I was a sugar addict for years . It was my stress buster & mood elevator . At my worst i ate 4 chocolate bars daily (ugh ). I quit it overnight cold turkey . Withdrawal was horrid with fatigue / blinding headaches / mood swings / exhaustion . Lasted 3 months . After that zero cravings . I’m sugar free 781 days & counting . Will never eat sugar again . Ever !!!
Omg my sugar and carb withdrawal was so bad I almost end up in mental institution cause it turned me into horrifying human being. I got sick physically and mentally. I would fight with furniture or my car. My boyfriend almost lost his mind. It is still very hard especially at that time of the month.
I ate a entire birthday icecream cake from dairy queen it said 16 servings but I ate it in less than a hour. The next day I quit eating sugar entirely. Been "clean" since April 13th this year! Still no sugar for over a year now! Yay
Good for you. I quit sugar because I was getting panic attacks from low blood sugar and was off for 25 years. Gradually went back, but realized it was bad, so stopped. If you don't eat it, you don't want it. Replace it with foods you like. Or, if like me, you need to moderate what you eat to keep weight down, think of food like medicine. Eat to keep you healthy, not for pleasure. Find something else you like to replace eating for pleasure.
This addiction is also psychological. I did it for 6 weeks because I wanted to drop some weight . I lost 23 pounds. I felt light and slim. My cellulite started to disappear. It was amazing.
@@ThogusDonatus You don't have to. You cut off sugar and carbs. 5 days of withdrawals and possibly two weeks of flu-like symptoms. You train your body to burn fat for energy. This creates ketones and you train your body to use this for energy. You only eat fat and meat. Then you start intermittent fasting. Look into keto and intermittent fasting and use your gifts of discernment you were given. Many people have interest in feeding you lies about keto to keep you addicted to their sugar or to sell their products. Just cut the sugar and the carbs and if you do eat carbs make sure they are wrapped up in fiber. You must slow the insulin spike from eating it. The insulin spike causes chronic inflammation that leads to all the problems. The killer is carbs in general. Start with the sugar. Then you need not exercise and autophagy from fasting and proper sleep and diet will reverse your aging and heal you.
You can imagine the grimace I made when I realized she actually meant that seriously, like how does an EGG come even close to a freakin CUPCAKE... °Fuck Eggs dude ;D
@@DaveE99 Why? People will still buy it and they'll waste more money on it. Just like people waste their money on other things they will do it with this.
I had actual withdrawal when I was quitting sugar. I’ve quit drugs, smoking, and I can definitely say quitting sugar is exactly like quitting any other addiction. The addiction does break quickly though… but it does get bad those first few days.
No. I've quit all those things and cigarettes were the only physical withdrawals. When you dramatize you frighten people from even trying. If quitting any of those things were as horrifying as quitting cigarettes you'd be better off dead.
@@cincin4515 Indeed, my brother who shot china white for thirty years often said that quitting dope was easy compared to cigs. I know about 10x the people who quit dope compared to cigarettes, although that ratio is starting to change as people start to even acknowledge how bad tobacco is. Then, there is the long term damage angle, long term dope isn't much of a big deal as long as one takes care of ones' health during the dope use. With tobacco the long term health effects are horrendous.
@@cincin4515 It can be different for each person. I quit caffeine a month and a half ago and have had mental addiction cravings after the physical. Finally I'm good and now working on sugar. But I've heard some have 0 urges for smoking when quitting. It just depends on the person
that was their experience, how can you say that they shouldn't share that when its what they felt like, everyone is different and many comments say almost the same thing, about how hard it is, its just being realistic but it shouldn't discourage people if they're sick of it and want to try cutting it back or out completely.
Many experts say we have to go cold turkey on sugar and carbs for a few days for cravings to be gone. It’s true. I tried it. If I keep doing things gradually, I still crave it. It was like torture until it was eliminated completely. Hard part is sticking to it.
Pretty much this. And it's definitely not like opioid withdrawal. The bad feeling is fairly manageable, plus, you can ease yourself through the worst of it by cheating a little on the first one to two days without any danger of a complete relapse. I used to drink 2-3 litres of coke per day, so I got the double whammy of extracting myself from caffeine and sugar at the same time, but it's not like one is shaking and puking from that. I'd drink one can (0.33 litres) and that was enough do get me trough the day on day one, on the second day already it wasn't bad enough to make me need more "help".
Truvia stevia crystals. Get it in the container instead of the packets. Then you can see it and smell it. Psychologically the same as sugar with a better flavor and a candy-like smell. Safe and natural. I don't believe the recent disinformation on erythritol (it is also used in it, but it is chemically benign and widely believed to be safe in the body). That study finds a correlation with heart disease probably because diabetics that consume erythritol thinking they are eating healthy. They still die of diabetes complications because they continue to eat trash carbs and processed foods. Maltodextrin is used in cheap sugar substitues and is more harmful to a diabetes insulin spikes than regular sugar. Hence they still die of diabetes. Also remember that the "treatment" for diabetes causes even more insulin resistance.
I've had ADHD my entire life, & have educated myself on it to help me survive. And I have to say, this lady is GREAT! I've seen about 10 of her videos & she is good (very succinct, to the point & so informative). Thank you Dr. Marks.
It's a pain in the whole body! Sugar withdrawal is no joke, but after a few days you start to feel so much better. After a week or so, you will be extremely happy you broke away from sugar!
I'm sorry, but as someone who's experienced sugar and opiod withdrawal, they aren't the same. One kind of sucks and the other can bring you to the brink of death or suicide (depending on your reaction, some people end up in the hospital for hard drug withdrawal). I'd rather do sugar withdrawal 10×'s in a row than experience the absolute torture of opiate withdrawal ever again. The vomiting, sweating, RLS, brain fog, depression, sore everything, cravings, etc are so severe that most people would rather go back on the drug (which alot of people who choose this route can end up taking to much to over compensate for the pain and overdose), use medical intervention to quit (which is extremely expensive), or commit suicide to end the suffering and pain. The last one was almost me before I sought out help and got clean of my heroin use. I hate that this video implies they are on the same level because they aren't. Sure, you get some mild withdrawal symptoms from cutting sugar down, but opioid withdrawal can affect you for the rest of your life. I don't even think about sugar anymore and the cravings stopped a few months after and the withdrawal wasn't that bad, but with opiates and other hard drugs, that is with you for life. The cravings can last for life. The withdrawal can even last for life because of the severe damage it does to your brain. If you quit early, the brain can somewhat repare the damage you've done, but alot of people aren't that lucky.
@@lunaballuna Clearly genetics and personality matter in terms of percieved suffering. I hope you'll be fine, wherever you are. There's a lot of anti-choose-any-food group propaganda using bogus studies. Fact of the matter is - we like getting fat but we don't like looking fat, we care more about feeling good in short term than having a mostly bland but moderately healthier existence in the long run. I'll say it how I see it - sugar addiction exists, but it doesn't matter unless you are dealing with a person hellbent on killing themself with sugar.
@Olaf I definitely agree with you about genetics, but for the most part an opioid addiction is much worse than a sugar addiction in terms of killing time and withdrawal. And of course, people addicted to sugar are going to experience mild withdrawal symptoms (I've been there myself) from headaches, to mood swings, to insomnia, to low energy levels, but over all its not as detrimental as many people make it out to be. It comes down to how willing you are to stop, your mental health (especially for those who eat their feelings), and your understanding of the process (i.e. are you doing some stupid fad diet for a week or are you seeing a doc/nutritionist and following healthy diet instructions). With opiates it's a whole different demon. You have to be mentally strong, but you also have to be willing to get medical intervention or suffer and alot of people are so afraid of the withdrawal symptoms they never make it through the first day. There's Def an issue with over eating and over consuming high calorie high sugar foods in the world, but it bothered me that she directly compared it to opioid addiction and withdrawal.
@Olaf I definitely agree with you about genetics, but for the most part an opioid addiction is much worse than a sugar addiction in terms of killing time and withdrawal. And of course, people addicted to sugar are going to experience mild withdrawal symptoms (I've been there myself) from headaches, to mood swings, to insomnia, to low energy levels, but over all its not as detrimental as many people make it out to be. It comes down to how willing you are to stop, your mental health (especially for those who eat their feelings), and your understanding of the process (i.e. are you doing some stupid fad diet for a week or are you seeing a doc/nutritionist and following healthy diet instructions). With opiates it's a whole different demon. You have to be mentally strong, but you also have to be willing to get medical intervention or suffer and alot of people are so afraid of the withdrawal symptoms they never make it through the first day. There's Def an issue with over eating and over consuming high calorie high sugar foods in the world, but it bothered me that she directly compared it to opioid addiction and withdrawal.
I felt particularly bad one day. Bloated, tired, sick. I decided to spend 24hrs without eating because something i ate was doing it to me. It was easy to fast because i felt sick. When i starrted food again i decided i might as well start an elimination diet. I ate some meat. Then some more meat. Then i remembered keto amd how i did not want to do it because it was restrictive. Well, i gave it a go. 5 months later i was down 50 pounds and never got bloated, tired, or sick again. Miraculous
Yeah, when I realized the sugar had to stop, it stopped. Bit of a headache at times but realigned quickly and would barely have noticed. I used sugar as a mood lifter and once it dawned I wasn't in a bad mood anyway it was pretty easy. Opiod withdrawal from just overusing tramadol felt like I was absolutely gonna die for days. Constant anxiety 24/7 for 5/6 days and no I'm not exaggerating 24/7 as for 5 days I did not come close to sleeping for a second. A 5 day long, without respite panic attack. Plus several other nasty side effects alongside. So yeah, sugar withdrawal for me was not even a thing compared to that. If anyone out there see's this and is going through hell with opiod withdrawal, take heart. That feeling like you will never feel calm again WILL NOT LAST. Hold on,. for a 5-10 days depending on how long you've been on them and trust me IT WILL PASS and you will feel normal again soon. And when you do you will feel better than normal. HANG IN THERE, it's the best thing you will have ever done for yourself.
I quit sugar and lost 50 lbs in a year without doing anything else. It's been about 5 years and I notice it creeping back in again. It's just SO addictive.
@@nicolesamsonite I didn't even think about carbs. Some carbs are good for you. I looked purely at added sugar and kept it at 5 grams or less. Added sugar is in just about EVERYTHING so you have to read all the labels. It was hard but you lose the craving pretty quickly. Good luck!
3:12 Check these ingredients to avoid sugar filled foods: Agave nectar Brow rice syrup High fructose corn syrup Dextrose Evaporated cane juice Lactose Milk syrup Molasses Sucrose 5:29 You don't want to use sugar substitute either because they increase the addiction and cause metabolic syndrome. Substitutes like: Stevia Aspartame Agave
@Shari, thank you for reminding us of natural sugars. I do love agave syrup much, in yoghurt or kefir. Aspartame is banned in most shops here in the Netherlands, since it's found out that it's poisonous. Nutricia prepared baby food with Aspartame in 2009, its headquarters is in my country, and when I'd sent them a letter with a warning, recommending to stop sweetening baby food with Aspartame, the answer I received was that I could trust their choice and that all was safe. Two years later they were forced to stop using Aspartame, for the obvious reason. I've studied nutrition, and also synthetic food products, the cause of autism also. Splenda is one of the sweeteners much used in Britain, and many who use it suffer from the macular disease. The central vision of the eyes is blurred. It's now known, that Splenda can cause this side effect. When I warned my former British landlord about this, who used Splenda for over 20 years, he simply chose to ignore it. His eyesight is troubled much, driving a car isn't possible, and reading gets very difficult, also from the screen. Many Britons are hugely complacent!
Since I went whole food plant based, plant milk is about the only place I get sugar nowadays. The benefits are manifold, starting with the enhanced flavor of natural food. Strawberries, even the ripest and sweetest, always had a tart flavor before. Now they're like candy. Grapes, too, are amazingly sweet now. Glad I quit. Hope I never go back.
Fructose from fruit, if eaten in excess (which doesn't take much), is very problematic sugar intake as well @Ray Starr. But I hear you in terms of the flavor, natural, much better.
@@elisemiller13 The doctor said the goal is to get rid of added sugars and to eat natural foods, including sweet fruits and sweet vegetables. I find raw broccoli to be sweet. After being off sugar for a couple weeks, candies taste way too much!
That's what I want to do. You can get all of your vitamin C from veggies such as kale, broccoli and brussel sprouts, but if you really want fruit, I hear often that berries are the best.
Very true. After I decided to substitute water for all the juices I was drinking daily as New Year resolution, I experienced exactly what you are talking about when drank them occasionally.
It's so true. I stopped putting sugar in my tea/coffee I noticed how awful it tasted if I was given sugared hot drinks. Stopped putting sugar in... 2 yrs ago. I gradually went from 2 sugars in everything. To none over a period of a year. Now I'm reducing sugar in other area's. I love chocolate and cakes. Especially chocolate cake... Warm with thick fresh cream. 😍 I'm going to slowly wean myself of it the same way I did with hot drinks. I can't stand fizzy drinks unless is sparkling mineral water. I drink mountain water throughout the day.
After reading, “Potatoes, Not Prozac”, I wrote down how I felt physically and emotionally after eating my (normal for me) very high sugar diet. I discovered that I felt worse emotionally after eating sugar. I had always thought it made me feel better. This helped motivate me to reduce my consumption.
I’m about to have a breakfast with potatoes, cheese, eggs and bacon crumbles. It’s protein for the day.,I love my sweets but I know if I could wake up and magic was real…the sugar would be gone. I also love Mac and cheese, spaghetti , pizza. Food, let’s just say food.
@@googull5136 yup, me too. I now drink a mushroom coffee. It has less caffeine in it and some mushrooms that are supposed to be good for the brain. I have lots of brain fog and memory issues, and I just turn 40. But according to every doctor "it's all normal". No it's not. Since reducing the caffeine helped the way it did, I just have this gut feeling that getting rid of sugar is gonna be very beneficial to me.
Just a suggestion for those who are struggling to give up sugar - A good friend I had known for many, many years was so dependent on sugar that she even ate a slice of pound cake along with her dinner, in place of, say, a dinner roll. That was a common eating habit of hers in her 20’s. She developed severe diabetes by the time she reached her 60’s, debilitating her to the point of requiring a daily caregiver. Even in her last months of life at 65, she still could not stop eating sugar. Her dependence was so bad that, at the point of being bedridden, she would insist on her son bringing her a bag of Oreo cookies when he came to visit. Her son was caught in the awful dilemma of having to choose to satisfy his mother’s wishes, knowing doing so would only worsen her very fragile health, or being disobedient to her in the short time she had left. Think of her fate when you are tempted to indulge on sugar. Time and bad habits will eventually catch up with all of us.
Because of seeing this video, I’ve been off sugar for over a week and haven’t reached for the fake sugar either. The way you said your body never learns to be without the sweetness if you eat the fake sugar hit home for me. Thank you for this message ❤
@@apeacefulmcadory1627 I felt better about 7-9 days into the withdrawal. I Stay hydrated and drank some caffeine to help with the fatigue. It’s was pretty intense though
If your background music would play in my head every time I was tempted to eat sugar, I would kick the habit in less than 24 hours! 👀 😁 Seriously though….. great vid (in spite of the annoying music). I have cut back quite a lot on obvious sugar intake by eliminating cokes, cookies, cakes, ice cream (letting go of ice cream was really tough!) lol…… but I would like to really cut out as much added sugars as possible. The information you presented in this video has been very helpful. Thank you.
I had a sugar addiction and my glucose level was off the chain! I was also obese, but simply went to my Heavenly Father in Jesus Name, and, since God is so powerful, HE GAVE ME THE STRENTH to abstain from eating these foods, so I lost nearly 40 pounds like a breeze, and my hyperglycemia just disappeared! Thank you kindly, Dr. Tracey Marks, for telling it like it is!
So why is it when people achieve something themselves they attributed to God maybe you should go get an MRI because your logical reasoning is seriously broken
The most intelligent discussion I have heard on sugar addiction in a long time. I’m so fortunate that I gave up refined sugar decades ago. But I still have to be aware of all foods because sugar is in everything! This is really important especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol.
Crazy! About a week and a half ago I stopped eating sugar because I felt like my joint pain was a lot higher when I ate sugar. So a couple days after stopping sugar, my inflammation and joint pain was markedly better, but, I feel horrible, like I have the flu. It didn’t occur to me it could be sugar withdrawal until I had a bowl of ice cream at my mom’s house for dessert. Suddenly my headache and nausea was gone,I felt happy and energetic. That’s when it occurred to me and I looked up videos like this. It all makes sense now. Thanks!
If you liked this video, you may also want to know that while marketing makes you think brown sugar is more natural than white sugar, the only difference is that brown sugar is turned to white sugar by adding phosphate! And when it comes to gut health, brown and white sugar have similar effects!
I was feeling so irritable today and restless .... I just wanted to drive to the store and get cake... that desire for cake was insanely strong... It shocked me to the point where I just sat and thought about the addiction instead of going to get the cake😑 Edit: Argh I eventually went to get the cake... 3 weeks later
Yeah, I get that. Imagine thinking if you can just ignore the cravings they will go away 😭 It took all of 3 days for me. I held out for 3 days. I knew it would get worse so I just caved. The thought of getting that sweetness is constantly in my head once I see an image of something sweet like cake or ice cream. That’s all it takes. And then the cycle continues. I feel like Sisyphus.
I have been sugar/sweetener free for nearly 5 years. Its changed my life so drastically. I love being able to have control over what goes in my mouth. Addictions are awful. And she's so right: things that normally would not be viewed as sweet now taste so much sweeter to me, and traditionally "sweet" foods are so sickeningly sweet to me now that its nuts.
Hi Dr Tracey! My husband saw your video about how video games are actually good for you, so naturally he now thinks that you are a genius!! So, I'm sending him this video, maybe he'll listen to your good advice! Thanks and have a fantastic day!!
Video games helped my son a lot first as a kid with reading and writing,I told him it is in spanish you read it(and he did) and later to recover from the stroke he had when he was about to turn 16..it took him a while but he manages to use the game's control with his left hand..this also helped him feel better with himself. He still is going to physical and psycological therapy.
As a Registered Dietitian, I would like to add that often when we tell ourselves we "can't" eat something, it leads to chaotic eating behavior, like a restrict and binge cycle. A lot of the time, sugar "addiction" is actually an underlying issue with our relationship to food. If we restrict something, we may tend to give it a lot of attention which can lead to binging, feeling guilty, and the cycle continues. This may seem like addiction, but people who eat intuitively and give themselves permission to enjoy food often don't feel an impulsive need for sugar. They enjoy it, just like they enjoy eggs or crunchy veggies with hummus. It becomes just another food and sometimes you want it and sometimes you don't. I should also add that sugar cravings can be tied to emotional health since they do release those feel good chemicals, but an intuitive eater can use this craving for insight as to whether the craving is coming from physical hunger, emotional hunger, boredom, etc.
That is like asking an alcoholic to be an intuitive drinker. Some folks can. Cold turkey worked for me after years of trying. Now 14 months clean from sugar
@Jazz Heart she does a lot of videos for ADHD. I have sensory issues along with adhd so this brought a lot of distractions. I'm glad she got rid of it, because i can't even retain anything she's saying with the beat in background. Her husband has adhd so i think she sympathizes. It also makes her videos less of a joke and more educational without music in background. You hear it as background music. I hear it as blaringly loud taking over the video. I'm sure other autistic and adhd ppl feel the same
Thank you for mentioning the importance of being realistic and reducing things gradually. The dieting industry often relies on telling people to do the opposite, thereby increasing the likelihood of relapse, failure, and then more money put into the industry in the future.
Enjoyed the video, but at times the background music is too loud making it difficult to hear and focus on what you’re saying. I recommend keeping the background music low throughout the video…thanks for the tips!
I did it cold turkey cause I'm a moron but let me tell you, the anxiety and depression is real and the most difficult for me. It's been about 6 weeks and I'm through most of the physical symptoms but the mental ones are tough and strong enough to produce their own physical symptoms. However, I'm proud to say I can walk by a box of donuts or some candy and have no desire to eat any. It's like my brain forgot that these foods taste good. Fresh fruits taste amazing now.
But are you really sure the depression stems from the sugar withdrawal? Personally, I don't live the happiest life, and for the longest time I used food, fizzy drinks, and to a lesser extent alcohol to self-medicate against the low level depression I have been struggling with most of my adult life. And sure enough, once I grew fat enough, that was a permanent source for more bad feelings that needed to be eaten and drank away. I'm currently managing to stick to a healthy diet and losing weight fast, but of course, the brainfuck of my miserable existence is still there. I just do my best not to silence that with mouth pleasure any more. Kinda curious for how long I can keep this up. It definitely costs a lot of mental energy to resist.
Try checking if you have a vitamin/hormone deficiency. Take a multivitamin, some pre/probiotics, or atleast 10kiu of vitamin D daily. It helps with depression and stress.
I needed to hear this. In the last 6 years I've given up all my vices- caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, weed, soda, and high-carb/white carbs... sugar is one of my last vices and it needs to go but it's so hard because it has become my crutch to quit all the others.
Wow. That’s a new one for me. Did you know that tictacs can legally claim they’re sugar free because each tictac is so small that it meets the legal labeling requirements to say it’s sugar free? They’re made of 100% sugar but can still say they’re sugar free. That one still gets me.
You did such a good job breaking this down. I love the clips of you in the kitchen perusing the foods too. It's some unexpected humor and makes the whole lesson more relatable.
D M I have the strongest urge Day one to shove my face with bread. My head is killing me. I went cold turkey. I know I’ll feel better and my taste buds will change but man it’s tough right now
I’ve either been addicted to coffee or to sugar or both. Last year when I wasn’t addicted to sugar I was addicted to coffee and it hurt me in other ways. For 2020 I want to break my addiction to both coffee and sugar! I’ve already broke my coffee addiction and I’m ready to break this sugar addiction!! Here’s to clearer skin, better sleep, less GI problems!!
Actually, small amounts of coffee are not bad for you at all. The biggest issues with coffee are the caffeine and the amount of sugar some need to add to theirs to drink it. Chocolate is actually good for you as well, but it has to be dark chocolate. And the higher the percentage of cacao (or "cocoa" as most people know it), the better. Plus, everyone has a slightly different health than everyone else. What's good for you could be fatal to the next person you see. Good luck with the sugar! I am working on mine as well, and it is so hard! Not as hard as trying to quit nicotine, though. LOL. (Which I am also trying to quit.)
It's been 5 years since I gave up sugar and carbs and it's been relatively easy, until very recently. All of a sudden I was craving it again. Sounds like an addiction to me. Loved your advice. Thanks.
I’m glad to see you bringing this into the mainstream. I worked in an adolescent dual-diagnosed unit in the late 80’s. The psychiatrists sneered at me and dismissed my concerns that we had sugar addicted kids. One girl ate only cola and brownies at every meal. She could not stop crying. I’m sure she had a terrible history, but I thought in fairness to her, we should help her recognize the link between sugar and mood, just as we do with diabetics. And that she deserved almost parental level guidance on her food choices. I was laughed out of the room. I also want to add that cravings may subside with water hydration and nutrient dense foods, in addition to protein. Try green smoothies with half a green apple, a chunk of cucumber some lime juice, and dark leafy greens. The fiber and nutrients satisfy the craving to a degree.
wow i know its been a month since this comment, but i want to shower you with recognition for having been awakened to this, since the beginning. Power to You.
Happy hi I am a lived experience worker in adult dual diagnosis. Agree with your insights and views. May you please share your references to literature to assist my journey to be sugar free. I lead by example, would love to cut my sugar intake to zero, I currently keep a food mood diary, commited to chang, educating and encouraging my peers about the link between food mood and improved mental health and wellness. Best wishes Mandy
@Happy, thank you for your sound comment. I agree with your point of view on sugar intake and sugar craving, the impact on mood, energy levels, etc. When I followed a macrobiotic diet in the '70s, for a couple of years, much increasing my health, the suggestion was given that eating lots of greens would help to dampen the sugar craving and that when the craving was intense, we should chew on a raisin for a long time. Chewing our food was a topic often addressed anyway, for digestion begins with our saliva, present in our mouth.
Dear Dr. Marks, I'm a huge fan, you are amazing. Please turn the music down a little, it was irritating, I had to watch it with subtitles without the sound. Many thanks and thank you for all your fantastic work 🌞🌻🍀
I agree quitting sugar can be miserable and painful but there are genuinely no words horrible enough to describe the pain and agony of heroin withdrawals
@@cathybroadus4411 These comments are because of the title of the video. You cannot compare sugar withdrawal to opioid withdrawal. Hence the discussion about heroin.
@@lynettez72 You can cold Turkey, you can Betty Ford, or go to the rich overnight clinics and get detoxxed. Then if your commitment is strong you can go and sin no more. With sugar it’s ubiquitous and so very hard to avoid in our modern culture.
That is the Weirdest and most difficult music I have ever tried to process information to. Besides that, I do appreciate the information I could absorb... very much.
Dr. Marks, you have no idea how much I appreciate this detailed breakdown. I'm 38 and I know that I have a major sweet tooth that, among other poor habits, have contributed to my weight gain over the last 3 years. The heaviest I've ever been was 247 lbs, and seeing that I was in the obese category per the BMI was a real eye opener. Many of my friends and family are diabetic and I'm working toward not becoming the next one. I've since subscribed and also started looking at getting back into the gym, along with other additional physical activities to keep me focused while I work on my eating behaviors. Thanks again for the this video.
I used to get shamed for eating a lot of sweets from my family, so I hid food and ate away from anyone (it was comfort food for my depression, but they just thought I was weird). Hiding tubs of chocolate icing in my laundry basket and overeating sweets in the basement, not my finest moments 😅 My family found out and got really worried, so I had to reevaluate what made me crave sweets and cut WAY down on sugar. I didn't know what hangry was until I cut down on sugar, but it gets easier to limit after a while.
@@paolaalvarez374 It was over 10 years ago, but I'm pretty sure I did (but not everyone has the same metabolism). I'd say I lost around 15 lbs or less over 1 or 2 years. At that time my thoughts were more about feeling healthier than weight. If your concerned about your weight/diet maybe try seeing a nutritionist or something similar to help you.
My mom always did that. She would say she did not eat much, but when no one was watching, that was when she consumed a lot of sweets. She was always very ashamed about it.
Nice job in clearly explaining this topic. I’m in my 60s and this is the first time I’ve read/ listened to information that covers this sweet addiction in such a clear manner. It all makes sense! Thank you for this video. It’s never too late to be aware of the sugar you are consuming to make a difference in your health and well-being. ⭐️
I’ve significantly reduced sugar in my diet and I’m going through some intense withdrawal right now, but it’s only been a week. Going to try my best to stick it through and hopefully it gets easier in a couple weeks!
I am sorry dear, opiate withdrawal is MUCH more than the symptoms you listed. I'm a recovering heroin addict, so I know full well. It's not comparable what so ever. However I do appreciate all the info as I'm trying to learn to eat better!
I quit back in 2016 for months and I was the smallest I’ve been in years. Started working and used sugar as a coping mechanism for a job I didn’t like. I can’t quit cold Turkey but I’m eliminating processed sugars every week. I hope this works because I hate being stuck in this cycle.
Unfortunately I’ve been through both.. and it is the same.. and I will never go through either again.. opioid free for 5 years and sugar free for 8 months and I feel great.. it’s a beautiful thing
Thank you doctor! A great practical guid to getting off excess sugar. I know I’ve been addicted for many years, but by the time it gets past lunch, I break down. I like your approach.
I still struggle with my sugar addiction. I quite once for a year and found the idea of sweets disgusting. Even Oranges were too sweet for me. My success was found in juicing. I'm vegan and was already healthy but juicing gave me so much energy I didn't sugar to feel good. I went through some huge stress and got off my healthy diet. I'm much more chill now and am trying to quit again. The 12 steps help me too. Good Luck everyone!
I watch survival videos, and seeing and feeling the person drinking water and value its ability to keep them alive and the description of sweetness as they drink it has always been an encouragement to me when dieting. It is a life long struggle that can be managed. You know you are doing it right when you choose your daily foods from the available sources and not buying special diet foods that are a waste of money!!
You hit the nail on the head about it being in EVERYTHING!! Oh my gosh! I love my sweets..on so many levels. They are fun to make, they are pretty and I love photographing them. I generally make all of my own stuff from scratch using real ingredients...many of them organic. My cake or ice cream or cupcake is going to taste completely different from anything you buy ready made. Because it uses less sugar. Older recipes also use less sugar, so cooking from vintage recipes can help with this. I am not giving them up, but I do remain mindful of how much I have. I don't drink any soda or alcohol and I only have one cup of black coffee in the morning. I basically traded booze for dessert 20 years ago. Because your body will process it the same and the calories can be even higher in alcohol. I decided I'd rather have the chocolate cake than the wine. And I've never been a soda drinker. I think it's about trade offs. I am not giving up my carbs, but I do watch what I take in. You should consider a hidden salt video, because I think that's as bad or worse!! Sodium in anything packaged is insane. And anybody who thinks stopping sugar is easy should try cutting off the average toddler from their snacks and juice. Hell hath no fury like a toddler deprived of their sugar!😄
LOL!! You are so right about the toddler. I've got my own inner toddler. Once upon a time, if I had to choose between dessert or dinner, I'd rather have dessert. You have my mouth watering thinking about your baked goods with organic ingredients. That's going to make it even more painful for me to look at your stuff on Instagram. That was TMI - thanks a lot. 😁
Ha HA!! Yeah, if you're going to have it, make it the best it can be. I wouldn't call buttercream healthy, but at least I am reducing the sins in using the organic ingredients.
Great talk. I haven't eaten sugar or carbs for a year. This is the best I've ever felt. After 2 weeks you don't miss it at all. I've replaced it with healthy fats and protein.
Dr. Tracey says the psychiatric community doesn't consider sugar addiction to be a "true" addiction, but I can see no way in which it differs from addiction.
I know the feeling. You want something sweet to take the edge off. ... I weened myself off gradually over about two weeks. If I just had to have it I only allowed myself berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. But then I dropped that finally. I have some berries from time to time, but only small amounts and not frequently. But you want SWEET... no amount of bacon or cream cheese will do it. You just have to power through it.
I think she’s wrong about it not being a true addiction. Scientist did studies with rats and the addiction properties between sugar and cocaine. The rats apparently had a harder time weaning from sugar.
Switching to natural sugars like fruit smoothies helps a lot. Yogurt in small amounts isn't bad for you, adding a couple tablespoons to a smoothie isn't going to hurt.
Thank you for defining 'addict' and addiction. One thing I find beneficial is to take that one moment to remind myself that I am worth the time it takes to let the craving pass. I quit smoking after 14 yrs by doing it cold-turkey. 30 years later I'm still fighting the cravings but always remember how bad I smelled, how horrible it all tasted and how sick to my stomach I would get if I tried to go back. You're amazing and I did hit those subscribe and like buttons.
My man you got something wrong with you if u still crave cigarettes after that amount of time! I smoked 18 yrs and after the 2nd year I completely stopped craving them.
I suffered from SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrown) for years. Sugar was the main culprit, but I did not know it. I did not even know what SIBO was, until 5 years ago. I feel amazing now that I have removed almost all sources of sugar from my diet. New Subbie!
I have been trying to cut down my sugar intake recently. The first two days were awful! I had headaches and was nauseated. This journey has been such an awakening. I was really unaware of how much sugar I was actually eating.
As a former opiate addict who has withdrawn from both street opiates and suboxone, a heavy emphasis on the word “like” in “like opioid withdrawals.” When I got off suboxone I couldn’t get off the living room floor for a month, and felt like I had the flu for 3 months. That being said, quitting sugar sucks age is hard.
I found it difficult to go cold turkey. I weaned myself off by limiting what I was consuming weekly. Until I realized I went a whole week without it and felt fine. You can do it guys! We're living for a fuller tmrw.
I'm an alcoholic who hasn't drank for over 27 years. But my sugar addiction has plagued me all these years. I'm now considering psilocybin as a possible saviour.
If you liked this information, you may also want to know that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming no more than 25 grams per day (or 6 teaspoons) of added sugar. This is the amount of added sugar found in 1 cup of most orange juices, 1 container of yogurt, a 3 inch donut 2 tablespoons of honey barbecue sauce, or ½ a small brownie!
I can tell you personally that opioid withdrawal is HELL and it took me 6 months before I felt somewhat normal again. I’ve also quit sugar and had a mild headache for 3 days. No comparison !!!
@Heldaeus Unless that person has gone thru BOTH , they have no room to speak about the comparisons. They’re not even close ! Even in the way you think she might have meant it to be.
@Heldaeus The click bait title is trash -misleading, and insensitive. Merely a theory from someone who hasn't experienced opioid withdrawal or who hasn't witnessed anyone go through it and fight to hang onto life by a thread.
I am currently trying to cut down on sugar, and this makes me feel gloomy and "empty"; I am not sure how to describe it, but basically it almost feels like being really thirsty and not being able to drink water, except with sugar cravings instead, if that makes sense.
It is really hard, I have been struggling with it my whole life. I will say that I have been doing keto on and off for several years now, the first time I did keto it was like waking up from a weird dream? For the first time in my life I didn’t have that insatiable hunger (or as you put it thirst) and felt calmer, it took a few weeks for the cravings to die down but then it felt like a miracle, and I stopped believing my food problems were somehow a personality flaw or lack of will power. It can trigger sadness and anxiety, in my experience, when coming off the carbs and sugar but that passes with a week or two of no sugar or carbs. A weird aspect is how when I eat carbs and sugar I can’t remember how it feels to not have the unending hunger for carbs and sugar, and when I’m on keto I forget after a while how bad it can be (which is one of the reasons I end up slipping back off keto and into sugary hell again). I think because the sugar/carbs kind of acts on my body in a way that overrides my brain? It certainly to me feels like an addiction, regardless of whether it meets the strict definition. Gary Taubes first book on this stuff (I think it might be called “good sugar, bad sugar”) really helped me (i got the audiobook version) it helped me understand and get angry and motivated. I’m still fighting the addiction but I think it is a journey and I hope one day I will get to not slipping back into sugar and carbs when I get sad or at Christmas or stressed. Basically I guess I’m saying try keto? It can be hard at the start and make sure you get enough salt and liquids (sometimes people feel like they have the flu but that may be just a lack of salt and/or enough liquids). On the plus side if you want to lose weight then the rapid weight loss early on can be quite motivating. Also IMO some of the artificial sweeteners can trigger sugar cravings, it’s best if you can do without but I struggle with that. You can get some lovely sugar free syrups for coffee, if you have those with some heavy/double cream it can help with a sweet craving. There is a website I used to use called dietdoctor (not a great name IMO) it has resources about what to eat and what not to eat on keto and macros to aim for and advice, it now has also a paid version where you get recipes and stuff but I didn’t use that and I think it still has a ton of free resources.
Thank you for helping spread awareness on this problem. While I agree with another comment that this is not even comparable to opioid addiction and withdrawal, I personally feel it helps to recognize that sugar acts on our body and brain the same way (tho much less severe!). To basically see what we’re up against - like a foe we need to go to battle with. This sort of insight gives us the reality check we need to enter this ‘battle’ and therefore succced! I have quit 3 times! Haha! I know that sounds crap. But each time it gets easier. How many smokers have you heard say, it took them 5 times to finally quit for good? So don’t talk down to yourself if you fall off again. The first time was the worst!! I used to be almost frantic about needing chocolate. Now I can make healthier choices, say no to cake if I’m not in the mood. I know I’m still in addiction bc sometimes I ‘need’ chocolate, but I can get by with less. Right now in my life I am working on gradually weening off, and I’d say it’s working, but still takes fortitude. And that’s why these videos and peoples comments really help! Thank-you!
Dr Marks thank you so much for this. I believe my mother suffers from all the symptoms you just mentioned, it’s uncanny to me. She’s suffering from depression so it’s accelerating her cravings and needs even further. This is exciting for me because I’m looking forward to changing my own attitude when it comes to sugar cravings and there’s a few ideas my father has given on how he stays healthy that I’ve found so inspiring to pass onto her.
Dang for not being an expert in nutrition you sure know your stuff! I love how simply and logically you put things and from what I have seen you are always right on point with the info being correct
It took about 2 weeks to get past the Keto flu symptoms about 5 months ago. Seems like a dim memory now, and I miss sweets on occasion. But once fat adapted, it’s not hard to skip all snacks and eat fewer meals without hunger. I’ve lost 40 lbs and now at target weight of 170. I think I average around 30 carbs a day, its not that hard. My fuel is fat, not carbs. It helped that I cleaned out over 70 pounds of sugar containing pantry and opened fridge foods.
I was addicted pretty badly. I was eating nothing but carbs for about a year. And I don't mean anything with fiber. Chips, pizza, pasta, very little meat or fat. Single digit %points for those. I was eventually diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. With a BG reading of 594. And an A1c of 11.7% It scared the crap out of me. I stuck with the suggested diet, and exercise and meds. After 6 weeks my daily blood glucose reading, measured every waking hour, was between 200 and 300. I gave up on the medical advice and studied it for myself. Bastard doctors and nutritionists were lying there asses off. I fixed it myself. 24 hours later my avg BG reading taken every hour, between 80 and 90. Effectively cured my diabetes over night. I went cold turkey on carbs. ZERO CARB DIET. I gave up ALL SUGARS. I had zero withdrawls. If I felt hunger, I ate some bacon and eggs. Had a steak. Some cheese. Pepperoni, and more cheese. After 30 days I lost 60 pounds. From 250 pounds down to 190 pounds in 30 days. After four months I had my follow up. My nurse just kept saying this isn't possible. You A1c is now 5.7%. In four months? This can't happen. Yet it did. I cured my type 2 diabetes. That was almost 4 years ago. I also cured my RCC (kidney cancer). As well as losing a tone of skin tags. Some unsightly moles the size of a button mushroom, shrunk to minuscule size and no longer in the way. It was causing issues when zipping my pants. My thighs no longer rub. I lost 10" around my waist. I had to buy new clothes! I was surprised I didn't have actual carb withdrawls. I feel healthier. I never feel that starving feeling between meals like I used to when eating 3 meals a day. And now I'm only eating once a day. I have never felt better.
I’ve heard of many stories like yours! I am always deeply moved and thankful to hear about success stories like yours. As for our medical community, including nutritionists and dietitians, their education is captured by special interests like the pharmaceuticals and processed foods corporations. It is in those businesses best interests to keep us dependent on their drugs and addicted to their packaged foods. If you look into it further, you might find that our regulatory agencies depend on the funds they get from the pharma and packaged food groups, too.
Really clear video. Love it. I’m watching my sugar intake for couple weeks now and my energy really went up. I feel so much better already. Also I can concentrate way better than before.
Thank you for all your videos - I have started to watch them - suffer with a lot of anxiety and stress, eating a bad diet, your videos have inspired me to make a lot of changes.
I started my sugar detox with a 48 hour fast, only consuming water and coffee. This reset my tastebuds and was helpful because I found that the hardest part of staying away from sugar was only allowing myself to eat a little bit of sugar (which spiked my blood sugar and insulin, making me crave more).
Thanks for your valuable information. So important! I found your video very useful. I found the background music distracting, though. Too loud, I think.
Love this video! I used to think I have a sugar tooth, I don’t know if it’s the right word,, I used to eat LOTS of chocolate and carbs cakes breads , little did I know that I was sabotaging my mental health and my body by doing so! No that I know that it’s all in the head and that sugar really works on the brain like an addiction, like a kind of drug, I woke up to the truth. So I quit sugar within a month and a half I lost almost 12 kgs, feeling soo energetic, and the beautiful thing is that I don’t have the peeks and lows of moods of before and after eating sugar and carbs that makes you enter a none ending cycle!! Love this!! Do more videos about this subject
One thing people offer me as special treats is something sugary. One of the best things I offer myself is not to eat it. I love the simplicity in this video. It's like if you give up cigarettes, sucking on a pipe is just a replacement. I've finally gotten rid of buying sugar and sugar substitutes and, for example, I use homemade applesauce made without sugar to use as a sweetener only when necessary and by the tablespoon to sweeten steel cut oats, etc. Finally, even skim milk has lots of sugar in it per cup. So now I drink sugar-free almond milk. Was it easy for me to eliminate sugar? Damn, right it was. Not something for wimps to do. But you know what? I've learned not to buy processed food and cook most of my food from scratch in my Instant Pot from unprocessed foods. I also use herbs and spices a lot and I also avoid added salt in my diet. How can I eat food with no sugar and hardly any added salt? Again, because I'm worth it. I'm 62 and my blood pressure is perfect and I'm taking no meditations. I also walk at least 5 km a day? Again, why? Because I'm worth it. Refined sugar of any time is a major addiction but once you give it up and it takes time and I won't say it's easy but in time you will not crave it or think about it. But remember it's an addiction and if someone gives you a special sugary treat as a reward remember you're only one step away from getting addicted again. Take control of your own life. I did. I decide what goes in my body, no one else.
I'm also 62 and have good health and no medications even though I've been eating sugar all my life. I am a little overweight, though, so could do with cutting down on sugar if not eliminating it completely. What I would find hard would be things like not eating boxes of chocolates I've been given and resisting desserts at parties and celebrations when everyone else is indulging in the sweet treats.
i quit eating sugar about a month ago and in the beginning my mouth would water just thinking about sugar. i craved it so much and still do sometimes, thinking about the cons of sugar helps me not eat it though.
Hi methoxyl. I feel you on all of those points. It's a daily battle to not want sugar - even in a subtle form like BBQ chicken. I do think though that the less you eat it and the more you have natural sugar like fruit, the added sugar stuff starts to taste too sweet (at least that's my experience). Good luck.
@@DrTraceyMarks it is a battle. I wad prediabetic in my teens and decided to go vegan. I lost so much weight and drank way more water. It was a struggle though. You are completely right.
Hello Dr. Marks, this is an excellent video. Thank you for not only talking about sugar "addiction", but how to wean off of sugar in a healthy way. You really opened my eyes to what added sugar really means. Cheers 😉 🌷
I was a sugar addict for years . It was my stress buster & mood elevator . At my worst i ate 4 chocolate bars daily (ugh ). I quit it overnight cold turkey . Withdrawal was horrid with fatigue / blinding headaches / mood swings / exhaustion . Lasted 3 months . After that zero cravings . I’m sugar free 781 days & counting . Will never eat sugar again . Ever !!!
The determination!
@@Chickadeebunny . Thank you ❤️🙏
Thank you, I'm on day 5!!!
Omg my sugar and carb withdrawal was so bad I almost end up in mental institution cause it turned me into horrifying human being. I got sick physically and mentally. I would fight with furniture or my car. My boyfriend almost lost his mind. It is still very hard especially at that time of the month.
How long does the withdrawal last...
I ate a entire birthday icecream cake from dairy queen it said 16 servings but I ate it in less than a hour. The next day I quit eating sugar entirely. Been "clean" since April 13th this year! Still no sugar for over a year now! Yay
Wow! Sounds like something I'd do, I LOVE ice cream cake. The only difference is I haven't been able to kick the habit.😔
WOW, that's so much cake, lol.
Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom!
Good for you. I quit sugar because I was getting panic attacks from low blood sugar and was off for 25 years. Gradually went back, but realized it was bad, so stopped. If you don't eat it, you don't want it. Replace it with foods you like. Or, if like me, you need to moderate what you eat to keep weight down, think of food like medicine. Eat to keep you healthy, not for pleasure. Find something else you like to replace eating for pleasure.
@@lauracorriss9538 I actually get more pleasure NOW from steamed veggies, baked potatoes, fruits, etc.
This addiction is also psychological. I did it for 6 weeks because I wanted to drop some weight . I lost 23 pounds. I felt light and slim. My cellulite started to disappear. It was amazing.
i guess that u did workout during those weeks as well ?
@@ThogusDonatus You don't have to. You cut off sugar and carbs. 5 days of withdrawals and possibly two weeks of flu-like symptoms. You train your body to burn fat for energy. This creates ketones and you train your body to use this for energy. You only eat fat and meat. Then you start intermittent fasting. Look into keto and intermittent fasting and use your gifts of discernment you were given. Many people have interest in feeding you lies about keto to keep you addicted to their sugar or to sell their products. Just cut the sugar and the carbs and if you do eat carbs make sure they are wrapped up in fiber. You must slow the insulin spike from eating it. The insulin spike causes chronic inflammation that leads to all the problems. The killer is carbs in general. Start with the sugar. Then you need not exercise and autophagy from fasting and proper sleep and diet will reverse your aging and heal you.
All things I'm looking forward to. Focasing on what I can eat, not on what I cannot.
Cellulite DOESN'T GO AWAY so you didn't have actual cellulite.
Some reason sugar stores fat.
replacing a yummy cupcake with boiled egg made me wanna cry
😂
HAHHAHA so real
Lol
I know that's right! lol!
You can imagine the grimace I made when I realized she actually meant that seriously, like how does an EGG come even close to a freakin CUPCAKE... °Fuck Eggs dude ;D
It’s crazy how sugar is literally in everything.
Yeah sugar and dairy are in so much!
I’m convinced that the country wants to keep us sick so big pharma can continue charging us an arm and a leg for medications
We need to lobby for legislation to start taxing it in foods at the very least.
@@DaveE99 Why? People will still buy it and they'll waste more money on it. Just like people waste their money on other things they will do it with this.
Another 1 is soy
I had actual withdrawal when I was quitting sugar.
I’ve quit drugs, smoking, and I can definitely say quitting sugar is exactly like quitting any other addiction.
The addiction does break quickly though… but it does get bad those first few days.
No. I've quit all those things and cigarettes were the only physical withdrawals.
When you dramatize you frighten people from even trying. If quitting any of those things were as horrifying as quitting cigarettes you'd be better off dead.
@@cincin4515 Indeed, my brother who shot china white for thirty years often said that quitting dope was easy compared to cigs. I know about 10x the people who quit dope compared to cigarettes, although that ratio is starting to change as people start to even acknowledge how bad tobacco is. Then, there is the long term damage angle, long term dope isn't much of a big deal as long as one takes care of ones' health during the dope use. With tobacco the long term health effects are horrendous.
@@cincin4515 It can be different for each person. I quit caffeine a month and a half ago and have had mental addiction cravings after the physical. Finally I'm good and now working on sugar.
But I've heard some have 0 urges for smoking when quitting. It just depends on the person
that was their experience, how can you say that they shouldn't share that when its what they felt like, everyone is different and many comments say almost the same thing, about how hard it is, its just being realistic but it shouldn't discourage people if they're sick of it and want to try cutting it back or out completely.
This is my experience too, good to know it breaks quickly
I lost 20 lbs cutting out sugar I'm proud of myself and drinking plenty of water
Hi Earnest! How long did it take you to lose that weight?
@@JoelHernandez-yl6yw 2 weeKs
Ernesto....all kind of sugar( pasta, tomato sauce, lactose) or just the refined one? Thank you!
@@fleurdavril1465 all of them
How were your withdrawal symptoms
Very informative but that back ground music was killing me
My newer videos don’t have background music I stopped using it about nine months ago.
Music, A common problem in these YTs.
@@DrTraceyMarks I love the video. Just one complaint. Could have used a little more volume on the background music. Subscribed!
Michael King Thanks for subscribing!
Guess we lost that one. ☹️
Many experts say we have to go cold turkey on sugar and carbs for a few days for cravings to be gone. It’s true. I tried it. If I keep doing things gradually, I still crave it. It was like torture until it was eliminated completely. Hard part is sticking to it.
Pretty much this. And it's definitely not like opioid withdrawal. The bad feeling is fairly manageable, plus, you can ease yourself through the worst of it by cheating a little on the first one to two days without any danger of a complete relapse. I used to drink 2-3 litres of coke per day, so I got the double whammy of extracting myself from caffeine and sugar at the same time, but it's not like one is shaking and puking from that. I'd drink one can (0.33 litres) and that was enough do get me trough the day on day one, on the second day already it wasn't bad enough to make me need more "help".
I cold turkey everything. It’s the only way.
Truvia stevia crystals. Get it in the container instead of the packets. Then you can see it and smell it. Psychologically the same as sugar with a better flavor and a candy-like smell. Safe and natural. I don't believe the recent disinformation on erythritol (it is also used in it, but it is chemically benign and widely believed to be safe in the body). That study finds a correlation with heart disease probably because diabetics that consume erythritol thinking they are eating healthy. They still die of diabetes complications because they continue to eat trash carbs and processed foods. Maltodextrin is used in cheap sugar substitues and is more harmful to a diabetes insulin spikes than regular sugar. Hence they still die of diabetes. Also remember that the "treatment" for diabetes causes even more insulin resistance.
I’m with you. Cold turkey is best.
@@NYCHeavyHitz212 I agree
I've had ADHD my entire life, & have educated myself on it to help me survive. And I have to say, this lady is GREAT! I've seen about 10 of her videos & she is good (very succinct, to the point & so informative). Thank you Dr. Marks.
It's a pain in the whole body! Sugar withdrawal is no joke, but after a few days you start to feel so much better. After a week or so, you will be extremely happy you broke away from sugar!
And then you get back on sugar 😂 so you can quit again in a year
I'm sorry, but as someone who's experienced sugar and opiod withdrawal, they aren't the same. One kind of sucks and the other can bring you to the brink of death or suicide (depending on your reaction, some people end up in the hospital for hard drug withdrawal). I'd rather do sugar withdrawal 10×'s in a row than experience the absolute torture of opiate withdrawal ever again. The vomiting, sweating, RLS, brain fog, depression, sore everything, cravings, etc are so severe that most people would rather go back on the drug (which alot of people who choose this route can end up taking to much to over compensate for the pain and overdose), use medical intervention to quit (which is extremely expensive), or commit suicide to end the suffering and pain. The last one was almost me before I sought out help and got clean of my heroin use. I hate that this video implies they are on the same level because they aren't. Sure, you get some mild withdrawal symptoms from cutting sugar down, but opioid withdrawal can affect you for the rest of your life. I don't even think about sugar anymore and the cravings stopped a few months after and the withdrawal wasn't that bad, but with opiates and other hard drugs, that is with you for life. The cravings can last for life. The withdrawal can even last for life because of the severe damage it does to your brain. If you quit early, the brain can somewhat repare the damage you've done, but alot of people aren't that lucky.
@@lunaballuna Clearly genetics and personality matter in terms of percieved suffering. I hope you'll be fine, wherever you are. There's a lot of anti-choose-any-food group propaganda using bogus studies. Fact of the matter is - we like getting fat but we don't like looking fat, we care more about feeling good in short term than having a mostly bland but moderately healthier existence in the long run. I'll say it how I see it - sugar addiction exists, but it doesn't matter unless you are dealing with a person hellbent on killing themself with sugar.
@Olaf I definitely agree with you about genetics, but for the most part an opioid addiction is much worse than a sugar addiction in terms of killing time and withdrawal. And of course, people addicted to sugar are going to experience mild withdrawal symptoms (I've been there myself) from headaches, to mood swings, to insomnia, to low energy levels, but over all its not as detrimental as many people make it out to be. It comes down to how willing you are to stop, your mental health (especially for those who eat their feelings), and your understanding of the process (i.e. are you doing some stupid fad diet for a week or are you seeing a doc/nutritionist and following healthy diet instructions). With opiates it's a whole different demon. You have to be mentally strong, but you also have to be willing to get medical intervention or suffer and alot of people are so afraid of the withdrawal symptoms they never make it through the first day. There's Def an issue with over eating and over consuming high calorie high sugar foods in the world, but it bothered me that she directly compared it to opioid addiction and withdrawal.
@Olaf I definitely agree with you about genetics, but for the most part an opioid addiction is much worse than a sugar addiction in terms of killing time and withdrawal. And of course, people addicted to sugar are going to experience mild withdrawal symptoms (I've been there myself) from headaches, to mood swings, to insomnia, to low energy levels, but over all its not as detrimental as many people make it out to be. It comes down to how willing you are to stop, your mental health (especially for those who eat their feelings), and your understanding of the process (i.e. are you doing some stupid fad diet for a week or are you seeing a doc/nutritionist and following healthy diet instructions). With opiates it's a whole different demon. You have to be mentally strong, but you also have to be willing to get medical intervention or suffer and alot of people are so afraid of the withdrawal symptoms they never make it through the first day. There's Def an issue with over eating and over consuming high calorie high sugar foods in the world, but it bothered me that she directly compared it to opioid addiction and withdrawal.
I felt particularly bad one day. Bloated, tired, sick. I decided to spend 24hrs without eating because something i ate was doing it to me. It was easy to fast because i felt sick. When i starrted food again i decided i might as well start an elimination diet. I ate some meat. Then some more meat. Then i remembered keto amd how i did not want to do it because it was restrictive. Well, i gave it a go. 5 months later i was down 50 pounds and never got bloated, tired, or sick again. Miraculous
As someone who's been through both I can definitely say sugar is nothing compared to opiod withdrawals.
Yeah, that's like saying the grand canyon is just a big ditch. Opioid withdrawal is pure hell.
oh thank god! I came here about to comment the same thing, glad to see it's a top comment.
Good to know
Yeah, when I realized the sugar had to stop, it stopped. Bit of a headache at times but realigned quickly and would barely have noticed. I used sugar as a mood lifter and once it dawned I wasn't in a bad mood anyway it was pretty easy.
Opiod withdrawal from just overusing tramadol felt like I was absolutely gonna die for days. Constant anxiety 24/7 for 5/6 days and no I'm not exaggerating 24/7 as for 5 days I did not come close to sleeping for a second. A 5 day long, without respite panic attack. Plus several other nasty side effects alongside. So yeah, sugar withdrawal for me was not even a thing compared to that.
If anyone out there see's this and is going through hell with opiod withdrawal, take heart. That feeling like you will never feel calm again WILL NOT LAST. Hold on,. for a 5-10 days depending on how long you've been on them and trust me IT WILL PASS and you will feel normal again soon. And when you do you will feel better than normal. HANG IN THERE, it's the best thing you will have ever done for yourself.
Maybe for you...
I quit sugar and lost 50 lbs in a year without doing anything else. It's been about 5 years and I notice it creeping back in again. It's just SO addictive.
Just added sugar? Or did you give up carbs? Having such a hard time losing weight.
@@nicolesamsonite I didn't even think about carbs. Some carbs are good for you. I looked purely at added sugar and kept it at 5 grams or less. Added sugar is in just about EVERYTHING so you have to read all the labels. It was hard but you lose the craving pretty quickly. Good luck!
That’s encouraging. Thank you.
@@painetdldy 18th day not sugar reading labels for sugar content in the grocery store today made me feel dizzy and discouraged 😮💨😓
No exercise?
No reducing food portions?
3:12 Check these ingredients to avoid sugar filled foods:
Agave nectar
Brow rice syrup
High fructose corn syrup
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Lactose
Milk syrup
Molasses
Sucrose
5:29 You don't want to use sugar substitute either because they increase the addiction and cause metabolic syndrome. Substitutes like:
Stevia
Aspartame
Agave
Thank you!!
@Shari, thank you for reminding us of natural sugars. I do love agave syrup much, in yoghurt or kefir. Aspartame is banned in most shops here in the Netherlands, since it's found out that it's poisonous. Nutricia prepared baby food with Aspartame in 2009, its headquarters is in my country, and when I'd sent them a letter with a warning, recommending to stop sweetening baby food with Aspartame, the answer I received was that I could trust their choice and that all was safe.
Two years later they were forced to stop using Aspartame, for the obvious reason. I've studied nutrition, and also synthetic food products, the cause of autism also.
Splenda is one of the sweeteners much used in Britain, and many who use it suffer from the macular disease. The central vision of the eyes is blurred.
It's now known, that Splenda can cause this side effect. When I warned my former British landlord about this, who used Splenda for over 20 years, he simply chose to ignore it. His eyesight is troubled much, driving a car isn't possible, and reading gets very difficult, also from the screen. Many Britons are hugely complacent!
Stevia is safe. It doesn’t affect blood sugar nor does it break a fast.
Aspartame is death in food
Stevia is safe. Monk fruit as well per nutritionists, dieticians and research. The other fake sugars are bad.
Since I went whole food plant based, plant milk is about the only place I get sugar nowadays. The benefits are manifold, starting with the enhanced flavor of natural food. Strawberries, even the ripest and sweetest, always had a tart flavor before. Now they're like candy. Grapes, too, are amazingly sweet now. Glad I quit. Hope I never go back.
Fructose from fruit, if eaten in excess (which doesn't take much), is very problematic sugar intake as well @Ray Starr. But I hear you in terms of the flavor, natural, much better.
@@elisemiller13 The doctor said the goal is to get rid of added sugars and to eat natural foods, including sweet fruits and sweet vegetables. I find raw broccoli to be sweet. After being off sugar for a couple weeks, candies taste way too much!
If you ever slip up, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and resume your good eating habits instead. Most people slip at times.
That's what I want to do. You can get all of your vitamin C from veggies such as kale, broccoli and brussel sprouts, but if you really want fruit, I hear often that berries are the best.
There is a lot of sugar in fruit, sorry to break it to you.
When you try to eat sugar after you've cut it out, it is so incredibly sweet. Just awful.
I have to remember that. I am still trying to go 80% sugar free.
Very true. After I decided to substitute water for all the juices I was drinking daily as New Year resolution, I experienced exactly what you are talking about when drank them occasionally.
It's so true. I stopped putting sugar in my tea/coffee I noticed how awful it tasted if I was given sugared hot drinks. Stopped putting sugar in... 2 yrs ago. I gradually went from 2 sugars in everything. To none over a period of a year. Now I'm reducing sugar in other area's. I love chocolate and cakes. Especially chocolate cake... Warm with thick fresh cream. 😍 I'm going to slowly wean myself of it the same way I did with hot drinks. I can't stand fizzy drinks unless is sparkling mineral water. I drink mountain water throughout the day.
Everyone is different
Yes....& chocolate tastes like literal crap after not having it for years.
Once a sugar addict myself, can say proudly I've reached a place where things just taste too sugary to me :-)
After reading, “Potatoes, Not Prozac”, I wrote down how I felt physically and emotionally after eating my (normal for me) very high sugar diet. I discovered that I felt worse emotionally after eating sugar. I had always thought it made me feel better. This helped motivate me to reduce my consumption.
I’m about to have a breakfast with potatoes, cheese, eggs and bacon crumbles. It’s protein for the day.,I love my sweets but I know if I could wake up and magic was real…the sugar would be gone. I also love Mac and cheese, spaghetti , pizza. Food, let’s just say food.
Did the same thing with caffeine (and the subsequent crash)
Thank you.
@@googull5136 yup, me too. I now drink a mushroom coffee. It has less caffeine in it and some mushrooms that are supposed to be good for the brain. I have lots of brain fog and memory issues, and I just turn 40. But according to every doctor "it's all normal". No it's not.
Since reducing the caffeine helped the way it did, I just have this gut feeling that getting rid of sugar is gonna be very beneficial to me.
That is such a good book! Thanks for the reminder.
Just a suggestion for those who are struggling to give up sugar - A good friend I had known for many, many years was so dependent on sugar that she even ate a slice of pound cake along with her dinner, in place of, say, a dinner roll. That was a common eating habit of hers in her 20’s. She developed severe diabetes by the time she reached her 60’s, debilitating her to the point of requiring a daily caregiver. Even in her last months of life at 65, she still could not stop eating sugar. Her dependence was so bad that, at the point of being bedridden, she would insist on her son bringing her a bag of Oreo cookies when he came to visit. Her son was caught in the awful dilemma of having to choose to satisfy his mother’s wishes, knowing doing so would only worsen her very fragile health, or being disobedient to her in the short time she had left. Think of her fate when you are tempted to indulge on sugar. Time and bad habits will eventually catch up with all of us.
Well said, namesake.
Thank you for sharing your story. This sugar addiction is such a challenge for me. I need to take ownership of my health! 🤦♀️
Jesus
What a fake drama.
@@JolieUTU Neuropathy, amputation, and phantom limb pain are very far from "fake drama." Were you not breastfed?
Because of seeing this video, I’ve been off sugar for over a week and haven’t reached for the fake sugar either. The way you said your body never learns to be without the sweetness if you eat the fake sugar hit home for me. Thank you for this message ❤
Day 3 headaches all day, slightly depressed and today just got nauseous. I can not wait till this is over.
How are you feeling now?
@@apeacefulmcadory1627 I felt better about 7-9 days into the withdrawal. I Stay hydrated and drank some caffeine to help with the fatigue. It’s was pretty intense though
Hang in there!
You must be at your best looking and feeling self.
I want to try again but the side effects always have me going back, it's really hard to cut sugar.
Check out Wim Hof. YUP!! its crazy but cold water thereapy is seriously physiologically transformative.
If your background music would play in my head every time I was tempted to eat sugar, I would kick the habit in less than 24 hours! 👀
😁 Seriously though….. great vid (in spite of the annoying music). I have cut back quite a lot on obvious sugar intake by eliminating cokes, cookies, cakes, ice cream (letting go of ice cream was really tough!) lol…… but I would like to really cut out as much added sugars as possible. The information you presented in this video has been very helpful. Thank you.
I had a sugar addiction and my glucose level was off the chain! I was also obese, but simply went to my Heavenly Father in Jesus Name, and, since God is so powerful, HE GAVE ME THE STRENTH to abstain from eating these foods, so I lost nearly 40 pounds like a breeze, and my hyperglycemia just disappeared! Thank you kindly, Dr. Tracey Marks, for telling it like it is!
jayonna
I lost 60 pounds and I don’t believe in god, it’s called self control.
So why is it when people achieve something themselves they attributed to God maybe you should go get an MRI because your logical reasoning is seriously broken
God will help everyone with all their addictions trust in Jesus and you will be free indeed !
You say god did it, when really it was just all you !! 👏
Amen ‼️
I found it easy to let go of my bbq sauce. The hard part was cleaning up the mess after the glass broke.
Zane Dzikonski now thats a norm macdonald level joke right there buddy congratulations
😂😂😂😂
Zane Dzikonski du dun dun ts
Hahahha!
😂😂😂😂
The most intelligent discussion I have heard on sugar addiction in a long time. I’m so fortunate that I gave up refined sugar decades ago. But I still have to be aware of all foods because sugar is in everything! This is really important especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol.
Crazy! About a week and a half ago I stopped eating sugar because I felt like my joint pain was a lot higher when I ate sugar. So a couple days after stopping sugar, my inflammation and joint pain was markedly better, but, I feel horrible, like I have the flu. It didn’t occur to me it could be sugar withdrawal until I had a bowl of ice cream at my mom’s house for dessert. Suddenly my headache and nausea was gone,I felt happy and energetic. That’s when it occurred to me and I looked up videos like this. It all makes sense now. Thanks!
Oh, me too, re the inflammation!
Sugar causes inflammation. It also feeds cancer.
Facts I'm right with u I had to leave work because of it
You're amazing. Don't need that music though.
If you liked this video, you may also want to know that while marketing makes you think brown sugar is more natural than white sugar, the only difference is that brown sugar is turned to white sugar by adding phosphate! And when it comes to gut health, brown and white sugar have similar effects!
The music is super annoying. I stopped what I was doing to see if there was another source for the sound.
Can’t deal with the music….what’s the point of that annoying distraction?
Yeah, nice videos, but hard to concentrate with the music. Music volume Needs to be taken down a few levels when editing.
Maybe a different background music if needed....not so distracting.
I was feeling so irritable today and restless .... I just wanted to drive to the store and get cake... that desire for cake was insanely strong... It shocked me to the point where I just sat and thought about the addiction instead of going to get the cake😑
Edit: Argh I eventually went to get the cake... 3 weeks later
I been trying and it's not easy. Just keep trying.
Woooo I’m glad I’m not the only one. Legit same thing happened to me but one week 🤧🤧🤧
I've done the same this with carrot cake...ughhh
@@MaraJadeSkky ooohh, cArrot cake... that butter cream frosting... that's the stuff. I've been craving that. Dammit.
Yeah, I get that. Imagine thinking if you can just ignore the cravings they will go away 😭 It took all of 3 days for me. I held out for 3 days. I knew it would get worse so I just caved. The thought of getting that sweetness is constantly in my head once I see an image of something sweet like cake or ice cream. That’s all it takes. And then the cycle continues. I feel like Sisyphus.
I have been sugar/sweetener free for nearly 5 years. Its changed my life so drastically. I love being able to have control over what goes in my mouth. Addictions are awful.
And she's so right: things that normally would not be viewed as sweet now taste so much sweeter to me, and traditionally "sweet" foods are so sickeningly sweet to me now that its nuts.
Hi Dr Tracey! My husband saw your video about how video games are actually good for you, so naturally he now thinks that you are a genius!! So, I'm sending him this video, maybe he'll listen to your good advice! Thanks and have a fantastic day!!
Hi Joanne, are you by chance married to James? 🙂 If so, I see where he watched it and commented. Great to meet you. 😀
@@DrTraceyMarks Lol! Yes, James is my husband! Nice meeting you also, we both like your videos very much 😀
Video games are good to point. South Korea is having a major problem regarding video game addiction.
@@dutchessdioji9368 yes as long as it's not an addiction it's perfectly healthy. It depends on the person. Anything can become an addiction.
Video games helped my son a lot first as a kid with reading and writing,I told him it is in spanish you read it(and he did) and later to recover from the stroke he had when he was about to turn 16..it took him a while but he manages to use the game's control with his left hand..this also helped him feel better with himself. He still is going to physical and psycological therapy.
As a Registered Dietitian, I would like to add that often when we tell ourselves we "can't" eat something, it leads to chaotic eating behavior, like a restrict and binge cycle. A lot of the time, sugar "addiction" is actually an underlying issue with our relationship to food. If we restrict something, we may tend to give it a lot of attention which can lead to binging, feeling guilty, and the cycle continues. This may seem like addiction, but people who eat intuitively and give themselves permission to enjoy food often don't feel an impulsive need for sugar. They enjoy it, just like they enjoy eggs or crunchy veggies with hummus. It becomes just another food and sometimes you want it and sometimes you don't. I should also add that sugar cravings can be tied to emotional health since they do release those feel good chemicals, but an intuitive eater can use this craving for insight as to whether the craving is coming from physical hunger, emotional hunger, boredom, etc.
That is like asking an alcoholic to be an intuitive drinker. Some folks can. Cold turkey worked for me after years of trying. Now 14 months clean from sugar
Your advice applies to a borderline sugar addict, but is horrendous for a person in late-stage addiction.
Thank you for that insight- that is really helpful for me!
My entire life has been chaotic eating behavior. I never heard that term until now, but it resonated.
Boredom. You got me. I absolutely eat when I’m bored…sigh
Anxiety, sweating, brain fog, dizziness, no energy, fatigued, feeling depressed, just for starters.. sugar withdrawal is no joke
I'm going thru that right now. I'm trying to figure out how to stop the way I feel?
Sadness too
@@skillz8107 I’m recovered already. have you got a check up for anything at the doctor to confirm you’re healthy?
Drink water w ACV in it. And read Brainmaker which connects inflammation and sugar and dementia. Good luck all! 🩷🌸
Same here, feeling dizzy like hell.
Thank you!!! Struggling with this for many years.
The background music is very distracting though.
Thank. I’ve stopped using background Music on my newer videos.
@Jazz Heart she does a lot of videos for ADHD. I have sensory issues along with adhd so this brought a lot of distractions. I'm glad she got rid of it, because i can't even retain anything she's saying with the beat in background. Her husband has adhd so i think she sympathizes. It also makes her videos less of a joke and more educational without music in background. You hear it as background music. I hear it as blaringly loud taking over the video. I'm sure other autistic and adhd ppl feel the same
Hahah. ..i couldn't stop listening to it after i read your comment on this terrible annoying background music
There was music? All I heard was "sugar" over and over again.
Thank you! UGHHHHH that music!
Thank you for mentioning the importance of being realistic and reducing things gradually. The dieting industry often relies on telling people to do the opposite, thereby increasing the likelihood of relapse, failure, and then more money put into the industry in the future.
That's how the survive, like parasites 'craving' for our relapses...
This is very good advice. I just wish the annoying music wasn’t playing in the background. It’s very distracting.
Enjoyed the video, but at times the background music is too loud making it difficult to hear and focus on what you’re saying. I recommend keeping the background music low throughout the video…thanks for the tips!
I did it cold turkey cause I'm a moron but let me tell you, the anxiety and depression is real and the most difficult for me. It's been about 6 weeks and I'm through most of the physical symptoms but the mental ones are tough and strong enough to produce their own physical symptoms. However, I'm proud to say I can walk by a box of donuts or some candy and have no desire to eat any. It's like my brain forgot that these foods taste good. Fresh fruits taste amazing now.
The anxiety and depression is also the biggest obstacle for me to quit.. it really scares me to be honest. May I ask how you are doing now, Kevin?
@@ElowenFaye Me too. I quit cigarettes so easily but sugar is so tough.
But are you really sure the depression stems from the sugar withdrawal? Personally, I don't live the happiest life, and for the longest time I used food, fizzy drinks, and to a lesser extent alcohol to self-medicate against the low level depression I have been struggling with most of my adult life. And sure enough, once I grew fat enough, that was a permanent source for more bad feelings that needed to be eaten and drank away. I'm currently managing to stick to a healthy diet and losing weight fast, but of course, the brainfuck of my miserable existence is still there. I just do my best not to silence that with mouth pleasure any more. Kinda curious for how long I can keep this up. It definitely costs a lot of mental energy to resist.
Try checking if you have a vitamin/hormone deficiency. Take a multivitamin, some pre/probiotics, or atleast 10kiu of vitamin D daily. It helps with depression and stress.
@@EmSeezStudio Do you mean 10 "IU" of vitamin D (that is, is the "k" a typo?) Or does the k mean something like "kilo"?
I'll be happy when it's no longer an air quote, but recognized as what it is (an addiction).
I needed to hear this. In the last 6 years I've given up all my vices- caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, weed, soda, and high-carb/white carbs... sugar is one of my last vices and it needs to go but it's so hard because it has become my crutch to quit all the others.
Wow! Congratulations, @ 57yo i hope i can someday also say the same!
Hang in there ...
Wow! That's amazing!
Good for you! That's a huge accomplishment.
This is my exact story
I have to laugh at the ways manufacturers try to hide the sugar. "Evapoerated Cain Juice" :)
Have to laugh to keep from crying that this is an acceptable practice.
You see that allot in “sugar free” drinks.
White Grape juice Concentrate!
Brown rice juice
Wow. That’s a new one for me. Did you know that tictacs can legally claim they’re sugar free because each tictac is so small that it meets the legal labeling requirements to say it’s sugar free? They’re made of 100% sugar but can still say they’re sugar free.
That one still gets me.
You did such a good job breaking this down. I love the clips of you in the kitchen perusing the foods too. It's some unexpected humor and makes the whole lesson more relatable.
On day two with a killer headache but I’m disgusted about how much sugar I have been eating ....
Good luck to you. Stay strong!
Same here, these strong reactions I did NOT know about.
D M I have the strongest urge Day one to shove my face with bread. My head is killing me. I went cold turkey. I know I’ll feel better and my taste buds will change but man it’s tough right now
Drink lots of water. Water cleans your body.
Yes me too. I’ve gotten up at 3am these past 2 night with a huge headache. I hope tonight I don’t have another one.
I’ve either been addicted to coffee or to sugar or both. Last year when I wasn’t addicted to sugar I was addicted to coffee and it hurt me in other ways. For 2020 I want to break my addiction to both coffee and sugar! I’ve already broke my coffee addiction and I’m ready to break this sugar addiction!! Here’s to clearer skin, better sleep, less GI problems!!
Same here. Coffee and sugar destroy me.
Actually, small amounts of coffee are not bad for you at all. The biggest issues with coffee are the caffeine and the amount of sugar some need to add to theirs to drink it. Chocolate is actually good for you as well, but it has to be dark chocolate. And the higher the percentage of cacao (or "cocoa" as most people know it), the better. Plus, everyone has a slightly different health than everyone else. What's good for you could be fatal to the next person you see. Good luck with the sugar! I am working on mine as well, and it is so hard! Not as hard as trying to quit nicotine, though. LOL. (Which I am also trying to quit.)
It's been 5 years since I gave up sugar and carbs and it's been relatively easy, until very recently. All of a sudden I was craving it again. Sounds like an addiction to me. Loved your advice. Thanks.
I’m glad to see you bringing this into the mainstream. I worked in an adolescent dual-diagnosed unit in the late 80’s. The psychiatrists sneered at me and dismissed my concerns that we had sugar addicted kids. One girl ate only cola and brownies at every meal. She could not stop crying. I’m sure she had a terrible history, but I thought in fairness to her, we should help her recognize the link between sugar and mood, just as we do with diabetics. And that she deserved almost parental level guidance on her food choices. I was laughed out of the room.
I also want to add that cravings may subside with water hydration and nutrient dense foods, in addition to protein. Try green smoothies with half a green apple, a chunk of cucumber some lime juice, and dark leafy greens. The fiber and nutrients satisfy the craving to a degree.
wow i know its been a month since this comment, but i want to shower you with recognition for having been awakened to this, since the beginning. Power to You.
Those assholes/“professionals” that rejected your claim must’ve been sugar addicts too.
Happy hi I am a lived experience worker in adult dual diagnosis. Agree with your insights and views. May you please share your references to literature to assist my journey to be sugar free. I lead by example, would love to cut my sugar intake to zero, I currently keep a food mood diary, commited to chang, educating and encouraging my peers about the link between food mood and improved mental health and wellness.
Best wishes Mandy
@Happy, thank you for your sound comment. I agree with your point of view on sugar intake and sugar craving, the impact on mood, energy levels, etc.
When I followed a macrobiotic diet in the '70s, for a couple of years, much increasing my health, the suggestion was given that eating lots of greens would help to dampen the sugar craving and that when the craving was intense, we should chew on a raisin for a long time. Chewing our food was a topic often addressed anyway, for digestion begins with our saliva, present in our mouth.
Absolutely! Only thing I would be careful with is smoothies...not as satisfying as a meal or regular snack and easy to add a lot of fruit in there.
I think TH-cam creators are addicted to using distracting background music. (very informative video btw)
Dear Dr. Marks, I'm a huge fan, you are amazing. Please turn the music down a little, it was irritating, I had to watch it with subtitles without the sound. Many thanks and thank you for all your fantastic work 🌞🌻🍀
I agree quitting sugar can be miserable and painful but there are genuinely no words horrible enough to describe the pain and agony of heroin withdrawals
Exactly
Facts
Not even close
Yeah but, you don’t have to do heroin. Everyday you gotta eat and constantly choose foods that won’t hook you like a junkie.
@@cathybroadus4411 These comments are because of the title of the video.
You cannot compare sugar withdrawal to opioid withdrawal.
Hence the discussion about heroin.
@@lynettez72 You can cold Turkey, you can Betty Ford, or go to the rich overnight clinics and get detoxxed. Then if your commitment is strong you can go and sin no more. With sugar it’s ubiquitous and so very hard to avoid in our modern culture.
That is the Weirdest and most difficult music I have ever tried to process information to.
Besides that, I do appreciate the information I could absorb... very much.
Your note to Sophie Johnson was so loving and touching. God bless all of our attempts to overcome this addiction. Thankyou.
This was recommended to me after I just had a massive slice of cake... alone in my car, not even on a special occasion. Educate me I’m ready 💪🏻
That just sounds like a great car ride to me! 😉 🍰 😋
Dr. Marks, you have no idea how much I appreciate this detailed breakdown. I'm 38 and I know that I have a major sweet tooth that, among other poor habits, have contributed to my weight gain over the last 3 years. The heaviest I've ever been was 247 lbs, and seeing that I was in the obese category per the BMI was a real eye opener. Many of my friends and family are diabetic and I'm working toward not becoming the next one. I've since subscribed and also started looking at getting back into the gym, along with other additional physical activities to keep me focused while I work on my eating behaviors. Thanks again for the this video.
Oh it’s an addiction for me. Can’t even sleep without a little. Thank you.
I used to get shamed for eating a lot of sweets from my family, so I hid food and ate away from anyone (it was comfort food for my depression, but they just thought I was weird). Hiding tubs of chocolate icing in my laundry basket and overeating sweets in the basement, not my finest moments 😅
My family found out and got really worried, so I had to reevaluate what made me crave sweets and cut WAY down on sugar. I didn't know what hangry was until I cut down on sugar, but it gets easier to limit after a while.
KillerTurnip did you lose any weight in under weight I feel like if I cut sugar I’ll lose even more weight
@@paolaalvarez374 It was over 10 years ago, but I'm pretty sure I did (but not everyone has the same metabolism). I'd say I lost around 15 lbs or less over 1 or 2 years. At that time my thoughts were more about feeling healthier than weight.
If your concerned about your weight/diet maybe try seeing a nutritionist or something similar to help you.
My mom always did that. She would say she did not eat much, but when no one was watching, that was when she consumed a lot of sweets. She was always very ashamed about it.
*sending a hand hold*
I did the same with cookies. 😫
Nice job in clearly explaining this topic. I’m in my 60s and this is the first time I’ve read/ listened to information that covers this sweet addiction in such a clear manner. It all makes sense! Thank you for this video. It’s never too late to be aware of the sugar you are consuming to make a difference in your health and well-being. ⭐️
I agree, a wealth of information, presented in a rational and understandable way.
I’ve significantly reduced sugar in my diet and I’m going through some intense withdrawal right now, but it’s only been a week. Going to try my best to stick it through and hopefully it gets easier in a couple weeks!
How is it going?
I can't even do a day!
I am sorry dear, opiate withdrawal is MUCH more than the symptoms you listed. I'm a recovering heroin addict, so I know full well. It's not comparable what so ever. However I do appreciate all the info as I'm trying to learn to eat better!
I quit back in 2016 for months and I was the smallest I’ve been in years. Started working and used sugar as a coping mechanism for a job I didn’t like. I can’t quit cold Turkey but I’m eliminating processed sugars every week. I hope this works because I hate being stuck in this cycle.
Unfortunately I’ve been through both.. and it is the same.. and I will never go through either again.. opioid free for 5 years and sugar free for 8 months and I feel great.. it’s a beautiful thing
Good for you - best of luck on your health journey!
🎉🩷
What helps me is blending "greens" like kale with whole pineapple chunks!👍🏽
This is the most sensible and practical advise on how to improve ones diet. If you don't know where to begin, this should be your starting point.
Thank you doctor! A great practical guid to getting off excess sugar. I know I’ve been addicted for many years, but by the time it gets past lunch, I break down. I like your approach.
I still struggle with my sugar addiction. I quite once for a year and found the idea of sweets disgusting. Even Oranges were too sweet for me. My success was found in juicing. I'm vegan and was already healthy but juicing gave me so much energy I didn't sugar to feel good. I went through some huge stress and got off my healthy diet. I'm much more chill now and am trying to quit again. The 12 steps help me too. Good Luck everyone!
I watch survival videos, and seeing and feeling the person drinking water and value its ability to keep them alive and the description of sweetness as they drink it has always been an encouragement to me when dieting. It is a life long struggle that can be managed. You know you are doing it right when you choose your daily foods from the available sources and not buying special diet foods that are a waste of money!!
I took the doc’s advice and been killing it ever since. Thanks, doc.
You hit the nail on the head about it being in EVERYTHING!! Oh my gosh! I love my sweets..on so many levels. They are fun to make, they are pretty and I love photographing them. I generally make all of my own stuff from scratch using real ingredients...many of them organic. My cake or ice cream or cupcake is going to taste completely different from anything you buy ready made. Because it uses less sugar. Older recipes also use less sugar, so cooking from vintage recipes can help with this. I am not giving them up, but I do remain mindful of how much I have. I don't drink any soda or alcohol and I only have one cup of black coffee in the morning. I basically traded booze for dessert 20 years ago. Because your body will process it the same and the calories can be even higher in alcohol. I decided I'd rather have the chocolate cake than the wine. And I've never been a soda drinker. I think it's about trade offs. I am not giving up my carbs, but I do watch what I take in. You should consider a hidden salt video, because I think that's as bad or worse!! Sodium in anything packaged is insane. And anybody who thinks stopping sugar is easy should try cutting off the average toddler from their snacks and juice. Hell hath no fury like a toddler deprived of their sugar!😄
LOL!! You are so right about the toddler. I've got my own inner toddler. Once upon a time, if I had to choose between dessert or dinner, I'd rather have dessert. You have my mouth watering thinking about your baked goods with organic ingredients. That's going to make it even more painful for me to look at your stuff on Instagram. That was TMI - thanks a lot. 😁
Ha HA!! Yeah, if you're going to have it, make it the best it can be. I wouldn't call buttercream healthy, but at least I am reducing the sins in using the organic ingredients.
Great talk. I haven't eaten sugar or carbs for a year. This is the best I've ever felt. After 2 weeks you don't miss it at all. I've replaced it with healthy fats and protein.
Thanks! I am so blessed that i have reached that point that really sugary foods and drinks taste nasty to me now
Sure feels like physical addiction when the withdrawals start kicking in.
Dr. Tracey says the psychiatric community doesn't consider sugar addiction to be a "true" addiction, but I can see no way in which it differs from addiction.
I know the feeling. You want something sweet to take the edge off. ... I weened myself off gradually over about two weeks. If I just had to have it I only allowed myself berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries. But then I dropped that finally. I have some berries from time to time, but only small amounts and not frequently. But you want SWEET... no amount of bacon or cream cheese will do it. You just have to power through it.
I think she’s wrong about it not being a true addiction. Scientist did studies with rats and the addiction properties between sugar and cocaine. The rats apparently had a harder time weaning from sugar.
@@Jazzykatt23 I get severe withdrawals
Switching to natural sugars like fruit smoothies helps a lot. Yogurt in small amounts isn't bad for you, adding a couple tablespoons to a smoothie isn't going to hurt.
Thank you for defining 'addict' and addiction. One thing I find beneficial is to take that one moment to remind myself that I am worth the time it takes to let the craving pass. I quit smoking after 14 yrs by doing it cold-turkey. 30 years later I'm still fighting the cravings but always remember how bad I smelled, how horrible it all tasted and how sick to my stomach I would get if I tried to go back. You're amazing and I did hit those subscribe and like buttons.
My man you got something wrong with you if u still crave cigarettes after that amount of time! I smoked 18 yrs and after the 2nd year I completely stopped craving them.
@@sawsickness everyone is different
I suffered from SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrown) for years. Sugar was the main culprit, but I did not know it. I did not even know what SIBO was, until 5 years ago. I feel amazing now that I have removed almost all sources of sugar from my diet. New Subbie!
I have been trying to cut down my sugar intake recently. The first two days were awful! I had headaches and was nauseated. This journey has been such an awakening. I was really unaware of how much sugar I was actually eating.
In packaged foods look for any ingredient ending in 'tol', ie, sorbitol or ending in 'ose', ie fructose. Just another tool for your health journey.
Thanks
As a former opiate addict who has withdrawn from both street opiates and suboxone, a heavy emphasis on the word “like” in “like opioid withdrawals.” When I got off suboxone I couldn’t get off the living room floor for a month, and felt like I had the flu for 3 months. That being said, quitting sugar sucks age is hard.
I panic if I haven’t got something sweet in the cupboard 😨
Me too ,If I don't eat sweets I feel Like I haven't eaten at all,I feel hungry
@@Србомбоница86 I feel like that too, have to end every savoury with a sweet 😯🍨
Me too!
Ladies ....that is addiction
@@Magical_Makeup_UK You see me 🥺
I found it difficult to go cold turkey. I weaned myself off by limiting what I was consuming weekly. Until I realized I went a whole week without it and felt fine. You can do it guys! We're living for a fuller tmrw.
I'm an alcoholic who hasn't drank for over 27 years. But my sugar addiction has plagued me all these years. I'm now considering psilocybin as a possible saviour.
omg you’re sooo right, i haven’t had sugar in a couple days and i feel horrible!!
Great info but the music was a distraction
If you liked this information, you may also want to know that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming no more than 25 grams per day (or 6 teaspoons) of added sugar. This is the amount of added sugar found in 1 cup of most orange juices, 1 container of yogurt, a 3 inch donut 2 tablespoons of honey barbecue sauce, or ½ a small brownie!
I can tell you personally that opioid withdrawal is HELL and it took me 6 months before I felt somewhat normal again. I’ve also quit sugar and had a mild headache for 3 days. No comparison !!!
No comparison at all, sigh.
Rightttttt agreed!!!
@Heldaeus
Unless that person has gone thru BOTH , they have no room to speak about the comparisons. They’re not even close ! Even in the way you think she might have meant it to be.
@Heldaeus The click bait title is trash -misleading, and insensitive. Merely a theory from someone who hasn't experienced opioid withdrawal or who hasn't witnessed anyone go through it and fight to hang onto life by a thread.
@@ErolobaJ886 insensitive… really? Its a TH-cam video title. Your being silly if you let something like this upset you 😂
I am currently trying to cut down on sugar, and this makes me feel gloomy and "empty";
I am not sure how to describe it, but basically it almost feels like being really thirsty and not being able to drink water, except with sugar cravings instead, if that makes sense.
It feels like thirsting for sugar
Yeah now you know how vampires feel.
I hear you
Its depressing
It is really hard, I have been struggling with it my whole life. I will say that I have been doing keto on and off for several years now, the first time I did keto it was like waking up from a weird dream? For the first time in my life I didn’t have that insatiable hunger (or as you put it thirst) and felt calmer, it took a few weeks for the cravings to die down but then it felt like a miracle, and I stopped believing my food problems were somehow a personality flaw or lack of will power. It can trigger sadness and anxiety, in my experience, when coming off the carbs and sugar but that passes with a week or two of no sugar or carbs.
A weird aspect is how when I eat carbs and sugar I can’t remember how it feels to not have the unending hunger for carbs and sugar, and when I’m on keto I forget after a while how bad it can be (which is one of the reasons I end up slipping back off keto and into sugary hell again). I think because the sugar/carbs kind of acts on my body in a way that overrides my brain? It certainly to me feels like an addiction, regardless of whether it meets the strict definition.
Gary Taubes first book on this stuff (I think it might be called “good sugar, bad sugar”) really helped me (i got the audiobook version) it helped me understand and get angry and motivated.
I’m still fighting the addiction but I think it is a journey and I hope one day I will get to not slipping back into sugar and carbs when I get sad or at Christmas or stressed.
Basically I guess I’m saying try keto? It can be hard at the start and make sure you get enough salt and liquids (sometimes people feel like they have the flu but that may be just a lack of salt and/or enough liquids). On the plus side if you want to lose weight then the rapid weight loss early on can be quite motivating. Also IMO some of the artificial sweeteners can trigger sugar cravings, it’s best if you can do without but I struggle with that. You can get some lovely sugar free syrups for coffee, if you have those with some heavy/double cream it can help with a sweet craving.
There is a website I used to use called dietdoctor (not a great name IMO) it has resources about what to eat and what not to eat on keto and macros to aim for and advice, it now has also a paid version where you get recipes and stuff but I didn’t use that and I think it still has a ton of free resources.
Berries are great- low sugar fruits that can still satisfy the sweet craving. Pairing with Greek yogurt or nuts is even better
Thank you for helping spread awareness on this problem. While I agree with another comment that this is not even comparable to opioid addiction and withdrawal, I personally feel it helps to recognize that sugar acts on our body and brain the same way (tho much less severe!). To basically see what we’re up against - like a foe we need to go to battle with. This sort of insight gives us the reality check we need to enter this ‘battle’ and therefore succced! I have quit 3 times! Haha! I know that sounds crap. But each time it gets easier. How many smokers have you heard say, it took them 5 times to finally quit for good? So don’t talk down to yourself if you fall off again. The first time was the worst!! I used to be almost frantic about needing chocolate. Now I can make healthier choices, say no to cake if I’m not in the mood. I know I’m still in addiction bc sometimes I ‘need’ chocolate, but I can get by with less. Right now in my life I am working on gradually weening off, and I’d say it’s working, but still takes fortitude. And that’s why these videos and peoples comments really help! Thank-you!
Dr Marks thank you so much for this. I believe my mother suffers from all the symptoms you just mentioned, it’s uncanny to me. She’s suffering from depression so it’s accelerating her cravings and needs even further.
This is exciting for me because I’m looking forward to changing my own attitude when it comes to sugar cravings and there’s a few ideas my father has given on how he stays healthy that I’ve found so inspiring to pass onto her.
Dang for not being an expert in nutrition you sure know your stuff! I love how simply and logically you put things and from what I have seen you are always right on point with the info being correct
Love the acting. You’re delivery is excellent. I wish I could be as clear as you in my presentations
It took about 2 weeks to get past the Keto flu symptoms about 5 months ago. Seems like a dim memory now, and I miss sweets on occasion. But once fat adapted, it’s not hard to skip all snacks and eat fewer meals without hunger. I’ve lost 40 lbs and now at target weight of 170. I think I average around 30 carbs a day, its not that hard. My fuel is fat, not carbs. It helped that I cleaned out over 70 pounds of sugar containing pantry and opened fridge foods.
I was addicted pretty badly. I was eating nothing but carbs for about a year. And I don't mean anything with fiber. Chips, pizza, pasta, very little meat or fat. Single digit %points for those.
I was eventually diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. With a BG reading of 594. And an A1c of 11.7%
It scared the crap out of me. I stuck with the suggested diet, and exercise and meds. After 6 weeks my daily blood glucose reading, measured every waking hour, was between 200 and 300. I gave up on the medical advice and studied it for myself. Bastard doctors and nutritionists were lying there asses off. I fixed it myself. 24 hours later my avg BG reading taken every hour, between 80 and 90. Effectively cured my diabetes over night.
I went cold turkey on carbs. ZERO CARB DIET. I gave up ALL SUGARS. I had zero withdrawls. If I felt hunger, I ate some bacon and eggs. Had a steak. Some cheese. Pepperoni, and more cheese.
After 30 days I lost 60 pounds. From 250 pounds down to 190 pounds in 30 days.
After four months I had my follow up. My nurse just kept saying this isn't possible. You A1c is now 5.7%. In four months? This can't happen. Yet it did. I cured my type 2 diabetes. That was almost 4 years ago. I also cured my RCC (kidney cancer). As well as losing a tone of skin tags. Some unsightly moles the size of a button mushroom, shrunk to minuscule size and no longer in the way. It was causing issues when zipping my pants. My thighs no longer rub. I lost 10" around my waist. I had to buy new clothes!
I was surprised I didn't have actual carb withdrawls. I feel healthier. I never feel that starving feeling between meals like I used to when eating 3 meals a day. And now I'm only eating once a day. I have never felt better.
This is inspiring. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve heard of many stories like yours! I am always deeply moved and thankful to hear about success stories like yours. As for our medical community, including nutritionists and dietitians, their education is captured by special interests like the pharmaceuticals and processed foods corporations. It is in those businesses best interests to keep us dependent on their drugs and addicted to their packaged foods. If you look into it further, you might find that our regulatory agencies depend on the funds they get from the pharma and packaged food groups, too.
Really clear video. Love it.
I’m watching my sugar intake for couple weeks now and my energy really went up. I feel so much better already. Also I can concentrate way better than before.
Thank you for all your videos - I have started to watch them - suffer with a lot of anxiety and stress, eating a bad diet, your videos have inspired me to make a lot of changes.
I started my sugar detox with a 48 hour fast, only consuming water and coffee. This reset my tastebuds and was helpful because I found that the hardest part of staying away from sugar was only allowing myself to eat a little bit of sugar (which spiked my blood sugar and insulin, making me crave more).
eliminate coffee too replace instead tea
Now you need to eliminate coffee, tea and caffeine.
Thanks for your valuable information. So important! I found your video very useful. I found the background music distracting, though. Too loud, I think.
Love this video! I used to think I have a sugar tooth, I don’t know if it’s the right word,, I used to eat LOTS of chocolate and carbs cakes breads , little did I know that I was sabotaging my mental health and my body by doing so! No that I know that it’s all in the head and that sugar really works on the brain like an addiction, like a kind of drug, I woke up to the truth.
So I quit sugar within a month and a half I lost almost 12 kgs, feeling soo energetic, and the beautiful thing is that I don’t have the peeks and lows of moods of before and after eating sugar and carbs that makes you enter a none ending cycle!!
Love this!! Do more videos about this subject
One thing people offer me as special treats is something sugary. One of the best things I offer myself is not to eat it. I love the simplicity in this video. It's like if you give up cigarettes, sucking on a pipe is just a replacement. I've finally gotten rid of buying sugar and sugar substitutes and, for example, I use homemade applesauce made without sugar to use as a sweetener only when necessary and by the tablespoon to sweeten steel cut oats, etc. Finally, even skim milk has lots of sugar in it per cup. So now I drink sugar-free almond milk. Was it easy for me to eliminate sugar? Damn, right it was. Not something for wimps to do. But you know what? I've learned not to buy processed food and cook most of my food from scratch in my Instant Pot from unprocessed foods. I also use herbs and spices a lot and I also avoid added salt in my diet. How can I eat food with no sugar and hardly any added salt? Again, because I'm worth it. I'm 62 and my blood pressure is perfect and I'm taking no meditations. I also walk at least 5 km a day? Again, why? Because I'm worth it. Refined sugar of any time is a major addiction but once you give it up and it takes time and I won't say it's easy but in time you will not crave it or think about it. But remember it's an addiction and if someone gives you a special sugary treat as a reward remember you're only one step away from getting addicted again. Take control of your own life. I did. I decide what goes in my body, no one else.
This is inspiring. Every time I say no to a sugary treat, I find it easier to say no the next time it happens.
Wow! 😍
I'm also 62 and have good health and no medications even though I've been eating sugar all my life. I am a little overweight, though, so could do with cutting down on sugar if not eliminating it completely. What I would find hard would be things like not eating boxes of chocolates I've been given and resisting desserts at parties and celebrations when everyone else is indulging in the sweet treats.
love this info and so so grateful you're sharing such knowledge! but the music was pretty annoying and unnecessary imo
The music is a bit distracting. This is so informative. Thank you.
i quit eating sugar about a month ago and in the beginning my mouth would water just thinking about sugar. i craved it so much and still do sometimes, thinking about the cons of sugar helps me not eat it though.
Hi methoxyl. I feel you on all of those points. It's a daily battle to not want sugar - even in a subtle form like BBQ chicken. I do think though that the less you eat it and the more you have natural sugar like fruit, the added sugar stuff starts to taste too sweet (at least that's my experience). Good luck.
For me it was more psychological ( I bought a piece of chocolate cake after 4 days and I didn't even enjoyed it)
@@DrTraceyMarks it is a battle. I wad prediabetic in my teens and decided to go vegan. I lost so much weight and drank way more water. It was a struggle though. You are completely right.
It ruins your complexion, that does it for me, bad skin sucks.
I like eating sugar just like that by the handful
Awesome. Thanks for this info. I've been a lifelong sugar addict. Also, I love your hairstyle!
Hello Dr. Marks, this is an excellent video. Thank you for not only talking about sugar "addiction", but how to wean off of sugar in a healthy way. You really opened my eyes to what added sugar really means. Cheers 😉 🌷