Cutting down sugar

[Tybee]

Good post Williamsmith, and congratulations on your steady progress. You are doing what I am trying to embark upon right now. It is definitely one step forward one step back--seem to go up and down in a three pound range and never get anywhere.
But I am going to double the time I think I need to do this and keep plugging away.
Not worried about sugar per se right now. Trying to instead find asthma triggers to eliminate them.
It all seems related to menopause for me, the weight gain. Ironically, my asthma is much better now that I am heavy. I just hate being heavy and am sick of it and sick of not being able to change it over the past 5 years.

[JaneV2.0]

I'm plugging along with a ketogenic approach and losing at my usual glacial pace. I've noticed that many on grain- and/or dairy-free plans seem to experience relief from asthma. And many other ailments, as well.

[Tybee]

Jane, I will definitely look into this. My allergist told me to give up wheat, for example.

[JaneV2.0]

Jane, I will definitely look into this. My allergist told me to give up wheat, for example.

Most doctors seem to be coming around to the idea that wheat--whole or otherwise--isn't a health food for most people.

I made a rare trip to a clinic once because I was having trouble breathing--I was very wheezy, and my chest felt tight. The diagnosis was bronchospasm (a throwaway diagnosis if there ever was one), and I think they gave me an antibiotic or something equally useless. I figured out on my own that eating ricotta cheese for breakfast was probably the culprit, took a Sudafed, changed my breakfasts up, and the problem went away. I've since indulged in ricotta and other dairy products without incident, but I think I probably have a sensitivity to dairy and/or calcium, which contracts muscles.

[ApatheticNoMore]

ricotta might be particularly bad (if consumed regularly, a lot of things are dose dependent) as it seems to be higher in either lactose and/or protein than many cheeses (a lot of cheeses are mostly just fat and made more digestible by the cheese making process as well) and lactose and milk protein are some of the major the things in dairy people react to if they are sensitive to dairy, fat is not so allergenic.

Supposedly people who are really well adapted to dairy (most likely strictly northern European ancestry - so if all one's ancestors were Scandinavian dairy might be ideal but listen to your body - but some parts of India and Africa as well) actually absorb more vitamins from it when they eat dairy with all the lactose etc.. Some people were almost designed for dairy it seems. But people who aren't so well adapted don't do so well and absorb less nutrients when consuming lactose and have more problems with lactose.

I unconsciously adjust my diet to sensitives as I have more than I'd like but it's all dose dependent, and that is not following anyone's official diet (as MOST of them aren't taking sensitives into account at all!). I don't think anyone loses much weight just by avoiding sensitivities necessarily it's more just a rat in a cage reaction: this food causes pain, I don't like pain, avoid pain ...

And sweets are just not so healthy and I think it is possible to cut down on them a lot.

[JaneV2.0]

It probably was dose-dependent, as I had got in the habit of eating it for breakfast most mornings, and by afternoon experienced chest tightness. I have generally Northern ancestry, but i'm pretty sure dairy--at least as it's produced here--is an iffy substance for me. Which probably won't keep me from indulging in it.

[frugal-one]

which contracts muscles.

... what does this mean exactly?

[JaneV2.0]

... what does this mean exactly?

Calcium is essential for proper contraction of smooth muscle; magnesium is responsible for muscle relaxation. Most of us get enough--more than enough--calcium, but not enough magnesium.

[Zoe Girl]

Yesterday was hard, I didn't bring a large lunch and had a long car trip in rush hour. I did have some nuts with me but bought a tea that was ice cold and had some sugar. Still not as much as I had been doing. I can see why this is so hard!

[Zoe Girl]

Yesterday was hard, I didn't bring a large lunch and had a long car trip in rush hour. I did have some nuts with me but bought a tea that was ice cold and had some sugar. Still not as much as I had been doing. I can see why this is so hard! If I miscalculate how much food I need then I don't have many options