I was pregnant recently and miscarried. During that time, I began craving candy like Twizzlers and Starburst. It wasn't really the "fruity" component I was craving. I think I was literally craving the high fructose corn syrup.
I have never had anything like that in my life. I don't think it was really a "sugar" craving, because things like ice cream that were sweet but contained natural cane sugar, were not really appealing.
It was just the gross kinds of prepackaged candy, stuff I don't typically like.
I am still craving that stuff even though the miscarriage has been over for about a month. My massage therapist said she thinks the corn syrup is increasing my dopamine, and so my body is trying to make itself feel better on a neurochemical level.
I do feel depressed when I don't eat it. Especially at night, I just HAVE to have Twizzlers, kind of like I would imagine a cigarette craving. I think about them if I don't have them, and I want to go out and buy them. (no laughing!)
I just don't know how to get over that kind of craving. I really feel like I can't stop eating this stuff, even though I'm not eating insane amounts.
I know it is too much for a Lymie who needs to cut the sugars.
Does anyone know how you get rid of those types of cravings that come from the brain? Is there anything I can replace the candy with that is more Lyme friendly?
If I didn't have Lyme, I would probably just eat the Twizzlers and burn off the calories exercising, but I just know how bad these sugars are for us.
I am going to start reducing yeast with supps/prescriptions anyways because I am having GI issues, but like I said, I don't think this craving is yeast.
So what should I do? Ideas? I need to start somewhere! Thanks!
Posted by ninjaphire (Member # 18234) on :
One possibility is to switch to a atkins/paleo diet. You will feel tired for the first couple of weeks, but that will go away, as your body adapts to a fat-based diet.
That will also definitely help with the yeast problem. No carbs = no GI yeast.
Infact, I've stopped taking my nystatin because I feel I don't really need it anymore.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
When I found out that almonds were good to supplement magnesium, I bought some and snacked on them constantly.
A month or two later, I noticed that I didn't crave chocolate anymore.
The candy may be providing something you need.
Carol
Posted by Larkspur (Member # 5131) on :
Hey Hoos - not sure if this is what you are looking for, but I got an audio book from the library a few years back by this author Geneen Roth who does really great work re: emotional eating, food addiction etc Anyway, here is a link to her site, maybe something you see will resonate with you
Hope you are able to get back on the road to healthy eating Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Thanks! Tonight seemed to be a little better....I think venting my frustrations with it helped.
Posted by pamoisondelune (Member # 11846) on :
Switch gradually to less harmful substitutes.
Switch first to raisins and dried apricots, dried pineapple, dried papaya.
You can make frozen chocolate milk or frozen pudding sweetened with stevia.
Fruit juices are sweet. Stwewed prunes with other fruits are sweet.
Try some fasting. After a fast, fill up on protein and vegetables, which you will really crave, and then STOP eating, NO DESSERT.
----Polly Polygonum
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Sorry Hoosiers but I too WANT MY SUGAR. The dried
fruit is a good idea. They also make yogurt covered
nuts and I popped a can of almonds last nite.
Honey a good alternative?
Posted by asummers (Member # 18068) on :
I might have one tip for you -- agave nectar.
You can buy it at a health food store. It is low on the glycemic index. Someone told me a tablespoon a day can be a good substitute for a sugar craving.
I sure can relate to your Twizzler addiction. I bought a bag the other night and couldn't stop eating them.
I have been feeling the sugar addiction over the past few weeks as well. It is really weird. I slipped on the no sugar diet and can't seem to get back on the wagon.
I have read on this site before, that we crave sugar b/c the lyme feeds off of it and gets its energy from it. So if you are killing something, its survival means, kicks in and creates cravings within us to keep the bacteria alive.
Maybe it is your body being tricked into thinking it wants sugar and it is really the lyme over-riding your system into really thinking it wants sugar?
So what helped me kick sugar before was thinking that I was starving this disease of its energy.
Monday, I swear I will be back on the anti-sugar diet!! but in the meantime....ummmm Twizzlers!!!
Posted by jarjar (Member # 8847) on :
You notice where one poster mentioned almonds stopping her craving for chocolate.
One of the best tips I got from Sugar busters is to eat some peanut butter when craving sweets as it stabilizes your blood sugar.
It's worked for me as I don't keep sweets around anymore. I just put peanut butter on a healthy cracker like triscuit. I presume almonds do the same thing.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
i have some agave nectar i got in mexico but i've been afraid to try it.
is it considered a honey? cause on the yeast diet we're not allowed any of that stuff.
Posted by paulieinct (Member # 17514) on :
I use xylitol. It is a natural sugar alcohol, has bacteriostatic properties,does not cause the runs like some of them, safe for diabetics. Tastes good too. Find it at the supermarket with sugar subs. Brand name "Ideal".
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
No Randi, it's low glycemic but honey is high glycemic.
Hoos, do you think it's caused by low blood sugar? Are you eating enough? Maybe it's a sugar craving because you need more calories?
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
Great ideas....I am another baddie in this dept.
In fact for two straight days all I have eaten is pudding and ice cream.
I do eat sugar free pudding with sugar free Cool Whip and sugar free ice cream when I can; but right now the stuff I have is not sugar free.
It's not even the sugar, I can't stand the thought of any cooked food and I have eaten all the fruit and veggies we bought when I had to go out to the bank last week.
I guess I really do crave something sweet though too, but the fruit takes care of that if I have some in the house.
I have hypoglycemia too, so one bite leads to another....the only thing that stops it in its tracks is generally peanut butter.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
The almonds provide magnesium. Chocolate provides magnesium too, but not as much.
Carol
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
If you are really craving something like Twizzlers or Starburst you could try chewing some sugar free strawberry bubble gum. Then you could have some fun blowing bubbles too!
Or you could try eating a strong flavored peppermint. It might make help reduce your cravings.
Posted by nomoremuscles (Member # 9560) on :
Meats, fruits, veggies, nuts.
No grains, no starchy vegetables, no sweets, no junk of any sort.
After about a week all cravings will stop for most people. Hunger will generally come under control. For very difficult cases, it may be necessary to stop or cut back on the fruits for a time.
Posted by Judy G. (Member # 18498) on :
Some of the supplements I take are supposed to help with sugar cravings: L-Glutamine and Magnesium.
I think they may help -- I used to have big sugar cravings, but not so much anymore -- now it is stuff like pickles and chips.. also not great for you, but at least I am not binging on sugar -- cookies, candy and cake like I used to.
Posted by Faith6 (Member # 14072) on :
Interesting about the magnesium and chocolate cravings....since I've started mag I'm not craving choc either!!!!
Posted by runner21 (Member # 1974) on :
whole raw foods, increase greens , might be hard at first. go after fungus with herbs, etc. Juice, celery, romaine lettuce, zucchiini, cucumber, snack on cucumber...eat leafty greens, salads with protien, etc.. good luck
Posted by Healing in Santa Cruz (Member # 7798) on :
Stevia helps me. I like it in organic herbal teas etc.Lots of great idea's here. I know what you mean about venting helping.Better out than in. I went though a period of craving popcorn. Couldn't get enough. Then craving fruit,which I don't do well with if I eat to much. Take good care Joyce
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