Oh how our taste buds change!!

[tlras]

Hello all,

Haven't been on here in ages! I've now been GF and DF for a little over a year and a half. Adding many new things to my diet and doing well...still have to stay away from high fiber or I'll get bloated. For some reason my body loves sugar which is not a good thing and currently trying to get off it. Not easy!! And now you hear that sugar causes heart disease and chronic illnesses, not fat so I'm freakin' about it a little but if I can get off gluten and dairy, I can get off added sugar.

Anyway, last weekend, I ran out of Almond Milk for my Rice Chex and added a little regular milk to it as I was starving and didn't want to eat it dry...plus I knew I wouldn't have an issue with a little dairy as I've did this about a year ago with no issues. But OMG...the taste of the milk was horrific! I could barely get my cereal down and it took a few hours to not feel like I was going to gag. Ugh! Can't believe how my tastes have changed so much. I'm betting regular pasta and bread would have the same affect on me..tho I don't dare take one bite of that. And now wondering if regular ice cream would taste gross as well...lol! I'd heard of this happening but this was my first experience with it and it blew my mind. Just had to share!!

So please, everyone, pray I can get rid of this sugar addiction...I swear it's worse than a gluten addiction. I'm craving it right now as I type..arrghh! I can do this!!

Terri

[Pat]

Terri,

You can do this. Use fruit if you can tolerate fruit. One recipe for something that rivals ice cream is to freeze a banana then break it into 3 or 4 pieces put in a blender and add almond milk just a little at a time. Blend and voila! soft serve! You can add berries etc and make it different. Do you like/tolerate dates? Visit the Paleo websites and you can find many different recipes. Good luck!

Pat

[DebE13]

Sugar craving are just as addicting as gluten,IMO. I had a difficult time eliminating my intake but over time I've found the same is true as you described. Processed foods high in sugar are repulsive now. Of course, I dont eat them now but previously I had slips in my diet and did a Oh, what the hell and gave that just one bite a try. I got sick and didnt even find most that appealing. It was all too sweet. I still have to becareful with sugars from fruit but my taste buds have changed a lot.

[Polly]

Terri,

We bought one of those machines where you push a frozen banana into a tube and it comes out just like soft-serve ice cream. It is DEElicious! I prefer it to the taste of ice cream (I haven't had any dairy in years so I'm relying on memory here!). It is so rich and creamy.....and you can mix other fruits in with it. And it is a great use for old, overripe bananas - the older, the better.

Good luck!

Polly

[TXBrenda]

You can get rid of your cravings for sugar. I did it as part of following a weight loss plan. I am one of those that doesn't lose weight when they are in a flare. One thing to watch out for when you drastically cut back on sugar is the hertzheimer (sp?) reaction. When you cut back on sugar and/or carbs, the yeast will die off. People that follow the atkins and other low carb diets usually experience it. Atkins followers call it the "Atkins flu." Usually it consists of fowl smelling D and maybe body aches. In the past when I have gone "cold turkey" cutting out all sugar, my symptoms usually last five days or so.

You may not experience this, but I thought I would warn you just in case.

Good luck cutting out or drastically reducing your sugar intake. As they say, "Your body will love you for it."

[Nancy]

I have that machine too and I like to make a frozen banana, strawberry mix and then add some canned coconut milk. Yummy soft serve that :)

[tlras]

Thank you all so much! I'm going to have to try that frozen banana with almond milk and maybe get one of those machines...I luckily do well with bananas. I have only tried avocados, bananas and a small amount of grapes in regards to fruits. Fixing to try some blackberries and see what happens.

Yes, I've heard of the no carb flu. I haven't given up my corn chips and rice products...still eat a lot of those as I'm afraid to lose weight. It's the sugary snacks and the Pepsi I'm trying to get off of...then I'll attempt to lower the grains a little. I can already tell I'm having a little bit of this low sugar flu cause since yesterday I've been achy, feverish feeling and headach-ish...which is why I'm dying for sugar as I know it'll put an end to this...but I'm feeling better today and will hang in there. I can usually go 5 days without the added sugar but then all goes to pot. Thanks for all motivation...yes, if I can kick getting off gluten and dairy, I can do this. It's the med I take called Amitriptyline that causes the sweet craves...have been on it for years and doctor warned me about it and it's oh so true for me! But the more sugar I eat, the more I crave. Argghh! My New Year's resolution!

Btw...I had bloodwork done last week...praying I'm not pre-diabetic again.

Thanks everyone! I will brave some fruit but know that's probably not good for me either because of all the fructose. Will stick to my wonderful avocados since I have no issues with those. My doctor warned me about bananas...saying there is 12 grams of sugar in it...good grief...sorry, not giving those up!!

Terri

[TXBrenda]

Terri, try balancing your fruit with protein like almond milk, almonds or another healthy nut, one once of cheese or something like that. You can do this!

[Leah]

Terri, I know what you mean about the fruit. I still can't eat much of it. That frozen banana thing sounds great. Wish I could :(……. but it's great to hear that you are doing so well with adding other foods.

Yeah, sugar can be like crack. It's so hard for some of my clients to cut the sugar out, but it can be done. Hang in there. Like you said, the longer you can stay sugar free, the easier it gets. There was an experiment done with lab rats where they filled three feeders. .. one with water, one with sugar water, and one with cocaine water. All the rats went for the sugar and continued to gorge themselves until they were obese and diabetic. The really interesting part was when they put a group of cocaine addicted mice into the same environment, they ALSO went for the sugar! THATS HOW ADDICTIVE IT IS!

Good luck!
Leah

[tex]

Leah,

Now that was a practical research project, (and the results were convincing, to say the least).

Thanks,
Tex

[tlras]

Thanks Brenda and Leah,

Well I haven't braved a nut other than the itty bitty ones in my Lara Bar and I don't do dairy but thanks for the tip that I need to add protein with the fruit...a diabetic actually told me that the other day! My almond milk has 0 protein...wth..just looked. Really considering doing an egg and bacon for breakfast and giving up my Rice Chex. Leah, I believe I read where you bake it in the oven? Waiting on my cholesterol results tho before I go to town on eggs and bacon but oh sounds so good.

Leah, that is so interesting about the mice experiment. Gosh, sugar is starting to scare me and my kid brings home Welch's fruit snacks to sell for his ROTC. I'm a sucker for those...trying not to look at the box!! Guess I'll just stick with my cocaine..lol!

Thanks again everyone...my 4th day without Pepsi and sugary treats.

Terri

[Leah]

Four days is great!
And by the way, eating bacon and eggs does not raise your cholesterol. I wish I could fine the research article on how eating foods with cholesterol does nothing to the blood levels. Do you have one Tex?

Leah

[tlras]

Leah, I'll take your word on it girl. I think I remember hearing something about that. May be my new breakfast! I eat way too much processed food. I can't go grain free but doing away with my sugary snacks and pepsi is a start. Don't see me ever doing Paleo..need my rice and a few corn chips.

Oh...I just told my husband about that rat experiment and he said "well I guess they got over their cocaine addiction" lol...referring to those particular rats. I still can't get over it!

Terri

[wmonique2]

Terri, Terri, Terri!

Where have you been, girlfriend?

Sugar? what's that word? Not in my dictionary for FORTY LONG, DRAWN OUT MISERABLE YEARS!


Good to hear from you! come and visit us sometimes...even when you have no problems (I know, it's depressing..)


Regards,

Monique

[tex]

Leah,

I don't recall that article. I may have one or more bookmarked, but I don't know offhand where they are at the moment. Here are a couple of FitDay articles about this issue:

Stearic Acid: Stearic acid has been found to have little to no effect on blood cholesterol levels. This type of saturated fat is found primarily in animal products. The body converts most stearic acid to oleic acid in the liver. Oleic acid is considered by health professionals to be a healthy saturated fat.

Food Myths Debunked: All Saturated Fats Raise Blood Cholesterol

While it is true that egg yolk contains a high percentage of fat, it is unsaturated fat which is associated with "good" or HDL cholesterol. LDL is the type of cholesterol that lines blood vessels, whereas HDL cholesterol tends to remove LDL from artery walls and is known as "good" cholesterol. Consuming eggs rather than sources of animal protein which contain saturated fats might actually lower the chances of heart disease.

Food Myths Debunked: Eating Eggs Raises Your Cholesterol Level

Tex