Date: Thu Jul 4, 2002 10:45 am

Subject: Re:Sugar!! & Benzo Belly "syndrome"

OOps,,,sorry about the blank post!

Anyway, had to report a recent observation to the group because if it makes

anyone else feel better then thats what this is all about!

I've been off benzos for over two years. I have very few problems

left-Primarily some lingering fatigue and muscle aches and pains. Once in a

while I feel a bit "spacey" -not like true depersonalization, but kind of

fuzzy around the edges.

Well, I did some diet changes again. When I was first off of Ativan I KNEW

that sugar made me feel worse immediately. I avoided it for quite some time,

but as all those terrible and nasty symptoms let up and I had few problems

remaining, I'll admit it-I got back into a routine of eating sugar. It didn't

seem a big deal-didn't affect me nearly the way it did in the begining.

However, I've recently learned through trial and error that sugar kicks in

the remaining symptoms I have left.

I have more muscle aches and pains, more fatigue and more of that "fog" that

just sort of hovers. It doesn't hit me immediately,but rather takes a more

lingering approach now. So I've cut it out again, completely, With the

exception of fresh fruits,,,it's outta here!

Maybe I'm more susceptible to it,,or maybe you'll notice a difference too if

you cut it out and keep it out of your diet. I can't begin to tell you how

much better I feel without it-all my lingering symptoms seem to disappear.

So,,,if you're eating the sweets, my advice it to try cutting them out for

several days and see if you don't notice a markable improvement!

Oh, and one more thing- I recently was listening to a nutritionist on the

radio ( I WISH I would have caught his name, was on my way to work)

He had a very interesting theory about stress and weight gain (aka benzo

belly). He said that when we are stressed our body stores fat,,it hordes it.

And, it primarily is stored around our middles. It makes a lot of sense when

you look at the majority of us, who are anxious and stressed from these drugs

and withdrawal symptoms.So, I guess besides the exercise and the nutrition we

really DO have to work on our stress levels to get rid of our thick middles!

Food for thought!

Shell

(STILL working on losing that benzo belly before my trip to Europe in

August!)