Serenidad

Hi all,

I wanted to share something that has been helping me with cravings. I read a few books and did some additional research and it turns out that many of the things that I have been putting in my body are actually making my cravings 10 X worse! Anyway, I have completely cut our ALL sugar, sweets, candy, ice cream, desserts etc. I have also cut out ALL coffee (both with caffeine and without), all soft drinks (both with caffeine and without) and nicotine (I smoke sometimes). I also have cut out ALL processed foods, white flour (or anything with white flour), refined sugar, junk food, high carb foods, fast food etc. Basically...I am just eating VERY healthy, all natural foods! (and most importantly...I am EATING!)

I am eating fresh fruits and vegetables, non-processed meats, fresh (un-roasted) nuts and grains and drinking LOTS of water. This diet change is really stablilzing my mood and helping with cravings! NOTE: if you are interested in a list of all the foods that are safe and un-safe send me a PM and I will give it to you. This is not doctors advice...it is just a food list that is healthy and really reduces cravings and heals the body and a food list that is not. It is available in many many books.

Anyway, based on several books I have read over the past week and scientific research, I have been doing it ALL WRONG! Sweets are NOT the thing for me to eat when I am having a craving! They may temporarily help, but when I crash...the cravings are even worse. That's true for all the other crap I have been putting in my body.

I am also juicing. I bought a juicer and have been making healthy drinks with all kinds of healthy veggies. I have specific juicing recipes that are meant to help detox your body, liver and kidneys from alcohol and other toxins.

Lastly, I am taking a multi-vitamin, B-complex and a few others.

SOOO....With a combination of eating totally different, not putting ANY toxins in my body, drinking lots of water, taking vitamins, juicing, getting good sleep and lots of self-care...my moods and cravings have stabilized.

In my opinion, treating the BODY of an alcoholic is just as important as treating the mind. I don't feel that I can stay sober without doing both. My body (as an alcoholic) is different than non-alcoholics so I need to treat it that way. I hope some of this stuff helps! PM me if you want that list of foods to avoid....etc.

Alphabet

Very cool, and good tips to keep in mind. Thanks for sharing!

Low

Thanks for putting this out there...I have known for a long time that processed sugar is the worst for alcoholics, as our body can react the same way to it, thus prolonging the cravings etc. (that's why initially it can help the cravings...) Anyway, I was afraid to post it here as on this forum that seems to be the accepted way to deal with it. If some pour soul is having cravings, all the responses are ICE CREAM! Good for you.

JT0626

Yeah, I eat clean too & have been for some months now. Now that I have cut alcohol completely out, I can totally tell the difference that clean eating can do to your body.

Aellyce

Very good info, thanks, Serenidad. I've always known this about sugar and sweets (I do research on addiction, including some studies on relapses) and there is tons of evidence that trying to "cure" cravings with sugar makes it worse in the long run. There are also many posts here on SR stating people then get addicted to sugar, chocolate, icecream, whatever. As you say, it helps temporarily but makes things more tricky long term. I just don't like to say this often because many people apparently have success beating alcohol cravings with sugar and then beating the sugar.

To tell the whole truth, we (as individuals) also react to all these things somewhat differently. So not everyone may struggle equally with sugar or other "tasty" foods. Also, clearly not everyone gets equally strong and lasting cravings after quitting and this does not simply the factor of how long and how much we drank. All individual biology...

I hope you are doing better now What you posted today is all VERY good!

Nonsensical

Don't forget the bacon!

Serenidad

I agree. For me, substituting an alcohol craving with ice cream or sweets is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It may help my craving for 30 min to an hour but the craving comes back with avengence. Alcohol is mostly sugar so it probably just prolongs the inevitable when I use sugar for a sugar craving. This is just MY experience though. Others may have different experiences.

I feel so much calmer on this diet too! Much lower anxiety!

Serenidad

Haha. Actually bacon is on the "do not eat list" because of all the chemicals and nitrates etc. DARN!

I'm not gonna be this strict about my diet forever....just the few months of sobriety until my body heals, adjusts and I start feeling awesome...!!!

biminiblue

I find that eating well 80%-ish of the time is sufficient to curb cravings and to allow some fun in life while maintaining health and weight and nutritional needs.

I wish you well. I've tried making good and bad foods and it never worked for me

growpath

I agree with this. I notice a clean eating day with some sort of exercise helps wonders!!

I think it relates to my addictive (messed up, psycho, lol..kinda, er) personality.
On days when I am "all good" in all areas of my life I am motivated to stay sober.
On days I am on a binge, lazy, poor me day I get that F it attitude and AV voice feeds off that.
I truly think this roots from my need for control. Which is something I will have to ditch (IM TRYING) for a life of recovery.

Keep going Serindad. Whatever it takes! You're doing great

Serenidad

Thanks Haenne! I agree different things work for different people! Since sugar & other substances seem to stimulate the same area of my brain as alcohol...I'm hoping this complete diet change in early sobriety helps. I have read many success stories! I guess the proof is in the pudding! I just know I already feel a lot better! (Knock on wood)!

ArtFriend

Are you familiar with paleo/primal eating? It sounds a lot like what you are doing. No processed food, organic fruits and veggies, etc.

Serenidad

Thx Bimi, I'm just doing this for a month or 2 until I get substantial time away from the drink. This is helping my cravings and anxiety right now which has been a big problem for me. It also keeps me busy thinking about other things besides alcohol.

Instead of saying "what kind of alcohol am I gonna drink tonight?" I'm saying "hmmm...what kind of drink am I gonna make with my juicer tonight? Maybe I will make the Liver Scrubber!" Lol. There really IS a juicing recipe with that name! I tried it last night! Hahaha.

Serenidad

No but that does sound like what I am doing.

ArtFriend

Here is a link to Paleo with some nummy recipes

The Paleo Diet™ - Live Well, Live Longer. : The Paleo Diet™

Soberpotamus

Some of us seem to be much more reactive to sugar highs and lows. I ditched most of the sugar and started eating paleo months ago and it's really helped. I am not strict as in 100% but even eating at 80% stabilizes my tendency towards mood swings. I cut back on the coffee and now drink more herbal tea and even regular tea (which has .25 the caffeine of coffee).

People suggest ice-cream and other treats to help early on with dealing with the intense cravings... that can work for a while, but I found it came back to bite me. So for several months there I struggled with mood swings.

Also, a lot of people will just not be receptive to an entire diet change, and will stare at you blankly. It is easier said than done. I got tired of going on about how great I felt after eating whole foods... most people tend to roll their eyes at it.

Good for you that you've found a way to help yourself by changing your diet

Carlotta

I am so glad that you put some footwork into it and that it is working
Way to go Serenidad and thanks for sharing the info.

Serenidad

Haha thanks SoberJennie. What I am doing is very easy for me because I've always eaten pretty healthy. I am just cutting sugar and a few other things out so I can reduce my cravings and stay sober! I'll be back to pizza and burgers after a few months of sobriety but will do it very like I have always done it...in moderation. For me, right now, even the slightest spike in my blood sugar throws me into a tail spin. Scary stuff. Thx!!! :-)

BernieE

I've been primal for two years but have allowed evening sugar in as I've quit the evening wine and have been surprised to fine I have no wine cravings. Once I hit 30 days I plan to back off the sweets again. Gotta say I've been enjoying the ice cream and Halloween candy. But I need to get over it.
Primal does allow for some red wine, but not in the quantities I was drinking.

Serenidad

Thanks Charlotta! You should have seen the drink I made with my juicer last night called the Liver Scrubber! It was beets, carrots, celery, fresh ginger, apples, Kale and tomato juice. Sounds yummy, doesn't it? Haha. It actually wasn't too bad. :-)