Sugar Is "addictive" Because Is Stops The Stress Response

[stargazer1111]

It's so funny. When my health collapsed, I was working retail as someone on the autism spectrum. I don't handle confrontation well at all and was totally stressed out all the time. I was eating a low-fat, low-sugar diet because I believed the conventional nutritional dogma. I purposely avoided sugar because I thought it was unhealthy. This is when I began having massive panic attacks, hypoglycemia, and hypothyroidism that was so bad, I would go into convulsions and be unable to speak properly if the room temperature was too low.

I was doing the exact opposite of what I should have done. I should have been downing gobs of sugar. Yesterday, I got into a heated political argument that left me shaking and nervous. I decided to just down as much sugar as OJ and soda as I could possibly stand and it totally nullified the nervousness. I will do this from now on.

 

[firebreather]

This used to be me. When I started on the fire department my desire for sugar and junk food skyrocketed.

Of course I was convinced I needed to "overcome" my sugar addiction so I went hardcore paleo and low carb which only made things worse.

I had a huge appetite in general.

But I haven't done that for about 3 years.

And now even though I am still under the same amount of stress my appetite is tanked and I have very little desire for sugar.

Pretty confused

 

[stargazer1111]

How long as it been since you consumed a large amount of sugar on a regular basis? I had zero taste for sugar while on the zero carb diet as well. I think your tastes change based on what you regularly consume. Although, I insatiably craved acidic stuff while on zero carb. I thought it was a need for vitamin C until supplementing with bowel-tolerance levels of vitamin C did not abate the cravings. Turns out, I think I was craving fruit juice for the combo of acids and sugar.

I keep hearing this rhetoric of "balance in all things" and "moderation." I now think this is bull****. My hypothesis is this: Sugar directly blunts the stress response. Most experiences in life are stressful, including the ones we enjoy. The more experiences you have, the more sugar you need to deal with them. This is what I am finding out. If I ignore the programming that was beaten into my head for so long and just consume sugar constantly throughout the day, I can finally handle stressful experiences with ease like I never could before. People crave sugar because they need it.

 

[REOSIRENS]

Frontal cortex loves glucose and it's in this frontal part of brain ...where stress starts taking its toll

 

[Hugh Johnson]

This also implies that sugar could be a good way to treat addiction. Addiction is usually a way of controlling stress, so just get some sugar instead of speed or alcohol.

 

[stargazer1111]

Yup. My alcohol cravings disappeared when I started eating lots of sugar.

 

[firebreather]

How long as it been since you consumed a large amount of sugar on a regular basis? I had zero taste for sugar while on the zero carb diet as well. I think your tastes change based on what you regularly consume. Although, I insatiably craved acidic stuff while on zero carb. I thought it was a need for vitamin C until supplementing with bowel-tolerance levels of vitamin C did not abate the cravings. Turns out, I think I was craving fruit juice for the combo of acids and sugar.

I keep hearing this rhetoric of "balance in all things" and "moderation." I now think this is bull****. My hypothesis is this: Sugar directly blunts the stress response. Most experiences in life are stressful, including the ones we enjoy. The more experiences you have, the more sugar you need to deal with them. This is what I am finding out. If I ignore the programming that was beaten into my head for so long and just consume sugar constantly throughout the day, I can finally handle stressful experiences with ease like I never could before. People crave sugar because they need it.

@stargazer1111

Are you asking me or someone else about how long has it been since I consumed a lot of sugar?

If you are talking to me I didn't explain enough.

I haven't done paleo or low carb in a couple years and now my cravings are gone even though I am under a lot of stress.

The problem is now that I am never hungry and have to force myself to eat, even sugar.

But I regularly try to eat a lot of sugar now, even though I don't crave it or anything really.

 

[Lucenzo01]

Can we say the same thing about tobacco?

 

[Dessert_All_Day]

I keep hearing this rhetoric of "balance in all things" and "moderation." I now think this is bull****. My hypothesis is this: Sugar directly blunts the stress response. Most experiences in life are stressful, including the ones we enjoy. The more experiences you have, the more sugar you need to deal with them. This is what I am finding out. If I ignore the programming that was beaten into my head for so long and just consume sugar constantly throughout the day, I can finally handle stressful experiences with ease like I never could before. People crave sugar because they need it.

Yep the rhetoric you speak of is all too common and I'm of the opinion that it's pretty much complete bull****.

Life is stressful. Even in the best of times, when stress levels are low, it's unlikely to remain that way. Consider the stretches in which your health and career and relationships are all going wonderfully. You feel bulletproof. Well, even if that lasts, you still have family members and friends, and they're continuously vulnerable to all sorts of bad outcomes. And the stress of helping loved ones can be just as damaging as one's own stress.

Sugar, sleep, music, art, hobbies, etc. are all useful ways to deal with a world which, in the absence of these things, would be unbearably difficult to navigate.

The macho types will act like they don't need stress relief, and that they can "toughen up and man through anything" (these are also the types that have zero compassion for themselves nor for addicts). Color me skeptical. I think these people end up in very poor health or just plain dead by age 70. Cortisol can wreak havoc on even the most genetically gifted specimens. Ignore your body/mind's continual requests for stress relief at your own peril.

 

[Braveheart]

Try not to stress...after all, nothing is permanent...nothing lasts.

 

[Mauritio]

Word.

The only thing i dont understand is the insulin thing . AFAIK fructose has its own mechanism of inhibiting insulin release. What about sucrose? Since it is half fructose does it have the same effect on insulin? I think we all agree that insulin has unhealthy effects on the human body, so wouldn't insulin levels just skyrocket ,when downing tons of sugar ? Also and that is an important one: Is consuming lots of sugar recommended to EVERYONE even people with low metabolism ,bad liver function and low glycogen reserve?
I am kind of stuck on that topic hope someone can enlighten me.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

I think we all agree that insulin has unhealthy effects on the human body,

No.

 

[ddjd]

Word.

The only thing i dont understand is the insulin thing . AFAIK fructose has its own mechanism of inhibiting insulin release. What about sucrose? Since it is half fructose does it have the same effect on insulin? I think we all agree that insulin has unhealthy effects on the human body, so wouldn't insulin levels just skyrocket ,when downing tons of sugar ? Also and that is an important one: Is consuming lots of sugar recommended to EVERYONE even people with low metabolism ,bad liver function and low glycogen reserve?
I am kind of stuck on that topic hope someone can enlighten me.

I'm surprised, you're the only person to mention insulin in this entire thread.

In my experience, my insulin resistance will be a key reason for me constantly reaching for sugary snacks. Don't get me wrong, I understand sugar is essential for a decent metabolism.

But when i eat a whole bowl of ice cream after a main course and still feel like something sugary, or still feel hungry for something sweet.

This type of "addiction" is not healthy and is imo completely due to unstable blood sugar levels and a problem with insulin sensitivity.

I don't think it's good to just say down as much sugar as you can etc. as that further exacerbates the insulin resistance and so many other problems

 

[ddjd]

Word.
.