April 16, 2008 6:20 AM
Does sugar lead to depression?
This may sound very naive, but I have never been a big sugar fan and so I never noticed.
Recently on two separate occasions I had a little candy before going to bed (I know - it does sound stupid when I write it down). Both times I've woken up depressed and feeling somewhat hungover.
Does this happen to you?
I don't think there's going to be much sugar in my future.
Comments
There is a book called "Sugar Blues" that explains this very well. And, the answer is yes, unfortunately. I've recently given up my soda and caffeine, sugar is next. Necessary, but not necessarily easy:(
Posted by: Lisa | April 16, 2008 7:28 AM
Yes...every single time. I'm getting to where I cannot eat sweets. Which is a good thing for my waistline!!
Posted by: Libby | April 16, 2008 9:21 AM
I'm not sure about depressed but it makes me "fuzzy." My head is much clearer when I am off sugar and simple carbs. And yet... most of the time I eat them anyway. It's a battle.
Leslie
Posted by: My Twenty Cents Keeps Moving | April 16, 2008 9:41 AM
Sugar is one of the main enemies of your health; perhaps just as bad as wheat. I have read that if one wants to improve health, one should stay away of the white products: sugar, flour and milk.
We are in the process of removing flour from our diet and it has been difficult; I mean, what is childhood without peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Our kids are lactose intolerant, so kicking milk is a non issue. But I have come to find that I have a HUGE issue with sugar; I always said I was not a sugar-lover, but as soon as I wanted to go sugar free, I started craving cookies, soda, super sweet coffe.....you get the picture.
I really need to get a grip on this one.
Posted by: LadyLovas | April 16, 2008 10:33 AM
Here's a great article from the Weston A. Price Foundation about some of the effects of refined sugar and how to limit and/or replace it with other sweeteners.
Replacing Refined Sugars with Natural Sugars One Step At a Time
And if you really want to be blown away (the pictures within this book speak for themselves), get your hands on a book called Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price. Click here to read a review of the book.
As a mom raising two, soon to be three, young children I have found this information invaluable.
Posted by: Sarah | April 16, 2008 11:18 AM
Oh, you have tapped a syrup tree on this one!
I read this post this morning while on my "morning mom call." My mom has been sugar/alcohol/flour/caffeine free for almost a year and swears by it. She is totally convinced that it was a sugar addiction which has played a huge part in her physical/mental/emotional/spiritual health issues over the years. Obviously, we need certain sugars to survive, but it is very interesting that for neonatal patients, medical care givers often use sugar as "baby narcotics" to soothe them. There must be something to that regarding our whole chemical make-up!
Posted by: Fran | April 16, 2008 12:21 PM
I want to highlight your first respondant: Kathleen DesMaisons, the author of the book previous poster mentioned, has several books assisting a person to recover from sugar addiction. Even the splash page on her website is very informative: www.radiantrecovery.com. I'm not connected in any way, just very helped by her work.
For those of us who are actually sugar addicted, removing the sugar is also the only way to lose weight.
Posted by: kimberly | April 16, 2008 1:00 PM
I know that I have been MUCH happier and more energetic since I found out that I'm allergic to sugar and started avoiding it.
Posted by: Birdie | April 16, 2008 1:11 PM
Yes, sugar is horrible for you. The less of it that I eat, the more frequently I get headaches when I do consume some. It also suppresses the immune system for at least four hours (part of the reason why people tend to get sicker in the winter what with all of the feasting celebrations). I've heard it likened to a drug: it's a white, powdery substance that people crave, the more of it that they get, the more they want and they get cranky when it's not available and search, or more appropriately hunt, for more until they can get their fix. If it were presented before the FDA today what with all of its documented side effects and allergic reactions, it would not be approved as safe.
Posted by: Kelli | April 16, 2008 2:47 PM
Oh Barbara! What an interesting topic, and what interesting responses you are getting here! I have read that sugar lowers the immune system for 4 hours, and that is the reason I have *tried* to limit my children's sugar intake. They were getting sick quite often. What a challenge it is! Awana gives large sized candy, and treats seem to be everywhere!
Just curious: What's wrong with flour? I knew white flour was bad, what about wheat? Anybody care to answer?
Posted by: Lisa | April 16, 2008 5:47 PM
I'll jump in. Lisa, wheat is among the top allergens along with dairy, nuts, and soy, and others. Corn and eggs are allergens for a lot of people too. It's frightening that some of those I listed are in most processed foods.
Posted by: Angela | April 16, 2008 10:45 PM
Barbara, Read about sugar in you Fat Flush Plan book or the book, Get the Sugar Outor any of Dr. Atkins' books. Most of us dump so much sugar into our bodies that our liver can't handle it and more Americans are now pre-diabetic as a result. Processed and fast foods have lots of hidden sugar too. I limit my sugar to holidays and special occasions. Often I feel groggy the next day.
Posted by: Judy | April 17, 2008 9:24 AM
Barbara,
It could be the sugar, but it could also be additives or artificial colors in the candy you had eaten. I've been doing a ton of research on this and it is astonishing!! Check out www.feingold.org for some interesting articles.
Why is it that pillows come with a tag that say you cannot remove it unless you are the consumer because it tells you exactly what the inside is made of, and our food labels are so deceptive??
Food for Thought,
Mistey
Posted by: Mistey | April 17, 2008 1:37 PM
Lisa,
Here's another reason why "flour" may be a problem:
Be Kind to Your Grains
I have soaked my Irish oats overnight in an acidic medium overnight for a few years now due to what I learned about phytates and absorption issues. The same should technically hold true for all other grains, but I'm not that good yet. Sue Gregg has a line of cookbooks that are very popular among many Christian moms I know, and she also explains the need to soak grains properly before eating them.
Then there is the issue of white flour, which is just plain bad for us all, vs. whole grains. I'm sure you already knew about white flour though. Here's an excellent article about replacing white flour:
Replacing White Flour with Whole Grains in Four Simple Steps
There is a lot more others could say about flour, such as grinding your own to prevent rancidity, etc., but I'll leave it at that for now.
Hope that helps!
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | April 17, 2008 1:54 PM
My son won't eat whole grains. He doesn't like whole grain bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, etc. I don't know what I'm going to do about this.
Posted by: Corey | April 18, 2008 8:42 PM
I just found your blog. I think I'll be spending a lot of time here for a while getting to know you. Besides the content I've seen so far, I'm intrigued because I lived in Hamilton, VA for a few years and went to Blue Ridge Middle School. I loved it there more than most places in Virginia where we lived.
Posted by: Sara | November 21, 2008 5:45 AM
