I am not well… Seven days off of sugar, flour, and wheat have left me with symptoms that could sometimes rival my withdrawal from heavier substances all those years ago. I feel exhausted, spacey, headachy, anxious, and overwhelmed all at the same time. I keep waiting for the morning I arise to a clear head and a spring in my step. That morning has obviously not arrived…
Several years ago, I read a book called Anatomy of a Food Addiction: the brain chemistry of overeating by Anne Katherine, M.A. She is a Certified Eating Disorders Therapist and recovering food addict. Her plan views sugar and refined carbohydrates as types of drugs, which we use for comfort. I wholeheartedly agree! I love what she tells us to write in big letters:
“ABSTINENCE IS NOT A DIET.
ABSTINENCE IS AVOIDING A DANGEROUS DRUG.”
She advises for a slow withdrawal from these foods to minimize the harsh detox symptoms. Under her plan, you would avoid all forms of sugar and alcohol for a year before removing refined carbohydrates, including all white-flour foods. I am an extremely all-or-nothing kind of girl, so that would seem like an eternity to me. I would rather trudge through it all at once and be done with it.
Katherine describes the withdrawal period as “The Big Ten,” referring to the first 10 days as being the worst of it. I’m beginning day 8, so by her calculations I’m in the homestretch. She lists what we can expect during this time on p.126-127 of her book:
- Anger, sadness, anxiety, restlessness {for me, YES to all 4}
- Trouble sleeping {yes}
- Extreme thinking {yes}
- Strong urges to shop, spend, or go somewhere {no, I just want to stay in bed}
- Tricky cravings {YES}
- Loss of insight- forgetting your symptoms are detox-related {yes, this is probably the most difficult for me}
There are others listed, but I wanted to touch on the main ones I am dealing with. Although I don’t feel the need to shop or go somewhere yet, I can definitely understand that one. It is replacing food with another escape. I think once my exhaustion and headache wears off some, I may struggle with those more.
She gives a lot of tips in her plan. I think most of my physical symptoms are caused by not following many of her instructions. Honestly, I had completely forgot about this book until I decided to post on detox symptoms. I wish I had read over it again a couple of weeks ago.
Some important tips from her plan (p.123-126):
- Never skip a meal. Stick with three a day.
- Make sure to have protein with breakfast.
- Eat 2-3 whole fruits every day. {I think this would help tremendously with cravings}
- Switch to decaf. Caffeine can trigger appetite and fat storage.
- Get plenty of rest.
- Be outside some every day.
- Take a vitamin and mineral supplement.
There are more but these are the ones I want to focus on. I would add ‘Drink TONS of water’ to her list. I think I tend to stay dehydrated which can definitely make things worse.
Anne Katherine allows whole wheat in her daily diet. I am still a little torn on this one. I plan to research wheat dangers this afternoon for tomorrow’s post. Remember the list to prepare for your own journey to abstinence in Week 1 Survival Tips? The list to hopefully make your life easier so you won’t have to stress and suffer as I have during the withdrawal period. If you are a blogger, add pre-write a few weeks worth of posts to the end of the list :)…
Please check out the details and other posts of this series in my 31 Days to Food Addiction Recovery if you have not had a chance already!
*If you are interested in learning more, purchase Anatomy of a Food Addiction at your local bookstore, Amazon.com {my affiliate link}, or any other online book outlet.

Hey mama, keep going, it may feel like your going through a storm but the storm wont last forever, it will get easier. Hold on to your faith knowing you will make it through. Its getting over an addiction it wont be easy. Its like smoking, a person is so use to that nicotine, withdrawal symptoms start kicking in when its taken away. I had a boyfriend, we did EVERYTHING together. I could not move without him knowing. He was the first guy I allowed to have control over me, I was losing myself in ways unknown to me. I was addicted to him, it was like a necessary meal smh, the relationship was destructive. But candy cane I did not know how to wean myself off of him. It was rough and it took years but I finally did it. I still have struggles when I see or hear him. Thank God we live in two different countries now but with all the technology out there I still have to keep a safe distance. He was my destructive addiction.
Thanks Camii! I’m determined but it is hard. I’m glad you were able to escape such a destructive relationship! I so agree that with the internet it is difficult to truly get completely away from certain people, places, and things… Pinterest is not my friend these days with all the mouthwatering recipes, but I am there everyday anyway. Addiction, in any form, is a nightmare. Thank God for the ability to break free if we just depend on and trust Him.
Amen to that
Hang in there!! Easy for me to say, not being the one struggling with this.
Your words remind me of struggles of my own, tho not the same type and I’m praying for you. I know it can get dark.
Thinking of you.
Thanks for the prayers, Chris! I hope all is well with you and these struggles you refer to are soon in the past, if not already. You are right, it gets dark. I’m so thankful I force myself to share this journey, or I am certain it would be a lot darker. Sharing is so healing…
“Get plenty of rest. Be outside some every day.” Definitely need to consider these tips as I plan for healthy changes. I got great advice from my friend today and she suggested focusing on why we are making the changes as a way of working through rough days or weeks or months. Even though you didn’t read the book before you started perhaps you remembered it right when you were supposed to. You’re on my prayer list and its sounds like there are some other prayer warriors here who have you on their hearts. Hang in there!
I have not been getting outside at all which is why I really wanted to include that one. I feel like that would help tremendously! Trying to drink more water today but still not enough. I love your friend’s advice. Thank you for sharing it with me. I agree about the book surfacing exactly when it was supposed to… Thanks so much for your prayers and support Judith! I am getting a lot out of your 31 days of dream. plan. do series!