I've been on the program for five weeks now, and this is the first chance that I've had to use the "peer support group." Anyway, I guess I'm doing pretty good, though sometimes I forget to use the positive self talk skills that I've learned. Week five has been especially hard for me because I have food allergies to begin with and can't consume a whole lot. I love my coffee and sodas and it's really hard to give that up. What can I say, I love sugar!! Any suggestions???

Hey TexasGirl!

Ooooh, you and I sound like two peas in a pod - LOVE my sugar! I don't really have a "bad diet"; I don't consume sugar constantly or anything...I just love sugar so much that I couldn't imagine giving it up.

I'm not stepping on Lucinda's toes here as her and the doctors have obviously put a lot more thought, knowledge, and experience into developing the program and finding solutions for us than I...but I don't think that ALL anxiety/panic/depression suffers need to automatically cut out caffeine and sugar from their diets. Some of us are much more sensitive to these things than others, you know?

I, for one, can't tolerate caffeine. I only drink decaf coffee, caffeine free soft drinks, etc. On the rare occasion I'll crave a Pepsi or Coke and will have about half of the can - but that's my limit and I know that. Any more than that and I get jittery and sweaty and nervous all around icky.

Sugar doesn't affect me. I'm sure if I ate too much of it it certainly would - but the average amount of daily sugar doesn't bother me at all.

It may be the same for you. Try to experiment with your diet a bit and see what makes you feel better and what doesn't really affect you much at all.

On a side note, if sugar DOES negatively affect you - try switching to Splenda. It's not all that bad, definitely one of the barable "fake sugars" out there. When I was experimenting with my diet and cutting out sugars totally, I used Splenda for a few weeks instead. You can taste the difference, but it's not a "bad" diference - just different.

Let us know how you do! Good luck!

I thought I could not give up coffee and iced tea, but I have. I have some food issues too and Irritable Bowel Syndrome so I have to watch what I eat. I found that flavored sparkling water has become the new thing for me! I love it. So I am getting lots of water but the sparkling makes it seem a little like soda. Best wishes to you! I have not done session 5 yet...still on session 4.

Hi,

I'm a new member, I got in this program in the 3rd sesion and i know that i'm already has been help by lision to the CD and practicing. this i believed this program will help me alots when I go thruoht all the sesion,

For Texas Girl -
I found I was sensitive to sugar, too, and have eliminated coffee. First I would suggest heading to your natural foods market and checking out a great coffee replacement called Tecchino. The vanilla is great! I use a sugar replacement called "NuStevia" that comes in little packets like Splenda, but much better for you. Then instead of pancake syrup, I use Agave syrup, also from the health food store. They are very helpful there. Just tell them your situation. Good luck.
Martymcg

Unfortunately, the reason we find it hard to give up caffeinated coffee and soft drinks and sugar is because they are all addictive. Once you break the addiction to them, you'll find that not only do you feel better, but your health facts when tested by a doctor become SO MUCH better and you'll see that the struggle to give them up was truly worth it! I get a sore throat from Nutrasweet and Splenda and Sweet N. Lo makes me itchy so I asked my doctor, who is also a nutrition expert, what I could use in place of sugar and those artificial sweeteners. He said to use Xylitol. It has no bad side effects. If you look it up in Google, it'll tell you that it's been around for a couple hundred years and there have never been any bad side effects from it. It's made from corn cobs and birch trees! Sounds weird, but it's not bad. When you buy it (at the health food store) it will warn you to build up your amount a little at a time because if you start with too much right away, it could cause loose bowels. Anyway, it's certainly worth using insead of refined sugar. My doctor also said natural cold-spun honey is ok to use, in moderation. Also pure maple syrup, in moderation. Operational phrase: In moderation! Americans as a whole don't want to give up foods that are bad for them because they taste good! But it's worth it to eat right because you will feel so much better. Eat foods as close to the way God made them as possible. The less processing they've had, the healthier they are. Try it -- it's definitely worth it. And be aware if you are used to a LOT of caffein, you will have withdrawal symptoms -- some people feel like they have the flu because it creates such a difference till you get it worked out of your system.

I just want to say that I think I will have a lot of issues with session 5. It will be hard for me to start eating healthy.. My parents do all the shopping and I'm sure if I started asking them to buy "healthy" foods, they would complain that we dont have a money tree and the basic foods that we're living on will have to suffice.

All the luck to those who are trying to ween off coffee. Luckily I have never had a thing for coffee. But I do know that coffee + coke + caffeine is very dangerous for me. It sets me off like an oven ready to cook.