Sugar...symptoms?

[sparrow]

Just wondering if anyone out there has adverse symptoms to sugar as well as gluten? Today was my first gluten free day...not so successful... I know that sugar is not good for me and that it's good to stay away from, but I've noticed that sugar makes me feel bad in all sorts of ways similar to gluten (I've still got to confirm that thru gluten-free diet, but...) -- I know that there are sugary things that are gluten free, but does anyone feel like me?...sluggish, headachey, irritable, yucky....I know that's not groundbreaking revelation, but when you think that gluten is the #1 culprit, seems like sugar makes it worse or is just as bad...any thoughts? And when going gluten free, shouldn't you go sugar-free too?

[missy'smom]

Sugar and all refined carbohydrates can cause fluctuations in blood sugar that can cause the symptoms you describe. Limit these things if they make you feel unwell. Eating plenty of protein any time you have carbs or sugar can help slow how fast they hit your blood stream and you may find that helps. Fat also slows it too. It's important to not skip meals too. Start your day with a good breakfast that includes protein, not just cereal or the like. Fruit juices can be problematic for some too.

[ravenwoodglass]

It can take awhile for the diet to make a difference. With only one day in you are likely still reacting to the gluten you had earlier this week. Limiting sugar is not a bad idea, many of us eat far to much of it anyway. Go with naturally gluten free whole unprocessed food as much as you can for now. It will help you heal the fastest.

[sparrow]

It can take awhile for the diet to make a difference. With only one day in you are likely still reacting to the gluten you had earlier this week. Limiting sugar is not a bad idea, many of us eat far to much of it anyway. Go with naturally gluten free whole unprocessed food as much as you can for now. It will help you heal the fastest.

Thanks...I'm going to commit to this for now in order to, like you said, let my body heal, and also to keep things from getting too complicated. I think as I add things gradually, I'll know what I can handle and what I can't... I've always loved carbs of every kind -- had a love affair with them that is really hard to control...always felt better without the refined flour and sugar...but keep coming back like an addict...That's why I'm hoping for some sort of dx to keep my resolve strong, but since my tests are negative, I guess I have to dx myself with my own diet experiment. Are there other tests, like that gene test and fecal test that I keep reading about, that I can do to help dx? I need all the evidence I can get...also, in order to help know what to do for my children, one of which I want to get tested...

[txplowgirl]

Hi Sparrow,

I have what I call a sugar sensitivity. Found that out after being gluten-free for about a month.

My symptoms are very sluggish to the point of feeling like I am about to collapse. Very sleepy to where I need to take about a 2 hour nap. Body sometimes feels like it's trying to go totally numb.

[sparrow]

Hi Sparrow,

I have what I call a sugar sensitivity. Found that out after being gluten-free for about a month.

My symptoms are very sluggish to the point of feeling like I am about to collapse. Very sleepy to where I need to take about a 2 hour nap. Body sometimes feels like it's trying to go totally numb.

Hi,

So you came up with that yourself? That sounds like me. It's hard to pinpoint if I'm eating everything else wrong too, though...Like dessert after full meal loaded with gluten or candy after movie popcorn...but the more I pay attention, the more I'm convinced that it's more than a typical feeling most people get... and I'm not diabetic or been diagnosed hypoglycemic, which is hard to believe -- it just seems like a pronounced tiredness, just like you said.

One day I will never forget: i was at a Braves game at Fulton Co. Stadium years ago with a friend. I got cotton candy -- always loved it. Ate the whole thing, was very hyper for a short time and crashed. But not the typical crash, in my opinion -- I was falling asleep, literally nodding off on the 2nd row with noise and chaos all around me. That's ridiculous. And pretty funny in a sad way.

So in order to seperate the gluten from the sugar would be to cut out sugar for the next couple of weeks and add a little back and do a test? See how I feel? I just started gluten free diet yesterday and feel terrible right now -- I know it may take a little while to feel better.

[sixtytwo]

Very interesting. I have been putting the sugar thing together after having been gluten-free for five years. I sure do feel better when I don't eat white sugar. You should check out the black bean brownies and the carrot cake made with beans. It sounds unusual, but I tried both of them and they really are good. Do a search and you will find them. It is hard to always be thinking of gluten-free and sugar-free, but it really is worth it. I let the gluten-free thing go lately and got very sick, and my symptoms are unusual to say the least. I get neurological symptoms like light-headed, sick to my stomach and I have to go to bed because it is like I am in a stupor. Eventually it passes and I am good again. This used to happen to me before I went gluten-free and it would be after I had lots of pizza/ice cream, or a big sub from Subway, etc. I was 57 when I discovered that gluten did not agree with me and I have an 11 year old granddaughter that has severe celiac disease,diagnosed when she was one. Nice talking to you.............Barbara

[ravenwoodglass]

So in order to seperate the gluten from the sugar would be to cut out sugar for the next couple of weeks and add a little back and do a test? See how I feel? I just started gluten free diet yesterday and feel terrible right now -- I know it may take a little while to feel better.

If you go with the simple whole foods, naturally gluten free, by doing that your going to be cuttting out processed sugar at the same time. After you have healed a bit with the gluten issue then your plan to add back in processed sugars would be a good one. It can take a bit of time to heal and some of us will go through a withdrawl which will make us irritable and weepy but that will pass. Hang in there and it will get better soon.

[txplowgirl]

Hi Sparrow,

I was already phasing sugar out for a while befor going gluten free. I had been drinking sugar free drinks for a couple of years and decided a month after goin gluten-free to try a coke just for the heck of it. I would say about 2 oz's of it. Bam, got me good. Then 2 days later tried it again. Same thing. Then got to wondering about it and tried straight sugar, half a teaspoon. Double BAM!

So, if I were you I would give it up for a couple of weeks to get it out of your system and then try it. See what happens