Huh? I have no idea if I'm in the right spot, but I'm in search of help. I'm 35 mother of four. The pregnancies have added an additional 25 lbs to my frame. I find myself eating and eating and eating. My main problem is sweets. I can go without them for a few days (even a week) but it's like it builds up and.... bam. I will binge on a bag of candy or a couple of candy bars, then I'm sattisfied. I will even open a can of icing and eat half of it, till I get a headache. Some days are better. My sleep is irregular and sometimes I wake up after 9 hours of sleep and I am so tired I can't function. Anemic? I am all for eating healthy, I love all foods. There are so many suggestions on what type of foods to eat, I am confused. Low carbohydrate? low fat? no meat? eat in moderation? Some days I have no problem. Today: cearal for breakfst, sandwich & bannana for lunch; dinner consisted of sausage, corn, applesaucse and jelly bread. I had major cravings today: three snack cakes, 8 oz bag of chocolate. and a few pieces of odds and ends candy. I did a considerable amount of exercise today. It seems like the more active I am the more sweets I want. Whats the deal?

Hi Anna, I am sure someone will reply soon with a homeopathic posiibility soon- unfortunately I am not qualified but I do want to say something. Even working on a nutritional basis, it is difficult to pin-point where your diet may be going wrong without more info. What I wanted to let you know is that sugar dependency is very similiar to a dependency of any drug. Withdrawal from quitting sugar is very like kicking heroin or another addictive substance. Sweats, depression...read Sugar Blues- the author kicked sugar and documented it. What you need to do (nutritionally) is to flatten out- eat whole foods, whole grains, cut out the stimulants like caffeinne , sweetners (artificial as well), eliminate spices too- cayenne, pepper, onions garlic for the time being. You want a 'neutral' diet, very alkaline, and one that wont stimulate a craving. Cut down on natural fruits as well. Check out books on Macrobiotics to see a balance approach to eating. If you really cannot control the urges at first, peel some bananas and freeze them. When a craving hit, blend up a couple to creamy consistency and add cocoa, or cocanut, or vanilla, a touch of milf or soymilk. Its really good, creamy and sweet like icecream. Avoid refined sugars at all costs. Good luck

There are two prominent homeopathic remedies to remove craving of sweets
a. Argentum Nitricum
b. Lycopodium

Since sweets create headache therefore (a)is suggested in thirty potency one dose daily for 3 days only.

Homeopath
Major m.Anwer , retired.

E.Mail : anwer@paknet4.ptc.pk

Dear AnnB,
When did you start having this cravings?
You need to find the cause behind it.Is it that you are a homemaker with 4 children to tend to.Sometimes the routine kind of life and just being in Kitchen results in such status.Try some positive occupation apart from housekeeping.Visit places where you see less of food or think less of Food.Read in a library or take up some aerobics classes.Simply go for a walk when craving strikes.A sedentary life can give rise to such pttern what you have described.I'm sure some physical extra activity will get rid of some toxins and even your sleep cycle will be better.You definitely need extra will power for that.
Try to find a classical homoeopath nearby who can help you with appropriate medication to achieve what you want.
All the best

I have found it! I read about a flower essence called Chaparral to remove the desire to eat all the time, and tried it and it really did the job for me. I forget to eat between meals, quite an amazing feat. There is another one that is specific for craving sweets: that one is called Coreopsis. Another for craving coffee: that one is foxglove. You can order them online from www.lyghtforce.com at the Medicine Garden, or by calling Flower Essence Services at 1-800-548-0075. I will also forward some mails from the Medicine Garden list to you so you can consider the points discussed there. I am wondering if you tried Dr. Anwer's suggestion and if it helped you?

------------------
Kescah

hello ann,
while certainly seeking a homeopathic solution i would also check for diabetes and\or dysfunction of the thyroid gland.
best regards
anat fox

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by lotusland:
Hi Anna, I am sure someone will reply soon with a homeopathic posiibility soon- unfortunately I am not qualified but I do want to say something. Even working on a nutritional basis, it is difficult to pin-point where your diet may be going wrong without more info. What I wanted to let you know is that sugar dependency is very similiar to a dependency of any drug. Withdrawal from quitting sugar is very like kicking heroin or another addictive substance. Sweats, depression...read Sugar Blues- the author kicked sugar and documented it. What you need to do (nutritionally) is to flatten out- eat whole foods, whole grains, cut out the stimulants like caffeinne , sweetners (artificial as well), eliminate spices too- cayenne, pepper, onions garlic for the time being. You want a 'neutral' diet, very alkaline, and one that wont stimulate a craving. Cut down on natural fruits as well. Check out books on Macrobiotics to see a balance approach to eating. If you really cannot control the urges at first, peel some bananas and freeze them. When a craving hit, blend up a couple to creamy consistency and add cocoa, or cocanut, or vanilla, a touch of milf or soymilk. Its really good, creamy and sweet like icecream. Avoid refined sugars at all costs. Good luck<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


HI ANNA,

TRY DR. ATKINS. I WEIGH 400 LBS. AND I STARTED DR. ATKINS DIET AND ALREADY LOST 10 LBS IN 5 DAYS. ITS EASY!!! YOUR NEVER HUNGRY, AND YOU ARE ACTUALLY SATISIFIED. I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO GO EVEN 2 DAYS WITHOUT BINGING. I CONSIDERED MYSELF ADDICTED TO FOOD, AND WAS READY TO GIVE UP AND JUST DIE. WELL, NO MORE. GET HIS BOOK. DR ATKINS DIET REVOLUTION. YOU WON'T REGRET IT. I TOO AM ADDICTED TO SUGAR. BUT NOW I CAN LIVE WITHOUT IT, I SWEAR. I EAT 3 EGGS AND SAUSAGE FOR BREAKFAST, HAVE A HUGH STEAK FOR LUNCH. A WHOLE CHICKEN FOR DINNER, THE FAT AND PROTEIN YOU EAT HOLDS YOU OVER AND MAKES YOU FEEL SATISIFIED, SO YOU DON'T WANT THE SWEETS. ITS THE UP AND DOWN WITH THE SUGAR IN YOUR BLOOD THAT KEEPS YOU BINGING ON SUGAR FOODS, AFTER YOU EAT CARBOHYDRATES, YOU SECRETE INSULIN, THAT TURNS YOUR SUGAR INTO FAT. AND ALSO LOWERS YOUR BLOOD SUGAR. THEN YOUR BLOOD DROPS LOW AND YOUR BODY TELLS YOU TO EAT MORE CARBOHYDRATES. SO YOU DO. AND YOU GO THROUGH IT ALL OVER AGAIN. IM A NURSE, AND NEVER TRIED THIS THINKING THAT THIS DIET IS BAD FOR YOU. WELL, IT ACTUALLY IS GOOD FOR YOU. IT WILL LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE, LOWER YOUR CHOLESTEROL, AND MAKE YOU FEEL WONDERFUL. bELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU PROBABLY EAT MORE FAT IN ALL THE SUGAR AND JUNK FOOD YOU EAT NOW, THEN YOU WILL IN A HEALTY PIECE OF STEAK OR THE WHOLE STEAK. SO, PLEASE, GET HIS BOOK AND TRY IT. YOU WILL DO THIS FOR LIFE, ITS NOT A DIET, ITS FOREVER, AND YOU CAN DO IT, IF I CAN. I WAS CONSIDERING SURGERY, AND NOW I DON'T NEED TO. IM SO HAPPY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO REPLY. AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU, STAY AT 20 GRAMS OF CARBOHYDRATES OR LOWER, AND I PROMISE YOU WILL LOSE THE WEIGHT AND NOT BINGE ON SUGAR ANY MORE. BUT GET THE BOOK, ITS EASY TO READ AND YOU WILL BE VERY HAPPY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

Candida could be cause of sugar cravings the yeast needs sugar to grow

Thyroid problems cause inbalance of blood sugar often mistaken initially for diabetes

Diabetes must also be considered

Or of course just plain boredom

Whoa, on the Dr. Atkins diet. Eating that musch protien can have a very bad effect on the liver over time. Fruits and vegetables are crucial to healthy cell growth. Any diet that is strictly protien is bad news. Body builders have been using this kind of logic for years and many are now regretting it! I would be very careful of any diet that is not balanced.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Pat Davis:
Candida could be cause of sugar cravings the yeast needs sugar to grow

Thyroid problems cause inbalance of blood sugar often mistaken initially for diabetes

Diabetes must also be considered

Or of course just plain boredom <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agree with all Pat said, plus depression can make for a severe sugar (carbo)craving. Body is trying to produce serotonin.

Zmyst