Is anyone here feel they are "allergic" to carbs?

[Cheri Warren]

I'm not sure if I have a wheat allergy, or I am carb sensitive, but when I eat carbs I get cravings so bad. Even healthy carbs such as steel cut oatmeal does it. I only feel good when I eat low carb, yet, i don't want to be a low carber. Also when I eat carbs, I get very tired and sleepy.

 

Any advice?

[Mermaid Mama]

There is a school of thought out that says to stay away from all grain.

I can't do it. But I think there is some truth to it.

[Julie in CA]

Yes. I've posted about it here before. I feel just awful within 20 minutes of eating carbs. I actually get tired, a bit sick to my stomach, and very dizzy. I've been that way for a while, but when it seemed like it was getting worse I tried a low-carb diet for the very first time. It's amazing how much better I felt, within just a couple of days. I've been keeping below 20 carbs on most days for the past 6 months or so. One thing I've noticed though, about the low-carb diet....it keeps me from that carb "crash", but if I stray from the diet and eat a high carb food now, the "crash" is truly devastating. I'm a little worried about that. You'd think being sick would be the factor that would keep me eating right, but some people never learn. :confused: I still slip and have pasta or a dessert once in a while. It's always a *big* mistake for me.

[Cheri Warren]

Yes. I've posted about it here before. I feel just awful within 20 minutes of eating carbs. I actually get tired, a bit sick to my stomach, and very dizzy. I've been that way for a while, but when it seemed like it was getting worse I tried a low-carb diet for the very first time. It's amazing how much better I felt, within just a couple of days. I've been keeping below 20 carbs on most days for the past 6 months or so. One thing I've noticed though, about the low-carb diet....it keeps me from that carb "crash", but if I stray from the diet and eat a high carb food now, the "crash" is truly devastating. I'm a little worried about that. You'd think being sick would be the factor that would keep me eating right, but some people never learn. :confused: I still slip and have pasta or a dessert once in a while. It's always a *big* mistake for me.

Julie, Do you follow any "diet" such as atkins or anything? Or do you just eat low carb? I get the same symptoms plus racing heart.

It's awful I wish I could just eat normal. Add to that I need to lose about 70 lbs.

Have you heard of the Carb addicts diet? I was thinking of starting that one, where you eat carbs once a day with dinner along with protien, vegies and fat. I just cannot go on like this

[2cents]

I don't think it is an allergy to carbs that I have. It is more like a sensitivity to wheat and a reaction to sugar. I feel a lot better when I limit/almost eliminate both. On a no carb/no sugar diet I feel the brain fog lifting within about 2 days and I can breathe easier. The joints don't hurt anymore either. I bake cakes so it is hard to not taste my product but I've learned to be careful with that too.

[Cheri Warren]

For those of you eliminating carbs and sugar, do you do a higher fat diet ala' atkins?

Atkins makes sense, but I guess I have been trained into thinking low fat is best and eating alot of fat scares me

[Julie in CA]

Julie, Do you follow any "diet" such as atkins or anything? Or do you just eat low carb? I get the same symptoms plus racing heart.

It's awful I wish I could just eat normal. Add to that I need to lose about 70 lbs.

Have you heard of the Carb addicts diet? I was thinking of starting that one, where you eat carbs once a day with dinner along with protien, vegies and fat. I just cannot go on like this

I've been pretty dramatically limiting carbs. Under 20 per day most days. No sugar at all. No bread, rice, flour, potatoes, etc. Almost all of my carbs come from eggs and vegetables. I have basically been following Atkins. I did lose about 15 pounds, all in the beginning. I am a little bit disappointed that the weight loss has not continued for me, but I still feel so much better eating the Atkins way that I continue on with it. I have heard of the Carb Addicts diet, but eating higher carbs even once a day seems to be too much for me.

[Julie in CA]

I bake cakes so it is hard to not taste my product but I've learned to be careful with that too.

I create specialty desserts for a local restaurant, and though I don't really even like desserts, it's impossible for me to avoid tasting occasionally. I pretend I'm a gourmet wine tester...taste and spit. It's gross, and I have to make sure I only taste when no one's around, but I am *NOT GOING TO EAT THAT SUGAR!* :tongue_smilie:

[Michelle O. in MO]

We also ate the Atkins way for about 6 months. After I got through the first 3 days of carb withdrawal, I felt a night/day difference. What I noticed was that my energy level improved dramatically as well as my mental attitude (I don't know if I said that right). I guess you could say I didn't feel so depressed. I had energy, I felt more optimistic about things - everything was just better. I fell off the Atkins wagon when my husband returned home (after working out of state for about a year). He's a different eater than I am. He likes his meat and potatos, chips and salsa, etc. I've been trying to get myself to just do it, but I feel like I'm in the wrestling ring most of the time with my carb-addicted other half. So far that half has been winning. :glare:

 

I absolutely believe there is a connection between sugar/carbs and feeling lousy. I also have experienced the carb cravings after I've had a high carb/sugar fix. It's not pretty. I could go weeks on low carb, healthful eating and cheat once, and the cravings kick in. I just have to tell myself it's not worth it.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Michelle O. in MO