Addicted to white flour foods

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Thought I would try an experiment with myself - I am removing white

flour foods (bread, pasta, muffins, cookies) from my diet. I'm

heading towards Day 3 without this stuff and my body/mind is

screaming for it. I think I've developed an allergy or addiction.

Does anyone have any suggestions (kriyas &/or nutritional advice) to

make this transition go a little more smoothly? Thanks!

 

Shanti,

Simran Kaur

[Guest guest]

Well, it sounds like you are on your way to challenging perhaps the largest

substance abuse pattern of modern society, carb addiction. Some, like you, find

it in white flower (processed) foods, other in candy, other in alcohol; but

basically it all comes back to the same thing. The good new is that you are

stronger than the addiction, if you choose to be. Personally, I indulge in

sweets around the holidays; and when the holidays are over, I clean house. The

first three days are the most challenging, with constant cravings. After that,

the addictions is under control, but not whipped just yet. I usually feel

totally in control by three weeks. KY says 40 days to change a habit. There

is a KY meditation in Dharma Singh Khalsa's book (which I highly recommend)

Meditation as Medicine: Tune in. Sit in Easy Pose, making sure lowest 6

vertebrae are pushed forward. Focus on 3rd eye. Chant "Sa, Ta, Na, Ma." Lock

your back molars and keep your lips closed. Vibrate your

muscles by alternating the pressure on your molars. Mudra is to make a fist

with your thumbs straight and placed in the niche of the temples. Start with

5-7 minutes working your way up to 20-31 min. End by inhaling deeply for 10-20

secs, exhaling and relaxing. So my understand is that we are basically humming

the mantra. If anyone can shed any more light on this meditaion, please do. In

Love and Light, Clark

 

_____________

Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com

The most personalized portal on the Web!

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam Simran Kaur,

 

>> I am removing white flour foods (bread, pasta, muffins, cookies) from my

diet. <<

 

You go, girl! Congratulations on taking this wonderful step toward

health for yourself. As one who did the same thing about 20 years ago, I

can assure you it is absolutely worth the energy investment it takes to

change the old habit patterns.

 

The first few days are the hardest, so, hang in there. Be assured it will

get easier. <s> You have already made it through the hardest part, though

progress probably won't be monotonic.

 

It's quite possible that it's an addiction to wheat, sugar, yeast, or some

combination thereof. Oddly, people are often addicted to things they're

allergic to (and vice-versa). But, even without an allergy, white flour

and sugar can be addictive because of the extreme blood sugar fluctuations

they cause. You probably knew that. <s>

 

Mentally, food addiction can be treated like other addictions, using a

12-step approach (which is actually very much based on spiritual

principles). A few pointers:

 

Take it one day at a time. If one day seems insurmountable, take it one

minute at a time! You can do practically anything for just one minute,

right? So take this minute, and another minute, and so on. Today is the

only day we have to deal with, so why worry about tomorrow? Just handle

today, and remember you and God can do it together.

 

Stay positive about the experience. When you feel tempted, remind yourself

what a good thing you're doing for yourself. You are not "giving up"

anything; you're trading in those non-nutritious foods for better health,

more energy, clearer thinking. You will also experience a sense of freedom

that feels far better than anything tastes.

 

Another antidote for temptation: put off the gratification you crave and

the urge will pass. Distract yourself - go for a walk, call a friend, get

busy with something positive you'll feel good about. Exercise is

particularly good as a substitute for inappropriate eating because it

raises endorphin levels (one of the reasons people eat, other than hunger,

is to do this).

 

Don't let yourself get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. (Another

12-step axiom.) These are the times when one's guard is down. Instead,

listen to the needs of body and mind and take care of them. It's so much

easier to eat something to stuff down the real need than to face it and

deal with it, but the need will have to be dealt with anyway, so why not do

it first? Easier said than done, I know... it requires a willingness to be

aware, and to feel one's feelings, pleasant or unpleasant, acceptable or

not. But, it's worth it, in terms of inner awareness and growth.

 

If you should have a temporary setback, don't beat yourself up with guilt.

What happened yesterday, or five minutes ago, is gone, and comes under the

heading of "things I can't change". Let it go, and start over again in

this present moment. One day at a time doesn't have to start at midnight.

<g> If you're taking a shower and you're happy and singing and covered

with soap, and you drop the soap, you don't sit down and cry, "oh, I

dropped the soap, woe is me!"... you just pick up the soap and keep going

like before. Same thing.

 

When you do well, congratulate yourself. Reward yourself with some healthy

activity you enjoy, to reinforce the good habit.

 

On the physical/nutritional side:

 

Don't go hungry. If you omit foods you're accustomed to, you need to

replace them with more healthful alternatives which you also enjoy. Eat

small frequent meals, emphasizing complex carbohydrates and a reasonable

amount of protein and fat, so as to keep your blood sugar steady. For most

folks, fresh, whole fruit is good in moderation, but dried fruit has too

much concentrated natural sugar, and juice may as well. Watch yourself and

see what satisfies vs. what sets off cravings, to see what your tolerance

is and what feels comfortable for you. Whole cooked grains (brown rice,

millet, buckwheat groats, quinoa, etc.) digest more slowly and provide a

steadier source of energy and less blood sugar fluctuation than flour

products, even whole grain ones. If yeast is not part of the problem,

nutritional yeast flakes are a good source of protein, trace minerals, and

B-vitamins, good for blood sugar - try them on yogurt or grains, or mixed

into tomato juice.

 

If you don't already do so, take a good multivitamin (from the health

store, probably one that has a daily dose of two to six tablets a day, as

the one-a-day-variety is too weak for most folks). Be sure it has at least

200 mcg. of chromium, which helps stabilize blood sugar. Also take extra

vitamin C, which will both reduce cravings, help the body detoxify wastes

that are being eliminated, and reduce withdrawal symptoms such as

headaches, etc., that may occur. Some experts recommend gradually raising

your dose of vitamin C until it causes loose stools, then back off to a

comfortable level; they say this is the amount the body can actually use,

and I've found it a good practice for me, anyhow. <s> An accessory

supplement I've found helpful is l-glutamine, the only amino acid the brain

can use as fuel. A capsule broken open and sprinkled under the tongue can

stop cravings in their tracks. (For economy, one can buy the powder; it

has a sweet taste so can be taken sublingually or in water. It also helps

heal the intestinal mucosa, and its effect is best on an empty stomach.)

 

Drink lots of water. This helps emotional balance and toxin elimination,

and also can provide a temporary sense of fullness while one staves off a

craving <g> Sometimes when one thinks one is hungry, the need is really

just for water. (Spring water or purified water is best.)

 

Licorice and/or Siberian ginseng teas are good for the adrenals, which are

instrumental in maintaining normal blood sugar levels. They're also

delicious - licorice is very sweet without any sweetener added. (I've read

it's theoretically possible for licorice to raise blood pressure, so if

this is an issue for you, you might want to omit the licorice.)

 

I'm pretty new here and don't know a lot of kriyas, but it seems like the

medical meditation for habituation might be a good one. Breathing

exercises which are either calming or energizing, depending on your need at

the time, may help you get through the rough spots.

 

Have you read Gururattan Kaur's online lesson on addictions? It is also

very inspiring and helpful; if not, go to the yogatech.com web page and

check it out.

 

I hope this helps a bit. If you have any questions or want to talk, please

respond and I'll be happy to share whatever I can. <s>

 

Take care, keep on keeping on, you can do this!!

 

Blessings,

 

Sat Darshan Kaur :-)