Quitting processed sugar

[Toto'sDad]

Snack on nuts where, in the past, it would've been something w/sugar. Yes, nuts have calories, but they aren't empty calories Walnuts have a beneficial oil, they say.

Pistachios provide copper, one of the specific ingredients in supplements meant to protect my eyes as I age.

btw Pistachios taste like waffle cones (of ice cream cones) to me. For no logical reason.

I'm allergic to Pistachios. When I eat 'em, they make my throat swell so that I can barely breath. I also can't talk, which I believe is the sole reason my wife keeps leaving little packets of them around for me to find. Walnuts are terrible for your bowels if you have any pockets in them from diverticulosis. Crows eat lots of Almonds, and they go around going caw, caw, all over the place.

 

[billy logan]

And the cashew tree is in the poison ivy family!

Maybe grind the walnuts 2 ounces at a time in a coffee grinder and sprinkle the fine ground on your almond butter toast. Fine ground less likely to get trapped? Idk. My dad was avoiding blackberries with seeds for your reason. Don't think I ever saw "walnut butter" - sunflower seed butter, yes, a favorite.

The more almonds you eat the fewer will be left for the noisy crows.

Sunday edit to add this result from Mayo Clinic when I googled "walnuts diverticulitis":

In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn. It was thought that these foods could lodge in diverticula and cause inflammation (diverticulitis). But there's no evidence that these foods cause diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis: Can certain foods trigger an attack? - Mayo Clinichttps://www.mayoclinic.org › faq-20058293

 

[Colo Springs E]

I didn't say it was simple. I said it was easy.

And I said opposite. What you described is simple to comprehend.... but it's not that easy for people to do.

 

[1293]

And I said opposite. What you described is simple to comprehend.... but it's not that easy for people to do.

You choose to do it, or not. It's binary. It doesn't get easier (or simpler) than that.

 

[Colo Springs E]

You choose to do it, or not. It's binary. It doesn't get easier (or simpler) than that.

Sure. Probably why we're such a fit nation.

 

[Call Me Al]

Good move. I used to say “only a couple on Fri or Sat”. The problem is that once I cut back alcohol a lot, my body adjusted. The few on Fri/Sat impacted me more because switching my body into toxin removal mode so infrequently felt worse than when I drank a few daily when it was a routine to which my body was accustomed - weird as that sounds. So totally dry became the only option for me because the recovery cost of having a few one night a week was much higher per drink than when I drank daily - of course daily drinking brought a whole host of other issues.

My wife and I did the dry January thing in 2022. We liked it so much we kept it up. Last year I had probably a dozen beers, reserved for special occasions. But even that small amount I saw how it affected my sleep. It just naturally phased itself out.

 

[1293]

Sure. Probably why we're such a fit nation.

Just because people choose to be fat slobs doesn't mean it isn't easy to be otherwise.

 

[burntfrijoles]

Anyone else living a sugar free lifestyle?

Nope. It's a great idea but I'd never make a day without it. What would I do when I take my daughter and granddaughters out for dinner or invite them to dinner.

I am trying to alter my diet right now. I'm having less red meat, bread and sweets but I haven't cut them out completely. So, I guess I prefer to think of such things in terms of moderation.

Plus, I've got almost 15 years on you. At this point I won't deprive myself of life's little pleasures like my daughters banana pudding or an ice cream cone with my granddaughters.

My only suggestion is that you make a plan for your diet choices. You're giving up various things so what will replace them. Maybe instead of chips, you have carrots etc. That sort of thing.

Good luck to you.

 

[1293]

Nope. It's a great idea but I'd never make a day without it. What would I do when I take my daughter and granddaughters out for dinner or invite them to dinner.

I am trying to alter my diet right now. I'm having less red meat, bread and sweets but I haven't cut them out completely. So, I guess I prefer to think of such things in terms of moderation.

Plus, I've got almost 15 years on you. At this point I won't deprive myself of life's little pleasures like my daughters banana pudding or an ice cream cone with my granddaughters.

My only suggestion is that you make a plan for your diet choices. You're giving up various things so what will replace them. Maybe instead of chips, you have carrots etc. That sort of thing.

Good luck to you.

What's wrong with red meat?

Carrots are loaded with sugar.

 

[HappyMangle]

What's wrong with red meat?

Carrots are loaded with sugar.

Exactly! In general i am a very flexible person and can do a lot to change my eating habits to better, but one thing i am not going to give up is meat. After reading this article https://betterme.world/articles/butterfly-pea-flower-tea-benefits-side-effects/ and started to experiment with the different teas and how they make me feel. Didn't know that they can have such a huge influence on our bodies.

 

[Kev-wilson]

As someone with a sugar impairment I should know better, last night my daughter wanted a Macky Dees for her and her sleepover friend, ok no problem but I wandered to the nearby Chinese takeaway as I can mostly inject for their special curry and chips. 3 units more insulin and my bloods started to rise like a rocket :/ for which the usual solution is another injection, but not last night as that meal needed 15 extra units of insulin (over 4 injections) and my bloods reached 20 mmol which isn't big or clever.

Very very odd, in a normal day eating around 160g carbs over 3 meals I use around 17u fast acting insulin (+ 12.5u basal) but that one meal used 23.5u alone which on the surface is shocking, but then I was at the end of the cartridge so perhaps should have changed it sooner.

A nice curry though

 

[teletail]

You didn't answer the question. Your argument is devoid of evidence.

I don’t provide evidence for why the world is round or why gravity exists either. Look it up yourself, I’m not google.

 

[Toto'sDad]

My wife made me some brownies yesterday, and they were delicious!

 

[middy]

that is a an ambitious life style change , I too have been working on that same goal, I have my blood sugars under control at 6.1 to 6.3 A1C area , but you will notice that until you get the balance in play there will be times when you will have sugar lows where your blood sugars will drop to the 3.0 range , you will have the sweats, be light headed and your motor skills will be affected , this will come at you unanaouced , so make sure you are in contact with your doctor before you take this on , get the facts for your particular case. you may find that a minor excursion will not affect you too much by this I mean , I may have a coffee every 2-3 months that has a spoon full of sugar I like , but the rest of the timeI take coffee with out sugar .be carefull and get solid medical advice before you start . Best of wishes for you to succeed!

BTW fructose from fruit is still sugar and will affect your Blood sugar the same as processed sugars

When the fructose is in the fibrous fruit, it is digested more slowly and won’t spike your blood sugar as suddenly. But yeah, if you’re drinking fruit juice it might as well be a Coke.

 

[middy]

Not really, it increases your metabolism and increases your muscle mass; muscle burns more calories than fat.

This is true. But you hate see someone who’s 100 lbs overweight try to jog it off and ruin their knees. Save the major exercise until it’s safe.

 

[billy logan]

Holy moly, this 45 years old CEO - from Business Insider. Fewer than 2,000 calories per day daily small dose lithium!, blood tests and a colonoscopy monthly?!? lycopene, metformin, etc., etc., etc., etc. Resulting in, e.g., the involuntary nocturnal excitations of a much younger male
bryan-johnson-45-reduced-biological-age-5-years-project-blueprint-2023-1

A website started by him, "Rejuvenation Olympics." Guess who might be the current leader?
The link to Rejuvenation Olympics ---> / <----link

This is the website of CEO Bryan Johnson's longevity coach:
---> / <--- website of Dr. Oliver Zolman, M.D.

A 14-minute video from Dr. Zolman's website (subdivided by edit points into little "chapters")
Dr. Zolman narrating his bullet points

 

[2HBStrat]

I turned 59 y/o a few days ago and made a birthday pledge to try and quit eating all processed sugars.

I will still eat whole fruits and veggies, but no more processed foods that contain sugars....

Anyone else living a sugar free lifestyle? Was it tough to get started? How has your diet changed?

Suggestions appreciated, thanks.

Because of a (relatively) high A1C I made the decision to change my diet, eliminating bad carbs and sweets. Since October I've lost 16 pounds.

I'm feeling the same way about red wine. I know it has contributed to my weight gain but it's hard to give it up. My other weakness is cheese, all kinds. I wish you luck.

Lots of contradictory info in this thread, but I thought some red wine was good for you. Cheese, too...

... a lot of the time when we go for snacks it's just out of habit/boredom....

Yes, habit/boredome and ease. Grabbing a box of Pringles when you're hungry and bored while watching TV is a lot easier than chopping and eating some bell peppers and cucumbers.

All things in moderation. Including moderation.

Hey, that's MY line.

...It's surprising what tastes sweet when not competing with processed sugar; carrots and prawns taste sweet...

True. Bell peppers taste really sweet when you're not comparing them to a cookie.

...BTW fructose from fruit is still sugar and will affect your Blood sugar the same as processed sugars

Really? I thought raw fruit was good for you, even for diabetics.

Yup! Severely reducing sugars and white flour. Focusing on “crowding out” the junk with lots of veggies, fruits, whole grain, beans....

Me too. I cheat occasionally but giving up Cheetos has been the challenge for me so far.

Unfortunately for me, I have a lot of experience at this. All carbs are sugar, your body doesn't care what form they take. When you eliminate carbs, you go into a withdrawal people call the keto flu. You just have to muscle through it, it will end in three or four days. If you don't think sugar is an addiction, this should change your mind. The fact that you are still eating fruit, and probably high carb vegetables i.e. corn, peas, beans, potatoes, rice, and flour (whole wheat doesn't change the carb count), is probably why the cravings haven't stopped. Imagine telling an alcoholic to only drink every other day.
....

More confusing info...I thought beans, peas and corn (not potatoes) were 'good' carbs...?

 

[middy]

Because of a (relatively) high A1C I made the decision to change my diet, eliminating bad carbs and sweets. Since October I've lost 16 pounds.

Lots of contradictory info in this thread, but I thought some red wine was good for you. Cheese, too...

Yes, habit/boredome and ease. Grabbing a box of Pringles when you're hungry and bored while watching TV is a lot easier than chopping and eating some bell peppers and cucumbers.

Hey, that's MY line.

True. Bell peppers taste really sweet when you're not comparing them to a cookie.

Really? I thought raw fruit was good for you, even for diabetics.

Me too. I cheat occasionally but giving up Cheetos has been the challenge for me so far.

More confusing info...I thought beans, peas and corn (not potatoes) were 'good' carbs...?

They are good carbs in that they have more fiber and vitamins and generally won’t spike your blood sugar as badly, but they are still concentrated calories that are easier to overeat.
Keto is useful to lose weight quickly, but I don’t consider it a maintainable or healthy lifestyle.
Once you weight is close to where you want it, or if you want to lose weight more slowly, whole grains and legumes in moderation are the safest and easiest (not to mention cheapest) sources of energy and protein.

 

[memorex]

I guess if you're in your 40s or 50s, you should worry about your health. But I'll be 73 this year. And last year, I lost part of a kidney due to a cancerous tumor. And then they had to put stent coils in the kidney because a couple of arteries formed pseudoaneurysms. I flew to Florida recently, and the metal in my body set off the security scans at every airport.

I try to eat sensibly, but I'm done worrying about what I eat. I will reduce what I can, but I'm not giving up anything.

 

[1293]

Because of a (relatively) high A1C I made the decision to change my diet, eliminating bad carbs and sweets.

My a1c got up to 6.1. That was the wake up call I needed.