Stop SUGAR Support Thread

Sounds like a good plan Cherilynn!

All food turns to sugar in your body, Cami.   With diabetes, the trick is to choose foods that turn SLOWLY (like complex carbs vs simple carbs).  Protein also digests more slowly.  Sugar and white foods tend to digest the fastest (so they have a quick burn and spike your sugar levels most).

Avoiding sugar and white foods is one quick and easy way to solve the issue short term (even if you don't cook much). 

Type One Diabetes is a different issue, however.  Type One (which I think you said is what your daughter has) must be controlled with Insulin because the body does not make insulin with which to process sugar.  I'm sure your daughter is on this!  You can't control Type One Diabetes with diet alone.  You MUST use insulin.  Type Two Diabets, which I have, is a breakdown of the process (the communication between Insulin and sugar in your body - though it can also be about not production enough Insulin as a rule Type Two diabetics DO make insulin, it's just not getting to/processing the sugar) so medication other than insulin is often useful along with diet control (to limit the spikes of sugar in your system).

I'm on the low glycemic diet/anti cancer diet, which eliminates all white carbs and sugar.  I've been on it for six months and have had great results.  I have lost 15 lbs. and feel and look a lot better.  I had a lot more energy as a result.  

There have been two segments on TV recently about the dangers of too much sugar.  The Sixty Minutes segment on Sunday, and a recap on Good Morning America about all of the hidden sugars in processed foods along with the removal of fiber, which causes the body to assimilate it differently than before.  The average person consumes 130 lbs of sugar a year...seems impossible!  It is the primary cause of diabetes and heart disease, and has also been linked to some cancers, breast being one of them.  Sugar should be viewed as our enemy.

The remedy...eat an apple rather than drinking apple juice....eat an orange, but don't drink orange juice, because you don't get the fiber in the juice and it goes right to the liver and causes fatty deposits. 

Ooooh, Hadley, great idea!!! I have to try this now!!

Cheri 

When I was dx'd with BC in September 2011, I was so anxious I ate most of the Costco-sized bag of Halloween candy DH had brought home.

Then I read about sugar "feeding" cancer and freaked out so badly that I ate most of the second bag! We had to go buy more for the trick-or-treaters.

I just posted on another thread that I've been on Optifast for two months. I'm off all my meds except for thyroid. I'm down 22 pounds on the program, for a total of 35 pounds down from my highest weight. I have 35 more pounds to go.

I get four shakes, one soup, and one nutritional bar for a total of 960 calories a day.

A few weeks into the program, people started complimenting me on my skin - how it glowed.

The following week, I got a burst of energy which took me back into the gym, and out riding my bike.

But the biggest change that I noticed - aside from the above (and the weight loss) is that most of my fibromyalgia pain is gone!

I no longer get out of bed all hunched over and limping from joint pain!

I think it has more to do with eliminating the whites - sugar, flour, and - maybe gluten? from my diet.

I have two more months on Meal Replacement, then we start Transition (adding back in foods) in July. I'm going to be VERY careful about what I add back in, especially since I will be starting Arimidex after that!!!

Cheri, I have the same "problem" at the moment, I have gotten a bit too scrawny.



Buckwheat is low glycemic and apparently good for bc patients. So look also for soba noodles.



Buckwheat pancakes. Make them with kefir and berries and skip the syrup. I find that some cinnamon and lemon zest make it seem like they are sweet, although they really aren't.



Quinoa is high in protein and calories. I make it into salads with different veggies, and either shrimp or flaked salmon or chicken. For a dressing I put a clove of garlic and a bunch of parsley in the blender with the juice if a lemon and some olive oil.



I make the same thing with small, green lentils as well.



Cowgal, I try to stick with low-GI foods as much as possible.

Blessings:  That is such great news!  You bet your life it's the gluten free, sugar free, white carb free diet that is giving you the extra energy.  You could eliminate the white carbs and sugar forever and it would not hurt you.  All that stuff converts to sugar and lower energy levels.

Thank you, Kaara!

Actually, Lilah, I got a reprieve from Arimidex!!! I had filled the Rx, then started checking Optifast. When my MO cleared me for the program, she told me to hold off taking the Arimidex so that if I experienced any side effects from the Optifast, we would know exactly where they was coming from.

Once I start back on Transition (adding food back in) I'm sure I'll be taking the estrogen-sucking drug as soon as my MO finds out where I stand in the program.

NOT looking forward to that...praying that I'm one of those women who have no or few side effects.

I'd hate to lose this healthy feeling, all for the sake of reducing my .77% (yes, less than 1%) risk factor by another 50% with the AI.

I have Cherilynn's problem; I need to maintain my weight.  I've never had a sweet tooth and rarely added sugar to anything; not a big bread eater, although I do like pasta; and what-the-heck is corn syrop?  No, seriously, I've never heard of it?

So, I've been struggling to come up with healthy ways to maintain my weight without having to curb my current activity level.  My trails hikes are, simply, too necessary to my emotional well-being!  I don't think a little sugary treat once-in-awhile is going to prove problematic, but I do need some ideas on how to bulk up with healthy, whole foods.  I already eat whole-wheat pasta and most fruits, but - since I don't like meat - are protein shakes a good alternative?  Or are they traps of massive hidden sugars?

Here's a detailed explanation of corn syrup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_syrup

Here in the US, high fructose corn syrup is in everything from soft drinks to salad dressings, ketchup, many low fat products (making them sweet makes them palatable, at least that is the theory).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_fructose_corn_syrup

There has been increased awareness in the nastiness of HFCS and some food processors are starting to move away from it.  I avoid anything that has HFCS in the first few ingredients.

Xylitol.

It's natural so no chemicals like nutra sweet.

It is carb-less.

I love it.

3Cbrca - congrats on the weight loss and finding all these healthy alternaives to bake with! I use coconut sugar to bake with on occasion as it's better on the glycemic index, too, but I have mainly gone to fruit and no sugar of any kind added. Also use maple sugar sparingly for oatmeal. I'll have to check out the recipes for low carb brownies, I would kill for those ha! Giving up white sugar has really bene beneficial for me and I'm so glad to see it's working for you too. When I'm on vacation or having dinner with people, I just tell them I'm treating myself like a diabetic. Most people understand why I'm doing it so that helps.

Cheri 

Is this thread still active?  Maybe not with the holidays upon us!

I've been doing low carb for a year and a half.  I have firm resolve, but I still get cravings.  It seems that artificial sweeteners just make me crave them more. What's a girl to do?

Today, I'm going to make some cream cheese "muffins". Actually, they are more like mini sugar free cheesecakes.  A good go-to for the fridge this holiday season.

Hi CL, the "muffins" were quite tasty and a great treat when all others were having red velvet cake. Here is the recipe. 

Cream Cheese Muffins

2 x8oz. pks. philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup sweetener (I use splenda)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Soften cream cheese about 40 seconds in microwave. Add other ingredients. Beat with mixer till smooth. Pour into 12 muffin pans lined with the papers. (I used sprayed silicone cups) Optional sprinkle with cinnamon.  Bake at 350 for 20 min.

To reduce sinking centers: Bake only 18 minutes. Cool in oven with oven door open for 1/2 - 1 hour, then cover and cool on counter for 1/2 - 1 hour, then refrigerate. (Can use water bath; place shallow pan of water on lower shelf while preheating oven.)

- Taste best chilled. Keeps well in refrigerator. Can be frozen.

There are all kinds of variations on these that I have yet to try.

Happy New Year!

I've got my work cut out for me after gaining weight in December.

Here is a variation of the recipe I tried ~ it is really good and more moist.

2 x 8 oz packages cream cheese

1/4 cup caramel flavor sugar free syrup

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

I just let the cream cheese sit on the counter to soften. Mix in sour cream and syrup, then eggs.

Cook 20 minutes,  cool in open oven 30 minutes, on counter 30+ minutes to cool then cover and chill.

These are very good.