Thursday Thoughts 4: Sugar Intolerance and Vitamins

Something a bit different for Thursday Thoughts today…

Rather than a bunch of random thoughts thrown at you (!), I thought I’d respond to some reader requests.

A few of you pointed out that I have never actually done a post on my intolerance of sugar after I mentioned it again in this post. Doh. I refer to it so often in passing that I felt like I had, but looking through my archives I don’t have any posts written specifically about that. I know I’ve gone into it in more detail in guest posts I’ve written for other bloggers, but nothing actually on here! Madness.

So I want to address that today, and answer some questions. I also had some questions about whether or not I take supplements and, if so, which ones. I was wary about sharing this only because my supplements were prescribed to me by my naturopath and therefore are personalized. I don’t want anyone to think they should be on the same ones without consulting someone first. Having said that, I feel I’ve had great success with my supplements and so I guess it makes sense to share – also, the multivitamins etc are great – I think – for any average, healthy person to take.

So here goes!

SUGAR:

I would say my intolerance of sugar became noticeable in college, when I hit about 18 or 19. But looking back, I think that there were probably a lot of nasty side-effects every time I had a lot of sugar growing up.

Please note, I am not allergic to sugar. The effects I get from it are uncomfortable and unpleasant, which is why I choose to avoid it, but they are not immediately life-threatening and they don’t even really manifest themselves in any obvious way, like a rash etc. I do know some people react that way, but that isn’t how my body responds to sugar, which is why I still have it in small doses here and there, when out etc. It’s more a choice – I know if I have it I will feel crappy for a bit. And I know I can’t handle it in large quantities, which is why I can’t remember the last time I had a restaurant dessert all to myself. That much sugar would make me feel awful.

Basically, here’s how I feel once I’ve eaten sugar:

• Immediately, my heart rate starts racing, my hands can get sweaty if I have a lot too, but mainly my heart rate starts racing.
• My breath can be shorter because of this – not uncomfortably so but it’s annoying.
• My thoughts start racing and I start talking faster.
• About an hour to two hours later, my energy crashes. This again depends on how much sugar I had. Sometimes I just get quiet and don’t want to move much, but when I used to have a LOT (before I realized what was causing this), I sometimes couldn’t even move. It was all I could do to find a couch to crash on.
• On a longer-term basis, sugar is definitely a vicious cycle for me. If I’ve had it a few days running, I start craving it more and more. It becomes pretty hard to break.

I should also clarify what I mean when I say ‘sugar’. The things that have this effect on me are:

• white sugar
• brown sugar
• high-fructose corn syrup
• The worst is liquid sugar – sodas etc. They hit me much faster than sugar in food, so I avoid sodas like the plague! Funnily enough, sweeteners in frappuccinos etc don’t make me feel great, but aren’t any worse than a baked good. But soda is terrible!
• I have started to feel a bit of the speedy heart rate etc with maple syrup, if I have it in large quantities. But I don’t get the energy crash, so often I suck that one up!

For this reason, I started experimenting with natural sweeteners.

I know there is a lot of controversy around agave nectar, but for me I judge the sweeteners based on how they make me feel, and I have no issue with agave. So that gets put on the safe list:

• Agave nectar
• Brown rice syrup
• Coconut sugar
• Palm sugar
• Maple sugar
• Sometimes maple syrup (see above)
• Molasses
• Stevia
• Sucanat (in small quantities though – if a recipe calls for a lot, I will usually use coconut sugar)
• Xylitol
• Honey
• Fruit juices and fruit – dates, etc.

I’ve probably missed some, because there are so many, but these are the ones I have in my cupboards right now!

If I’ve missed anything about my sugar intolerance, feel free to ask me in the questions below!

Also, on my Recipes page I put the sweetener each recipe uses in brackets afterwards, so if you want to cook by sweetener, check it out!

VITAMINS:

As mentioned above, this vitamin regimen I’m on was prescribed my naturopath, so I do not recommend that you just go out and get these and put yourself on them!

But I can say what I am currently on and what benefits I have felt.

(Ignore the messiness!)

Each morning, I take:

• 2 multivitamins, which are the MultiFactors Women’s multi
• 2 Estro Detox, a supplement designed to balance women’s hormonal levels
• 1 zinc (25mg)
• 1 Multi-B6 blend

NOTE: Pictured also are my vegetarian digestive enzymes, which are produced by Vitazan (I believe this brand can only be bought through a naturopath, as it has to be prescribed). These are for times when I am going out and might be eating a heavy meal. Sometimes the lactose or excessive protein/carbs/fat bother my stomach, and these definitely prevent that. I don’t take them every day though, not even close.

Some people don’t believe in vitamins at all, saying that we don’t need them if we have an adequate diet.

Others, like my naturopath, are convinced that nowadays our soil isn’t as enriched as it used to be, and most of us aren’t even getting the minerals that are in our soil because we’re not buying enough organic goods. Add to that the fact that increased environmental stressors and toxins deplete our vitamin stores more, and a lot of people believe that we need to supplement our bodies.

I tend to believe with the latter, if not simply because I feel so much better now I’ve been on a regular vitamin program for nearly a year.

Why do I take each supplement?

• My naturopath really believes MultiFactors have high-quality vitamins, and she put me on this multi as it’s high in B vitamins – important for vegetarians
• The Estro Detox is designed to eventually help lessen menstrual cramps, which I can get quite badly. I say quite because it’s not like I’m crippled with pain, but they are uncomfortable (I have to down a lot of Advil!) and I’d like to get rid of them if possible!
• Zinc is an immune system booster. I hate to say this because I feel it’s jinxing things, but I have not had a cold or been sick since I started this regimen, and I used to get a cold at least once a year.
• Multi B-6 blend – more support for my vegetarian diet. Also because I can be prone to anxiety, B vitamins are great as natural boosters for your brain!

I honestly feel great on this regimen. Sometimes it’s a pain having to swallow so many pills in the morning but you can spread them out (I just feel like I’d forget!).

Again, if you have any questions I would be happy to answer them as best I can!

QUESTIONS:

• Do you stick mainly to natural sweeteners or does sugar not bother you?
• Do you take any daily vitamins or supplements?