Does anyone have experience with giving up sugar and reducing the carbs they eat in general. Did you notice a difference mentally/emotionally? I would love to hear about your experience!

Although I didn't give up sugar all together I drastically cut it down.My whole life revolved around sugar-day,night and afternoon.To answer your question for me personally I noticed a real signifigant change in my anxiety.I also cut out my caffeine.I still stay away from caffeine as much as I can.I started checking out labels of items at the store and adjusted to a diet to stay away from the high carbs.I didn't realize that so many foods had that many carbs.Well, I wish you the best and take care.

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Tim

I never really needed this program to tell me what pure sugar does to me! I found that out a long time ago on my own. If I ate nothing but sugary foods, I shook like a leaf! Same with caffeine. If I drank two or three cups of coffee, my anxiety went through the roof! I cut out coffee almost twenty years ago on my own, before anyone told me it didn't agree with me. I told myself that. I'd found a new freedom from caffeine and sugar overload and yes, it did make a difference. That doesn't mean I never have it, that just means I know when to quit before I get to "overload".

As far as carbs go, I can't speak on those. I can't cut down or reduce them in any way. I have trouble maintaining/gaining weight and carbs are what's necessary for combating that. In fact, I can't seem to get enough of them into me. They're very filling and I really should be eating twice as much as I do! However, all carbohydrates don't have the same effect on me as pure sugar does, even though carbs turn into sugar. Eating two baked potatoes or two slices of bread in no way creates the same reaction in me that eating, say, two twinkies would!

Just one more thing: I really HATE this lesson. LOL!! It's my least favorite and the one I've had the least success with. If I followed this lesson exactly, I'd die. (Really, I would!) So it just goes to show you that no one diet suits everyone. But no one ever died from cutting out caffeine and reducing their pure sugar intake.


[This message has been edited by Craw (edited 04-08-2002).]

Craw,

I so hear you!

I am the same way with carb. Sugar, I have no problem to cut down. But carb! I don't use ketchup to dip my fries. I use mashed potato. Any kind of bread, potato chips... OK, I need to stop . I look to carb for energy. And it gives me. I don't think I would ever give up cut carb to really low, but I can certainly change what kind of carb.

I found that high quality food gives me more nutrient and energy so I can eat less and really my craving is much reduced.

Dr. Andrew Weil said this in his book "Eating Well For Optimum Health":

�People who develop addictive patterns of eating are often trying to reduce anxiety, alleviate depression, anesthetize themselves, or otherwise manipulate their psychophysical states, because food and eating modify neurochemistry, including that of brain centers regulating pleasure, arousal, and mood. Looking at addictive eating in this way makes it appear more understandable yet more complex than simple craving or failure of willpower.�

Right now, I am (still ) training to put one more step between me and the pantry when I have a craving for anything. The step is to think what nutrient that my body could be needing at that moment and see if there is other way to give my body that nutrient with high quality food other than the usual (unhealthy) ones. I am working on it. You know what, sometimes we crave food simply because we are dehydrated!

BTW, I highly recommend Andrew Weil's book.

Have a great day, Everyone!

drop

Great post, Drop. I think all the processed, artificial, unnatural, chemical-laden foods we eat in our society are a big problem. More than carbs or protein. I believe it is definitely the quality of what we eat that affects us. You will hear people tout different styles of eating (vegetarianism, high-protein, low-fat) and I think the basis of all these diets is the elimination of "JUNK". That's what it comes down to. That is why they work. I don't believe one is any better than the other.
When I watch what my kids eat, I can't believe all the junk they eat in a day. My 21 year old eats cookies, chocolate, donuts, iced tea for breakfast!!! I keep telling her it will catch up with her. They even feed the kids junk-food at school.
Anyway, we really need to get back to healthy, natural foods. It can only help us when fighting anxiety and depression and it certainly can't hurt.

Gator

Right on, Gator.

At some point in history we decided collectively convenience was more important than health.

I was the same way. I kidded myself that as long as I bought the more expensive well-known big name brands then the "quality" would be good. Well, well. I forgot the first lesson in business school: the most important goals for a business are (1) maximize profit; and (2) minimize cost. The bigger the company, the more focus it is to accomplish these goals.

I am so glad that many information is available now to direct us to the right path.

drop