The Beginning of My Sugar-Free Life
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Is it possible to stop eating sugar and to live a sugar-free lifestyle? You say you're addicted and you just can't stop eating sugar. Is there any hope?
I'm here to tell you that there is. Here's my story about how I got off of sugar. I hope it helps you to see that there is hope. If I can do it, you for sure can too.
If you've been around my blog for a while, you've noticed something.
- I typically don't post recipes that include dried fruits.
- I mostly use alternative sweeteners (like stevia and even–gasp–xylitol and erythritol.)
- My recipes are almost 100% gluten-free and are moving more and more grain-free
Why is that?
Well, I used to be a real sugaraholic and that led to some pretty bad health effects.
My SAD (Standard American Diet) Childhood
I grew up in a family eating the Standard American Diet (SAD). A typical daily menu would look like:
- White bread toast with margarine and cinnamon sugar on it (and it for sure wasn't my Keto Cinnamon Sugar.
- School lunch was maybe pizza, milk, and dessert. When I got into high school, it was likely a sandwich. I actually don't recall what I ate then.
- Dinner was often pasta or eating out at a fast food restaurant.
- After school snacks were dry cereal, ice cream (and it wasn't this dairy-free sugar-free mint chocolate chip ice cream recipe).
What a mess.
As I grew older, my “health consciousness” grew, and I started eating more and more vegetables and fruits, and even whole grains, but I still was a real sugar addict.
I even worked at an ice cream parlor for years, which was a completely no good very bad idea.
All employees would snack on the ice cream and candy bar toppings (when we had time), and there were numerous days when I came home not wanting dinner at all.
The Beginning of Health Problems
Years went by. I ended up with health issues that no one could connect the dots with.
- itching in my ears, which the doctor said was likely just dry ears “It's a vicious cycle. Just stop scratching them. It'll go away.” But it didn't.
- vaginal itching (diagnosed as vaginitis)
- tinea versicolor (a fungus that discolors the back and abdomen with white, itchy spots. Typically it shows up in summer months.
And as more years went by, more conditions showed up:
- bloating
- on and off fatigue
- mood fluctuations including anxiety
- insomnia
I clearly remember the day (about 3 years ago) when I was standing after church, talking with two friends of mine. They were talking about candida and sugar and changing their diets.
I was listening, but basically might as well have had my fingers in my ears, because I didn't want to hear what they were saying.
They were talking about:
- bloating
- severe mood fluctuations
- rashes
- vaginal “issues”
(Hmmm…sounds familiar, eh?)
And they mentioned candida.
I'd heard about candida, but no doctor had said that I had it.
Hmmmm…
One of those women mentioned said she had had manic-depressive episodes and thought she'd have to give up homeschooling, but going sugar-free had helped her greatly.
I. didn't. want. to. hear. that.
Me? Give up sugar.
No way.
Why I HAD to start a Sugar-free Lifestyle
Well, fast forward six months or a year.
My symptoms progressed to the point that I had:
– severe fatigue
– mood swings and depression (it's pretty easy to be depressed when you are severely fatigued.)
– itching scalp (sometimes this got really really bad.)
– insomnia (I had always had a hard time sleeping, but it was getting worse.)
I felt like I'd hit rock bottom.
I didn't know what to do, but a friend who participates in our family's whole foods co-op shared her struggles with sugar and candida with me.
She pointed me to a site called Whole Approach (a site that sadly is no longer around). I took their Candida Symptom Assessment Questionnaire and my score was super high.
My allopathic background (I had been pre-med in college) led me to be suspicious of any “self-diagnosing questionnaire”, but I needed help.
I pored over their site, and ordered their cleansing and candida-killing supplements, and started the candida diet.
Well, there is a lot more to tell.
I had horrible candida die-off symptoms the first two weeks or so of the diet. And I do mean HORRIBLE.
My diet had changed and now I was basically living a sugar-free lifestyle including:
- no sweeteners that feed candida (sugar, evaporated cane juice, sucanat, agave, maple syrup, honey, etc.)
- no fruit
- no dried fruit
- limited starches
Later, after following their protocol pretty carefully, I found myself in a pit of bad health again.
Let's just suffice it to say that I now think there is much more to know about how to get rid of candida than just cutting back on sugars and starches.
But I think you'll be intrigued to hear more about candida and its ties to other health issues in the future.
We've had a lot of health struggles in our family. It can be hard to deal with them all, but I do hope that what I share can bring help and healing to others. We have had a lot of miracles happened, which you can read some about here.
For more of the story, read:
Candida, My Childhood, and 5 Causes of Gut Imbalance and
Busting a Popular Gut Health Myth.
Other Health-Related Posts
- Could You Have Heavy Metal Toxicity and Not Know It?
- Just a Red Face? Or Something More?
- Food Allergies and Eczema – From Despair to Healing
Some of Our Favorite Sugar free Lifestyle Treats
In case you're ready to try to get off sugar, here are some sugar-free treats that can help you out while still satisfying your sweet tooth.
- Healthy Almond Joy Bars
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Homemade Jello
- Dairy-free Chocolate Chip Cheesecake-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Have you thought about going off of sugar?
I’ve been following different versions of Candida Diet for the past 2.5 years now and have had symptoms for as long as I can remember – very similar to yours actually.
In one way I am grateful that it has made me appreciative of a lot of foods that I would never have eaten in my “normal” life. And I was forced to cook/ bake, which is a blessing. But all the uncertainty and phantom pains, itches and worries…
Gosh! It is quite a life changer, isn’t it?
Yes. Life changer is right. Shoulda been changed from the beginning, eh?
I avoided all fruit for the first six or seven months. I started to add cranberries back in last fall when they were in season. I guess I didn’t really think about them until they were in the stores for Thanksgiving. I’ve always made my own cranberry sauce and now I just use stevia instead of honey. We’ve also been enjoying them in some gluten free, dairy free, sugar free muffins.
I love cranberries and missed getting them on clearance after Christmas :(.
Hi Adrienne,
I was a terrible sugar addict for years and didn’t realise it until I came across Sugar Blues by William Dufty in 2001. Since then, I’ve been off sugar, white flour and white rice about five different times for about five months at a time. When I cut those things out, I lose a heap of weight, and my asthma disappears along with a host of other annoying little issues like nail fungus, grey hairs (seriously!), and yeast overgrowth, which was terrible during my pregnancies. It’s just so hard to stay on track sometimes though, which just doesn’t make sense when you’re getting so many benefits!
So now I just want to kill the cravings instead of willpowering them out of existence, and even acupuncture can’t get rid of them, so I’ve been trying to find an essential oil blend to use to get my body back in balance. I figure that if I kill off the candida, the cravings will disappear. At least, I’m hoping so.
BTW I noticed your sleep comment above. When I was off refined foods, I had so much energy that I could only sleep a few hours each night!
Wow. You know, that’s amazing. I just can’t tolerate barely any sugar at all. Keep on, OK? It’s just not worth it!!!
I don’t know about the getting rid of candida thing. My practitioner says that one Chinese Herb blend she recommends will kill it but I think it’s always going to be an issue. What blend are you trying? I think we’ll be able to talk w/ Mr. Dean about using oils for different conditions but now sure when. I am sure he says no sugar and no white flour.
Thanks for the encouragement. It’s so great that your body rejects sugar now, you must be feeling fantastic!
I tried Ocotea and Cinnamon with no noticeable results, so Palmarosa, Myrrh and Clove oils are next – will let you know how that goes. It could be emotionally-related too, so might do a feelings kit-type thing eventually. I’d be very interested to hear Mr Dean’s recommendations and if anyone else has had success using oils.
Actually I feel super sensitive. I am working on metals now. Not easy but necessary. Have you read my metals post?
Not yet, but I had a quick look and will read the related articles too. I could read your blog all day!
I actually found myself reading about metals two days ago as my daughter has been exhibiting some autism-spectrum behaviours. Cilantro oil is supposed to be a good detoxifier so I’ve ordered some to try from Heritage. Will be interesting to see if it does anything.
Well you are just too kind. I feel I have sooo much to learn. And not enough time to write what I want to share. Heritage oils in the US? You should connect w/ my practitioner if you have those suspicions. Is she GF and DF and SF?
Well, you seem to have shared very generously so far, it’s been a great help 🙂
Yes, it’s Heritage oils in the U.S. Our diet is mainly wholefood with minimal wheat and sugar. She loves her dairy, but we stick to organic, A2 or goats milk. I went off those things when I breastfed her to see if it helped, but it didn’t. We thought that she was just a strong-willed child. Who is your practitioner? I’d like to find out more…
Theresa Vernon. She’s very interesting. Heavy metal and adrenal work. I am doing quite well w/ her. My son has done GF, SF and DF (DF for life b/c he’s deathly allergic) and he is quite a bit better but still likely on the spectrum. Hard to tell. He has anxiety.
Thank you! Her site looks fascinating. I so hope that you are close to the finish line with these issues, it sounds like you’ve been through A LOT. It makes you really appreciate the normal days with no tears or arguments or tantrums though, huh? I’ve had 2 in 5 years. I still remember them. They were bliss!
It is fascinating, eh? We still have stress, but not like it was before. See you!
I have been on a candida diet since April 2012. When I started I thought it would only take a month so no big deal giving up all those foods. I certainly was wrong about the time frame but really like the diet and don’t feel deprived in anyway. I know I won’t go back to eating wheat again and will probably stick to a gluten free diet as well.
Giving up sugar wasn’t a big deal since I didn’t eat much of it, but I did drink alcohol. I thought giving that up might be hard but wasn’t at all and I don’t miss it. Giving up coffee was probably the hardest but I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t miss that either — but don’t you dare take away my chicory/dandelion/cinnamon drink in the morning!
In addition to following a pretty strict diet I have been taking (herbal) anti-fungals and probiotics. I’m at the point now where I have started to reintroduce a few foods — cranberries are making be very happy! My most visible and persistent symptom has been eczema on my legs. It is almost totally gone and winter is usually the worst time of year for it.
Sorry to be so long winded — really looking forward to reading your next chapter.
I hear you on the coffee substitute! Did you see my recipe? I used to put cinnamon in mine as well.
Cranberries shouldn’t be an issue on the candida diet…why were you off them? Good for you on the eczema. My son’s is gone too . Bleh.
Adrienne,
I’m glad to find your article here – what an eye opener! Most of the time people don’t realize how sugar effects their health – It’s not just that you gain weight, get bad teeth or get diabetics.
Also me and my husband quit sugar for 2 1/2 months now (we did the 21 sugar detox challenge on Tim Reviews and the most dramatic change I experienced is that I’m easing to sleep at 11pm AND staying there without waking up several times anymore. Before I used to sleep at 2-3am, waking up a few times at night and get out of bed at 8am, feeling sick and exhausted.
All the best,
Jennifer
Thanks. My sleep isn’t going great right now….guess it’s not the sugar for me :).
I never knew that itching ears could be symptom! That’s just crazy how it effects skin inflammation and itchiness all over your body. I’m starting a Whole 30 this coming month (March) myself. It’s not as anti-sugar as the candida diet or 21 Day Sugar Detox, but it’s still quite low in sugar. I am tempted to do the Candida Diet after that to see if it helps even more. Baby steps!
Thanks for sharing this information!
I didn’t know it either but I’ve noticed a too close correlation too many times to ignore it now. And after reading more on the Whole Approach site it is pretty obvious that it’s a problem related to candida. Take care!
It truly is amazing how many people are effected by this and don’t know. Thank you for bringing it to your readers attention. I think this info could help a lot of people.
You’re right, France. I spoke at my church about 1 year ago about this — for only about 15 minutes. You would think people would have thought I was crazy but they really listened. I think it’s epidemic.
Thank you for your encouragement. I’m glad to hear that it can be done a bit more incrementally. I did download the food chart, and it’s really helpful and do-able. I have a hard time with breakfast. Anyway, so sorry to hear about your concussion! Thank you for taking the time to respond in spite of that. Take care!!
Thanks for the well wishes. For breakfast, have you seen my chia puddings? I have another one I am working on. Or just leftovers from lunch and dinner. For awhile I did veggies and meat or eggs. I have gotten so much more simplified but likely I will add more veggies soon :).
Hmmm, I do need to think outside the box, and I do need to eat way more veggies, so breakfast would be a good place to start. I can’t eat eggs right now because my son is allergic, and I’m still nursing. I have seen your chia pudding and that’s a great idea. I am at the point where I think I need to purchase a Vitamix, particularly because I recently learned my store-bought coconut milk has a not-so-friendly ingredient in it (carrageenan), (so I want to make my own), so all of this will come together for me soon.
I had that problem w/ my son as well w/ eggs. My kids typically have a funny “super fast” drink which is just homemade coconut milk w/ stevia and gelatin blended in. They get fat and protein and it tastes good. I hope to share more ideas soon. They aren’t gorgeous but I just made coconut biscuits that are low to no carb. Oh…how about the flax bread I have on my site? You could make it with chia egg sub or even the egg replacer on my site and it has almost no carbs at all and that is really good. My son loves it with nut or seed butter and some xylitol for breakfast. So see – there are options :).
And if you buy a Vitamix, consider geting one through me :).
Great ideas – that bread looks great, and a good place to start with flax (I’ve used it as an egg replacer a couple of times, but that’s it). What do you grind flax seeds with?
I’ll definitely get the Vitamix through your site. We’re going to get one – talked about it today. If I click through from one of your links, will anything I buy be credited to you? (we’re looking at a refurbished one). I’m asking because I see the code in the initial link, but then when I click on links on the Vitamix page, your code doesn’t stay in the link.
Thx!
I grind them in my Vitamix :). But a coffee grinder will work as well. I can do 2 cups at a time in the Vitamix. Yes, if you go through I believe I get credit. You can call their 800# listed on my sidebar to get the free shipping – same thing. Hmmmm.. Which link are you trying? I should check it out. Thanks for letting me know. They changed their links awhile ago and I might have missed one.
I just tried adding the Vitamix to the shopping cart, and your code shows up in the promotion code box so all is well.
Great – thanks!!! You will LOVE it!
Adrienne, Thank you so much for this article and links, and I am looking forward to hearing of your experiences. I have known for some time that I have issues with candida. I’ve known sugar is my enemy. But I’ve just never had the strength to eliminate it (talk about addiction!).
In 2011, I changed my diet radically because my newborn son began having allergic reactions to what I ate, via my breastmilk. I ended up going from being a vegetarian (for over 20 years), to being a meat eater, after reading about “real food” and Weston Price and all that. I went on an elimination diet for two weeks, only eating turkey, zucchini, yams, and pears, and slowly added foods in. This was for my son, but I felt better than I had in my whole life. I felt younger, mentally alert, and I was at my high school weight (I am in my early 40’s).
I thought it was because my vegetarian diet had been high in soy and starch. So, I eventually went back to eating sugar. Because I am an addict. The products are healthier or homemade. And I use sucanat when I can, or honey or maple syrup.
But I have now gained back 10 pounds, and I’m bloaty, and irritable. I still don’t eat wheat or soy (never again), and our diet is entirely organic and our meat is grass fed and pastured.
But I eat too much sugar and starch. (rice, fruit, potatoes)
So, here is your article smacking me on the head, lol! I did that assessment. I was even conservative with my scoring.
I scored 263. Seriously. You have answered my questions about itchiness (an issue since my son was born in 2011). And now I’m having itchiness all over my body, intermittently – no rash, just itchiness.
I will be honest – I am terrified of getting this strict with my diet, but I know it’s right. So, I am very interested in how you did it. I didn’t have any die off when I went on that elimination diet, so I’m not sure what would happen with this.
Anyway, sorry to ramble. I found your site seeking recipes for my son, and you have blessed us again and again with your creativity and knowledge. Thank you thank you thank you.
I think my score was higher than that. :(. It is terrifying but if I can do it. You can. The recipes here should help and some of the blogs I’ve shared have great stuff.
Just try going down to 3 servings of starch or starchy veg per day and see how you do. It becomes manageable. They have a great food chart on W. Approach. I was going to write more today but our internet was down for about 2 hours and I am recovering from a concussion and am still pretty tired. Bless you and hang in there.
Yes we are off sugar. I’m not sure about grain because my son has a gluten problem. So right now I’m trying to up his probiotics and keep him of sugar and get more bone broth in him to help heal.
Grain’s a toughy but we are done w/ white flour.