelming response to the exhaustion being to absolutely stuff my face with sugary snacks, and LOTS of it. I'll go out to the shop and get it on autopilot, so not buying it in the first place isn't an option. It doesn't feel like temptation, it feels like my body needs it and I can't ignore it. For many years that's been my coping mechanism, I have none of my own energy, my body doesn't work that way so I rely on sugar highs to get me through the day and until I hit my mid twenties I didn't care, I was super skinny and that's all I was worried about then.
It's the last piece of the healthy lifestyle puzzle I can't get to fit so that it works for me. Without the binging and sugar, my diet would be pretty balanced and healthy (with the odd meal out etc thrown in)

Any tips or advice on handling a sugar dependency and binging would be so welcome! Help me!

Thankyou thankyou thankyou
Lenibells x

berickson64 · January 2015

Lenibells:
You are so not alone on this one. I am a definite sugarholic. It got to the point that when I got home after work, I was so wiped out from all the ups and downs all day, all I wanted to do was sit on the sofa and consume enough starches and sugars to put myself to sleep in a food coma. I'm sure you know all the science behind it by now. Just in case, here's the deal:
Sugar releases endorphins. We literally get high on sugar. Like any high as we come down, we want back up. Sugar also combines with insulin and a side effect is the release of tryptophan which gets turned into seratonin (sleepy time). Stress releases cortisol. that chemical triggers our flight or fight response and we crave the fastest way to an energy high which is sugar. Sooner or later you have to get off the roller coaster.
But I never really appreciated how much the sugar I was eating was fueling the fire for more sugar craving.
Last December, I had had enough and decided it was time to give my pancreas a break before things got ugly. I have been 100% off sugar, wheat, processed food, dairy and most meat since Jan. 5 and that has given me strength is the incredible change that happens so fast. My energy level is way up there and more importantly, it stays up there so I don't feel like I need to prop it up with sugar. I am more alert all day long and into the night (no more naps at lunchtime). I don't crave sugar at all now and food tastes so much better now.
The other thing that triggered my sugar craving was hunger. Now I eat good food five times a day. I never get to the point where I am really hungry. This helps me stay strong.
Everybody is different. I see sugar addiction as an addiction. I wouldn't tell a drug addict or alcoholic to ease off and I would never be successful weaning myself off sugar. It had to be my decision and all or nothing. I hope you will come to the place where you want a healthy lifestyle bad enough to commit to giving up sugar cold turkey. It only took me about a week of headaches and cravings. Now I am on a mission. I know you can do it too.

azulvioleta6 · January 2015

I also have health problems that make it hard to be energetic. Many of my symptoms are similar to chronic fatigue syndrome.

Things that seem to help me:
1. Caffeine, from coffee.
2. Staying VERY well hydrated (10-14 cups of liquid a day, in addition to coffee). Instead of snacking, I pick up my jar of herbal tea and have a drink.
3. Getting more exercise and spreading it throughout the day. I take short walks during many of my work breaks to perk myself up and I do a more intense workout almost every day.

I have never been a binger, so I can't relate to that at all or give you much perspective on the issue. Of course you CAN resist buying things that are not good for you--you just choose not to do so. I wonder if seeing a therapist to work on/medicate for impulsivity issues might be helpful.

Another thing to think about is that if you get most sugar and empty carbs out of your diet, cravings tend to go away. If you can force yourself to stay away from sugar for a couple of weeks, the problem might ease. Have you heard of the Whole-30 diet? I think that going that far is unnecessary for most people most of the time, but it could be a way for you to kind of reset your taste buds and eating habits.

GaleHawkins · January 2015

Lenibells you are not alone. I turn 64 next month and have lived with serious deforming arthritis for the past 40 years. Sugar/carbs were my to go food to get moving, etc.

Finally Oct 2014 I got so ticked at myself I cut all carbs to < 50 grams a day and replaced them those calories with saturated fats. I had tried to taper all of Aug-Sept but when then eat carbs until it physically hurt to take another bite then still eat more.

The first two weeks of no carbs was hellish for sure but then the cravings just started to fading. That was four months ago. I have lost a lot of pain and 20 pounds but I finally feel free from my carb/sugar addiction. I can walk much better, set for two hours at the movies and get out of my seat without help and the mental fog is gone. Actually I do not *kitten* all of the time like when I was in pain so the wife and kids like that feature of ketosis.

Sounds like I am just repeating berickson64.

azulvioleta6 · January 2015

berickson64 wrote: »

The other thing that triggered my sugar craving was hunger. Now I eat good food five times a day. I never get to the point where I am really hungry. This helps me stay strong.

A very good point...if you keep yourself full of good food/liquid and don't let yourself get too hungry, it's easier to stay in control.

lenibells · January 2015

thanks for the quick and helpful replies! I suspected that really I need a complete overhaul of not just how I use my food for fuel but how I think about it too... but I've gotta admit, both seem like pretty scary steps to take! What's the best way for me to approach this? It's important that I don't put my body through anything too drastic, I would be concerned about coping with a physical crash that I can't get out of as it could have long term negative affects in my case, but at the same time I want to do this in the healthiest way possible.

I find it frustrating that I have the determination to get through the exhaustion when I have no choice, but no mental strength when it comes to stopping myself from this binging behaviour!

GaleHawkins · January 2015

lenibells in your case I think it is doubly important for you to do any change under the direction of a doctor or a health care professional that understands your case history very well. Going LCHF has been good for me but other than the arthritis, IBS (when way on LCHF) I was relative healthy and it was still a shock on the body.

Consider googling each of your health concerns and add a term like nutritional ketosis, Low Carb High Fat, etc and doing some reading to see if it might be worth the effort to break free from the grasp of sugar in your case.

I would not suggest you do it on your own in your case and for sure not on the advice from a web forum.

goldthistime · January 2015

lenibells wrote: »

thanks for the quick and helpful replies! I suspected that really I need a complete overhaul of not just how I use my food for fuel but how I think about it too... but I've gotta admit, both seem like pretty scary steps to take! What's the best way for me to approach this? It's important that I don't put my body through anything too drastic, I would be concerned about coping with a physical crash that I can't get out of as it could have long term negative affects in my case, but at the same time I want to do this in the healthiest way possible.

I find it frustrating that I have the determination to get through the exhaustion when I have no choice, but no mental strength when it comes to stopping myself from this binging behaviour!

I have gone the route of using sugary treats to try to boost my energy levels too. The problem is, it works! Or at least works in the beginning. I DO get a boost of energy. But it stops working as the day goes by, no matter how many more sugary treats I consume. The two things I do to stop carb cravings are eat protein (meat preferably) or vigorous exercise. Obviously exercise isn't an option for you but is eating a good sized serving of meat?

Also, I MUCH prefer a balanced approach to food, such as the macros that MFP gives you by default for carbs/protein/fats than a diet that avoids fats or avoids carbs.

flamingblades · January 2015

I find if I cut sugar out of my diet (processed sugar), I will lose all will power when I shop, and buy ice cream, chocolate, gummy candies, and even eat strawberry preserves when I have nothing else in the house. I have no control over sugary snacks and can waste a pint of ice cream in nothing flat. I am type 2 diabetic, and I know I am killing myself with sugar. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions on fruit, as it also has sugar in it, and my trainer says not to eat it. I still buy strawberries, blueberries, and little bananas to make my smoothies. I find if I have one smoothie a day for lunch, it steels my wool on the sugar abstinence. Yeah I know what to do, and I have a lot of material on nutrition, BUT...
I had a much easier time getting off of tobacco, than candy, chocolate and ice cream. It is a serious problem, and there are a lot of people like us out there that need more help from society and medical science to cope with this health problem on a daily basis. I thank God for MFP and the forums where we can share and get ideas. Go HAWKS!!!

bvrizzo · January 2015

I have been a complete sugar fiend since I was about 10 and have always had weight issues with it - I used to have a drawer at work where I kept plenty of sweet treats to get me through the day. Now that I have to fess up and log what I eat it is easier to control.
- I find that when I am driving home absolutely gagging for a chocolate fix the only part I have to keep strong through is as I drive past the supermarket/dairy. The whole drive I might be battling with my brain, and decide ok lets go buy a bag of snowballs and eat the whole lot, but right when I should be pulling into the car park I keep my foot down and just keep on driving. When I pass it I get a high from the control and then when I am at home I think that to go get the snacks I have to run there, or that it is such a chore having to go to my car, get in, drive to the supermarket, find a park when I could just eat this orange in the fridge or some cherries or make a sweet smoothie with fresh fruit. I have only been at this for 20 days, and one of those I broke and binged, but the next day I felt awful physically and mentally. Now I try to remember how terrible it felt the next day as I drive past the supermarket, and remember I have lost over 3kg in 3 weeks so it is working!!

kirknutrition · January 2015

I need a sugar accountability partner. I am in desperate need of someone I can depend on, motivate and encourage me and I will do the same. Are you interested?

AdieEve · January 2015

I am a binge-eater and sugar addict. I just found this site and love it. I'm only on Day 2 of the "Dump Sugar" plan, which means the cravings haven't really geared up yet since my last binge. It's going to be so, so difficult, but I just can't live this way anymore. Maybe this site can help you too! Good luck to us all in getting this monkey off our backs!

http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-dump-sugar

lenibells · January 2015

kirknutrition wrote: »

I need a sugar accountability partner. I am in desperate need of someone I can depend on, motivate and encourage me and I will do the same. Are you interested?

Accountability sounds daunting but great!
The support and info on this site is so helpful, maybe that's what I'm missing, I clearly can't motivate myself so maybe I can draw on everyone else's success for inspiration and motivation.

goldthistime wrote: »

I have gone the route of using sugary treats to try to boost my energy levels too. The problem is, it works! Or at least works in the beginning. I DO get a boost of energy. But it stops working as the day goes by, no matter how many more sugary treats I consume. The two things I do to stop carb cravings are eat protein (meat preferably) or vigorous exercise. Obviously exercise isn't an option for you but is eating a good sized serving of meat?

Also, I MUCH prefer a balanced approach to food, such as the macros that MFP gives you by default for carbs/protein/fats than a diet that avoids fats or avoids carbs.

Where possible I get my protein, but I live alone and am on a very tight budget so meat is a luxury for me and I often accidentally eat a mostly vegetarian diet unless I'm eating somewhere other than home. I live close enough to London to have the ridiculous food prices, but far away enough to not earn the wages needed to pay them! I have meat when I can find it reduced or on sale but that's not often enough to have a steady meal plan.

Right now the bulk of my protein comes from egg whites (I loooove egg whites!) which I have for breakfast at my desk with some spinach in a wrap, sometimes I'll have microwaved egg whites when I've come home from an evening class too, however I find it starts the binging off as I get in the mood to eat and will only stop when I need to go to bed. Apart from that and the odd serving of Quorn with my dinner, that's all the protein I get. I don't have milk in my diet, I like it but again it's a luxury (also it gives me what I call 'milk mouth' where my mouth takes like stale milk for the rest of the day

) as is bread and all other perishables such as fruit and non frozen veg.

I'm quite good with my food when I'm at work, there's nowhere to get food so if I don't bring it with me or have it there already I don't have it. It's when I'm home alone and no one is watching me that I binge, I know that if there was someone there to judge me I just wouldn't do it!

Thanks everyone for links, hints and general support - it's all very welcome and I appreciate the help

Lenibells x

flimflamfloz · January 2015

While it may not be as bad for me as it is for you, I usually throw the stuff I bought in the bin as soon as I get myself together again.
I hate wasting money... So sometimes it helps avoiding buying sweet snacks because I know they will end up in the bin in the next 10 minutes.
All the best to you!

GaleHawkins · January 2015

AdieEve wrote: »

I am a binge-eater and sugar addict. I just found this site and love it. I'm only on Day 2 of the "Dump Sugar" plan, which means the cravings haven't really geared up yet since my last binge. It's going to be so, so difficult, but I just can't live this way anymore. Maybe this site can help you too! Good luck to us all in getting this monkey off our backs!
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-dump-sugar

AdieEve that link was interesting. From the comment section I see most saw the need to stop any food that winds up sugar in the end which includes grains.

Flamingblades that was interesting what you said about sugar addiction being stronger than tobacco addiction in your case.

All my uncles (therefore their families as well) on my dad's side suffered greatly from alcohol abuse so I never touched it even back in high school. I grew up raising tobacco so I developed an understanding it was bad because of all the chemicals that I put on it. Also I never used street drugs and finally got off of my meds to help with arthritis pain because of the damage they caused like ulcers, etc after I found fish oil to work about as well without the side effects and mental fog.

For the past 40 years I have abused carbs and all of the time priding myself on being addiction free. I expect that is the hallmark of any addiction for it to convince the addict that he is not addicted.

Last summer at the age of 63 I realized I was going to die and end was going to be ugly if I did not change my eating lifestyle of the past 40 years. I was at the point that I needed help to even get out of the car or seat after watching a movie. While the ankylosing spondylitis form of arthritis had totally fused my spine and limited my range of motion in nearly all of my joints the pain was worse than ever.

In my mind I expected cancer was going to take me out if I got on Enbrel as was suggested by the rheumatologist in my case. It works very well for many but works by suppressing the immune system. With the then compromised immune system I was going to be at risk of many diseases and from reading one was Cancer. I felt if I started on it and I felt better than ever that I would not be able to force myself off of it until it was too late.

While I was reading about Enbrel I learned about coconut oil and added that the first of Aug 2014 and decided it was time to wean myself off of carbs. After trying that for Aug-Sept 2014 I realized I was losing that battle so I got ticked and left carbs as my main source of energy 'cold turkey' the first of Oct 2014.

As I have posted in other threads the first two weeks were hellish then the cravings for sugar items, bread, etc just started to fade away. I evolved into nutritional ketosis because I was keeping my carbs <50g daily. Then the pain of 40 years started to fade along with being hungry all of the time due to insane cravings for a carb fix.

Four months after having to go cold turkey to break my long term carb addiction I am so glad I let go of my love for my addiction that was killing me. I now understand why addicts stay addicts. My addiction had me convinced that I had to have Carbs to live which I now know is medically false. It was my abuse of carbs that was killing me.

The kids are only 17 and it was tearing them up to see how dependent I was on them and my wife to get around. I knew if I developed any serious health issue that I would have to go to a nursing home because being 75 pounds overweight that my wife was not going to be able to care for me and that the kids would be moving out sooner or later.

The real potential cancer risk from long Enbrel use was what I mentally used to get through the carb withdrawal phases.

On the back side I can see the withdrawal was not that bad but that was not what the sugar addiction was telling my brain the first two weeks of Oct 2014 as it started to go dormant. The addiction is not gone because I tested it twice since by feeding it a load of carbs and the old sugar addiction started to crank back up. Only an eating lifestyle that does not include any major carb sources will keep me addiction free. As long as I only eat carbs that 50% of the carbs is dietary fiber and keep the gross carb count under 50 grams I do fine.

To those where you know it or do not know yet may be addicted to most any form of carbs/sugar I wish you the best. Carbs/sugar is not the demon but the addiction to them is the demon. I had to mentally make the pain of not breaking the addiction worse than the pain of breaking the addiction to my brain.

Food addictions I think is so hard because we have to eat something to stay alive. It is not like we can stay away from food like we can say cocaine.

My life is changing for the better at home, work and play without the carb addiction already in just the last four months. I serve on the board of a halfway house and have for 4+ years but it is only now that I have come to terms with my own addiction that I can start to understand the nature of addictions to control one's mind, body and soul.

goldthistime · January 2015

GaleHawkins wrote: »

AdieEve wrote: »

I am a binge-eater and sugar addict. I just found this site and love it. I'm only on Day 2 of the "Dump Sugar" plan, which means the cravings haven't really geared up yet since my last binge. It's going to be so, so difficult, but I just can't live this way anymore. Maybe this site can help you too! Good luck to us all in getting this monkey off our backs!
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-dump-sugar

AdieEve that link was interesting. From the comment section I see most saw the need to stop any food that winds up sugar in the end which includes grains.

Flamingblades that was interesting what you said about sugar addiction being stronger than tobacco addiction in your case.

All my uncles (therefore their families as well) on my dad's side suffered greatly from alcohol abuse so I never touched it even back in high school. I grew up raising tobacco so I developed an understanding it was bad because of all the chemicals that I put on it. Also I never used street drugs and finally got off of my meds to help with arthritis pain because of the damage they caused like ulcers, etc after I found fish oil to work about as well without the side effects and mental fog.

For the past 40 years I have abused carbs and all of the time priding myself on being addiction free. I expect that is the hallmark of any addiction for it to convince the addict that he is not addicted.

Last summer at the age of 63 I realized I was going to die and end was going to be ugly if I did not change my eating lifestyle of the past 40 years. I was at the point that I needed help to even get out of the car or seat after watching a movie. While the ankylosing spondylitis form of arthritis had totally fused my spine and limited my range of motion in nearly all of my joints the pain was worse than ever.

In my mind I expected cancer was going to take me out if I got on Enbrel as was suggested by the rheumatologist in my case. It works very well for many but works by suppressing the immune system. With the then compromised immune system I was going to be at risk of many diseases and from reading one was Cancer. I felt if I started on it and I felt better than ever that I would not be able to force myself off of it until it was too late.

While I was reading about Enbrel I learned about coconut oil and added that the first of Aug 2014 and decided it was time to wean myself off of carbs. After trying that for Aug-Sept 2014 I realized I was losing that battle so I got ticked and left carbs as my main source of energy 'cold turkey' the first of Oct 2014.

As I have posted in other threads the first two weeks were hellish then the cravings for sugar items, bread, etc just started to fade away. I evolved into nutritional ketosis because I was keeping my carbs <50g daily. Then the pain of 40 years started to fade along with being hungry all of the time due to insane cravings for a carb fix.

Four months after having to go cold turkey to break my long term carb addiction I am so glad I let go of my love for my addiction that was killing me. I now understand why addicts stay addicts. My addiction had me convinced that I had to have Carbs to live which I now know is medically false. It was my abuse of carbs that was killing me.

The kids are only 17 and it was tearing them up to see how dependent I was on them and my wife to get around. I knew if I developed any serious health issue that I would have to go to a nursing home because being 75 pounds overweight that my wife was not going to be able to care for me and that the kids would be moving out sooner or later.

The real potential cancer risk from long Enbrel use was what I mentally used to get through the carb withdrawal phases.

On the back side I can see the withdrawal was not that bad but that was not what the sugar addiction was telling my brain the first two weeks of Oct 2014 as it started to go dormant. The addiction is not gone because I tested it twice since by feeding it a load of carbs and the old sugar addiction started to crank back up. Only an eating lifestyle that does not include any major carb sources will keep me addiction free. As long as I only eat carbs that 50% of the carbs is dietary fiber and keep the gross carb count under 50 grams I do fine.

To those where you know it or do not know yet may be addicted to most any form of carbs/sugar I wish you the best. Carbs/sugar is not the demon but the addiction to them is the demon. I had to mentally make the pain of not breaking the addiction worse than the pain of breaking the addiction to my brain.

Food addictions I think is so hard because we have to eat something to stay alive. It is not like we can stay away from food like we can say cocaine.

My life is changing for the better at home, work and play without the carb addiction already in just the last four months. I serve on the board of a halfway house and have for 4+ years but it is only now that I have come to terms with my own addiction that I can start to understand the nature of addictions to control one's mind, body and soul.

@GaleHawkins
Gale, I may not agree with absolutely everything you post but some of what you said here resonates with me. I agree that less carbs = less cravings for carbs. But is under 50g really the only way for you? Have you tried under 100g? Even under 80g? My objection to LCHF is the high fat part! It comes with its own dangers. Btw, my sister has RA, and I have had some possible signs (unexplainable wrist pain).

goldthistime · January 2015

lenibells wrote: »

kirknutrition wrote: »

I need a sugar accountability partner. I am in desperate need of someone I can depend on, motivate and encourage me and I will do the same. Are you interested?

Accountability sounds daunting but great!
The support and info on this site is so helpful, maybe that's what I'm missing, I clearly can't motivate myself so maybe I can draw on everyone else's success for inspiration and motivation.

goldthistime wrote: »

I have gone the route of using sugary treats to try to boost my energy levels too. The problem is, it works! Or at least works in the beginning. I DO get a boost of energy. But it stops working as the day goes by, no matter how many more sugary treats I consume. The two things I do to stop carb cravings are eat protein (meat preferably) or vigorous exercise. Obviously exercise isn't an option for you but is eating a good sized serving of meat?

Also, I MUCH prefer a balanced approach to food, such as the macros that MFP gives you by default for carbs/protein/fats than a diet that avoids fats or avoids carbs.

Where possible I get my protein, but I live alone and am on a very tight budget so meat is a luxury for me and I often accidentally eat a mostly vegetarian diet unless I'm eating somewhere other than home. I live close enough to London to have the ridiculous food prices, but far away enough to not earn the wages needed to pay them! I have meat when I can find it reduced or on sale but that's not often enough to have a steady meal plan.

Right now the bulk of my protein comes from egg whites (I loooove egg whites!) which I have for breakfast at my desk with some spinach in a wrap, sometimes I'll have microwaved egg whites when I've come home from an evening class too, however I find it starts the binging off as I get in the mood to eat and will only stop when I need to go to bed. Apart from that and the odd serving of Quorn with my dinner, that's all the protein I get. I don't have milk in my diet, I like it but again it's a luxury (also it gives me what I call 'milk mouth' where my mouth takes like stale milk for the rest of the day ) as is bread and all other perishables such as fruit and non frozen veg.

I'm quite good with my food when I'm at work, there's nowhere to get food so if I don't bring it with me or have it there already I don't have it. It's when I'm home alone and no one is watching me that I binge, I know that if there was someone there to judge me I just wouldn't do it!

Thanks everyone for links, hints and general support - it's all very welcome and I appreciate the help

Lenibells x

@Lenibells I have been "nearly a vegetarian" most of my adult life and I am convinced that has been a big part of my carb craving/binging problem. If it's financial rather than moral for you, I suggest working harder to buy meat in bulk and freeze it in smaller portions.

granuaile3525 · January 2015

I'm not sure this will help, but I understand being tired all the time. I have hypothyroidism, my doctor recommended the paleo diet. While I don't do well cutting options out of my diet, I do try to make nuts, fruit and vegetables as credibly available snack options. It helps with my energy levels when I am starting to drag throughout the day.

I find cooking is very helpful in controlling what I eat. This link is great for living on a budget: http://www.budgetbytes.com

I use it all the time. I hope this helps!

cheshirecatastrophe · January 2015

If you buy fewer binge foods, you will have more money to buy more protein.

Eggs are cheaper than egg whites. The fat is satiating. (*Just* egg whites leaves me very, very hungry.)

Beans are dirt-cheap protein. Buy canned if you don't have the foresight or energy to soak dried ones overnight.

You have got to learn to tune in to yourself when you are on "autopilot." I shifted my goalposts and now consider it a victory to get out of the grocery store with one trigger food. Sure, it's 350 calories I maybe could have gotten in a wiser way, but I can fit 350 calories into my daily plan. It's a little tougher to fit in 350 plus 200 plus 540 plus 800.

It does take time and effort to break a habit. There is no quick overnight fix. I mess up sometimes still, but I'm definitely making progress. Heck, yesterday I brought home my one lovely binge food in the afternoon and held off to eat it as my dinner! Unthinkable back in the days of my crazy autopilot hunger-binges.

Not eating during the day at work (I think that was the implication? You said you were "good" at work because you didn't have access to food?) is setting yourself up for failure at night.

GaleHawkins · January 2015

goldthistime wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

AdieEve wrote: »

I am a binge-eater and sugar addict. I just found this site and love it. I'm only on Day 2 of the "Dump Sugar" plan, which means the cravings haven't really geared up yet since my last binge. It's going to be so, so difficult, but I just can't live this way anymore. Maybe this site can help you too! Good luck to us all in getting this monkey off our backs!
http://www.stumptuous.com/how-to-dump-sugar

AdieEve that link was interesting. From the comment section I see most saw the need to stop any food that winds up sugar in the end which includes grains.

Flamingblades that was interesting what you said about sugar addiction being stronger than tobacco addiction in your case.

All my uncles (therefore their families as well) on my dad's side suffered greatly from alcohol abuse so I never touched it even back in high school. I grew up raising tobacco so I developed an understanding it was bad because of all the chemicals that I put on it. Also I never used street drugs and finally got off of my meds to help with arthritis pain because of the damage they caused like ulcers, etc after I found fish oil to work about as well without the side effects and mental fog.

For the past 40 years I have abused carbs and all of the time priding myself on being addiction free. I expect that is the hallmark of any addiction for it to convince the addict that he is not addicted.

Last summer at the age of 63 I realized I was going to die and end was going to be ugly if I did not change my eating lifestyle of the past 40 years. I was at the point that I needed help to even get out of the car or seat after watching a movie. While the ankylosing spondylitis form of arthritis had totally fused my spine and limited my range of motion in nearly all of my joints the pain was worse than ever.

In my mind I expected cancer was going to take me out if I got on Enbrel as was suggested by the rheumatologist in my case. It works very well for many but works by suppressing the immune system. With the then compromised immune system I was going to be at risk of many diseases and from reading one was Cancer. I felt if I started on it and I felt better than ever that I would not be able to force myself off of it until it was too late.

While I was reading about Enbrel I learned about coconut oil and added that the first of Aug 2014 and decided it was time to wean myself off of carbs. After trying that for Aug-Sept 2014 I realized I was losing that battle so I got ticked and left carbs as my main source of energy 'cold turkey' the first of Oct 2014.

As I have posted in other threads the first two weeks were hellish then the cravings for sugar items, bread, etc just started to fade away. I evolved into nutritional ketosis because I was keeping my carbs <50g daily. Then the pain of 40 years started to fade along with being hungry all of the time due to insane cravings for a carb fix.

Four months after having to go cold turkey to break my long term carb addiction I am so glad I let go of my love for my addiction that was killing me. I now understand why addicts stay addicts. My addiction had me convinced that I had to have Carbs to live which I now know is medically false. It was my abuse of carbs that was killing me.

The kids are only 17 and it was tearing them up to see how dependent I was on them and my wife to get around. I knew if I developed any serious health issue that I would have to go to a nursing home because being 75 pounds overweight that my wife was not going to be able to care for me and that the kids would be moving out sooner or later.

The real potential cancer risk from long Enbrel use was what I mentally used to get through the carb withdrawal phases.

On the back side I can see the withdrawal was not that bad but that was not what the sugar addiction was telling my brain the first two weeks of Oct 2014 as it started to go dormant. The addiction is not gone because I tested it twice since by feeding it a load of carbs and the old sugar addiction started to crank back up. Only an eating lifestyle that does not include any major carb sources will keep me addiction free. As long as I only eat carbs that 50% of the carbs is dietary fiber and keep the gross carb count under 50 grams I do fine.

To those where you know it or do not know yet may be addicted to most any form of carbs/sugar I wish you the best. Carbs/sugar is not the demon but the addiction to them is the demon. I had to mentally make the pain of not breaking the addiction worse than the pain of breaking the addiction to my brain.

Food addictions I think is so hard because we have to eat something to stay alive. It is not like we can stay away from food like we can say cocaine.

My life is changing for the better at home, work and play without the carb addiction already in just the last four months. I serve on the board of a halfway house and have for 4+ years but it is only now that I have come to terms with my own addiction that I can start to understand the nature of addictions to control one's mind, body and soul.

@GaleHawkins
Gale, I may not agree with absolutely everything you post but some of what you said here resonates with me. I agree that less carbs = less cravings for carbs. But is under 50g really the only way for you? Have you tried under 100g? Even under 80g? My objection to LCHF is the high fat part! It comes with its own dangers. Btw, my sister has RA, and I have had some possible signs (unexplainable wrist pain).

Goldthistime keep in mind few would agree with absolutely everything I post nor should they.

What works for me may not even make sense for another. I have to stay below 30 grams of carbs daily to stay in a state of nutritional ketosis or otherwise I revert back to burning carbs rather than fats as my main fuel. See 50%-60% of protein converts to carbs/glucose per one the Diabetes organizations. I want to keep my protein intake in the 90-120 grams daily level. Protein and Fats are required for life period so carbs are the only option as a food group that I can to cut without risking my personal health.

I never planned to do a Low Carb High Fat diet. LCHF just evolved as I was researching a diet that would do the same thing for my arthritis pain as Enbrel would do but without the cancer risk.

In fact it appears LCHF actually may be protective against cancer and other wide spread health issues I read when Googling the subject. Carbs increases the risk of cancer the most. Protein raises cancer risk about half as much as Carbs since half of proteins convert to carbs in the body. Fat brings no increased in the risk of cancer.

When I was 20 years old I was sure I would not die from cancer. Now at 64 I know the risk of cancer is very real.

As I stated before NO ONE should use eating info from any web forum because it could lead trouble or even death.

I do study research papers and listen to professional health care providers speaking at medical conventions by way of Youtube. I do not plan to act on any info from any web forum when it comes to eating. If it was how to fix our broken backhoe, tractor or truck YES but not info on how to fix my broken body.

Using Google Chrome when reading a term on a health related web forum I just highlight it and click on the search feature in the drop down box if I want to find more info on the subject. I do hold an earned OD degree so researching medical issues is not new to me plus I am not the only one in my household with a medical background.

There is many things I want to learn more about but I do know to NOT act on medical/diet info posted on any web forum by another poster. If I can find medical research or known health care professionals speaking on the subject they will have my ear but will will not blindly act on a sole source even if he or she is a healthcare professional.

Breaking the 'tired = sugar binge' cycle, help/public shaming needed!

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