tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post5617692971691217691..comments2024-02-27T07:37:46.350-05:00Comments on K-Line: The First of Those Ten Posts about Sugar Addiction I Promised to WriteK.Linehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-85941358753996888652017-03-13T21:51:48.533-04:002017-03-13T21:51:48.533-04:00I agree that the wine is tricky. I could probably...I agree that the wine is tricky. I could probably handle it with a strict policy like yours, and I might try that. I have cut myself off, and would do so again, but we'll see. Mardelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04850551308931710502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-3929816627731555792017-03-13T19:18:15.121-04:002017-03-13T19:18:15.121-04:00It's not until I tried to do this that I reali...It's not until I tried to do this that I realized (literally, within 10 hours) that I was a true addict. I think that's why I felt so awful when I did that juice fast 2 years ago. I don't think it was the loss of food - but the loss of grain and cane sugar. When I have rare occasions of tasting something sweet, my mind is blown and it puts me in a special state that I love.<br /><br />I didn't remember your RA. How fascinating that removal of sugar reversed the symptoms. Wow. That's powerful. I can tell that my pain is changing. It's not gone, but it feels different sometimes and it's not as omnipresent. I totally believe that it can take a year for the effects of sugar to leave your bones and joints. It's probably one of the things that takes longest to heal because it's a large system and it's deep.<br /><br />The wine is tricky, I will concur. The reason I've been so specific with myself about when I drink it is because it can be a slippery slope - easily obtained sugar (albeit fruit sugar), a social experience and mood alterer/relaxant. If I find myself underfunctioning on this account, I'm going to have to get rid of it. Which would be the saddest nail in the coffin of my social life. So I'm towing my own line. Cuz I'll cut myself off and I know it :-)K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-64241377995744053232017-03-13T19:09:18.288-04:002017-03-13T19:09:18.288-04:00Don't feel bad about how much money you spend ...Don't feel bad about how much money you spend on anything. You earned it and you spend it! :-) Keep in mind that you have 4 people - I only have 3. So I think you're doing really well. And if your 800 includes booze, you're thrifty, IMO.K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-8303767660505025792017-03-13T07:04:49.717-04:002017-03-13T07:04:49.717-04:00Wow! I get the sugar addicted thing. The first t...Wow! I get the sugar addicted thing. The first time I went off sugar, I had a cookie after two months of no sugar or grains, and it hit my brain like a drug, with an instant and palpable effect. <br /><br />That doesn't mean I've been good about staying off it though, and now I am reluctantly coming back to the belief that I must go back to cutting it all out.<br /><br />Part of the problem was that I live I the southern US, where sugar and starch seem to be the major food groups. The other is that my family is not really supportive, and meals with my grandson and his family (step-daughter)include lots of sugar and various starches (which often break down to sugars that feed my addiction). For a long time I gave in to this, but now I have stopped, because it is obviously detrimental to my well being.<br /><br />If I have a little bit of sugar I want more, and have to start all over. I know there is research that shows that certain starches and sugars do not influence the addiction part of the brain, but most do, and eventually I might experiment with that, but first I have accept that I can't, at this point, even have rare small indulgences and get myself back off sugar altogether. It has been a few weeks, but I still crave it.<br /><br />I can't eat gluten grains anyway due to Celiac disease. I can no longer eat dairy, and most gluten-free grains are very sugar addictive.<br /><br />What I do know is that avoiding sugars and carbs which break down to sugars helps my arthritis. I have osteoarthritis, I was also diagnosed with Rheumatoid in my early 30s. But if I don't eat sugar you would never know it. As soon as the sugar intake starts to increase, the knuckles in my hands start to swell and it is downhill from there. The older I get the worse the pain, and the less it is worth eating something just to suffer. I might still have debilitating pain when I am old, but if I can still control it at almost 59 with diet, I'll do so. <br /><br />The sad thing is that I was still drinking wine and am now thinking I may have to go into a period of no wine drinking. Its not the alcohol, its the sugar in the wine, even dry wine. Perhaps it is just that the wine is the only sugar I get. But it fuels that craving and I want more and more. This doesn't happen with other types of spirits. There is some part of me that has a strong anti-addictive impulse, probably because I was the child of an alcoholic, and for now I have to give up the wine as well, hopefully not forever, but who knows, perhaps by the time I no longer crave the sugar I won't miss the wine either. Mardelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04850551308931710502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-61695690337017628882017-03-12T20:15:56.361-04:002017-03-12T20:15:56.361-04:00Oh, dear lord, good luck! I don't consider mys...Oh, dear lord, good luck! I don't consider myself particularly food-motivated, but I do love my sugars and starches. Not to mention fruit. Also, I now feel less bad about the $800+ we spend every month on groceries. 😂 Tanit-Isishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15824217102632813598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-64980167166491118762017-03-12T13:25:53.368-04:002017-03-12T13:25:53.368-04:00That's interesting. I totally agree with her, ...That's interesting. I totally agree with her, btw! And I do realize that there's a ton of stuff going on right now that might be adding to the challenge. Just think of how easy it'll be when the craziness of life abates and I've habituated to this way of eating :-)K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-11957677467691046442017-03-12T11:55:31.602-04:002017-03-12T11:55:31.602-04:00So good to hear from you. Giving up sugar is v. di...So good to hear from you. Giving up sugar is v. difficult. Marian Keyes, the Irish writer said she found it harder than giving up drink. Plus you have house problems and a mad work schedule so don't beat yourself up. Well done jxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-68088683507263479612017-03-09T20:19:16.480-05:002017-03-09T20:19:16.480-05:00It was fucking stressful to go on this track! I...It was fucking stressful to go on this track! I'm glad to know I've been able to relate that :-) You're right, I don't do things by halves but this is arguably one of the things that I should prioritize doing fully. Maybe it's the other shit I've got to moderate but, man, nothing wants to give.<br /><br />On the topic of other exercise, I have done other exercise in my time, though not in many years. And, until recently, I walked constantly (no time right now). You are not the first person to give me this advice. The one who tells me this constantly: my husband.<br /><br />But I can't say that yoga hasn't actually helped to keep me from having worse pain and degeneration that I would have otherwise. Also, the issue has been most extreme in the last 4 years. So there's a point to be made that, in the last 4 years, other exercise may have done as little or as much as yoga or walking did in that same time frame.<br /><br />But I completely take your point and I think it's wise. I'll get there when the time is right. FWIW, the yoga I did was weight-bearing (lots of inversions and arm balances) so it's not like I wasn't covering that off. Though I realize that lifting free-weights is different than pushing up one's body weight. Sometimes a change is as good as a rest. Thanks for your comment. K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-36590819308875800052017-03-09T20:05:41.744-05:002017-03-09T20:05:41.744-05:00:-) The bread people are serious! You know that al...:-) The bread people are serious! You know that all of the grains (particularly refined) turn into sugar as soon as they hit your blood. That's why I got rid of both of them at the same time. I so agree with you about not eating things you don't love because, seriously, life is too short. So I have to find a way to love this way of eating.K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-59991299146014336082017-03-09T01:33:36.145-05:002017-03-09T01:33:36.145-05:00Wow, I thought omnipresent osteoarthritis sounded ...Wow, I thought omnipresent osteoarthritis sounded like a downer. Hearing about your restrictive new diet actually stresses me out. Do you have to do this at the same time you are working day and night to realign the health care system? Could you perhaps cut out one element--grains, for example--for a few weeks and then cut out another thing? From your past blog posts, I realize you don't do things by halves (understatement), so gradual withdrawal wouldn't be as psychologically satisfying.<br /><br />The other thing I've been wondering about since your yoga ruminations last year is whether you ever gave other exercise methods a real go. For example, maybe weight training could help your joints and nerves in a way yoga hasn't. I can't quote scientific literature on weight training vs yoga. I haven't looked for any studies, so I don't know if any exist. However, a story one woman told about a rather trivial change in her body made me realize how subtly altered exercise routines can work. She said she ran many miles every week for years but could never get a flat stomach. She started running in the woods. After a few months of that uneven terrain, she achieved flat abs. This is an unimportant cosmetic concern, not life-altering like massive inflammation related pain. However, if 20+ years of yoga haven't helped in this one area, maybe one year of doing weight training or cardio or something else that's different is worth a try? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-2712781858530588432017-03-08T19:37:19.489-05:002017-03-08T19:37:19.489-05:00This is such great information, Rise. Thank you! I...This is such great information, Rise. Thank you! I will def look up this woman and her work. I find it interesting that your 12 step program has not been overly helpful. All I know of 12 steps is from TV but I can't imagine that it would work for me. It doesn't hit the nerve that works for me. I completely agree that fat at the end of dinner makes the meal feel more complete esp. if it includes cacao powder and nut butter. It's a really important closure for me.K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-85095237491620387382017-03-07T19:26:50.245-05:002017-03-07T19:26:50.245-05:00I have been part of a 12 Step program for food add...I have been part of a 12 Step program for food addiction for years, without a whole lot of success or relief. Sugar is my main drug of choice, but I recently confirmed that flour of any kind is a problem too. A really helpful resource is Susan Peirce Thompson's Bright Line Eating. New book out the end of March. She has some great videos about the neuroscience of sugar and flour and the effect on people of varying addictability. She only releases the main videos when she is about to do a boot camp for her program, but there is a Bright line eating website and she has lots of videos on youtube. I find that when I am off sugar and flour together, the cravings go away. Still have some emotional and habitual wants, but the physical craving is totally gone most of the time. I do find that a bit of fat at the end of a meal now takes the emotional place that something sweet used to. I make little coconut oil/almond butter/cacao nibs/vanilla bits, which are a lovely alternative.<br />Thanks for sharing your articulate writing around all these issues.Risehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12817143363369832187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-47398154151466444202017-03-07T15:46:49.427-05:002017-03-07T15:46:49.427-05:00It's quite helpful, which is why I'm going...It's quite helpful, which is why I'm going back on it. Tricky when eating out or at someone else's home, but that's par for the course whenever you swim against the tide.<br /><br />The hormonal stuff fascinates me. I haven't dug into the science, though. Jean Shawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17377919316524941535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-9514693368622974702017-03-06T21:58:44.167-05:002017-03-06T21:58:44.167-05:00This sounds miserable, but if it works it might be...This sounds miserable, but if it works it might be worth it. Keep plugging away!<br /><br />I'm not a big sweets person, so while I might be addicted to sugar, I'm most definitely ADDICTED to bread. You think you're wallowing in self pity over losing sugar, but I'd be downright suicidal if I had to give up bread. Life isn't worth living without it, IMO. Which is probably why I'm currently (and likely will always be) overweight. Well that, and the fact that once I cut out the foods that set off my indigestion (basically onions, peppers, celery, and all members of the cabbage family + ice cream--no idea on that one, since no other dairy product bothers me a bit), my diet is pretty limited. And I'm picky. Growing up we didn't always know where the next meal was coming from, now that I know, I'm not willing to eat anything that doesn't taste good or makes my stomach upset. Except garlic--I basically tell my stomach to fuck off when it comes to garlic. ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-23835224954827975572017-03-06T18:55:42.064-05:002017-03-06T18:55:42.064-05:00I'm going to check out that site Marie, thank ...I'm going to check out that site Marie, thank you. I'm so sorry to hear that you've been going through a challenging time (to put it mildly). I'm confident some time and perspective will help you to put together the right plan. And I can't believe that you like that state which I call flat and you call pleasurable. You see, it takes all kinds!K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-28051706726163514542017-03-06T18:52:02.091-05:002017-03-06T18:52:02.091-05:00And I realize that I used the word "refinemen...And I realize that I used the word "refinement" confusingly (in the context of this post)! I mean refining your method, not eating refined :-)K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-69751850966426888182017-03-06T18:50:50.395-05:002017-03-06T18:50:50.395-05:00Ha! Glad I could put you off it :-) People don'...Ha! Glad I could put you off it :-) People don't get that skinny-fat conundrum. I see this time and again. Even I'm guilty of promoting it, though I bite my tongue. I don't think you'll gain weight but it's so interesting that you think you might and that you're also describing a bit of the crazy I feel when my blood sugar fluctuates. Maybe what you're doing isn't right for you? A friend of mine is very healthy (so healthy) and she exercises and she's extremely thin by nature. She eats all the carbs (mainly healthy ones, but I've seen her eat a loaf of Italian white bread) and it has no impact on her weight. That's just how she's built. So I salute you for making change but maybe refinement would be a good thing to try?K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-41002198273081738662017-03-06T18:46:44.319-05:002017-03-06T18:46:44.319-05:00I think they are similar Victoria (see my response...I think they are similar Victoria (see my response to Jean, below). I do think that things get markedly more tolerable (if inconsistently so) after about 3 weeks. And yes! Peaches and vanilla extract are like, blow your mind sweet after a few weeks away from ice cream :-) What I've heard is that this sort of diet can take a long time before you feel the impacts (of course, I'm sure it's person- and situation-specific) but, you may opt to try it again for a longer period of time to confirm whether time is the determining factor. I feel changes but they're subtle.K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-49323418573983228562017-03-06T18:42:47.934-05:002017-03-06T18:42:47.934-05:00Jean - I'd never heard of the Abascal Way and ...Jean - I'd never heard of the Abascal Way and now two of you are telling me about it! I do believe it's quite similar to the modified AIP protocol I'm doing (though maybe more elimination and reintro focused than what I'm up to right now). I'm sure my hormones are messing with me, btw!! :-)K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-92050651612293745272017-03-06T17:16:55.214-05:002017-03-06T17:16:55.214-05:00I also have done the Abascal Way and am preparing ...I also have done the Abascal Way and am preparing to go back on it. It helped tremendously with several issues. I fell off the wagon when my FIL (who is now 95 moved in with us ~3 years ago).<br /><br />I will say that menopause may well be fooling with you. It did with me--before M, any serious grain restriction made me stupid. Now, it's no big deal. Hmmmm.<br /><br />At any rate, best of luck!Jean Shawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17377919316524941535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-68112783219496398612017-03-06T12:04:24.662-05:002017-03-06T12:04:24.662-05:00About 3 years ago I went on an anti-inflammatory d...About 3 years ago I went on an anti-inflammatory diet called The Abascal Way (http://toquietinflammation.com/). I think it is similar to your current diet. There is no sugar allowed. I had issues for about 3 weeks and then the cravings stopped. It is amazing how sweet peaches with vanilla extract are when not eating sugar! I didn't stay on the diet long term because it was too hard and it didn't help with the physical issues I was having. I did find that I was not sensitive to gluten or dairy. A longterm change is that I do eat less sugar and more vegetables than I used to. <br />Good luck on your journey. For me, anyway, the cravings did stop. <br />Victorianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-41436371677061949582017-03-05T15:31:15.246-05:002017-03-05T15:31:15.246-05:00I am definitely a sugar addict. I realized this y...I am definitely a sugar addict. I realized this years ago, when I was doing Weight Watchers. Other people would say at the meetings that they would eat one skinny cow a day, and that would satisfy them. I couldn't do this, if I ate one, I'd eat the whole box. I could eat a whole bag of jelly beans while filling the kids' Easter baskets. I read the Sugar Addiction books by Kathryn DesMaisons, and I followed part of her program to get off sugar. The part I followed was eating a good breakfast, eating protein at every meal, and eliminating overt sugar. I did not find that I had to eliminate traces of sugar in foods like ketchup, but I became very sensitive to sugar, to the point that I couldn't eat sushi because of the sugar content (which I'd never recognized before) and I couldn't tolerate wine. She also recommends eating a potato at night as a way to balance neurotransmitters; I never did that. I think that she is a genius. Her website is radiantrecovery.com. My experience with eliminating sugar was different than your. I found that after 3 days without sugar, I not only didn't crave it, but I found the idea of eating candy repulsive, because it would shatter the wonderful state of serenity that I am in without sugar. You experienced that state as "flat" - for me, it was very pleasurable. Human nature being what it is, I have never been able to stay off sugar permanently. I wish I could, but my addiction to Coke gets me every time. <br /><br />I would also like to try a gluten-free diet. I have at least one auto-immune disorder, and there are a number of them in my immediate family. My life has been in upheaval for the last couple of years - a divorce, two moves in the past year - but I don't have to cook for my sons any more so I'm hoping to find a good eating plan for myself. Marienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-42668430306795410982017-03-05T15:20:54.076-05:002017-03-05T15:20:54.076-05:00Have you seen the Tummy Diet books? I tried their...Have you seen the Tummy Diet books? I tried their cookbook, and made quite a few recipes. They were all good, and I liked the fact that they were fairly simple didn't use unusual ingredients. At the time, I was cooking for two sons. I would make two recipes for dinner, quadrupling them. My sons loved the food, but they would gobble everything down and then ask what was for dinner. It was fine for me but too light for them. And one of them is a vegetarian, so I couldn't even use the meat recipes. I may try it again now that they are out of the house.Marienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-13221246398949565732017-03-05T13:56:18.666-05:002017-03-05T13:56:18.666-05:00Just read your post instead of eating that slice o...Just read your post instead of eating that slice of cake (which I know is not tasty but I had a lousy day so I want sugar)...<br /><br />I'm gradually changing my diet from the worst imaginable to less-processed food and healthier choices. A couple of interesting lessons from this change:<br />1. I'm thin, but un-healthy. People don't understand that thin people don't get a green light for unhealthy eating. When I pass on desert people would comment "but you can afford the calories". Maybe, but why should I eat unhealthy food? <br />2. When I ate sandwiches and chocolate I was satisfied with my food and gave it little thought. My weight was mostly stable. Now I constantly feel deprived and crave sandwiches and chocolate.I worry that I'll gain weight because of this change (shouldn't it be the other way around?)<br />3. I used to think that if the weight is stable and the mind isn't over-occupied with food than the body should be fine. It isn't true.<br />4. Better food choices is a group challenge. I'm constantly annoyed by those who makes unhealthy and fattening food for those on a diet. Loosing weight and changing food habits is so difficult! People should support those who try to change.Roni Arbelhttp://wardrobehistology.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1606088928583067206.post-71936324056170032512017-03-05T07:50:44.284-05:002017-03-05T07:50:44.284-05:00You raise such an interesting point about all the ...You raise such an interesting point about all the processed foods containing milk products. It's so true. As an aside, one of my 10 posts on sugar will consider how removing "food groups" is how people actually lose a lot of weight when they start to eat AIP or paleo or whole 30.<br /><br />I'm eating about the same amount of meat and fish as ever, but I'm making sure it comes from good sources and I'm cooking it for myself. Somehow, this way of eating makes me much less interested in volume.<br /><br />And the only grain I miss - the only one - is rice. But I don't miss it enough to eat it if getting rid of it may make me feel better. Stone fruits are lovely and I'm going to eat them all once the season turns.<br /><br />They may be implicated in the sugar addiction but I suspect it's person dependent. I can eat fruit without feeling the sugar high with which I'm very familiar, though I don't eat more than 2 servings a day and I stick to the low sugar fruits.<br /><br />I need variety and I need sweetness to feel that the full complement of tastes is represented in my diet. Because to me that's psychologically non-negotiable. But I can see how this might not be viable for some people with some brain chemistries. K.Linehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15350615302797686048noreply@blogger.com