<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to reply to me! Your support and understanding are much appreciated. I have had a much better week than I thought I would, and I owe a lot to your support. I fully intend to "summarize in detail", if that's possible, but first I just want to say that staying away from refined sugar and concentrating on eating complex carbohydrates in combination with protein has made a 180 degree difference in my mindset. Now, for more detail... I received 35 responses in 4.5 days. Wow. I do intend to reply to each of you personally, but first I want to summarize our discussion for the list. Most people recommended giving in to my cravings in some form or another because my body was lacking nutrients. I guess what I forgot to tell you before is that I was craving mostly sugars, then carbos secondarily. (When I occasionally crave proteins and salad, of course I have no problem giving in to those!;) ) It's when I know there's rice flour chocolate chip cookies in the freezer that I go out of control. But that's not cool because I'm also hypoglycemic, and eating any type of refined sugar makes me crazy. So, thank you all SO MUCH for your recipes for cookies and cakes, etc., but I think I'll be much better off trying to stay as far as possible from refined sugar. I have to admit to eating a few cookies this week, but with a degree of restraint that I was not feeling before I started eating more protein and complex carbos. (At least I'm not eating the whole box in one sitting now....) In fact, a lot of people recommended staying completely away from refined sugar, as it is addictive, and the more we eat, the more we want. I have had a much better week because I haven't eaten as much. Recommended "healthier" fixes were popcorn, gf buns w/ cheese melted on top, and of course, fruit. Many people recommended exercise, as it raises our energy levels, and it takes our minds off eating. However, when reading chapter upon chapter of political theory, it's going to be hard for me to get up and go for a run every time I want a cookie. But I'll try!!!! I received one incredible message, which I would like to include here. Basically, it is a great story on complex carbohydrates mixed with protein, which I've found has made me a much more pleasant person... A lot of you specifically requested to be updated on what I learned this week, and I think this one response pretty much covers what is going to help me, personally. Maybe it will help you, too. -> "I'm 32, too, and tho not diagnosed, have just gone GF in the last 3 months. When i first stopped eating gluten my appetite nromalized--but for me that meant eating less. However, from time to time i have days when i can't stop eating. I expect your increased appetitie is because your body is suddenly realizing that there are _nutrients_ in food, and it is just _begging_ you for more nutrients. I recommend investing is some high quality foods, like quinoa, unrefined cold pressed olive oil, flax seed oil, fresh organic fruits and vegetables, nuts (raw unsalted), organic brown rice, tofu or tempeh (if you can eat soy), miso, real organic acidophilus yogurt, lots of greens like romaine, collards, spinach, etc. I emphasize organic because organically grown foods truly are more nutritious than commercially grown grains and vegetables, plus they have fewer indigestible/harmful chemicals on &in them, which are difficult for your body to process, and it uses up precious nutrients to metabolize petrochemicals and preservatives. Avoid as much as possible chips, fried things, candy, because they give you a load of calories, which your body may be screaming for, but little nutrition. At one point, while on the treadmill at the gymn, i looked up at the bank of TVs and saw image after image of some gleeful face chomping into a huge greasy burger--and, shocking to me as a 16 year vegetarian--actually moaned with desire for a burger! Now that has NEVER happened to me before, so i was fairly appalled, but thought about it a while and realized that i had been building muscles and really needed protein. So ate a big salad loaded with chickpeas, pumkin seeds, and a gooey tahini dressing, and was completely satisfied. It was a reminder that our bodies may be sending fairly specific messages about what they really want, but we may have to apply a little thought to narrow down our options to something that supplies the craved nutrients without resorting to junk food. I have found that eating only raw oils, in dressings or drizzled on top of food, satisfies what used to be temper-tantrum-level cravings for onion rings, tempura, fried mushrooms, etc. The higher quality the oil, the better, because the better it is the more nutrients you'll get out of it. And lastly, get a good, comprehensive, food based multivitamin/mineral and take lots of them. And for those cravings at work, when you are surrounded by nothing but doritos, carry about 3 lbs of fruit with you. You may need that much to get through the first few days without snacking on the wrong things. (i did.) When i am trying to change a dietary habit, i find i can't just say, "I'm never going to eat (blank) again in my entire life, cross my heart and hope to die." All that approach gives me is obsessive cravings for "blank". ;) so I commit to two weeks without a given food. Sometimes post notes to myself, or better yet, have someone else write them. (DONT YOU DARE! What's wrong with you you can't go without CHIPS?) At the end of the two weeks i have usually broken the habitual aspects of eating that food and no longer miss it very much. So anyaway i think that if you focus on eating truly nourishing foods, in other words, capitulate to your cravings in a constructive way, they will shut up and go away. But you have probably been malnourished a long time, so you may have several months of some degree of struggle ahead. hope this helps," (Thank you to the source - kr) One more thing to note: One person stressed taking multi-vitamins which contain glutamine (not gluten!) and chromium. I just bought some. If anyone wants to know how they're working, please feel free to contact me in two weeks or so... In final, I'm feeling more secure than I have in a long time. Thank you. Also, this list has helped me to locate another celiac in Arizona, and it turns out she lives about 1000 feet from where I do. I'm baking rice flour banana bread tomorrow. :) Take care to all, Kristin