Gluten, sugar and all that stuff

[Andrea]

Ok, it's all starting to make since now.  I have not been very strict with the gluten thing and I'm finding (from other threads) that this could be why my tummy is a little unsettled on some days.  My DR. told me to go gluten free and sugar free, take probiotics, antifungal and of course the mino.  Also, what is called a GI Revive for the first month to help my tummy get's its juices back in order.  I was having a hard time finding out how all of these play a part in RA.  It really is very confusing but, I'm learning each day, thanks to this website. Question though:  When they say stay away from sugar do they mean processed sugar of natural sugars like in fruit?  Or both?  I hope I can still do natural sugars, like fruit.  I need something sweet!

[vegan]

Intestines is the main organ I'm working on now.  Not easy, & I've been a pretty healthy eater long before mycoplasma.  I never drank coffee, alcohol or pop my whole life, not once.  I've been vegan for 7 years, was vegetarian before that.  My only bad habit was chocolate.  Never dreamed I'd have gut & yeast issues, over a year now.

None of my docs, including my AP doc, wouldn't give anti-fungal.  My naturopath finally caved for a 3 month script (100 mg 3 times a week, she wants to prevent liver damage).  Since I have to travel 1000 miles for my AP doc anyway, I'm considering switching to one that does anti-fungal & flagyl.  Any suggestions?  I'm in Seattle, but will travel.

For sweetener, you can try yacon syrup.  It's a sweet root vegetable from South America whose natural sugars are not digestable (the best sweetener for those concerned about yeast, diabetes, or trying to keep weight off).

If your local natural food stores don't stock it, you can order it.  I just used it for the first time when cooking Indian rice pudding yesterday – good stuff!

[A Friend]

Vegan,

Thanks for your post and the healthy sweetener suggestion — yacon syrup.  I've never heard of it, and it interests me. 

I tried many brands of stevia over several years and didn't like any of them until a nurse/co-support group leader brought me a sample of her Kal brand powdered stevia.  Guess what?  I LIKED it, and have been using it for a couple of years.  So did my husband, and continues to use it even in his oatmeal (– but eats other sweets like crazy).  It looks a bit pricey on the shelf — at $9.00 for a small bottle.  However, with both of us using it (me for my yogurt/flaxseed oil concoction) it lasts an unbelievably long time.  The scoop that is equivalent to one teaspoon of sugar is the tiniest little scoop you'll ever see. 

Do you have a link to yacon syrup you might post for us, so we can link directly to it? 

Thanks, AF

[vegan]

yacon syrup:

http://www.essentiallivingfoods.com/products-sweeteners-yacon-syrup.html

peace.

[A Friend]

Vegan,

Thanks for posting the link.  That was very interesting reading.  Looks like you found yourself a winner.  It's impressive, not only because it is a natural sweetener, but because of its varied other outstanding properties, most of which I've captured from the site and pasted below:

glucose free sweetener and prebiotic [makes our probiotics grow!] with few calories

stores carbohydrate as fructooligosacaride (FOS)… good for feeding probiotics

increased production of beneficial short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate
[The oral use of butyrate, a short 4-carbon chain fatty acid, is of striking benefit (Fusunyan et al. 1998, Segain et al. 1983, Yin et al. 2001) in mobilizing renegade fats, lowering TNFalpha, sequestering ammonia, and clearing biotoxins — Butyrate is used in the Detoxx System protocols….AF] 

increased absorption of calcium and magnesium

improved elimination of toxic compounds

increase in bone density after consumption of FOS

the beneficial effects of FOS on the presence of Bifidobacteria suggest an improved absorption of vitamins, such as the B complexes

All the above… (I may have missed a thing or two) and it sweetens, too. 

Thanks so much,
AF

[Donna RA]

Andrea,

Depending on why you need to avoid sugar, if you know that you have a yeast problem, then I believe you want to avoid sugar from fruit.  There are good alternatives available, as posted by Vegan.  Another natural sweetner you may want to look into is called Lankato, it can be used the same as sugar in baking and everyday use, and it tastes pretty good.

https://shop.bodyecology.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BE021

Good Luck,

Donna RA

 

 

[Parisa]

Lakanto looks interesting but it looks really expensive.  Thanks for the info.  Maybe the price will come down.

[Jennhere]

I have stevia plants.  You can pluck leaves and chew them.  They're !very! sweet.

Jenn 

[Author]

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