Date: Sat Oct 19, 2002 9:59 am

Subject: Continued Hope

After years of recovery I had hit a plateau with continued stress sensitivity and other minor neurological problems. I believed I was doing everything for my recovery: exercise, vegetarian/organic diet, spiritual practices with yoga and meditation, low stress lifestyle and so on.I was unsuspecting that one of my primary health routines was causing fundamental harm and chronic neurological and psychiatric manifestations: ie my diet.

With much additional research and personal blood testing I became aware that I was carbohydrate intolerant (similar to hypoglycemia but biologicallydifferent). I knew this to be a fact in many patients I had worked with priorto my benzo journey, but did not see it in myself. The pieces began to fall into place during withdrawal-cravings for carbohydrate and sugars as well predictable groups of symptoms.

As I began to check my blood glucose level on an hourly basis after meals I was able to positively track myinability to process carbohydrates without activating the cortisols, adrenalinand the fight-or-flight neurological system. These hormones are like pouringgasoline on a neurologically damaged benzo brain....one might as well sip anamphetamine cocktail hourly.The more I researched the effects of benzodiazepines on the insulin/glucoseendocrine system, both while on the medications as well as withdrawal, the more it all fit.

Benzo use chronically elevates the blood sugars causing the pancreas to become dysfunctional or hyper responsive to carbohydrates. Once the drug is stopped the long standing insulin intolerance causes the brain to scream for sugar-when we honor that demand by eating carbohydrates; evencomplex carbos we stimulate the system further and cause additional damage to the nervous system.

There are many books out on carbohydrate intolerance I highly recommend youbecome educated on this diet and try it for several months. I have been on itfor 4 months and have lost almost all of what I thought were protracted withdrawal symptoms-as a side benefit my cholesterol went from 240 to 139, triglycerides from 190 to 63 and even though at 6' 3" and 220 pounds I was notobese I have lost 31 pounds and feeling very svelte.

So we may all be well

Rik