Sugar addiction. Its a real physical addiction like heroin or cocaine. It has very real effects, but the worst of them (beyond the unhealthy weight gain and higher blood sugar) is the withdrawal. That is one of the reasons we continue to eat sugar even after starting diets. It's the reason most cheats are sweet cheats.
I went to YouTube to find a video on this, containing mostly information. Here is an excellent one:
Why this thread right now? Well, I have become addicted again to sugar! Eating breads, crackers and cheating with donuts did not necessarily add THAT much weight (it did add about 10 pounts bringing me to 190 from 180 at 5'9". There is so much sugar in breads, crackers, chips and of course, donuts. So, what happened when I cut them out two days ago? Massive headache (not migraine), lethargy, muscle aches, and an odd flu-like feeling which was not the flu. WTH? I called my doc and he told me I was going through withdrawal. Freakin WITHDRAWAL? From sugar? Then I remembered I went through it years ago when I first went low carb.
http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07/19/sugar-withdrawal-symptoms-list-of-possibilities/
Pasted from article:
Two ibuprofen eliminated the headache pretty quickly, and just this afternoon did I start feeling better in terms of the aches and flu-like symptoms. Mind you, this does NOT include sweeteners like stevia, Splenda and other artificial sweeteners. And it does not include natural sugars as long as they are consumed whole with their source (fruits).
Sugar may take up to 10 days to leave the body (the processed type). The sugars you need to live will be made by the foods you eat. I have some Splenda sweetened tea in front of me right now, but that does not count.
Note to Bluce: donut
I went to YouTube to find a video on this, containing mostly information. Here is an excellent one:
Why this thread right now? Well, I have become addicted again to sugar! Eating breads, crackers and cheating with donuts did not necessarily add THAT much weight (it did add about 10 pounts bringing me to 190 from 180 at 5'9". There is so much sugar in breads, crackers, chips and of course, donuts. So, what happened when I cut them out two days ago? Massive headache (not migraine), lethargy, muscle aches, and an odd flu-like feeling which was not the flu. WTH? I called my doc and he told me I was going through withdrawal. Freakin WITHDRAWAL? From sugar? Then I remembered I went through it years ago when I first went low carb.
http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/07/19/sugar-withdrawal-symptoms-list-of-possibilities/
Pasted from article:
- Anger: If you quit cold turkey, your mood may dip and you may notice that you are more angry and irritable than usual. The anger should not last more than a couple weeks, but may be difficult to cope with if it was unexpected.
- Anxiety: Various individuals have reported feelings of anxiety when they drop sugar from their diets. It is known that sugar can have an influence on dopamine levels and activity – which could be the culprit for these feelings. Certain individuals are more sensitive than others in regard to experiencing anxiety upon discontinuation.
- Appetite changes: Eating sugar can lead some people to experience increased cravings for carbohydrates. Additionally when you stop consuming sugar, you may notice that your appetite experiences some degree of fluctuation. Initially you may eat more or less than usual, but it should balance out.
- Cravings: The most obvious effect when you stop sugar is that you’re going to crave it. The cravings for sugar may be intense and difficult to overcome. If you stay the course and stay self-disciplined, you will eventually reach a point where these cravings subside. It may help to remove sugar substances from your house and/or keep them out of sight so that you don’t fall victim to the cravings.
- Depression: People can experience a crash in mood when they first come off of sugar. This dip in mood is typically not very extreme, but can feel like a low grade depression. Eventually your mood should bounce back and stabilize.
- Dizziness: In more extreme cases of withdrawal, individuals have reported feeling dizzy when they stop consuming sugar. Most people will not feel “dizzy” when they stop including sugar in their diets, but more sensitive people can.
- Fatigue: Sugar can provide some people with short-term boosts in energy. When a person quits including sugar in their diet, it is possible to experience some general fatigue and lethargy during the first couple weeks of withdrawal. Over the long term, a person should notice that normal energy levels return.
- Flu-like: In some cases, people actually experience a severe reaction to cutting sugar from their diet that results in very low-grade flu-like symptoms. If you have this severe of a reaction, it should subside within a few days. Most people will not experience this particular symptom when they cut sugar, but everyone is affected differently.
- Headaches: Initially some people experience headaches when they remove sugar from their diet. These headaches can be a result of tension and/or the changes you are going through by detoxifying your body from sugar.
- Insomnia: Dropping sugar from your diet may temporarily result in changes in sleep patterns and arousal. You may notice that you are unable to fall asleep at a proper time because you feel anxious or your arousal has changed; this will eventually go away. Consider taking melatonin or using some sort of relaxation exercise before bed if it’s a big problem.
- Irritability: During the acute phase of cutting sugar from your diet, you may become snappy as a result of not having the sugar that you crave. Sugar can influence dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for pleasure in the brain. When we are no longer getting the same stimulation, we may become irritable.
- Mood swings: It is fairly common to experience minor mood swings when you initially cut sugar from your diet. The mood swings may consist of some minor depression, anxiety, and/or other negative feelings. Eventually your moods will stabilize without the influence of sugar, but it may take a short while for your brain to adjust.
- Shakes: In some cases, people can actually shake when they drastically cut their sugar consumption. These shakes are usually a result of cold turkey withdrawal, but are typically not too severe; they will eventually subside. This is actually a fairly common symptom among people who stop consuming sugar that were previously consuming high amounts.
- Sleep changes: The withdrawal process may affect sleep to a certain extent. During the withdrawal you may notice changes in energy levels, arousal, and mood. All of these factors are thought to influence our ability to get a good night’s sleep. Do not be surprised if your sleep is slightly influenced.
- Weight changes: Most people notice that they lose weight when they drop sugar consumption. Weight loss is generally due to the fact that people stop eating unhealthy foods and drinking beverages that are sugar-filled.
Two ibuprofen eliminated the headache pretty quickly, and just this afternoon did I start feeling better in terms of the aches and flu-like symptoms. Mind you, this does NOT include sweeteners like stevia, Splenda and other artificial sweeteners. And it does not include natural sugars as long as they are consumed whole with their source (fruits).
Sugar may take up to 10 days to leave the body (the processed type). The sugars you need to live will be made by the foods you eat. I have some Splenda sweetened tea in front of me right now, but that does not count.
Note to Bluce: donut
Last edited: