Sugar Cravings

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

 

How bad are your/your child's sugar cravings?

 

I made dairy/soy/gluten/wheat/corn free chocolate chip cookies, and they were actually really good. I was planning on the cookies being a couple months supply with just 3-4 cookies a week. Well, that didn't last long. Instead I got into one of my horrible cravings and ate atleast 36 cookies in just about four days. When I get cravings, they are this bad. It's not just five cookies and I'm done. It's frustating because I know just lowering sugar intake isn't going to work. I'm going to have to remove it completely otherwise even lowering the sugar intake won't work because of these strong cravings. I know no sugar is for the best, but still I would like to be able to have a little now and then without getting off track.

 

Does anyone else/your child have cravings like this? I don't see anyone ever mentioning it as being a problem for themselves or their child. For me this has always been a huge struggle for me.

 

Carolyn

[kim]

Carolyn, Honestly that is the WORST problem we have here.

 

You and I have discussed my youngest son's limited diet. We go through the SUGAR struggle daily.

 

I feel btwn such a rock and a hard place with this. I thought he would be worse with tics, when eating sugar. I was linking it to yeast overgrowth. He is better, his whole nature is so much more pleasant when he gets his sugar fix. It HAS to be more of a hypoglycemic type of thing.

 

I just read a post where someone was saying that lithium was prescribed for mood issues, when in fact it was sugar metabolism. Now, our issues are not that bad, but it is really obvious that he functions better, when sugar is not withheld. As long as he is young and so active, he may be able to handle it, but long term, I know this will probably harm his health dramatically.

 

Do you notice feeling better or worse, with cookies?

[Guest]

Okay, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with these types of cravings. I can do mostly anything else like shots, acupuncture, chelation, vitamins, etc., but diet is by far the worst struggle ever for me. For me I think sugar makes my tics worse, but again sugar is an allergy for me. I experience a worse feeling with cookies especially when they have chocolate in them.

 

Carolyn

[orthomolecular]

I would end up eating a lot more starch (chips) or sugary foods than I planned to. But now that I am supplementing I don't do that.

 

In the past, at around 3 in the afternoon I would go to the vending machine at work and get peanuts because I knew that eating a bag of pretzels would leave me more hungry than I was to begin with. I know I had a low blood sugar problem or too much insulin production causing that drop in blood sugar. This is something you can help with adjusting your diet. Just don't eat those foods that will trigger that sharp rise in insulin.

 

I don't snack in the afternoon anymore. I have read that zinc and magnesium are the most important for managing blood sugar problems. I think these two nutrients are probably what helped me with my blood sugar problems. Of course there may be other nutrients too but I think for me these two are probably what helped me.

 

I know in ortho the high histamine type has a problem with blood sugar which is not like my problem. They are low in sulfur which is needed to make insulin. I had low histamine levels and corrected this with the right supplements. But at one point, my histamine levels were not low but actually high, and I had this incrediable appetite. So I know that some types can have another problem with hunger and basically burning through food quickly.

 

I do supplement sulfur too, and this may have also helped me with my blood sugar problem. But I think I noticed more of an improvement from supplementing the zinc and magnesium.

 

George Watson has studied that some people have real differences between how their body (specifically their muscles) process sugar. He explains how in the winter most people may eat more fat, and this is helpful. As our metabolism changes because of the change in temperatures outside this can effect how our bodies metabolise sugar. How your body processes sugar in the muscle tissues can actually relate to that observation of how some people are always cold. To explain it simply, when your body burns sugar or fat it produces heat. So if you are always cold when others are comfortable this may be a sign of a sugar metablism problem. (Not low blood sugar but problems with how your muscle tissues get that sugar.)

 

This last explanation may not directly relate to your problem of having low blood sugar problems after eating certain foods, but for others it might be more relevent. Watson says some are fast oxidizers, some slow oxidizers and some are mixed. The fast ozidizers seem to correspond to the high histamine type in ortho, while the slow oxidizers correspond to the low histamine types.

[Sydsmom]

I think my cravings are worse than my kids'!! The one thing I've noticed is that since it's not around they don't seem to "crave" it too much. They both do indulge maybe once a week or every 10 days depending on what's going on. The school district made a decision this year to take sugar out of the teachers' treats, the school lunches and no more holiday parties with sugar or birthday sugary treats are allowed to be brought in. I was jumping up and down when I heard this!! That was one place my kids would cheat and I had little control over it. I know myself too, when I can get passed a few days, the craving isn't as strong. Caroline, if you can just get passed a few days and try hard to not bring it home or buy it, maybe that will help? When I have a sugar craving I try to replace it with something, sometimes a cup of coffee or a cup of green tea. It takes my mind off of it. Yesterday I had such a huge craving but I just decided to NOT give in and by the end of the day I had succeeded. It's now after lunch and I'm craving it again but I'm deciding to NOT give in again. It's a discipline and it take practice. I hope this encourages you in some way. You are such a strong person - in all you've accomplished on your own that I know you can overcome this sugar thing too.

 

Lisa

[Giselle]

Hi there, the only time Hoyt craves sugar is when his yeast is high - although he likes the odd cookies here and there but for the most part he's more of a salt guy.

 

I, on the other hand, crave sugar just before my period! A batch of cookies meant for a YEAR would not be safe around me!!! I am also a bit compulsive and can't buy the stuff or it's eaten until it's gone. I don't usually eat Hoyt's sweets though because I make them from scratch and want them to last for him (read, I don't want to bake any more than I have too!).

 

So I'm not sure if it's a Tourettes thing - maybe it's part of being a gal?

 

Giselle

[Claire]

Carolyn,

 

I thought you had yeast? Sugar and carb cravings are common with that. Even if you don't have yeast, blood sugar issues and hyperinsulism cause cravings. I have always had a problem with sugar, so I don't eat sweets with sucrose, period.

 

What we do for my son and I is substitute Xylitol and Stevia for the sucrose. Xylitol is one of 2 sugar alcohols that I know of that is not derived from corn. (Erythritol is the other, but it is 40% less sweet than sucrose or something). It is completely natural and has no aftertaste...at least good brands don't. We order from www.smartsweet.com. (The other brand we tried at WHole Foods was awful, don't remember the name). It is fine for baking...we make gluten-free cinnamon rolls with it too. We use Pamela's Wheat Free bread mix (no milk or corn I think).

 

Really the taste of sweets can get me to eat more than I need, but I don't get the sugar fluctuations and cravings afterward...it is even okay for diabetics. You can only eat a limited amount or you get diahrea...that is enough to force anyone to be well controlled after overdoing it once!

 

Stevia is a totally natural sweetener, and I often blend the two, to reduce the risk of stomach upset (not an issue with Stevia). However Stevia can have a strong taste if used in excess. So I do mostly Xylitol. Stevia is great with smoothies, since the fruit somehow kills any 'licorishy' after taste.

 

I researched the heck out of Xylitol and only found good things. In gum form it even reduces cavities better than anything. We use xylitol rinses and toothpaste and even nasal sprays to avoid sinus infections.

 

Claire

[Giselle]

Yes, excellent suggestion! We use xylitol too - but I use the brand from Whole Foods and only in baking so will order some that you mentioned Claire. Only word of caution about xylitol - apparently it is fatal to dogs - even in tiny amounts - their livers can't process it so no sharing treats with Fido!

Giselle

[Guest]

Thanks for all the replies and info everyone.

 

Supplements don't make a difference in my cravings.

 

I think the only answer is going to be to remove sugar totally. Yesterday, I was craving peanut butter. It was like my earth balance butter cravings I dealt with. I'm not a fan of peanut butter plain even though I could eat a bunch plain yesterday. I like peanut butter cookies and peanut butter spread on celery is okay, but other than that not a plain fan.

 

I crave sugar any time of the month.

 

Claire-Yes, I have yeast. Does Xylitol feed yeast? What about honey? Does that feed yeast?

 

Carolyn

[Claire]

Presumably xylitol doesn't feed yeast, though some claim that everything feeds yeast. Not like sugar anyway.

 

Yes honey feeds yeast.

 

Giselle, that is really strange (and terrible) about xylitol and dogs!!

 

Claire

[Giselle]

Claire, I know! I just saw it on the news the other night and realize that I make Hoyt's pancakes with it and was feeding them the scraps! I could have killed them! I only use one tablespoon in a recipe that makes about 16 pancakes so they were only getting a tiny bit but still! Interesting that they can't process caffeine either!

 

Giselle

[Chemar]

Hi carolyn

 

I know that our physician has a very different take on an anti candida diet than most, but it has worked ok for us and is a lot less restrictive

 

HONEY was actually recommended for us (dark pure) as it is known to aid in candida removal

 

here is some more on that

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96

 

Other reports indicate honey is effective at inhibiting Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Darker honeys, specifically honey from buckwheat flowers, sage and tupelo, contain a greater amount of antioxidants than other honeys, and raw, unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances.

 

 

we cant use xylitol as it gives us digestive probs 9laxative effect) tho I know many people do just fine with it

[kim]

Orthomolecular,

 

Could you tell me what you use to supplement sulfur?

 

 

Kim

[Claire]

Giselle,

 

I asked you on another thread how you got rid of lead. Maybe you will see it here? We were doing calcium and MT promotion but it doesn't seem to be doing it for the lead. Gonna start EDTA soon.

 

 

Chemar,

 

Interesting re recommending honey, but every doctor is different...or maybe just the type of honey. Xylitol does have a laxative effective for MOST. That's why I have limited portions. Though really it is odd, I can have a fair amount without any issues.

 

Claire

[Giselle]

Hi Claire, well our DAN doctor thought that if we got his zinc to copper ratio more in line with normal Hoyt would start eliminating better - which I guess is true as his copper did come down quite a bit and his zinc went up. We did this with loads of P5P, zinc and glutathione (he says it helps with elimination as well) as well as other nutrients and neurotransmitter support (although I doubt the later helped with the lead). We also did some chelation bouts with DMSA which apparently we are starting again - I don't know why I'm so hesitant to start up again - I just feel that the MT therapy sounds so much better for Mercury. I called Pfeiffer today and they are having me fill out the health history form. From your other posts you say they won't let him start unless his zinc is at 90? I just looked at the results from this summer and he had 72. Mind you his Environmental doc doubled his zinc intake so perhaps it's come up some? How did you get your child's up?

 

Thanks,

Giselle