# cutting back on sugar & quitting it all together



## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

Hello, 
Just wondering if anyone has quit eating sugar and how/why did you do it?

I have been thinking of it for some time now because I keep coming across information that says how BAD it is for human health. As in cancer tumors thrive on sugar. ugh. I am also curious to learn if I would feel any different without it in my system, so to speak. Not to say I feel badly now, but maybe I don't know how much better I could feel. Make sense?

I suspect it is going to be as hard as quitting cigarettes, but hopefully without the tears. I literally cried I wanted to smoke so bad. 

I'd love to hear if you tackled this too.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I eat very little sugar. Almost none of the white stuff, and I limit high carbohydrate foods that basically convert to sugar in the bloodstream. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy the occasional treat, especially when dining out (4 -5 times a year), but I do go easy even then. If it weren't for the hummingbirds I probably wouldn't even have white sugar in the house. 

In spite of limiting sugar and carbs for the past 25 years, I still developed type 2 diabetes. I guess there's an exception to every rule.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

Belfrybat said:


> I eat very little sugar. Almost none of the white stuff, and I limit high carbohydrate foods that basically convert to sugar in the bloodstream. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy the occasional treat, especially when dining out (4 -5 times a year), but I do go easy even then. If it weren't for the hummingbirds I probably wouldn't even have white sugar in the house.
> 
> In spite of limiting sugar and carbs for the past 25 years, I still developed type 2 diabetes. I guess there's an exception to every rule.



wow that's a bummer. more reason for me to get my intake in check.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Be aware not all carbs affect all people the same. For example doc said small amounts brown rice (like half a cup) should be fine, I just shouldnt eat a bowl full. Well even teaspoon of brown rice shoots my blood sugar sky high. My body converts it to sugar very quickly. Nothing else affects me like that, not even a spoon of table sugar eaten directly.

On other hand I can eat a normal sized bowl (normal in the real world) of cooked buckwheat and doesnt budge it hardly at all. While glycemic index says buckwheat is rated up there kinda high along with rice and several other grains.

As to diets that claim you should eliminate carbs entirely, thats as nuts as trying to eliminate all protein or all fat. Want to set yourself up for future troubles, try to restrict your diet severely like that. YOu are better off finding out which carbs are a problem for you in particular. Saying that, obviously junk food and highly process stuff isnt good for anybody. 

I am still not convinced that type2 diabetes isnt more a deficiency in something like chromium. But all the various radically different claims out there, really need somebody doing real research not just trying to pump up their bank account. All medical research anymore seems first and formost an effort to develop some high priced drug you have to take for rest of your life. Actually curing something is big no-no as that is much less profitable.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

HermitJohn said:


> Be aware not all carbs affect all people the same. For example doc said small amounts brown rice (like half a cup) should be fine, I just shouldnt eat a bowl full. Well even teaspoon of brown rice shoots my blood sugar sky high. My body converts it to sugar very quickly. Nothing else affects me like that, not even a spoon of table sugar eaten directly.
> 
> On other hand I can eat a normal sized bowl (normal in the real world) of cooked buckwheat and doesnt budge it hardly at all. While glycemic index says buckwheat is rated up there kinda high along with rice and several other grains.
> 
> ...


It's too bad that it does seeming curing things isn't profitable so it doesn't happen? I have a feeling the body can heal itself given the right things and you are probably on the right track with the chromium deficiency idea. 

I don't know very much about diabetes, just trying to be healthier. 
I like this quote:

"do something today your future self will thank you for"


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

I have totally eliminated sugar from my diet, out of necessity. I have severe candida issues, and for some reason my body does not process any sort of sugar properly (still trying to figure this out). 
I cannot even eat any normal amounts of fruit or berries, without a bad reaction. Even starchy foods like potatoes bother me. 

I use stevia when I need something sweet, like in coffee or muffins. Every once in awhile I can tolerate a smidgeon of maple syrup, in baked goods, but it's minimal.


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## 258Pots (Apr 23, 2015)

since my food is my medicine I eat very little sugar. I use it in my Kombucha, and sometimes sprinkle cinnamon sugar (sucanat) on my toast. But since cutting out processed foods I only get processed sugar if I add it...


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

my wife and I gave up sugar and grain , we went fairly strict for about 6 months lost weight felt better , cheated occupationally but if say we were going to have ice cream , we had the good ice cream.

what I think is that some sugar here and there when you really enjoy it is fine but sugar as part of every day has a lot of issues 

one of the things I found after years of fighting heart burn , was that it was the sugar , if I eat sugar the hear burn comes back and withing a day or so of cutting the sugar out all heart burn is gone


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## CountryMom22 (Nov 27, 2014)

I cut out sugar to help lose weight. I was amazed at how much better I feel! It took a few days for the craving to go away and my blood sugar to stabilize, but it was well worth the effort. I find that my energy level stays more level without the ups and downs of the sugar highs.

We still eat a lot of fruit but try really hard to limit the sugar, but with teenagers in the house, it's hard.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Fruits vary on how fast they turn to sugar after you eat them. All dried fruits gonna be not so great though prunes probably best of them. Fresh fruits better, whole fresh fruits that is. Things like bananas, grapes, and melons bad if you are diabetic, they hit your bloodstream fast. Things like apples, plums, apricots, and berries good, more fiber, so slower. Avocados and olives very good though they are high fat so in class by themselves. I look forward to my morning avocado now, though still havent forced myself to buy 30 of them at a time... but I keep upping number I buy, since I only go grocery shopping once a month! Should force myself to town this week, Aldi has them on sale 29cents each. That wouldnt break my budget to buy in quantity at that price. Though when they are cheaper, the quality is usually lot lower.

I was reading in diabetes book I got in mail today interesting factoid. Modern commercial variety fruits like apples are significantly higher in sugar than just couple decades ago. (book published in 2004). Could have fooled me, since lot of fruit like apples taste pretty bland out of supermarket since they are harvested long before they develop any real flavor, they are just sweet, not flavorful. I suppose they are bred extra sweet for this very reason, otherwise nobody would eat them at all. Even fruit like peaches and pears that will ripen some after you bring them home, sure are nothing like ripe off tree versions. Anyway, this increased sugar content not good for diabetics.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

HermitJohn - How do you keep avocados from spoiling too quickly if you only go to the market once a month? I struggle with this. Can't eat them all fast enough, after waiting for them to ripen!

Interesting about the different fruits. I did read somewhere that bananas were high in sugar content. I love berries but it's a short season - glad to be in the middle of it now... Supermarket apples are bleh. Another thing that is best local and in season. Wax on food is weird. Reminds me of toy food. 

CountryMom - I am glad to hear the cravings just lasted a few days. I hope for the same when I finally get the nerve up.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Yea, guessing a month would be tricky. 2 weeks be ok. Maybe should just up amount I buy from 10 to 15 and see how that goes. Wonder how they freeze since they are a high fat fruit..... At least if they start getting too soft, scoop them out and freeze the pulp.


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

A couple thoughts:

-diabetes is a metabolic condition, determined by genetics, in which damage is done to arteries when excess calories are eaten. The damage done is only loosely correlated to blood sugar levels (ie- some people have few problems even with hi sugars; others have severe problems even with good sugar control.) Non-diabetics can eat all the sugar they want and cause no problems. You can't "cause" diabetes by eating too much, but diabetics can develop problems by same.

-glycemic index has to do with how a certain food is digested and how it tends to affect blood sugar levels. As HermitJohn suggests, and the socialists hate to admit: everybody is different. One size does NOT fit all.

-ALL food is turned to sugar in our livers. Eating sugar is not bad in and of itself. Most of us would not sit and shovel in a plate full of sugar, but we would eat a plate of pasta- which is basically starch- which is essentially sugar. As CountryMom found out, and is true for most (but not all) of us--starches (carbs) tend to bloat us. We're used to it and don't notice it until we stop eating the starches for a while and then start to feel good. 

-fruits are "natural sugar." (Is sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beets not natural?) Consider them the same as eating candy.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

for avacadoes you buy a bunch of hard ones say 6-10 and give them a feel every few days when they start feeling right eat , you can also ripen them a bit faster leving them out in a basket 

it's a little like bananas you buy them real green , and a few days later your having 2-3 bananas a day while they are just right then you toss the last few over ripe ones in a yogurt smoothie


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I could eat a 3 egg omelet or at least half of one very morning , my wife on the other hand though this was great till about the 3rd month of omelets for breakfast every morning an now not so much


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## GAZZA (Apr 16, 2015)

A guy I know lost over 75lbs in 12 months from just giving away any sugar in his diet. 

Salt is another food additive that's also no good for us.

Wylie


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

doc- said:


> A couple thoughts:
> 
> -diabetes is a metabolic condition, determined by genetics, in which damage is done to arteries when excess calories are eaten. The damage done is only loosely correlated to blood sugar levels (ie- some people have few problems even with hi sugars; others have severe problems even with good sugar control.) Non-diabetics can eat all the sugar they want and cause no problems. You can't "cause" diabetes by eating too much, but diabetics can develop problems by same.
> 
> ...


Um yes and no. Diabetes can have a genetic component, but you can darn well get it through long term bad diet. My parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles didnt have diabetes, not a one of them. And its not just about weight, there are skinny type2 diabetics. Though no doubt more lard tubs than skinny minnies. And yes you put lot plaque build up on your arteries and its going to do circulatory system damage, but not cause of diabetes, but cause you got clogged pipes. My doctor said the AMA recommends he immediately put ALL diagnosed diabetics on statins right away, assuming ALL diabetics eat normal craptastic American diet and have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. My doc looked at my blood pressure and knew I wasnt your average diabetic. Told him I ate a very grain based vegetarian diet for the most part. He was smart enough to know this meant it was highly unlikely I had high cholesterol, so didnt put me on statins. The blood test confirmed this.

Diabetes by definition is lack of automatic blood sugar control by your pancreas. In other words something aint working right in your body. The blood sugar spikes are what causes the damage. Your blood vessels become inflamed and damaged with the blood sugar spikes and its really bad if it starts staying at a high level ALL the time. However you do it, if you can keep blood sugar under 140 one hour after meals, and under 120 two hours after meals, you will prevent damage, though just doing that via drugs and such wont necessarily get your automated machinery working again. You will of course feel better and be lot happier if you can get fasting blood sugar between 80 and 90 and a return to your pancreas regulating things naturally.

As to calories consumed, that is where the glycemic load comes in. You can control blood sugar spikes by severely limiting amounts of food in diet you ate that got you into the situation in first place, though I doubt anybody not locked in a prison cell can keep such calorie restricted diet up long term. A thimble full of this and thimble full of that will drive you rather crazy. Just like a super restrictive calorie counting weight loss diet will. However you use the glycemic load as a guide, and yes you really need to test how eating a particular food in a particular quantity affects YOU. The glycemic index/load charts are just a guide. Anyway by choosing foods wisely, you can eat enough calories to be satisfied without spiking your blood sugar to damaging level. For instance typical diabetic (not every diabetic) can eat a pint of blueberries at one meal, OR only three or four grapes. The grapes convert to blood sugar immediately, the blueberries dont. So not all fruit is "pure candy". And again you have to test and figure how particular quantities of a particular food affect YOU as an individual. The glycemic load index is just a guide. No guarantee YOU can eat a pint of blueberries at one meal.

And I doubt the super high protein diet is way to go. They call "paleo" diet, but in reality if you truly look at what those populations in far north eating mostly animal based diet, actually ate, it was a high fat diet, medium protein diet. And not cooked/processed fat like we eat, but RAW unprocessed, unrendered, uncooked fat from a wild occean going mammal so lot more nutrients. Nearly everybody alive with a tv should have seen one of those documentaries showing traditional northern natives harvesting a whale and cutting up the blubber into chunks for winter eating. They truly chewed the fat around the old camp fire....

Best I can figure my mistake is that I have eaten a high whole grains based diet for long period of time. Not enough fresh veggies. Whole grains are relatively cheap and filling. Basically a healthy cheap convenience food, if eaten in moderation. Living alone for last 21 years, I cook the most convenient way, not the healthiest. I am too cheap to buy the overpriced processed food and instead ate lot whole grain and beans. Its relatively fast, definitely easy, and very filling. Just way too many of the wrong kind of carbs.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> for avacadoes you buy a bunch of hard ones say 6-10 and give them a feel every few days when they start feeling right eat , you can also ripen them a bit faster leving them out in a basket
> 
> it's a little like bananas you buy them real green , and a few days later your having 2-3 bananas a day while they are just right then you toss the last few over ripe ones in a yogurt smoothie


How long do they stay hard in refrigerator? I have had some of the rock hard ones and it took about a week setting on counter to get soft enough to eat. I already found I can deal with ten avocados at a time. Not sure about any more than 15 at a time. Have feeling more than that and some going to turn to mush before getting used. And they are too expensive to waste like that.


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

HermitJohn said:


> Um yes and no. Diabetes can have a genetic component, but you can darn well get it through long term bad diet. My parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles didnt have diabetes, not a one of them. And its not just about weight, there are skinny type2 diabetics. Though no doubt more lard tubs than skinny minnies. And yes you put lot plaque build up on your arteries and its going to do circulatory system damage, but not cause of diabetes, but cause you got clogged pipes. My doctor said the AMA recommends he immediately put ALL diagnosed diabetics on statins right away, assuming ALL diabetics eat normal craptastic American diet and have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. My doc looked at my blood pressure and knew I wasnt your average diabetic. Told him I ate a very grain based vegetarian diet for the most part. He was smart enough to know this meant it was highly unlikely I had high cholesterol, so didnt put me on statins. The blood test confirmed this.
> 
> Diabetes by definition is lack of automatic blood sugar control by your pancreas. In other words something aint working right in your body. The blood sugar spikes are what causes the damage. Your blood vessels become inflamed and damaged with the blood sugar spikes and its really bad if it starts staying at a high level ALL the time. However you do it, if you can keep blood sugar under 140 one hour after meals, and under 120 two hours after meals, you will prevent damage, though just doing that via drugs and such wont necessarily get your automated machinery working again. You will of course feel better and be lot happier if you can get fasting blood sugar between 80 and 90 and a return to your pancreas regulating things naturally.
> 
> ...



Funny things is a side affect of the statins is diabetes


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

HermitJohn said:


> How long do they stay hard in refrigerator? I have had some of the rock hard ones and it took about a week setting on counter to get soft enough to eat. I already found I can deal with ten avocados at a time. Not sure about any more than 15 at a time. Have feeling more than that and some going to turn to mush before getting used. And they are too expensive to waste like that.


We have kept them in the fridge for about a week before they start to soften and they need used. The ones we are buying now are hard as rocks and don't seem to soften up at all. 

There is truth that not all people with type 2 caused it by poor diet and lack of exercise. My grandmother had type 2 and was in no way overweight or lazy. Ethnicity and sex plays a role in it too. Hubby's family has a strong family history of type 2 and it started with someone who was a female that was not overweight and ate a healthy diet. Hubby was told to follow a Mediterranean diet and has had great control over his blood sugars. We did run into issues with one doctor saying fruit was bad; especially bananas and another saying bananas are ok if eaten early in the day and not very often because they do contain sugars, but they are natural ones. We also learned the hard way that doctors are not honest when it comes to you lab work. After hubby was diagnosed, his doctor told him they saw it coming over the past years! Every year when his blood work came back the doctor would say it was completely fine. They have in interest in people being sick.


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## Bret (Oct 3, 2003)

Two percent milk went bad and I had a mouthful with granola. Why this time, did I not take the big inhale of the jug before pouring. I always do...well almost. 

The English toffee in the fridge brought back as a gift from a daughter and from the Atlantic Shore on the next shelf, was OK though.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

NEfarmgirl said:


> We have kept them in the fridge for about a week before they start to soften and they need used. The ones we are buying now are hard as rocks and don't seem to soften up at all.
> 
> There is truth that not all people with type 2 caused it by poor diet and lack of exercise. My grandmother had type 2 and was in no way overweight or lazy. Ethnicity and sex plays a role in it too. Hubby's family has a strong family history of type 2 and it started with someone who was a female that was not overweight and ate a healthy diet. Hubby was told to follow a Mediterranean diet and has had great control over his blood sugars. We did run into issues with one doctor saying fruit was bad; especially bananas and another saying bananas are ok if eaten early in the day and not very often because they do contain sugars, but they are natural ones. We also learned the hard way that doctors are not honest when it comes to you lab work. After hubby was diagnosed, his doctor told him they saw it coming over the past years! Every year when his blood work came back the doctor would say it was completely fine. They have in interest in people being sick.


Its not necessarily poor diet, but a diet that spikes your blood sugar causing problems for a diabetic. A healthy diet for healthy person is not necessarily the same as a healthy diet for a diabetic. A really truly healthy person will never go over 120 blood glucose reading whatever they eat. Not after meal, not ever. But safe limit is FBS under 100, and not over 140 an hour after a meal, and 120 two hour after a meal. And its amazingly hard thing to do manually, through diet alone, something a healthy person's pancreas does automagically.

Thing is docs have learned that most people arent going to follow some strict diet with miniscule amounts of food, and strict monitoring of blood sugar levels. They are happy if patient just can keep things reasonably stable using drugs, and not go into some uncontrolled high or low. And since most GPs now do 10 minute per patient assembly line medicine, they just arent going to take time to explain things adequately nor do much hand holding. Easier and far quicker to go the drug route forever.


Past few days I had been experimenting with chromium supplement while still using relatively small amount injected insulin. On Monday night after insulin injection, the chromium had finally started doing its thing and that insulin put me into a low sugar tailspin. I figured what was happening, and got bit of honey down me before blacking out. So last night didnt do the insulin. My FBS up but not great amount. I want to see if the chromium (and B complex) supplements will control it along with diet. 

However I found out today, my system is very fragile without the insulin. I went on blood sugar roller coaster ride after two cup black coffee (my last little guilty pleasure). I had read caffeine will spike blood sugar, but no problem up to today. Ok, no more coffee. Yea just like that. Also finding I need to eat on a strict schedule. Having lived alone for past 21 years, this is not easy thing for me. Far harder than giving up coffee. But I am determined to control this thing through diet and if need be, couple over counter supplements.

And yes bananas and grapes and melons all turn to sugar fast. Though every person should confirm this for themselves. Seeing is believing. Do a blood glucose reading one hour out and then two hours out. Commercial bananas always gave me heartburn anyway (expensive organic ones dont), so havent eaten them in long time. Will miss melon and grapes. But whatever it takes. 

And yes, think I will have to start grocery shopping twice a month, not just for the avocados. Raw salad mixed with some cooked buckwheat and lentils seems to be good thing for me, very filling without lot carbs. Whereas cooked veggies not that filling. But fresh veggies (especially green leafy ones) not so fresh towards end of month.


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...cIGQ6HhkkcTZarrBw&sig2=NNKPIKBXVLQd1DyAic2sqw

This very interesting. Has to do with your chromium and more


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## NEfarmgirl (Jan 27, 2009)

HermitJohn said:


> Its not necessarily poor diet, but a diet that spikes your blood sugar causing problems for a diabetic. A healthy diet for healthy person is not necessarily the same as a healthy diet for a diabetic. A really truly healthy person will never go over 120 blood glucose reading whatever they eat. Not after meal, not ever. But safe limit is FBS under 100, and not over 140 an hour after a meal, and 120 two hour after a meal. And its amazingly hard thing to do manually, through diet alone, something a healthy person's pancreas does automagically.
> 
> Thing is docs have learned that most people arent going to follow some strict diet with miniscule amounts of food, and strict monitoring of blood sugar levels. They are happy if patient just can keep things reasonably stable using drugs, and not go into some uncontrolled high or low. And since most GPs now do 10 minute per patient assembly line medicine, they just arent going to take time to explain things adequately nor do much hand holding. Easier and far quicker to go the drug route forever.
> 
> ...


Mom was a type 1 her entire life and it was crazy to see what would throw her out of control. Being sick and not eating a meal would spike her sugars over 500 in a heartbeat even when she took insulin. Diabetes is a strange creature.

We have to buy groceries every week because veggies don't stay fresh very long; especially organic ones. Thankfully now we have a garden and the farmers market is available twice a week. Hubby loves bananas and melon so he needs reminders to not buy them. I try to keep berries on hand and he finally developed a taste for them. We haven't tried buckwheat yet; lentils show up in our meal rotation. I had a thought on keeping avocados fresh for a little longer. I will research it, but I know tomatoes will not ripen if wrapped in newspaper and can stay green for months in a cool environment. I wonder if avocados would be the same way? We are trying to figure out ways to keep things fresh longer, because we are tired of finding surprises when our veggies turn bad.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Buckwheat, mung beans, and carob (raw carob is naturally sweet) are all very high in D-chiro-inositol which helps control blood sugar. So all worth a try to see how they affect your blood sugar. Some of my best fasting blood sugar readings are morning after I had 100% buckwheat pancakes. I put some carob and cinnamon and ginger in them. The raw carob is naturally sweet. The toasted carob isnt so I prefer the raw. The pancakes sort of taste like ginger snap cookie to me. No added sweetening. Though I mostly eat buckwheat as a cooked grain rather than using it as flour.` The cooked buckwheat and lentils nice mixed in raw veggie salad.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I cant do youtube, I am on prepaid metered mobile broadband, any video eats through my very expensive bandwidth lickity split, so I uninstalled flash since seems lot websites are very inconsiderate and start playing flash ads page opens, without asking permission. so I do have broadband, but very little of it. Dialup became unusable for all intents and purposes so this was my only option.


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## Pat-wcWI (Oct 28, 2012)

I have successfully given up sugar.

I had a higher than normal fasting blood sugar on my last physical and diabetes 2 runs in my family. I have check ups every 6 months due to cancer I had 15 years ago. Cancer feeding on sugar and family history were enough to make me give it up.

My Dr. said "no sugar, no fruit, no corn, no peas". I asked about sweet potatoes and he said NO. I had already given up white starches.

I did feel more energy since then. I have been eating more veggies, green leafy esp., only whole grains when I eat grains, and lean protein.

If you research what sugar does to your body it is not hard to think of sugar as not being your friend.

Best of luck!


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Actually whole grains have higher glycemic index that yucky processed flours. You should avoid all grains and include good fats as in animal fats and olive and flax oils and eggs.


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## pureliving4life (Aug 19, 2015)

I experimented a lot with my diet in the past to find a way of eating that worked for me. I read how awful sugar was as well and challenged myself to give it up cold turkey for an entire month. It was hard!

The first 2-3 days were nothing but migraines. I may have given up caffeine too at the time... can't remember. I also felt a lot of deprivation, addiction, etc. but I worked through it. I had a lot of time to work through the sugar cravings and had to tell myself over and over that I was addicted to sugar and wouldn't die without it, and that the craving would pass. I crave sweets a lot at night and nights were always the most difficult. I also had to make 100% of my food basically because even something as innocent as salad dressing can have a lot of sugar in it. It made hanging out around people and eating out difficult, so it's definitely easier to quit sugar with a partner so that there are two people available to cook meals and what not.

In the end, I felt no different. I didn't lose a pound (my weight is already pretty stable and healthy), and my craving for sugar never fully went away. I did have a new appreciation for natural sweets, however. I came up with a lot of snack ideas that contained no sugar. I increased my consumption of protein and fat which I do feel my body thrives on. 

I personally believe that not all sugar is bad. I try to eat as natural and as organic as possible and then trust my body will crave what it needs. I eat chocolate daily but I don't feel that I'm addicted to it. I don't get addicted to natural fruits such as sugar.

What gets me into trouble is the "bad sugar" like high fructose corn syrup and unnatural beverages or sweets. If I start drinking sugary frappuccinos, that's the end of it for me for a while. I instantly crave more. It's like a drug... they don't even taste good most of the time which makes me realize that it's an addiction. 

I don't think crash diets or extreme diets are sustainable by any means, and every person needs to eat what makes them feel good reasonably speaking, everyone should strive to eat as natural as possible, but extreme diets have always taught me A LOT about my body, my cravings, and have helped me be creative in satisfying cravings in a healthier way.


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## Ms.Lilly (Jun 23, 2008)

HermitJohn-Avocados, this is what works for me. I buy the avocados while they are hard. When I get them home I put them on the counter until the just start turning. At that point I put them in the fridge. They will slowly finish ripening, sometimes they start to wrinkle but I have only had a few go bad.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ms.Lilly said:


> HermitJohn-Avocados, this is what works for me. I buy the avocados while they are hard. When I get them home I put them on the counter until the just start turning. At that point I put them in the fridge. They will slowly finish ripening, sometimes they start to wrinkle but I have only had a few go bad.


Sort of figured out they will ripen in refrig within two weeks of purchase. So only leave them out if I want them ripe really fast. At time of my post I was trying to figure out a way to make them last nearly whole month. But not only is that not practical, since I now have to eat a salad for every meal, need to shop for other produce more often than once a month. Sigh...


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## FCLady (Jan 23, 2011)

I starting juicing to get more "good" things into my body. A lovely side affect was that I noticed that I had stopped craving sweets. I stopped juicing at one point and started craving the sweets again.

I throw in a handful of carrots then anything "green" from the garden that was ripe at that particular time... spinach, swiss chard, cucumbers, green beans. The juice was a lovely shade of brown... Closed my eyes and swallowed lol.


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## DisasterCupcake (Jan 3, 2015)

The absolute most detrimental thing about sugar is that it depletes minerals from your body. 

So, even you take vitamins and minerals, and eat an otherwise 'okay' diet, the use of refined sugar in your diet literally makes you a Calcium and Magnesium hole. It robs the system of whatever it has. 

The key to staying healthy, and I don't care what type of dis-ease it is; diabetes, crohn's, ibs, heartburn, cancer, is to eat a very highly nutrient dense diet. 

A nutrient dense diet cannot include refined sugar, or commercially prepared grains, vegetable oils, toxin laden food, or improperly prepared beans and lentils. 

Oddly, the foods that have the most nutrients are the ones that have been demonized over the last 50 years. Eggs, butter, the high-fat organ meats from pastured animals, raw cream, whole raw milk, high-fat fish and seafoods, and properly prepared grains. 

I've been off sugar for about 5 years. I say 'off' because it really is a kind of drug- its very addictive and your physiology changes when you use it, much like a drug. This is also true of caffeine, although it doesn't deplete minerals like sugar does.


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## ldc (Oct 11, 2006)

I'm off sugar, as a "sort of recovered diabetic", as in no more meds needed. I use stevia. Also use chromium, like HJ. I eat 6 times a day, low carb, high amounts of low carb veg, tofu, lentil salads, loads of greens, a little meat, lots of fish. I walk 3-4 miles a day. Have been doing this for 10 yrs. Just had my best A1C in the last 10 yrs. Am too skinny; endocrinologist told me last month to add green peas and steel cut oats to the list. Those are both 6 or 7 gms of protein per cup, w/ carbs. Yes to healthy fats, mostly olive oil. Am trying to add avocados in quantity. I checked my glucose levels for 6 yrs. several times a day to learn what was doing what to me! Will go back and try buckwheat again; I grew up on buckwheat pancakes with apricot jam and yoghurt. Will skip the add-ons!


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## eXo0us (Nov 14, 2015)

Being "sober" of sugar now for about two years. Don't eat any sugars, processed food. last week I had chocolate fondue. After one hour my heart started racing, I got dizzy, tired, and felt a rush

Sugar is like massive drug. Severely addictive with no nutritional value whatsoever. The only thing the body can do with it, either burn it or build fat.


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

I'm in the process of kicking it for good right now, although I suspect there will be the occasional birthday party here and there, or random don't-mean-to-cheat-but-do-accidentally times.

When I have sugar in my diet, I tend to bloat quite a bit. I feel better without it, and yeah--the tumors feeding on sugar thing has helped me to feel like I need to keep it to a very-low or not-at-all a part of my diet.

However, I find I am consuming artificial sweeteners much more now, and I wonder if those aren't just as bad. I'm thinking yes.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I have now been sugar free for 2 months. It is amazing how much better I feel.


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## eXo0us (Nov 14, 2015)

CalicoPrairie said:


> I'm in the process of kicking it for good right now, although I suspect there will be the occasional birthday party here and there, or random don't-mean-to-cheat-but-do-accidentally times.
> 
> When I have sugar in my diet, I tend to bloat quite a bit. I feel better without it, and yeah--the tumors feeding on sugar thing has helped me to feel like I need to keep it to a very-low or not-at-all a part of my diet.
> 
> However, I find I am consuming artificial sweeteners much more now, and I wonder if those aren't just as bad. I'm thinking yes.


Yeah, but this route leads to consuming way less amount in weight and volume of artifical, and after a while you can phase them out when you got rid of the cravings (takes crazy long while)


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

eXo0us said:


> Yeah, but this route leads to consuming way less amount in weight and volume of artifical, and after a while you can phase them out when you got rid of the cravings (takes crazy long while)


Great point. I figured that eventually, I would change from things like splenda to stevia, but first I need to get off sugar altogether. Thanks for the encouragement!


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## eXo0us (Nov 14, 2015)

CalicoPrairie said:


> Great point. I figured that eventually, I would change from things like splenda to stevia, but first I need to get off sugar altogether. Thanks for the encouragement!


and really give your self time, don't think in weeks or month's to break all habits you going to need a year or two. 

It's really like to tread an addiction. Sugar stimulates the same brain regions which cocain does.


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

I've read that! I swear, sugar is the one thing that makes me gain 10lbs in no time! 

I have to say that it's taken me a long time to get back my ability to feel ok with Splenda again. It's been nice to have that in my coffee and in sugar free desserts. I think that's why I'd been failing to lose weight for the past few years. The last time I was successful in losing weight, I used splenda to replace sugar.


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## eXo0us (Nov 14, 2015)

CalicoPrairie said:


> I've read that! I swear, sugar is the one thing that makes me gain 10lbs in no time!


If you read deeper into the subject you discover, your body can do only one thing with sugar, metabolize it to fat.

It uses tiny amounts to run the brain and the muscles, but most all of sugar (fructose) is directly converter to unhealthy fat.

To get easier of sugar, reduce also the amounts of wheat products in your diet. Any starches are easily converter to sugar. So all processed food is potential (everything with a label and ingredients) filled with one or another sugar.


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## CalicoPrairie (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks, great advice. Right now, I'm off all grains and sugar.


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## TheKingsTable (Jan 13, 2016)

I'm off processed sugar because I finally realized a little makes me crave more. It's easier for me to avoid it altogether rather than have a small amount. I do, however, have small amounts of honey or dried stevia. It's been almost a month for me. Some health things have gotten better (little to no heartburn). Other things have been slower to improve.

I think it's worth noting that there are large variations of sugar and nutrients among varieties of vegetables and fruits, like Granny Smith apples vs Gala, white potatoes vs blue or purple, and green grapes vs purple grapes.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

well I am still not off of it completely but I have cut back, sometimes for days in a row I have no treats. then one day I have a few. 
I find it is easier to do none than to try to just do a little.

I recognize it as an ongoing process and I do my best not to feel badly that I haven't reached all my goals yet.

I admire and am inspired by those of you who have


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## eXo0us (Nov 14, 2015)

TheKingsTable said:


> I'm off processed sugar because I finally realized a little makes me crave more. It's easier for me to avoid it altogether rather than have a small amount. I do, however, have small amounts of honey or dried stevia. It's been almost a month for me. Some health things have gotten better (little to no heartburn). Other things have been slower to improve.
> 
> I think it's worth noting that there are large variations of sugar and nutrients among varieties of vegetables and fruits, like Granny Smith apples vs Gala, white potatoes vs blue or purple, and green grapes vs purple grapes.


Heads up, it will take a while !!

To get completely rid of all cravings I think it took me a couple of years. And then it's like being an dry-alcoholic. A couple of cookies later you right back on the drugs.

My personal believe is that raw honey is okey, as long it is not consumed on a daily basis. Rather more like a threat or medicine.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Low carb for more than 2 years, down 65 pounds, and lots of energy.

When I say low... I count carbs and keep them less than 50 grams a day. Tho, generally I'm less than 25 or so.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I used to be a super BAD sugar-aholic. 

I used Stevia to wean myself off of the sugar. I also read labels and refuse to buy _*anything*_ containing sugar or high fructose stuff. (Yep that's most of what is on the store shelves these days, so I make lots of stuff from scratch.)

After being off of_ all_ sugar for several months (except for what naturally occurs in fruits), I ate sugary foods one day and felt awful, almost hung-over like, tired, and achy. I thought it was just a coincidence, thinking that maybe it was something else... 

Nope. 

Every single time I consume sugar, I feel physically rundown (in a large way). This bad feeling is a strong deterrent to leave the poison alone! 

So if you are battling a sugar addiction, try getting off of it completely for 6 - 8 weeks. If and when you do consume it, the crummy feeling it gives you will likely be bad enough to discourage you from wanting it anymore.



.


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## haley1 (Aug 15, 2012)

Someone should open a rehab center to get people off sugar.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

Well I went hunting for this thread I started to see how long ago it was. I am still not completely without sugar but definitely cut way back. I have had the experience of CajunSunshine where as if I have coffee with sugar in it, I immediately feel ill. Some sweets do the same, like store bought birthday cake with preservatives and high fructose and dyes.

This seems like the hardest time of the year to start thinking about this again with the holidays here but if not now then when.


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