Ask Dr. Scott Health Questions:
Do you have questions about your health or about one of my programs? Are you looking for an online doctor who specializes in alternative medicine or natural medicine? Ask me ( Dr. Scott — a Naturopathic Doctor) for natural ways to treat diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, cancer or anything else you might have on your mind.
As you may know I specialize in stopping sugar addiction and weight loss; take a look around the site for more information.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and submit your short question in the “Leave a Reply” box and I will do my best to answer it (I may even make a blog post out or your question).
Hi Dr. Scott,
Since I have eliminated sugar from my diet I have been chewing sugar-free gum to help me with my cravings. Are there unhealthy substances in sugar-free gum to where I need to avoid it especially if I am chewing about three pieces a day?
Hi Lena,
don’t recommend that people use gum, even with artificial sweeteners. What you will find when you are on the program is that your tastes readjust and foods you never thought were sweet (avocado, carrots…) start to taste sweet. If you chew gum, or use artificial sweeteners, then you keep your body addicted to the super-sweet taste that it is used to. There is a gum called Spry gum that is made with xylitol so at least you can avoid the artificial sweeteners.
Scott
Good luck with the program!
HI Dr Scott,
I would like to know your opinion of the Master Cleanse diet, or sometimes called the lemonade diet. It is lemon, cayenne and maple syrop for 10 days. Some doctors say that it is dangerous to go 10 days with this special lemonade. Do you agree with that? OR is it ok to detox and fast this way?
thank you
C
Hi C,
The master cleanse is an okay detox. I do think that any fast over 3 days should include a visit to your doctor. This is because not eating any food can radically change things like your acid/base balance (which is life threatening). Most people can handle a 10 day detox, but it is just good to be sure.
Having said that, I don’t think it is harmful but maybe not the best way to detox. I much prefer a juicing detox (check out Gearson Therapy or other programs). What these types of detoxes do is to provide your body with a massive amount of nutrients.
Best of luck!
Scott
Hello Dr.Scott,
I went on the 30 day challenge,and completed it successfully,and then continued. I just wanted to say I lost 30+ pounds i went from (embarassing) 206 to 172 and I felt great, I gained back about 14 pounds although I didn’t completely forget about the diet. I am going to get back into it now and turn into a lifestyle, because I realized that I never felt better than when I was eating like that and excercising, in the first week of eaing not doing excercise I lost 7 pounds exactly, and my skin started to glow and my hair got thicker,my blood pressure went down to the point that my doctor removed me from my blood pressure medication. It is truly a great program, for all the people who do not believe it I would love to do a testimonial or something of that sort for this challenge. Again, thank you very much it really did change the person I am today.
Callie,
Truly great to hear about your situation. I’m a big believer of the “if at first you don’t succeed, they try again” school. Every time we return to our healthy ways, we learn a little bit more about how to do it better. It is exactly like trying to learn anything; it takes practice and time.
Thank you for your kind comments and I wish you the best on the rest of your journey!
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott,
I am at the end of the first week of the 30 Day challenge and doing well. I would like to know if Shiratake Noodles would be allowed on this diet? From what I have seen, they are Glucomannon which doesn’t apprear to even show up on the GI index as they are considered all fiber. I posted this on the Facebook site and a lot of people think they would not be allowed as they are a starch?
Please let me know.
Thanks!
Jacqui,
These are tofu noodles and while I don’t know what the glycemic index of them is, they look to be okay.
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott-
I’m a 44yr old male, I work out three times a week, but have long suffered from fatigue and joint pain. So learning that sugar causes inflammation and so forth, I’ve decided to try cutting it out, to the greatest extent possible. I’m on day three, so far so good. I have a question about some foods as to whether they are allowed:
Organic rolled oats?
Sourdough bread?
Dairy products from green fed cattle?
Keep in mind I’m not trying to loose weight, in fact I’m trying to gain.
Thanks!
Dow,
Stay away from grains (sourdough and oats) because these act like sugar in your body. The dairy products are fine as far as sugar balance goes, but I do find a lot of people are allergic to dairy and that can be a source of inflammation.
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott,
I’ve been eating sugar and grain free for about 3 months, and I really miss baked goods. I’ve found several recipes that use almond meal, flax meal, garbanzo flour and the like. What is your opinion of these products? What do they do to one’s blood sugar. Are they an acceptable substitute?
Teresa,
Those recipes look like they are okay. Almond, flax and garbanzo flours are all lower on the glycemic index and should be okay.
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott,
I eat pretty much grain free and completely gluten free. Since reducing the sugar and grains, however, I seem to rely heavily on meat and fruit. I am considering eating a more vegetarian-based diet with the exception of eggs/seafood on occasion. I had been researching a lot on the paleo/wheat belly sites which emphasize no grains/sugar but high protein instead. While I understand their point, I feel like I am not getting enough vegetables in my diet when I eat this way and overeat meat. What is your take on the best method for weight loss and curbing some of my food addictions? My only concern about taking out the meat is that in addition to veggies I would be eating more beans, nuts, and fruit which are higher in carbs…would this lead to weight gain?
Amy,
I believe that the paleo diet is the best approach, but I have a hard time with the amount of protein that some people think this means. The research shows that paleo people ate somewhere between 30 and 60 percent protein (meat). But what that doesn’t recognize is that hunting can be good for a week, a month, or even a year, but then there are long stretches when hunting doesn’t provide all that you need and you have to resort to gathering.
To me, the paleo diet also fails to recognize that the meat most of us eat is far from the meat of our ancestors. If you follow this diet, I would suggest choosing grass feed and true range animals (as much as you can). This makes a bigger difference than you might think to weight loss. The amount and kinds of fats in a typical cow is far different from a typical deer.
I would also say that vegetables are where you vitamins and nutrients really are and we all don’t eat enough. While it is tough, I would say that you should be eating around 80 percent of your diet as fruits and vegetables. I wouldn’t worry too much about how many carbs a food contains, but the glycemic index of those foods. You shouldn’t gain weight eating more fruits and veggies as long as you pay attention to their glycemic index and learn how to balance a meal for low blood sugar.
Hope that helps!
Scott
Thank you that is very helpful. I do have a few more questions though. I know Robb Wolfe author of the Paleo Solution explains that if weight loss is your main goal that fruit should be limited to one serving a day…and preferably be a fruit that is lower on the glycemic index. I Love fruit!! Also I feel like eating fruit really helps me if I am having a craving for sugar. Since 80% of my diet should be fruits and vegetables do you think a greater number of fruit servings would deliver the same weight loss results as long as they are fruits from the green list?
Also I will have to look into grass-fed meat. I knew there are many nutritional benefits of grass versus grain-fed, but didn’t realize it had a big difference on weight loss. The difference in cost, however, might be an issue for me. I just graduated from college in December and am currently only working part-time and trying to save money for graduate school. In my case would it be okay to stick with cheaper sources of protein such as beans, eggs, seeds, and unsweetened protein powder?
Thanks!
Amy,
I agree with what Robb Wolfe says: stick to the low glycemic fruits. The greens are better. I really believe the missing component of the Paleo diet is how much exercise our ancestors got, so consider both cardio and weight lifting to help increase muscle mass (which, in turn, burns fat).
The cost of good proteins is what helps to keep them in balance, you only eat what you can afford and then the rest of the plate is veggies. Having said that, I really caution people about becoming too hung up on food. You have taken the biggest step towards health (kicked sugar and the foods that act like sugar) and while eating grass fed beef is important, it is not as important as the steps you have already taken.
Hope that helps,
Scott
I really want to do the 30 day challenge. I work in a bakery, so this is going to be tough. Changing job is not an option. Any words of wisdom?
Sandy,
We all have our challenges when it comes to stopping sugar and the foods that act like sugar. Yours is a little like trying to stop drinking while working in a bar. While not impossible, it certainly is going to be hard. All I can tell you is that the longer you work at it, the easier it gets and you will find that you don’t even crave the food you are around after a while.
Best of luck,
Scott
Hi, I just started the challenge two day’s ago and was wondering whether I could eat pasta?
No, pasta is not allowed.
HI Dr. Scott
I am on day 7 of a no white, no sugar diet. I just came across your site today and signed up. I am eating only low and below with the exception of brown rice, quinoa and shredded wheat. The only dairy I have had is string cheese and unsweetened almond milk, I read a question someone asked you about almond milk and you said it is ok. It does have all natural evaporated cane juice. Isn’t that sugar? Why is that ok? I am also having a hard time finding things to use in cooking my vegetables. There aren’t many sauces that don’t have sugar in some form in them. I have found a few salad dressings but I am using basically lemon and lime on my veggies and rice. Any suggestions? I should mention that I started this because of fibromyalgia and I have tried everything to get relief from trigger points and costochondritis to no avail.
Hi Adrienne,
There are almond milks that are unsweetened; I also like coconut milk. You can make sauces without sugar as well. The group on Facebook is a great resource for recipe ideas.
Best of luck,
Scott
I started your program to relieve headaches. So far I feel GREAT. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I knew sugar was bad for me,but did not realize how bad it was interferring with my health. My question is do you have any suggestions for breakfast?
I have been eating eggs and veggies. I am concerned that I am eating too many eggs, not just for cholesterol reasons but I know when you reapeatedly eat the same food you can develop allergies to the food. I eat fish or meat at lunch and dinner, but this does not appeal to me for breakfast. I am looking for a high protein non- meat breakfast. I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks again for your great regime.
Hi Jo,
Great to hear you are doing so well! I can give you two suggestion that might fit your requirements. The first to have beans. Beans are great at keeping your blood sugar stable throughout the day and are high in protein. I eat chili a lot for breakfast; while most people aren’t used to this for breakfast, I love it. The other option is to make a low-sugar smoothie and use a protein powder. Choose low sugar fruits (like berries), or make a green drink. There are many great vegan or vegetarian proteins out there.
Scott
thank you. beans are a great idea. I thought they might be to high in carbs but i will try them. I like a bean veggie stir fry. your program is great!!!!!!
Hi Dr. Scott,
I’m about to start the 30 Day Sugar free diet and I need more information about Protein Powder. The one that was recommended to me at our local health food store is called All Natural Elite Whey Protein Isolate. It is low in carbs (4g per scoop) and does not contain sugar. However, it does contain Stevia (75mg per scoop). I know you recommended not using Stevia for the first 30 days but I can’t seem to find any other protein powders that do not have some form of sweetener in them. Can you please let me know if you know of any or if this one is acceptable?
Hi Jacqui,
That protein powder is fine. I would just mix it with low-sugar berries.
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott,
I feel the same as Carissa and on day 10, I had to eat small amounts of starchy vegetables with meals to keep my energy up.
I am quite active, so your below explanation now makes a lot of sense. I found eating beans and legumes with my meals to be a great help (so I’m back on track). I would like to ask if Buckwheat is alright while on this plan.
Hi Bahn,
Buckwheat is not a true grain, but is on the edge between low and medium glycemic. I would say to avoid it for the 30 days, but it is a good choice afterwards (especially if you eat it in whole form – like the way we eat rice).
Scott
Hi Dr. Scott-
I am on day 7 of the diet. I normally work out 4 times a week. I do a lot of spin, yoga, and calisthenics. The first few days of the no sugar diet were fabulous, I honestly barely miss the sugar. My problem is on day 6 and now day 7 I don’t want to go to the gym, I honestly just don’t have it in me. Is lethargy common when removing sugar and grains from your daily diet?
Thank you!
Carissa,
There are two things that might be going on. The first is that your body may be going through a detox, what we call a “healing reaction”. This occurs when your body takes advantage of your new healthy state and starts to get rid of junk. This can be experienced as lethargy.
The second is that you may have depleted all of your glycogen (your body’s quick storage of sugar). Glycogen is needed for people who exercise intensely (85% of max or above). When you exercise below 85%, your body burns mostly fat (muscular triglycerides), but as you pick up the pace your body relies more on glycogen to maintain intensity. My suggestion to you is that immediately following exercise you eat some allowed fruits and see if that helps you (this should replace a lot of the glycogen).
Best of luck,
Scott