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Old 12-02-2007, 11:49 AM   #1  
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Default Sugar--Bad or Not?

I don't have diabetes or no history in my family health. As I recall many years ago when I was a gym nut and many gym friends drank sugar laden drinks to burn it off. As I remembered, the gym was selling soda and apple juice before a workout regimen. Each year, over 10 years of checking my sugar level, it has been steady rate at 109.

I can't possible live without sugar..or sweets..if I can control myself on one portion at a time and not past that limit. I 'm under medications that contains sugar and kinda blame part of it for my sweets attack.

Had seen a few dietitians and they advices as I recall in the past is to have my sweets before noon, to burn it off during the day.. Since I don't feel deprived or low energy feeling that I get.

I know sugar is bad for those who deals with diabetes.. Have a male friend who deals with , so am kinda aware of that illness.

During Thanksgiving, I asked my mom if her side of her family known about diabetes and she told me that in her days, she never knew about health issues that we hear now.

Thoughts?
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Old 12-02-2007, 12:19 PM   #2  
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Hey Liliann!

Refined sugar isn't a good food for many reasons, one of which is that is raises the blood level too high and then causes it to drop badly--so that then, you want more sugar, and it becomes a cycle.

It's better to eat those complex carbohydrates such as found in whole wheat flower and other whole grain products, like brown rice. These don't cause a quick rise in blood sugar followed by a crash. It also helps to eat some protein with a carbohydrate, for example, a tuna sandwich (easy on the mayo). The protein helps slow the sugar absorption down and you feel hungry less often.

A blood sugar level of 109 is now considered borderline. The best thing for helping that situation is to get some regular activity in, like walking or an exercise bike. Is that a possibility for you?

Many people are able to eat fewer and fewer sweets over time as they get used to it. I almost never have sugar--but I will sometimes have a baked good like a miniature muffin, and whole grain bread, an ounce or two of pasta--like that. But I weigh less, so I don't need as many cals.

Keep up with your portion control! That's a good thing!

Jay
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Old 12-02-2007, 12:31 PM   #3  
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Small controlled portions of sugar arent harmful. I would prefer to have a teaspoon of sugar or honey than the equivalent artificial sweetener.

That being said, as Jay said, sugar is a refined carbohydrate with no nutritive value and reducing your sweet tooth is possible over time and desirable. Sugar should not be a major portion of your diet. Added sugars should be under 10% of calories for everyone and less if you are trying to lose weight.

Also, 109 - if that is a fasting blood sugar number - is sometimes considered that grey area of insulin resistant - Not diabetes yet, but not using insulin as efficiently as desired. It is always worth trying to eat as healthily as you can because you CAN prevent yourself from going over that cliff to diabetes.

I was insulin resistant and when I am eating on plan I do have real sugar in my life - I have a teaspoon of honey on my oatmeal every day and I have a small piece of dark chocolate every day. Small bits of real sugar.
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:30 PM   #4  
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I'm a sugar addict. I find it very hard to keep it within normal limits...I guess I compromise by trying to eat it as fruits rather than junk food. Major sweet taste addiction going on here!

xxxxx
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:32 PM   #5  
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Type 2 diabetes:

I know some think it is hereditary. I do not think so. I believe it is a disease caused by a learned behavior. Basically mom and dad eat unhealthy, are fat, don't exercise, etc. Guess what the kid is most likely to do? Mom and dad watch what they eat, eat healthy, exercise guess what the kids do?

I believe being morbidly obese can trigger this. (Yes I do know some people can get diabetic and not be overweight I am not talking about those, nor am I talking about type 1. ) The body can only take so much. The ladies are right, 109 is in the danger zone. From what I understand, under 99 is normal, 100-125 is prediabetic, and 126 and up is diabetic.

I am very, very careful about the foods I chose to eat. Staying away from diabetes is the reason I have pushed myself to come this far. If you go to the worlds healthiest foods list website you will find alot of foods there that help to stabilize blood sugar, beans, cinnamon, etc.

I mostly avoid simple carbs, I chose whole wheat and brown rice, I keep treats to only occasionally. I have also heard that eating lots of leafy greens with a meal helps lower the glycemic load of a meal. So when I have potatoes 1-2 a week I add those with dinner.

Lilian I have always been worried about you becoming diabetic and we have talked about this before. Just cause your family has no history, doesn't make you exempt, and if there was history that wouldn't make a person unexempt. Basically you are you but you need to do everything you can to be healthy. I really think with your weight right now you are tempting fate so to speak.

I rarely have any soda, I usually prefer water. I also drink tea and occasionally if I feel the need to sweeten it I add a tiny bit of honey, I make whole wheat bread from scratch with honey as well.:

Honey

I think it is a better choice, in moderation. You really need to watch processed foods, they are very high in sugar and junk. When I make blueberry muffins for the famil, or banana nut I can use honey instead of sugar. So what I am saying is if you can NOT give up some sweets, try to make them a bit healthier.

Good luck!

Oh and I also recommend to walk, walk, WALK! I have read somewhere before that can help you to get away from becoming diabetic too. Can't find the article right now though. *hugz*

Last edited by Jasmine31; 12-02-2007 at 02:35 PM.
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Old 12-02-2007, 02:39 PM   #6  
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Want to Stop Diabetes? Start Exercising
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Old 12-02-2007, 03:25 PM   #7  
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I agree that sugar has no nutritional value - however the ADA has changed their thinking about avoiding all sugar. The body processes ALL carbs as sugar and while it is MUCH better to get your carbs in healthier ways (ie grains etc) it is not harmful to have some sugar on a limited basis. Just like any food group - moderation which sounds so trite but is true. I am diabetic (although my numbers are non-diabetic now due to healthy eating, exercise and weight loss) but MY endo and diabetic educator both told me that you may have sugar. This is from the ADA's frequently asked questions page:

2. Can I eat foods with sugar in them?



For almost every person with diabetes, the answer is yes! Eating a piece of cake made with sugar will raise your blood glucose level. So will eating corn on the cob, a tomato sandwich, or lima beans. The truth is that sugar has gotten a bad reputation. People with diabetes can and do eat sugar. In your body, it becomes glucose, but so do the other foods mentioned above. With sugary foods, the rule is moderation. Eat too much, and 1) you'll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected; 2) you'll fill up but without the nutrients that come with vegetables and grains; and 3) you'll gain weight. So, don't pass up a slice of birthday cake. Instead, eat a little less bread or potato, and replace it with the cake. Taking a brisk walk to burn some calories is also always helpful.
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Old 12-02-2007, 05:15 PM   #8  
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I'm not really the person to listen to when it comes to sugar because I pretty much don't even try to avoid it. For me, it's all about total caloric intake and I fill that up with whatever I want, which I know some people can't do because of "triggering" foods. I just wanted to echo what Jasmine is saying about the extra weight being dangerous in terms of getting diabetes. I didn't have my blood sugar checked when I was obese, but I have had it checked recently and it's normal (even though I eat as much sugar and as many carbs as I want within my calorie limits). I firmly believe that I was probably prediabetic at 275 pounds (my mother is diabetic), but I believe that losing all that excess weight and becoming a runner have changed that. My point is simply that whatever you can do to lose the weight is what you need to do, and if that means still eating sugar so you can stick to a plan, or NOT eating sugar so you're not triggered to go off plan (you have to figure out which way works for you), then that's the way to go.
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Old 12-02-2007, 09:31 PM   #9  
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I avoid added sugars just because it is added calories and there are other things that are more filling. Also, when you avoid added sugars, your cravings for added sugars decreases. Most of my weight loss came from being careful about added sugars but also being minimalistic about natural sugars.

I've changed my diet around somewhat so now I eat lots of fruit which is something I didn't do for most of my weight loss. I am still careful about added sugars though because I can get my sweet fix with natural ones.
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Old 12-02-2007, 11:13 PM   #10  
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I'm a sweet aholic. And something I've discovered. Apples are DELICIOUSLY sweet. And way more filling than most other sweets. Try solving cravings this way as much as possible to cut back on the sugar. Anything is bad for you when overdone, diabetic or not. Everything in moderation.
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Old 12-02-2007, 11:32 PM   #11  
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As someone mentioned earlier, processed sugar in general has no nutritional value. In fact, in large doses, it has a very detrimental affect on our bodies.

I used to be a sugar addict, eating cookies, candy, donuts, sweets with absolutely no limits. After ready some studies that really left a nasty taste in my mouth, I just stopped cold turkey. Believe it or not, I did not experience any form of withdrawal symptoms.

Now I enjoy lots of raw fruits and vegetables and I feel good about my eating habits. I will eat deserts and sweets in moderation.

Our bodies are our most valuable asset !!! Treat the best you can.
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Old 12-03-2007, 07:53 AM   #12  
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Here's an interesting article on sugar:

http://www.alive.com/1512a4a2.php?text_page=2

There's no reason to eat it apart from the taste pleasure it gives you. Unlike complex carbs (grains, fruits, veggies), it makes your blood sugar spike quickly and it contributes to making you hungrier sooner. In the past six months I've done two sugar experiments, cutting it out completely. I did it twice because the first time (for a month) I found it hard to believe that I could feel that much better just by cutting sugar, so I did it again, and it happened again. I wasn't eating a lot of sugar anyway, so it wasn't too hard. But I eat absolutely no refined carbs now - no bread, no white rice, no refined sugar - and I feel amazing. I also upped my fat intake and found that when I do that I'm never hungry, no cravings.

Just my two cents,
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Old 12-03-2007, 08:05 AM   #13  
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Thank you all for your input.
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Old 12-13-2007, 08:11 AM   #14  
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Its nice to read this thread after what I went through yesterday I have really "soft" teeth.. my mom claims its from all the antibiotics I was given growing up lol. I also have always been a sugar addict. Anyway I had a dentist apt. 2 months ago and they found 2 cavities (these are number 16 and 17) that im getting filled in Feb. This is frustrating for me because I brush at least twice a day, floss, and use fluoride rinse. The past 3 weeks I felt like something was stuck in between my two back teeth and it was really irritating me so I went in yesterday... and guess what, ANOTHER cavity, apart from the 2 they just found! :\ Well I had it filled right there.. I needed 4 shots of novicaine and I still had some sort of panic attack for the first time ever.. I felt so dumb... crying at the dentist as a 22 year old.. lol.. I was afraid I would see some little kid and scare them away from the dentist forever lol. :\ thats why I usually get the laughing gas, PLUS 3-7 shots of Novocaine (They never hit my nerve right or something!).. to calm me down because my teeth are so sensitive. Well I guess that was kind of the last straw for me.. I really need to cut out sugar. Not just to lose weight but for my teeth's sake! Any tips would be appreciated I know I will "lose my taste" for sugar after a while.. but I need something to hold me over until that happens

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Old 12-13-2007, 09:24 AM   #15  
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Agh! Sorry about your dentist experience!

This is a case where you'll not only want to cut down on sugar, but also on soda pop in general. Acid is a terrible thing for teeth, and cola and other pops have a lot of acid. Another strategy is to rinse your mouth if you do drink a soda, so it doesn't just sit there on your teeth.

So--look for flavored waters instead. Carbonated water, although it may have some acidity, isn't as acidic as cola is. They add acids to cola drinks and some other soft drinks.

Do a search on "cavity prevention" or "soft drinks teeth" and you'll get a lot of information--but beware that some of it is just opinion. "Soft drinks" includes tea on some of these sites.

Jay
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