Hi everyone

Just wanted to share, and look for advice and handling this two..

Ten days ago I was traveling and I found having terrible pain in my back and my sac joint.. I didn't sleep much and decided to finally say goodbye to coffee. Next day, without drinking my coffee, I felt better; I had noticed my coffee (with 2 sugars) was the immediate predecessor to the stiffness in my neck.

It has been hard.

Quickly after I stopped the intake of sugar and caffeine constipation appeared. To be honest I don't seem to need caffeine for energy, as I seem to have stable energy throughout the day without ups and downs, but because of the constipation, I started having pain again. Stiffness in my back, can't handle frustration very good.

At the beginning I felt better than now. I assume this should pass, as constipation has gone and I should start feeling better soon, but my mood and all that has me wondering if saying goodbye to caffeine and mainly sugar was a good idea..

Did you have similar experiences quitting taking sugar and caffeine?

Is avoiding sugar and caffeine and starch and milk just too much?

Hi,
I dont drink coffee so I cant help on the caffeine front but I definitely find too much sugar affects me. Sugar generally is bad for you anyway so try just omitting the sugar for a bit, hard though it is on top of everything else.

It could also be that you feel worse because your body is experiencing 'die off symptoms'/craving (which can be anything from constipation/diarrohea lethargy or worsening of symptoms!) for what your body isn't getting anymore. When we were away one time and ran out of coffee my hubby got a terrible withdrawal headache/migraine.

I am sure others will be better able to advise you but thats my two penneth

try sweetening your coffee with honey if you know sugar is bad for you. that's the way i do it.

and what do you mean by "too much" - are sugar, caffeine, starch and milk essential to your life?

Hi Chich,
You know what, I'm glad you tried something and saw the result's. That's big! Glad you didn't have a migraine. If I don't have my half cup in the morning, woooo, big old headache, same goes without eating before noon.

I went off of coffee to help stomach ulcers years ago. it wasn't the caffeine it it, it was the oil in the coffee. You will see it. It is small but sit's on top of the coffee. I switched to tea and that helped. I got my caffeine but not the oil. Sounds like you like coffee but don't need it for energy. Caffeine does help some people go to the bathroom though. If you need something for constipation occasionally try the Milk of Magnesia tablets. I take 3 at night (start with 2) and see if that works. If not take 2 more in the morning.

It's all work isn't it! Glad to hear though that you are working through it. Glad you posted!

Ally, I hope it's the detox that's got me like this, because I if this was the life after sugar I wouldn't stand it! Lol

Alinus, sadly, most of my life I abused those substances, it's really difficult to me to quit sugar. But you are right.

Pea, I think I drank the coffee for the combination of caffeine, sugar and flavour. Thankfully constipation is gone, but it lasted a couple of days and left some problems.

I come to realize now that a sore throat is making things worse. I'm taking garlic gelcaps at night so it might be viral, who knows. Or the whole imbalance bringing back to life old hidden bacteria.

Bargain time: Is honey as bad as sugar?

I am now about to use only honey for sweetening baking etc. I have been reading about it and this is from the book : Honey is far more natural for our bodies and far less damaging it has a lot of health giving properties. It works as an antiseptic and provides vitamins, minerals, amino acids and many other bio active substances.

It needs to be as unprocessed an natural as possible preferably cold pressed. Of course taken in moderation!

two notes on honey:
1. moderation.
2. it becomes toxic when used at high temperatures.

Is this what you're talking about, that fructose in honey generates a toxic substance when boiled?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826110118.htm

Wow, that was some interesting material! Wow!

That sounds nasty. Does that cover all honey or is it just the commercial big producers that feed the bees the high fructose corn syrup Would organic honey be ok. I will have to look into it as I was planning on using honey instead of sugar in my one treat - baked stuff.

It just reinforces the fact that you can't trust anything manufactured unless you know the source. My other alternative was palm sugar, though I know sugar is just a plain old baddie full stop whatever you use.

it covers all honey.
so use it, but do not boil it.

ChicCharito,

I too just gave up coffee and sugar. Well first coffee, but I weaned myself off of it. I hate cold turkey, I'm a baby! I just weaned off of it over two weeks or so, that way I wouldn't get a headache.

Sugar was one thing I did not want to give up. I think-- what is life without sugar, I admit I am a sugar addict. However, after a day without it, I feel so much better. My back does not feel as inflamed. I know I have to give it up. Just a note, becasue I am a sugar addict I started putting a lot of honey in my tea, too much because after a couple weeks I stopped the overconsumption of honey and my back pain lessenned. Moderation with the honey is key , I had like 8 cups of chammomile a day with honey it while I was not eating sugar, it didn't do me any good. I feel like I should be writing a book called confessions of a sugar addict or honey addict. So embarrassing:)

I heard from a couple people here at kickas that they can feel the pain within minutes or the hour when they eat sugar. I just expeirenced that myself. I think when I'm out of a flare and doing better then I introduce something my body does not like I can feel it quicker.

Maybe one serving a day of sugar won't hurt you, you can keep a food diary and that way you can see if it really affects you.

I read a book in my teens called "Sugar Blues" and I didn't eat sugar for a whole year, it was the best I felt in many years.

take care!!

This is my current diet - no sugar, no fruits except berries, no starch products. Basically I eat greens, berries and poultry/fish. Nuts and seeds from time to time.

I should mention I don't have AS, bit rather PsA with spinal involvement.

Remember by eating rubbish you are really only keeping your tongue happy to the detriment of the rest of your body.

McDonalds and the like are criminals the way they feed people.

R

I like Dr Joel Furman's acronym : GOMBS,it stands for greens,onions,mushrooms,berries and seeds.

I have been trying to buy these at the store each time I shop. He has helped countless patients get off their meds for arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes etc. His diet is similar to no starch diet, but it focuses on high nutrient value of the food being the most important thing for his protocol.

caffeine flares my gastritis faster than anything.

i never did coffee or much soda, but love tea.

now i only consume herbal teas every day. every morning its a big mug of herbal ginger tea. later in the day its mint-chammomile.

and for a treat, a little green once or twice a weak, oolong once a week, and my stomach is ok.

i save the black tea (with the most caffeine) for when i get migraines. nothing wipes them out better than caffeine (for me).

Hello Chicharito,

What is reason for giving up sugar? NSD does not require giving up sugar.

I drink "mate cocido" every morning.. it does not have caffeine, but has some similar stimulant. If I go without I get headaches. also noticed it helps with regularity in bathroom.

Hope all is well.

Tim

Hey everybody, thanks for all the comments.

I'm going to tell you something.. I cheated!! for the second time today.

4 days ago I had a coffee, but my stomach had had time to recover a bit and it didn't hurt me too much. But to be honest, with honey, not so great as with my normal 2 sugars. So I thought, well, apparently I can drink coffee again and brewed a cup but after the first sip I knew I was going to react badly to it, so I poured it in the sink.

But today I had another try, I was a bit tired but I know why I was tired: I had baked a cream cheese cake with coconut flour, it was a bit too heavy and I had too much, so I wasn't able to rest much during sleep. So I had a coffee today, with honey, and I overreacted to a money problem.. I had a bad afternoon because of caffeine.

To be honest, I'm feeling very well overall, I think I'm starting to benefit greatly from my diet. I know it's hard to give up sugar I know -- believe me, I know! -- but I guess in the long run I will benefit greatly and won't miss it.

Tim - I have mate tea but in little bags, it's a good replacement of coffee I guess, but I thought it contained caffeine?

Valsmum, I just got the book Sugar Blues, I just started reading it in the little spare time I have.

About the honey, would pouring it on hot coffee would count as boiling it?

I will try to stay away from coffee and sugar. I don't have much pain lately, and I'm off the NSAIDs and counting that I'm tapering down venlafaxine I think my body is loving this new diet.