Apparently sugar is the enemy!!!! Thoughts?
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 82
Apparently sugar is the enemy!!!! Thoughts?
Hi guys
I’m on a mission to fine tune this body after years of abuse and I’m starting to learn sugar most definitely had a part to play in my alcoholism. I can get sucked down the rabbit hole of searching the online and thought some here might have experience with it in sobriety. I got blood work done fairly fresh into my sobriety and they told me I was insulin resistant but not diabetic. I honestly didn’t think much of at the time. Now almost 7 months sober, I am definitely seeing that my diet really effects how I feel. I don’t know if the years of sugar from alcohol is hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia but it feels like some days I eat how my body wants me to and I feel amazing and then days like yesterday for instance I don’t and I feel it. When I was drinking I simply wasn’t really ever hunger and just drank my calories. Now I’m still mentally used to living that way and if I don’t eat I start to get all panicky and just really out of it. I did eat reallly clean for 3 weeks and that’s the best I’ve ever felt. I thought people here might have some insight on what’s going on and if your body acclimated to the new lifestyle after a bit. I’m pretty sure my pancreas is still just dumping loads of insulin to account for massive amounts of booze that aren’t there and I’m not quite sure how to fix it. How’d you do it?
I’m on a mission to fine tune this body after years of abuse and I’m starting to learn sugar most definitely had a part to play in my alcoholism. I can get sucked down the rabbit hole of searching the online and thought some here might have experience with it in sobriety. I got blood work done fairly fresh into my sobriety and they told me I was insulin resistant but not diabetic. I honestly didn’t think much of at the time. Now almost 7 months sober, I am definitely seeing that my diet really effects how I feel. I don’t know if the years of sugar from alcohol is hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia but it feels like some days I eat how my body wants me to and I feel amazing and then days like yesterday for instance I don’t and I feel it. When I was drinking I simply wasn’t really ever hunger and just drank my calories. Now I’m still mentally used to living that way and if I don’t eat I start to get all panicky and just really out of it. I did eat reallly clean for 3 weeks and that’s the best I’ve ever felt. I thought people here might have some insight on what’s going on and if your body acclimated to the new lifestyle after a bit. I’m pretty sure my pancreas is still just dumping loads of insulin to account for massive amounts of booze that aren’t there and I’m not quite sure how to fix it. How’d you do it?
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
You don't mention your weight or if you exercise but if you are over-weight that would be the thing on which to focus. Exercise helps with both weight and insulin response. Being at a healthy weight and genetics are the biggest factors for insulin, along with eating a good well-balanced food plan.
Sober since October
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Hi, Cobber.
Congrats on 7 months sober!
To make a long story short - added sugar (vs. natural sugar contained in fruit and vegetables) is the enemy.
A human body can perfectly function without it.
I stopped eating sugar about 4 years ago and don't regret a bit.
There are a lot of opinions about it like "everything is good in moderation".
Yes, the body can tolerate and metabolize a "moderate" amount of added sugar. But what for?
Would I add some junk additive to a high-quality fuel for my car "just because everyone is doing this'?
I don't think so.
Best wishes to you.
Congrats on 7 months sober!
To make a long story short - added sugar (vs. natural sugar contained in fruit and vegetables) is the enemy.
A human body can perfectly function without it.
I stopped eating sugar about 4 years ago and don't regret a bit.
There are a lot of opinions about it like "everything is good in moderation".
Yes, the body can tolerate and metabolize a "moderate" amount of added sugar. But what for?
Would I add some junk additive to a high-quality fuel for my car "just because everyone is doing this'?
I don't think so.
Best wishes to you.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 80
Obviously alcohol is full of sugar, so when we quit our bodies crave it. Every body is different, but it took me several months of clean eating/exercise to get back on track.
I eat a lot of fruit, yogurt, and do have occasional sweets. I’m extremely active though. I run around 20 miles a week, weights, CrossFit, and my body now craves calories, sugar, and carbs because I burn so much.
If you actively start exercising, I personally wouldn’t worry about eating snacks every once in a while.. Everything in moderation, right?
Additionally, when we drank...it’s not like we ate salads, fresh fruits, and lean meats everyday. Americans are addicted to junk food, you must re-wire your mind and body to crave healthy foods, and stay away from junk for the most part.
I eat a lot of fruit, yogurt, and do have occasional sweets. I’m extremely active though. I run around 20 miles a week, weights, CrossFit, and my body now craves calories, sugar, and carbs because I burn so much.
If you actively start exercising, I personally wouldn’t worry about eating snacks every once in a while.. Everything in moderation, right?
Additionally, when we drank...it’s not like we ate salads, fresh fruits, and lean meats everyday. Americans are addicted to junk food, you must re-wire your mind and body to crave healthy foods, and stay away from junk for the most part.
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Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 82
Originally Posted by biminiblue 
You don't mention your weight or if you exercise but if you are over-weight that would be the thing on which to focus. Exercise helps with both weight and insulin response. Being at a healthy weight and genetics are the biggest factors for insulin, along with eating a good well-balanced food plan.
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Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 524
My diet has a big effect on my mood. If I end up having something sugary early morning, or anytime in the day, I end up on a sugar rollercoaster for the rest of the day and it makes me anxious, low mood when the sugar wears off.
I definitely feel since I stopped drinking I am more aware of how my body is reacting to the types of foods I eat. Now I have a routine, I have a bowl of porridge with light honey every morning. I then have a protein shake with almond milk after the gym, maybe a couple of bananas, and lunch and dinner I try to eat chicken stir fry or something healthy.
I do over indulge on biscuits which I know are bad, but what the hell, I exercise, I no longer drink, I don't think some biscuits will hurt, it can't all be healthy all the time. I do enjoy pizza or burgers on the weekends etc
I no longer drink coffee or tea with sugar, in fact I stay way from coffee full stop at the moment. I only have soft drinks a couple of times a month if that. I really do agree though, if I eat rubbish I feel rubbish. When I was drinking my diet was appalling, sometimes I wouldn't eat at all.
I definitely feel since I stopped drinking I am more aware of how my body is reacting to the types of foods I eat. Now I have a routine, I have a bowl of porridge with light honey every morning. I then have a protein shake with almond milk after the gym, maybe a couple of bananas, and lunch and dinner I try to eat chicken stir fry or something healthy.
I do over indulge on biscuits which I know are bad, but what the hell, I exercise, I no longer drink, I don't think some biscuits will hurt, it can't all be healthy all the time. I do enjoy pizza or burgers on the weekends etc
I no longer drink coffee or tea with sugar, in fact I stay way from coffee full stop at the moment. I only have soft drinks a couple of times a month if that. I really do agree though, if I eat rubbish I feel rubbish. When I was drinking my diet was appalling, sometimes I wouldn't eat at all.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
In kind of passionate about this topic. But I'm on my phone so can't post much.
I'm visiting my folks right now. My 86 yr old alcoholic dad has switched addiction from booze to sugar. It is stunning. Obsession, craving, loss of control. Yikes.
Alcohol actually has NO sugar or carbs. Beer and wine do, mixed drinks, fortified booze like brandy do. Gin has a small amount of carbs. But vodka, rum, tequila, whiskey? Nada. So I know for me at least, as a vodka drinker, I was not replacing carbs. I was seeking the rush, the release of feel good hormones. The dopamine baby. Anyway, sugar is the enemy for me for sure.
I'm visiting my folks right now. My 86 yr old alcoholic dad has switched addiction from booze to sugar. It is stunning. Obsession, craving, loss of control. Yikes.
Alcohol actually has NO sugar or carbs. Beer and wine do, mixed drinks, fortified booze like brandy do. Gin has a small amount of carbs. But vodka, rum, tequila, whiskey? Nada. So I know for me at least, as a vodka drinker, I was not replacing carbs. I was seeking the rush, the release of feel good hormones. The dopamine baby. Anyway, sugar is the enemy for me for sure.
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