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dealing with sugar withdrawal

Diana,

I am currently battling the same problem, though I was done in by
a gift of a 1lb solid chocolate santa from a really good candy store.

Some things I'm trying:

1. Eat more fruit, especially fresh pears, canned pineapple, and frozen
   strawberries, which are naturally sweet. Yes, they do have fruit sugars,
   but they are better than chocolate. My favorite "recipe" is to chill a
   can of mandarin oranges ro pineapple chunks, then pour it, juice and all,
   over a bowl of leftover brown rice. I usually have this for breakfast
   or as a snack.

2. Try a *small* amount of sweetener over hot cereal in the mornings, such
   as a little maple syrup, honey, or turbinado sugar. I avoid white sugar,
   as it doesn't have the concentrated sweetness that other sources do. Also,
   the cereal grains have a natural sweetness to them as well. I will sometime 
   forego sweeteners, and throw a handful of dried raisins or cranberries in
   the pot of water, bring it to a boil (at which point the dried fruit has
   plumped up nicely), then add the cereal and cook until done. My favorite
   cereals these days are: steel cut oats, 7 grain cereal, old-fashioned
   5 minute oatmeal flakes, and barley flakes (which i sometimes mix with 
   the oatmeal flakes). And remember-- oatmeal isn't just for breakfast
   anymore-- try it as a light evening meal or bedtime snack.

3. Eat more naturally "sweet" starches, like corn, yams, or sweet potatoes.
   Try baking a batch of yams in  a 350 degree oven for an hour, or until
   nice and soft and juicy (I wrap them in foil and bake on a cookie sheet), 
   then put them in an easily accessible bowl in the fridge. I eat them like
   candy, skin and all, and they have never failed to satisfy my sweet tooth.

4. My health food store used to sell mochi, which is a flat square of 
   brown rice mash that is heated in the oven until puffy. They had a
   cinnamon/raisin version that satisfied cravings for hot, warm surgery
   things.

5. Although this isn't a food suggestion, I have been told that chromium
   picolinate will help reduce sugar cravings. I take them for other
   health reasons, and would say that for me they help somewhat.

Good luck,
tracey sconyers
sconyers_at_ix_dot_netcom_dot_com

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