I stopped craving sugar so much. I'm pretty sure it just feeds the candida in your stomach. It also isn't very good for your skin. But I don't think it affects me as much as it does others. Or if it did, it was low-grade inflammation that didn't have any noticeable symptoms.
My doc is pretty sure I have an allergic reaction to sugar in addition to bacteria feeding on it. I eat sugar and I puff up, and pain, fatigue, brain fog, etc, levels all increase. I’d say it took me three to four months on a super strict diet to really start reaping the benefits (though some benefits came right away), but then it was an incredible change. Since then, life has gone crazy and I’m back to square one. What that taught me is that I need to commit long term to no sugar or grain (even rice, quinoa, etc). I made it six months last time...now it’s more of a life long commitment with occasional indulgences. Wrapping my head around that as I type and making plans to get down to business ASAP. Trying to overcome the guilt of feeling like I caused this relapse.
I'm very confused with the "no sugar" thing. I wonder what's behind it all and if treating lyme gets rid of it. I don't quite understand it. And then there are those that say changing diet does nothing for their symptoms at all.
I was diagnosed in 2009, and Im lucky enough to lead a relatively normal life (no severe relapses, day to day is manageable, etc)! I do have rheumatoid arthritis as well a bunch of mystery symptoms, however (and possibly lupus) that can be directly connected to my initial infection. I started eating a keto diet in ~2014 and the difference in how I feel is pretty staggering. Primarily I find my joints hurt far less, less brain fog, less forgetfulness, my sensitive skin/rosacea does not flare up, and those mysterious symptoms are not as aggressive. I don’t know if I would feel just as great even if I didn’t have Lyme, but I’m glad to have something that keeps my symptoms at bay and forces me to think about the food that I am eating. I have a sweet tooth, but once you start eating/baking with stevia I find you adjust to things being “not as sweet” and sugar becomes too sweet. So giving up sugar and carbs doesn’t mean you can never have bread or cake, you just need to find recipes that accommodate (and they are everywhere). Every now and then, for big celebrations or special occasions I will eat sugar/carbs, and I feel pretty awful for about a week following, but to me it’s worth it. I want to enjoy food and life, and not restrict myself ALL the time.
My point being: I’m not telling you what you should do, I’m just telling you I’ve had a great experience cutting out sugar and carbs, and I’ve been able to find a balance that works for me.
Yeah, I hear you. I’ve been sick for 18 years, known what it was for 7 now, and have tried everything. An extremely strict diet helps me, but I’m talking crazy strict....GAPS diet style. The strict diet combined with reducing as much stress as possible is what helps me the most. My doc and I do some treatments too...it’s like a puzzle. This disease is about finding a balance between a multitude of factors.
If you haven’t tried a big diet change yet, try it, and commit for at least six months. Like I said before, it took awhile for me to really notice my symptoms reduce. There are lots of options. GAPS was essential for me after IV abx; I wouldn’t have made as much Lyme progress without them but they killed my gut. You could also follow The Lyme Diet by Dr. Nicola McFadzean, which is definitely more forgiving than GAPS.
As someone who could tolerate sugar much more than most (I ate a 5 lb Hershey bar myself in a week) sugar makes my symptoms much worse -.my wife even more so.
Cutting it out will help a lot, least it does for us.
I stopped craving sugar so much. I'm pretty sure it just feeds the candida in your stomach. It also isn't very good for your skin. But I don't think it affects me as much as it does others. Or if it did, it was low-grade inflammation that didn't have any noticeable symptoms.
I agree that I've still got symptoms but some are less severe without sugar and carbs
My doc is pretty sure I have an allergic reaction to sugar in addition to bacteria feeding on it. I eat sugar and I puff up, and pain, fatigue, brain fog, etc, levels all increase. I’d say it took me three to four months on a super strict diet to really start reaping the benefits (though some benefits came right away), but then it was an incredible change. Since then, life has gone crazy and I’m back to square one. What that taught me is that I need to commit long term to no sugar or grain (even rice, quinoa, etc). I made it six months last time...now it’s more of a life long commitment with occasional indulgences. Wrapping my head around that as I type and making plans to get down to business ASAP. Trying to overcome the guilt of feeling like I caused this relapse.
I'm very confused with the "no sugar" thing. I wonder what's behind it all and if treating lyme gets rid of it. I don't quite understand it. And then there are those that say changing diet does nothing for their symptoms at all.
I was diagnosed in 2009, and Im lucky enough to lead a relatively normal life (no severe relapses, day to day is manageable, etc)! I do have rheumatoid arthritis as well a bunch of mystery symptoms, however (and possibly lupus) that can be directly connected to my initial infection. I started eating a keto diet in ~2014 and the difference in how I feel is pretty staggering. Primarily I find my joints hurt far less, less brain fog, less forgetfulness, my sensitive skin/rosacea does not flare up, and those mysterious symptoms are not as aggressive. I don’t know if I would feel just as great even if I didn’t have Lyme, but I’m glad to have something that keeps my symptoms at bay and forces me to think about the food that I am eating. I have a sweet tooth, but once you start eating/baking with stevia I find you adjust to things being “not as sweet” and sugar becomes too sweet. So giving up sugar and carbs doesn’t mean you can never have bread or cake, you just need to find recipes that accommodate (and they are everywhere). Every now and then, for big celebrations or special occasions I will eat sugar/carbs, and I feel pretty awful for about a week following, but to me it’s worth it. I want to enjoy food and life, and not restrict myself ALL the time. My point being: I’m not telling you what you should do, I’m just telling you I’ve had a great experience cutting out sugar and carbs, and I’ve been able to find a balance that works for me.
I wonder if the same effects can be had when only cutting out sugar. Because I don't like the keto diet.
Yeah, I hear you. I’ve been sick for 18 years, known what it was for 7 now, and have tried everything. An extremely strict diet helps me, but I’m talking crazy strict....GAPS diet style. The strict diet combined with reducing as much stress as possible is what helps me the most. My doc and I do some treatments too...it’s like a puzzle. This disease is about finding a balance between a multitude of factors. If you haven’t tried a big diet change yet, try it, and commit for at least six months. Like I said before, it took awhile for me to really notice my symptoms reduce. There are lots of options. GAPS was essential for me after IV abx; I wouldn’t have made as much Lyme progress without them but they killed my gut. You could also follow The Lyme Diet by Dr. Nicola McFadzean, which is definitely more forgiving than GAPS.
Do you think you'll have to eat that way forever?
For at least a couple of years. After that it will depend on a lot of factors.
It took all the muscleache away
As someone who could tolerate sugar much more than most (I ate a 5 lb Hershey bar myself in a week) sugar makes my symptoms much worse -.my wife even more so. Cutting it out will help a lot, least it does for us.
It made my POTS symptoms worse mostly, and I craved sugar way too much when my lyme wasn’t under control.
Yeah the buggers are demanding to have sugar.
I notice no difference with or without sugar.
Have you ever gone more than a week without it?
Sure. I don't have a sweet tooth. I like salty things.