I have a great post for you today from Jenny at Finding the Sweet Life Again. She is going to tell you about her recent change to sugar-free. Enjoy!
On a diet, impending high school reunion, time for a lifestyle change? Why did you decide to go sugar-free? Hi, my name is Jenny, I’m a 37 year old wife and mother and I have Fibromyalgia. My symptoms started years ago but the “organized” treatments started in 2011. The medications make me feel really miserable, and let’s face it; I got to a point where really wasn’t doing such a great job in my professional life or my home life because of all of the narcotics and nerve medications I was taking to help manage the pain.
Fast forward to June 21st, I was told by an alternative care provider that she thought I was at toxic levels of sugar substitutes. I couldn’t imagine what she meant. I didn’t drink much diet soda, perplexed I thought for a few moments, and then it dawned on me, I was the queen of consumption of calorie free flavored waters. I really enjoyed them, and my family also drank a lot of sugar-free powdered drink mix. Bingo. I was put on a cleanse and instructed to drink lemon water and/or green tea daily. Lemon helps to detoxify your liver and Green Tea is a natural antioxidant. To my amazement, within a week my pain level was ½ of what it had been before. It was such a blessing. Nothing had worked so well, so quickly to give me relief of my symptoms.
This got my mind wondering; are we really what we eat? If my body didn’t like those chemicals so much that it was manifesting as pain, what else could I eliminate? Emboldened I set out on my next journey. To find out what other foods/chemicals my body might be having a reaction to. I contacted a company called Better Lab Tests Now and had the Elisa/ACT test run. It was really empowering to know that I was in charge of my body and my own medical advocate. The traditional medical community hasn’t been the answer for me so far so I was relieved to be able to take the situation into my own hands. Less than a week after I had the bloodwork done I had my results, I was praying that I wouldn’t be told to obstain from cheese (I love cheese) little did I know what a daunting task was ahead of me.
I have been told to avoid 8 items. Some for 3 months, most for at least 6. Public enemy number one on my list is SUGAR. I found out at 10:00am and by 10:01 all the sugary snacks at my desk at work had been removed. Little did I know how many products would contain sugar, molasses, honey or one of the other many names it goes by. This has been an amazing eye opener for me. Why do “they” add sugar to EVERYTHING. Mayonaise, really? It just seems odd to me. Funny, before I had only read the food labels for calories, fat, protein and fiber. I should have been looking at the ingredients. Oh well, live and learn.
What a blessing to learn I needed to avoid the substitutes as well as “real deal.” If I hadn’t found out about the substitutes first, I wouldn’t have gone for the full lifestyle change and I could be in more pain now. I am so very thankful for blogs like this one to help save me from a life of boring salads. In the beginning, I had no idea where to start, but with a spoonfullofsugarfree, I’m going to be ok.
Thought-provoking, mind prodding question of the day:
Why did you decide to go sugar-free?
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Thanks Jenny!
That’s so amazing that it helped cut your pain levels! I have a couple of friends with fibromyalga. I know it’s different for everyone, but I think it would be interesting for them to try going sugar free!
I’ve tried to drink more water in general, instead of relying on crystal light and diet coke! It’s not easy but it’s getting easier. I really do love lemon and water!
I have a friend who has fibromyalga, too, and she found cutting out sugar helped her a lot! I am not a doctor and don’t know the scientific facts about this, but I believe that the sugar just promotes the attacks in fibromyalga.
I’m glad to hear it’s helped… there is such a huge correlation with symptoms and what you put in your body for just about everything. I haven’t gone entirely sugar free but I don’t eat it the majority of days simply because I hate how it leaves me feeling and the taste it leaves in my mouth. I feel better without it, so it works for me!
I’m deff not entirely sugar free. I’m a teen, and I eat desserts when I really crave them. I try not to eat things that have added sugar, and i stear completely clear of high fructose corn syrup…that stuff is just groddday.
This is amazing news and a valuable insight into one of the effects of sugar on our bodies. Well done you. Millions exist in this world not realising that they can feel better. Have you tried carbonated water and a shot of apple cider vinegar for a zingy beverage? Also stores in the US (if that is where you are) sell Zevia, Virgils and others that I cannot recall the name of right now but they are sweetener and sugar free drinks made from Stevia and ethyimol (plants, natural, low GI – contain vits and mins). they are beyond delicious – amazing kicking flavours.
Very informative! Sugar can do alot of damage to our bodies. I’m not completely sugar free but I do try and look for products which contain a reduced amount of sugar. Also whilst baking I tend to alter the sugar content or replace it with something else.
I had to go sugar free because I have me/cfs and because my body crashed so bad I was insulin resistant and told to go off sugar for 3 months which I did but after that time I found that anything with sugar in it just drained me of all energy – like someone pulled the power plug out. Like you I’ve found Spoonful of sugar free an absolute Godsend with yummy recipes that don’t make me feel like crap. I have written to several companies requesting that they make their products sugar free because I was amazed at how many things had sugar in – even stock cubes? The responses are not always favorable though.
Hi Ruthie!
Thanks for the sweet comment. I completely agree with you-too many products have unnecessary added sugar. Good for you for reaching out to those companies!
Wow Ruthie I’d love to know more. Sadly, it sounds like sugar does the same garbage to you. It’s tough though cause I want to be a normal person to. For example, tonight we had family in town and we were trying to figure out what to feed everyon for dinner. Last night I handled it swiftly by making an awesome chili, tonight the two options presented to me were pizza and Chinese buffet. I struggled because I know I can’t have either, safely. I have to treat this as a sugar allergy and it’s serious.
I’m not familiar with the condition ME, can you tell me what that stands for please? Thank you everyone for your comments. They mean a lot.