Hi all, have been wrestling with my diet lately. I keep a pain/diet diary to try and keep tack of dietary triggers that may exasperate symptoms and this has thrown up some questions especially regarding sugars.
I recently had my annual blood tests and found that my sugar levels are fine, which seems to indicate I am not pre-diabetic. Yet I find when I have a small amount of something sweet, like a piece of flour free orange cake, I am in pain the next day. Fresh fruit doesn't seem to trigger anything, which is why I love fresh fruit and vegetables.
I wondered what others experiences are of sugars and whether they are effected by them, and is there a safer option to refined sugar and even honey, which I find problematic. I have cookbooks that list other natural alternatives but I am sceptical, are they any less reactive?
Hi Meg sugar is known to reduce our immune system up to 70% so cutting down can only be beneficial. There is an alternative to sugar called total sweet, its xylitol and safer than ordinary sugar. i could give more info and links but admins on hear will delete them. i replied recently to someone else asking about diet and the affect of acidic foods can have but again deleted, they cause internal inflammation. maybe my reply will be allowed this time who knows
Thank you Susan, very interesting I have heard all the bad press about sugar and am trying to cut it out, no more cakes and pastries etc. Sometimes however in social situations it is mandatory to produce such fare and I am wrestling with this. I will check out the substance you have mentioned.
As for acidic foods that is another topic I need to explore. I am so chemically sensitive, I wonder how many or us are in a similar boat?
My life seems like walking on a tight rope at present, one wrong move and you suffer the unpleasant consequences. Must stop looking on the dark side and remember, ' always look on the bright side of life'.
Hi Meg ill try and work out how to send you a private message about the acidic foods in a minute. Like you im finding it not easy to cut out sugar, my weakness is chocolates, im paying the price now as i now have another flare up of candida as well again. Like you im chemically sensitive, and yes I wonder how many or us are in a similar boat and probably dont even realise it. As you say try and look on the bright side of life!
Hiya Meg, this is only my exoerience and research...Sugar is really bad...it's hard for many people to give it up, especially, when it's in just about everything you eat, in some form or another..when I first started..I just quit sugar and all all processed food..including bread....that was 31/2 years ago now...then we, (my husband and I) ventured down the Paleo eating lifestyle and 3 years later..loving it soooo good for my health and his, .especially my .flare ups..give it a google and find out for yourself..be blessed, have a lovely day..:-) xx
You are so organised...I bow to you! Really... I was just PM ing Susan556 and complaining how it's becoming more and more difficult to shop for food these days. I'm lactose and gluten intolerant (but more lactose) and I'm now having a thingie on the thyroid, so no more soy! But...really: broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, cabbages, etc. that are cruciferous vegetables also hurt the thyroid; spinach and many other vegetables are bad for oxalates and phosphates that make kidney stones, Read meat I load and is bad for... XYZ, My adrenal need more protein, but fish may be loaded with mercury.......Heeeelp!
About the sugars, Meg, the most recent best thing, as you may know is Stevia. Not too sweet, not too tasty, expensive, harmless (so they say), and coconut sugar. Since these are low in glicemic index (and that's the most important thing metabolically) and they're deemed to be good for your health.
An interesting way of ugrading cakes and bakes flavour and sugary taste is adding more spices, zests and fruits.
I've downloaded a cook book from a famous American integrative ND, proponent of the paleo diet but I confess I haven' read it yet ( I'll PM you the link if you like).
One thing seems to be true to me: the more food are organic the best I tolerate them. It turns out to be more expensive although prices are going down as organic becomes increasingly more popular.
The experts swear that dark chocolate (low or no sugar) is good for you, brain mainly. I haven't tried it but from what I've read (and I read a lot) besides diet caprylic acid is excelent to kill candida. Then to restore the bowel flora probiotics are key. XX Teresa
I am finding more and more that I am sensitive to foods and meds like you...dont you find it frustrating? As a kid I suffered with ecezma and we had pets which affected my breathing, my eyes would swell up and rashes got worse (itchyness) but we never tied them together until I had a patch test done at nineteen. This showed I was allergic to house dust, animal hair, saliva and dander as well as shampoo's cleaning products, creams, perfumes, nylon (tights), and metals e.g. copper zinc st/steel (money, razors etc).
Such a nightmare... until the older I got, I was careful with what I used and gradually found I could use more and more with no ill effects.
I digress...last night I had dinner at a friends and woke in the early hours with swollen nasal passage and swollen throat with an itchy burning deep inside my ears, I took an antihistamine which has relieved this also drank ice cold water to help. And recently the sun has given me hives over my arms, hands and chest. I bought a pair of sandals with a gold coloured metallic thread on them which has given me a rash on both my ankles .
Wondering whether I'm suffering because of the Fibro and meds or just because this has always been me.
I think its great that you keep a diary of foods and work out the triggers, not sure I could, what with so many varied allergies. I know I sound negative...probably because of dealing with them for many years and thinking I'd made a breakthrough.... but I do watch my food intake anyway and I have lost some weight albeit slowly.
As I have said in previous posts I have cut out all refined sugars. I have been told that stevia is a good substitute but have not found it necessary. All my diet consists of is fresh fruit and veg some chicken, pulses, and some fish.. Everything is cooked from scratch and is gluten free. Followed this for a couple of months and have felt much better however it is early days. I had a very stressful day at work due to a colleague who thinks it is fun to up my stress levels out of spite and have to say the reaction was not as bad as in the past. Going to stick to it and not be tempted. According to my therapist it takes 3 weeks for the sugar to be out of the system and that during that time you may have one or two bad days. Can't say I have but then we fibro folk put everything down to fibro so probably wouldn't notice anyway!
Hi Angie, aww you poor lady you, and i thought i had problems, i wonder if this is why i keep getting this severe itchiness after a shower, is it fibro, the M.E. or what. ive tried using no fabric conditioner in the wash, just plain water when showering but makes no difference at all. i have to hold my arms under freezing cold water to ease the itchiness. this morning i tried to avoid getting my arms wet at all and it didnt happen. Had a sore throat, runny eyes, but i get this regardless of time of year so not hay fever. was told once i was alergic to carpet of all things. Hubby just put new carpet in bedroom, wonder if theres any connection hear?
aparently A majority of fibromyalgia and CFS patients experience allergic reactions to various substances. Sensitivities to mold, dust mites and grasses are common.
Patients also react to perfumes, scented products, cigarette smoke, household chemicals, car exhaust and diesel fumes, glues, inks and dyes. (Because many patients are chemically sensitive, most CFS and FM support groups ask people to come to meetings "fragrance free." so looks like yes all these side affects come with fybromyalgia. Great isnt along with menapausal sypmtoms too!
Ha ha yeh ...I forgot that one Susan. Me too! Your itchyness could be to do with the new carpet fibres..... and the dust they hold can make you sneezy or wheezy....keep an eye on that. I got wood or lino... which helps. Its funny you say its all Fibro, only I'm not sure ...but I definately think if you're an allergy sufferer then FM can heighten those allergies symptoms. Some of mine are new ones, I mean, not the same as when I was younger.
I never realised that sensitivities were that extreme for FM ers to warrant a fragrance free meet, wow. I am learning new things about FM all the time.
Hi Meg. I too find that sugars, particularly refined, have the effect of increasing my pain. Sugars in alcohol do it too - really miffed that wine makes me hurt now. Perversely since the fibro got its grip on me, I find I crave sugary foods - never ever had a sweet too before and now I have! I've used Agave syrup for years, much less adverse affect on me than sugar. Also coconut sugar - absolutely delicious and so much healthier than refined sugars.
Don't know exact weight loss as my "expert" does not want me to weigh myself just measure. So after the first four weeks five new holes in my belt. I am delighted but losing weight wasn't the prime consideration I just did not want to feel so ill. It is all part of the hynotherapy sessions I have. We talk about various things including what I do and do not eat, my relationship with food and whether I eat because I am bored/in pain/stressed we talk of Life in general and then I have a relaxing hynotherapy session. The no refined sugar has definitely made a huge difference to how I feel. It is not a cure all but I feel so much better and as a consequence not so stressed and feel I am taking my fibro sprite by the throat and giving him a good old shaking. I need to think I am not sitting around feeling sorry for myself but doing something active. It helps me cope. I know it would not work for everyone but it's making a difference to me.
I am pleased. The trick I found works is to actually ask yourself
1. Am I hungry. If so eat, if not put it back.
2. As soon as I feel comfortably full stop eating - even if some is left on the plate.
3. Always eat immediately you are hungry - carry snacks round with you.
4. Stop regular meal times. Eat only when you are hungry.
I was a complete chocoholic but haven't missed it at all. Can even leave hubby's chocolate in his briefcase . Now even I am amazed at that! All processed foods, anything with refined sugar or gluten was binned. Just hope I can keep it up but the longer I do it the better I feel so I am not inclined to give in. The therapist has not done anything under hypnosis other than use a total relaxation technique.
Try carrying around a small pot of nuts or fruit or veggie sticks. Bananas work quite well for me along with raspberries and cherries. Believe me the sugar highs and lows will soon vanish.
Thank you everyone for your replies. First thing that struck me was, we are all such sensitive beings, very chemically sensitive. I was always reactive to dairy, dust mites and msg, the rest has only developed in the last few years. One 'helpful' friend suggested that falling hormones may be a contributing factor, as the hormones somehow help the pain receptors in the brain to work as they should and not provide scrambled messages??? Don't know what do you think.
I can sympathise about cutting out wine, I used to enjoy a nice glass of crisp white wine, in social settings. As for Chocolate I am like Maggers I don't really miss it.
After joining this forum I have cut out bread also, but it certainly is a struggle to find a variety of foods to eat, in fact went out at the weekend and brought a couple of wholefood recipe books, which mention some of the sweeteners you mention, so will try them, now I have you experiences to back them up.
My husband jokes sometimes and says I should be a bubble girl, at least a bubble would keep out nasty work colleagues and all these harmful chemicals that seem to hurt us.
I think probiotics are truely wonderful, since I have been taking them long term, no more sore tummies etc. Organic food is also a good idea, I sometimes wonder if some our problems stem from the bombardment of chemicals we receive living in this modern age, by eating organic it has to lower the chemical load. The trouble is organic is not always available.
You ladies are truely an inspiration and I will give all your suggestions a go.
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so looks like yes all these side affects come with fybromyalgia. Great isnt along with menapausal sypmtoms too!
You're doing a great job. I'm struggling with blood sugar up & down so when it's down I just CRAVE for an energy booster 
.