Question by Midnight: Elderly Relative With Food Addiction +Type 2 Diabetes–HELP?
My grandmother has recently been put in our care, and she is a SEVERE type 2 diabetic and also suffers extreme food addiction. She often sneaks and stashes potentially fatal foods, and lashes out when her cravings are denied. She throws intense tantrums and fits, (despite a history of heart trouble, and resulting blood pressure concerns) she has disdain/disregard for all caretakers and medical professionals, and dismisses all health restrictions, she completely fails to take any responsibility of her condition. My grandmother is in utter denial of her diabetes and responds to all attempts to reason by flying into a defensive rage.

She will get caught red-handed with food, stashes, and high glucose levels, and still flat-out deny the obvious with defensiveness, denial, and rage. In these instances she will have blood glucose levels of 500-600. I’ve even seen it as high as 800+, which she takes no issue with. She refuses to acknowledge any concerns despite 2 diabetic comas and several previous hospital visits. She will lie, manipulate, and abuse in order to get what she wants from her loved ones. She often plays the prisoner card, and uses lines like “If you ever cared about me,” “I’m a grown woman” and often threatens to take off.

At this point, I’m worried if the sugar doesn’t kill her, her blood pressure and heart problems will. We’ve resorted to locking the cupboards and hiding the kids’ food. But with her strict diet and a large family, accidents are bound to happen.

I’m still new to this, and at a complete loss. We’ve always sworn we wouldn’t put her in a home, but have no idea what else to do. I can’t seek advice from her doc for a couple of weeks. So in the meantime, does anyone know of ANY resources for combating food addiction? (Informational sites, types of counseling, experience, advice/tips, etc?) I could really use some sort of guidance, as I’ve never dealt with this kind of thing before. I don’t even know where to start.

I appreciate your time, thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have. Serious responses only please.

Best answer:

Answer by Adair
I don’t know much about food addictions, but if it’s a sugar addiction there are a few things that you can do. Blood sugar and sugar addiction can make a person have mood swings. I’ve been told I get very angry very quickly when my blood sugar wacky. This is going to sound terrible, but have her checked for worms. Sometimes people with worms can crave sugar more because the worms crave it. Worms can also cause emotional distress, insomnia, and depression in their host. Give her MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) which is an organosulfur. It does so many wonderful things: it cures sugar cravings by killing extra yeast in the system, helps alleviate depression, builds connective tissue, builds collagen and helps hair to grow. Your granny will be happier, will be able to move better, and will look and feel younger. It can be found in the vitamins and supplements section of any drug store. Sulfur needs water to work, so give her plenty of water each day. If she’s eaten sugar, you can counteract it with cinnamon. Really! Cinnamon helps the pancreas make insulin AND helps muscles absorb it. Put two teaspoons or more into some hot tea- that’s how I usually like to take my cinnamon. It can be sprinkled on or mixed in various foods. Be careful how you use it because one can grow tired of the same flavor after awhile. I love it because it makes me feel instant relief and it’s sooooooo cheap. One container cost under $ 2 and last me for over a month. A-MA-ZING!! Cinnamon is still being researched as a treatment for diabetics and of course anything cheap and easy isn’t going to be easily recommended by doctors who are influenced by the drug companies. (Speaking of such, garlic greatly reduces blood pressure so when your grandmother is freaking out, cut up a clove of garlic and put it in her salad, a sandwich or just request that she eat it whole. Add fresh garlic to her diet.) There are cinnamon capsules but they’re expensive. Because saliva reduces it’s effectiveness, the capsule protects the cinnamon until it’s past the mouth. Be sure to get your grandmother out of the house so she doesn’t feel so trapped and won’t have access to your cupboards (of course she’ll have access to other things, but could easily be watched if someone is with her.) Give her as much freedom and choice as you can. Maybe she should have some responsibility in the house. Make sure to seek her for something she’s capable of helping you with. Good luck.

What do you think? Answer below!