HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Sugar

Support Forums
>
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/5/2014 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone ever tried going off all sugar, for at least 2 full weeks or more? I am not talking about fruits, just white, brown and all processed sugars.

Did it make any difference in your symptom?
Posted 3/6/2014 5:23 PM (GMT 0)
This is how I eat every day because I am I guess what you would call a "clean eater" but I think of it as eating how my body was intended to be fed. I think our body runs best on whole foods nature intended for it, not refined, man made food/chemicals/food-like-substances. I don't consume any refined grains or soy products either. I figure my body already is having a hard enough time as it is, why make it even harder on it just because I think something tastes good? I understand for some people, taste makes it worth it, but for me, it isn't.

For sweetening, I use coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, or dried dates, although dates do seem to bloat me. I eat fruit to my hearts content.

On rare occasions, I will eat something with refined white sugar in it. I notice while it doesn't make me feel hugely worse, a large dose definitely makes it more difficult for my body to recover from overdoing it and also increases any inflammatory type symptoms. Overall, compared to back when I used to start each day with a Mountain Dew, I am less achy and recover a bit more smoothly from overdoing it.

If you're interested in learning more, I recommend looking into a whole foods diet, or Paleo diet. :)
Posted 3/9/2014 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for responding back Jackie, I appreciate your comments. I had a couple reasons why I asked this question.

I am posting this in hopes of helping someone else out there.........

I have tried to be conscious of what I eat and have studied diet for years. I believe full heartedly that diet is the key to good health. Even though this illness I am dealing with was precipitated by a virus (the West Nile), I still believe that I have some control over it through what I put into my mouth.

I was in a very bad way, had been since the first of August, it was now October. I was actually not able to do much of anything at all. I hurt, I was sick all the time, etc.

Having said that, no one is perfect, especially me. I had gotten away from my better eating habits and have been consuming way more sugar than normal, mostly in the form of chocolate. The first thing I did after my Dr. told me what I was dealing with, in October, was to go 180 on my diet, started taking a lot of supplements, etc. I felt very good after about 10 days. I tried so many different things at once, I didn't know what was the main reason for the upswing.

Then I started experimenting with cake and frosting recipes for my daughters wedding and fell off the wagon - again. I made it through the wedding which was the first of Jan. but crashed right after. I was again back in bed or on the couch. Couldn't work, could barely do the minimal errands. And, I started eating a log of chocolate again.

about 3 weeks ago I quit gluten. I noticed a diminishing of my leaky gut symptoms within a few days which constantly improved daily. A week later I quit sugar, not fruit, just refined sugars. I focused more on the fresh veggies, etc.

Here it is today, 11 days of no sugar and I feel like a new person. My head is clear - no more fog, my memory is much better, my fibro symptoms went from a 7 to a 1, my flu symptoms went from a 10 to a 1. I have a little fatigue left but I also have a cold. All in all I feel great. I am not 100% but am so much improved I actually feel as if I might have a life worth living again.

I strongly encourage all of you to try cutting out sugar for 2 weeks, and eat more veggies. If you think you can handle it, try getting rid of the gluten too. It sounds really hard but I would rather give these up and be able to live a life, than eat them and have to live on my couch.

Please, if you try this, post back and let us know how it is working for you.

Post Edited (jkn913) : 3/9/2014 3:19:34 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/10/2014 4:30 PM (GMT 0)
i wonder if you had candida? Candida can be sugar / yeast overload and can cause a lot of fibro / cfs like symptoms...Im wondering if i have this and have started to be sugar aware recently...coconut oil seems to give me bit more energy.

I bought some stevia as apparantly this is sugar you are allowed! This is really interesting though and i might have to try this

Did you find it helped with sleeping better? My sleep is terrible due to CFS or Fibro

I have joined a facebook forum page on beating fibro the natural way, if you are interested in joining let me know and i can link you...this talks all about food and whats good and gives recipe ideas

Did you cut potatoes and white rice? I eat brown rice, pasta and have tried to cut potatoes and replace with sweet potato
Posted 3/10/2014 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
on this page they talk about juicing (mainly veggies) and how this can help you
Posted 3/10/2014 6:17 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply Wackers34,

As for my sleep, it may be a bit better. My biggest problem with sleep disturbance at this time is the adrenal rushes and hot flashes. I am still having these 24/7 and haven't paid attention to whether they are getting less frequent. I will and let you know.

I am sure candida may be part of the problem but I have very noticeable exercise intolerance which is classic of cfs. I think one of the things that has happened with me is that because of this illness, my body has become less capable of dealing with some of these "foods" and they are actually exasperating my symptoms. I still eat a little white rice, I prefer the brown but I have both and don't want to throw it out. I do only eat a little. I still eat potatoes. I don't eat pasta - that is wheat. I am actually not eating much grain except a little rice and some corn. I have switched to quinoa for my breakfast cereal.

I am interested in the Facebook page. I quit using Facebook a long time ago and not sure if I want to log back on. I will let you know.

What I do know is that diet is the key. Fresh fruits and veggies is a must, and lots of them. I do like juicing and believe it is very beneficial and can speed healing, but just don't seem to be able to keep it up for long, not sure why. My juicer is even sitting on my counter for easy access. On the opposite, sugar acts as a poison to our bodies, especially in the processed form we use it in. If we could get unprocessed pure sugar cane, that would actually be good for us. I do put a little pure - unfiltered - unpasteurized honey in my quinoa and that doesn't seem to affect me. But it is only 1/2tsp a couple times a week.

I am very interested to see if it can help you too.

Post Edited (jkn913) : 3/10/2014 2:27:05 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/11/2014 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
i really hope mine is as simple as food - i want to believe it will be...im trying it and have just bought a juicer

Hoping it might help my energy and joint pain and also my foggy head too..

Let me know about the facebook page - its got great tips on there

I really hope it continues for you...Are you on any meds also for your fibro / cfs?

I also seem to need a lot of salt, but I do have adrenal fatigue also, so that could be why.

Keep us updated and happy no sugaring

If you havent tried coconut oil yet - its a must also! has so many health benefits and is great fro energy - i literally eat if off the spoon :)
Posted 3/11/2014 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
i really hope mine is as simple as food - i want to believe it will be...im trying it and have just bought a juicer

Hoping it might help my energy and joint pain and also my foggy head too..

Let me know about the facebook page - its got great tips on there

I really hope it continues for you...Are you on any meds also for your fibro / cfs?

I also seem to need a lot of salt, but I do have adrenal fatigue also, so that could be why.

Keep us updated and happy no sugaring

If you havent tried coconut oil yet - its a must also! has so many health benefits and is great fro energy - i literally eat if off the spoon :)
Posted 3/11/2014 11:02 AM (GMT 0)
i really hope mine is as simple as food - i want to believe it will be...im trying it and have just bought a juicer

Hoping it might help my energy and joint pain and also my foggy head too..

Let me know about the facebook page - its got great tips on there

I really hope it continues for you...Are you on any meds also for your fibro / cfs?

I also seem to need a lot of salt, but I do have adrenal fatigue also, so that could be why.

Keep us updated and happy no sugaring

If you havent tried coconut oil yet - its a must also! has so many health benefits and is great fro energy - i literally eat if off the spoon :)
Posted 3/11/2014 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
One thing I forgot to mention about 3 days into the diet change I got worse, much worse. It is the body throwing off all the toxins. You just have to keep pushing through. This will be different for everyone and the duration will be different. After this, everyday you should feel a little better, and a little better, etc.

I hope the diet changes help you too. I do feel much better, but still am not 100%, I would say I am about 80%. I know that I have this disease and will always have to watch what I eat and how I exert myself.

Juicing is great, I always have so much more energy when I juice and it help speed the cleansing of the body and is so healing.

I have not tried coconut oil, will certainly do some research on it. I do cook with coconut milk, love it.

I am not on any meds. I told my Dr. I was going to try everything I could through diet and herbs first. I believe in natural healing and only use meds as a last resort.
Posted 3/19/2014 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to give an update. Still obtaining from wheat and sugar. I am still doing pretty good. Have not had a setback and am able to get up and get going with my day.

As for my sleep, I started back on the Calm, this helps me a lot. My hot flashes have gotten less frequent and I don't feel cold so often. I notice that I am not putting on and taking off my sweaters anymore.

I still want to try some herbs for the adrenals, that will be next. Maybe I will try that Meca powder someone mentioned.

Wackers34, I am curious to know if you changed your diet and if it helped you.
Posted 4/3/2014 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
As a former UCLA dean of students one said "Sugar is the Devil". And this statement was ahead of it's time. We now know that sugar is more dangerous that all kinds of Fat (except damaged and partially hydrogenated).

I am currently in remission from CFS due to a certain protocol I have posted on in other threads. Part of that protocol is to eliminate sugar, just as you are discussing. Sugar is an inflammatory agent. That is not good for CFS and Fibro. It only increases the pain from this disease. And I believe you will find you have more energy.

But know this. Americans are addicted to Sugar. Just go cold turkey and you'll see what I mean. Try eating nothing but meat and green vegetables and see what happens. But after a week or so you'll be feeling a lot better. I do cheat sometimes but now it mostly meat and veggies. Your body simply doesn't need dietary Rocket Juice unless you can burn those cabs that day. Otherwise it will spike you insulin and that is always bad.
Posted 4/5/2014 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
I just came across this documentary which drives home the science behind the low cab high protein diet. It's clear the USDA Food Pyramid was exactly wrong, did a lot of damage, and continues to do so. While I don't agree with everything being said here it's definitely worth your time and a few buck to stream it on Amazon.

http://www.perfecthumandiet.us/

I don't believe that diet alone can put CFS in remission. However, it certainly can be one of the pieces of the puzzle.
Posted 4/8/2014 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
I ONLY USE Stevia sweetner.....


caren
Posted 4/10/2014 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
What at least some of us are talking about when we say "sugar" are any high carb. foods that raise your "blood sugar": All breads, rice, potatoes, etc. Going Low Carb is hard for many at first but in my opinion worth it. Stevia is a good start
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply