SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Concerned? Get Your Ticket Now to Dr. Weil's Fascinating NYC Nutrition Conference

For members of the public and forward-thinking medical professionals interested in learning about cutting-edge health and nutrition information, you'll want to check out the upcoming 3rd Annual Nutrition & Health Conference from April 30 to May 3, in New York City.

This year's conference is sure to be an exciting one, if last year's event is any indication. You see, for the 2005 conference, I hopped on a plane to Arizona for the amazing gathering, which is the brainchild of Dr. Andrew Weil and the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine. (It was exciting for me -- while there I interviewed Dr. Weil, Dr. Walter Willett and Dr. David Ludwig for my upcoming book, SUGAR SHOCK!)

Anyhow, this fabulous nutrition event -- which is co-sponsored by Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- features a fascinating line-up of panels and speakers, as you can see in the event's brochure.

If you're a physician, nurse, dietitian and other health care professional, you'll have a chance to attend talks about the following subjects during the May 1 to 3 program:

• "Omega 3 Fatty Acids: A Major Tool in Health and Disease"
• "Breast Cancer: Nutritional Strategies in Prevention and Treatment"
• "Nutrition for Children"
• "Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergies"
• "Vegetarian Nutrition in Practice: Big Blunders, Simple Solutions"
• "The Nutritional Management of Diabetes"
• "Evaluating Popular Diets"
• And much more...

If you're just a concerned citizen and want a program geared toward members of the public, you can go to the Public Forum, which includes talks from the following:

Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis to the sure-to-fill-up public event so if you want to go, I highly recommend that you register right now for the Public Forum.

By the way, if you go, look for me and make sure to introduce yourself. I'd love to meet some readers of this blog.

Dr. Andrew Weil Founder & Director, Program in Integrative Medicine

Dr. Marion Nestle, Professor, New York University, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies

Dan Barber, Organic Chef and Owner, Blue Hill Restaurant and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Dr. Joan D. Gussow, Mary Swartz Rose Professor Emeritus of Nutrition and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University

Start Serving Health Foods at the Movies! My Concession-Stand Idea

While I feel for businesses that aren't doing well, I can't say that I'm particularly sad when I hear that sales of movie theater candy are dwindling, as the Los Angeles Times recently reported .

Call me un-American, but my heart just doesn't go out to companies that rely on folks pigging out on popcorn and candy when seeing movies. Rather, my more profound empathy and tremendous compassion go to the folks, who are suffering from a variety of conditions and diseases, which may, in fact, be furthered, or even triggered, by their habit of consuming way too many quickie carbs.

But this box office slump and dwindling junk-food sales that movie theaters are experiencing is a prime occasion for me to rant and rail about my big pet peeve.

I absolutely hate, hate, hate that movie theaters sell only unhealthy, sugary, fatty food! You simply cannot find any decent, nutritious fare in movie theaters. Why not?!

Ugh, every time I see a film (which is quite often), I have to look the other way as I pass by nutrient-lacking, calorie-filled "foods" that seek to tempt me. I'm pretty good now at passing by concession stands--or even just buying water at the movies. (OK, I confess that I do make once-in-a-blue-moon slips--buying some popcorn--which I always regret later.)

Look, I am saddened that movie theaters aren't doing so well because of dwindling attendance. (I'm exempt here -- several movie theater houses actually make good money off my friends and me, because we regularly feed our movie habit. I just love seeing films as a way to set aside my cares for a couple of hours.)

But, frankly, I'm sick of having water as my only option to buy at the movies. It's downright annoying and even unnerving to be forced to sneak in some almonds and other healthy snacks--and hope that some movie theater guard doesn't throw me out for breaking their ridiculous rules--that you're only allowed to eat their calorie-laden, sugary or salty fare.

Anyhow, back to this fascinating piece by Los Angeles Times reporter John Horn. The astute journalist caught a hopeful sign amidst the bad news about dwindling theater concession spending. (Big hurrahs for the newspaper for which I used to write, first as an intern and later as a freelancer.)

Horn writes:

"Where some see lemons, others see lemonade — or, at least, fruit smoothies. Steve Nilforoushan says that what theaters and their patrons really need is a healthy alternative to all those salty and sugary rations."

Amen to that! Horn continues:

"Appearing at the convention for the first time, Nilforoushan was launching Smoovies, a frozen drink filled with bananas, strawberries and no high-fructose corn syrup. Nilforoushan says his concoctions would cost just over $1 for exhibitors to make, and retail for as much as $6.50 — a healthy profit for theaters, he says, but not a wallet-gouging increase over what such drinks cost in smoothie stores."

No high fructose corn syrup? Now that is cool! More from Horn:

"Look around here. Everything is junk food," Nilforoushan said, surveying the ShoWest tradeshow floor. "Movie attendance doesn't really worry me, because the graph for growth in the smoothie industry is going up exponentially."

Now that's more like it! But, seriously, why don't these concessionaires take their cue from the increasingly popular Whole Foods and start offering apples, pears, bananas, raw vegetables, or maybe even some healthy soups?

Actually, my favorite movie-theater concession idea is this: Whole Foods, Wild Oats or Trader Joe's (or whichever health-food chain gets smart first) opens stands in every theater across America, offering nutritious snacks to us moviegoers. Yum!

Like my idea? Help me get it heard by the powers that be at health food chains across the country!

Why is the American Dietetic Association Pushing Low-Fat Ice Cream?

I confess: I'm completely baffed.

Why is the American Dietetic Association -- the the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals -- promoting low-fat ice cream?

Forgive my ignorance, but I just can't fathom why the ADA -- which professes to be dedicated "to helping people enjoy healthy lives -- would proclaim, as it did in its one-page Web item that "We All Scream for Ice Cream!"

We do? That's news to me. Even the most diehard of sugar addicts don't necessarily find ice cream compelling. Sure, many folks go for the creamy stuff but hey, why push it on us? And bear in mind that low-fat ice cream still contains all kinds of chemicals and even sugar. So what's so great about its nutritional content?

Very strange.

Suffice it to say that this "ad" -- because that's really what it seems to be -- raises lots of questions, the first of which is: Why would such a piece be produced by the ADA's Public Relations Team? Doesn't the organization employ writers with no special PR needs to fulfill?

I have lots more questions about this questionable low-fat ice cream push, but my fellow bloggers,first Regina Wilshire, in her Weight of the Evidence blog, and then Parke Wilde, in his U.S. Food Policy Blog, both eloquently covered the subject so I encourage you to read their takes on this controversial ADA move.

Then ask yourself: Wouldn't it make a lot more sense if the oft-quoted ADA spoke out favorably about vegetables and fruits instead of unnatural, sugar-filled, low-fat ice cream?

Sure makes a lot more sense to me.

Thank you, Regina and Parke, for pointing out this curious ADA PR ploy to us.

6 Million Americans Now Have Diabetes But Don't Know It -- "Sound the Alert"

Are you at risk for diabetes? Let the American Diabetes Association help you find out now today.

March 28 is the ADA's annual public--awareness "Alert Day," which is intended to reach undiagnosed diabetics and those at risk of getting diabetes.

Millions of people currently have diabetes but don't even know it.

Right now, nearly 21 million Americans (20.8) already have diabetes, with another 41 million Americans, who have pre-diabetes. (That means their blood gloucose (sugar) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.)

The ADA has a couple of partners in its efforts to identify diabetics. Beginning today and continuing throughout the year, Rite Aid pharmacies nationwide will offer Diabetes Risk Tests to their customers beginning on March 28 and continuing throughout the year.

In addition, the Discovery Channel will air three 60-second spots about diabetes; the first is set to air today.

Take the Diabetes Risk Test now.

For more info, call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383).

Harvard Health Letter Critiques USDA's MyPyramid

Whenever anyone from Harvard issues nutrition information, I sit up and take note.

That's because the Harvard School of Public Health generally offers some really sound advice. Moreover, Harvard can boast a number of excellent researchers, including the forward-thinking Dr. Walter Willett.

In fact, Dr. Willett, the author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, has spearheaded some groundbreaking research, some of which I highlight in my upcoming book SUGAR SHOCK!

For those of you wondering what to eat, Dr. Willett also developed a food pyramid that makes sense -- the Healthy Eating Pyramid, which he discusses in his book.

Anyhow, today the Harvard Heart Letter sent a press release noting that its April issue takes a look at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) MyPyramid as its one-year anniversary hits. (For those of you in the dark, MyPyramid replaced the former food pyramid.)

The Haravard Heart Letter press release today points out, "although it redecorated and renamed the old pyramid, the USDA didn't carry out the necessary changes needed to offer clear information on strategies for healthful eating.

"MyPyramid fails to convey key messages from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the document that the food pyramid is supposed to represent, and it makes some recommendations that aren't the best nutrition advice."

For example, the Harvard Heart Letter notes that MyPyramid fails in that:

• It doesn't contain specific enough advice regarding fats and carbs. (MyPyramid only advised you to "choose wisely" when it comes to those food groups.)
• It doesn't make distinctions between various protein sources and "sidesteps the evidence that eating less red meat and more of the other protein sources offers numerous health benefits."

The Harvard Heart Letter did praise the following aspects of MyPyramid:

• MyPyramid stresses physical activity.
• It uses common measurements like cups and ounces.
• It tries not to offer "one-size-fits-all recommendations."

But the Harvard Heart Letter claims -- rightly so -- that "MyPyramid is not an unbiased source of information. It comes solely from the USDA, the government agency that promotes American agriculture."

For more information, you can order the Harvard Heart Letter here. 

And while you're at it, check out this other interesting article, "Food Pyramids: What Should You Really Eat?" from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Confronting a Sugar Habit At Long Last: Amanda's Tale

If you're struggling with a sugar addiction, you'll defniitely relate to the poignant, powerful words from Amanda Lerner, a classmate of mine at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Amanda is a strong, driven woman with a mission: She wants to kick sugar--and badly. So determined is she that she is now documenting her journey, as I did back in 1998.

I invite you to root for her as she faces head-on her addiction. Read her brutally honest "Diary of a Sugar Addict" at www.BeautyNewsNYC.com.

Just listen to one telling entry:

"Ate chunk of chocolate. Felt somewhat blissful. 10 minutes later, snapped at BF [boyfriend] for no apparent reason. Finished the bar to ease my guilt. By the end of the night I was mysteriously crying. And to think PMS was a week away…"

Ah yes, this all sounds so very familiar. No wonder I finally kicked after being trapped by my habit for so long. The tempting taste of refined sweets just is not worth it.

Want some help kicking sweets? Join my free, online KickSugar group.

Stay tuned for part 2 of Amanda's tale, coming in April. 

Stressed Out? Learn to Relax Tomorrow Night

If you're stressed out, as many of us are, I've got some great news.

Tomorrow night, I'm presenting a very special tele-seminar to help you manage your stress.

It's with a wonderful M.D., who specializes in stress management and who also just happens to be one of those who has the most incredible bedside manner!

* * *

So, do any of the following ring true for you?

• Are you having challenges keeping your stress under control?
• Do you lose your focus or your cool when feeling overwhelmed?
• Do you cave in and eat fattening, sugary foods at ice cream eateries, bagel joints and other tempting places
• Do you feel yourself getting wound up when there's simply too much to do?

Look to be honest with you, managing my stress is quite challenging to me at times.

That's why tomorrow night's tele-seminar is very special to me.

It's designed to give you some effective stress-busting tips.

Our two-part program began last week, but you can still catch up.

If you'd like to learn how to better handle stress, you'll want to attend the second of our two-part, stress-relieving tele-seminar series.

* * *

So....

I'm pleased to present Jill Baron, M.D., PC, FAAP, DABHM -- an acclaimed Primary Care and Holistic Physician and Stress Management Expert -- in her 'Don't Mess With Stress™ tele-seminar series.

In this exciting tele-seminar, I'll interview Dr. Baron, who will give you easy techniques to:

• Relax at any time, under any condition...even in crowded airports, long lines at the supermarket or when your significant other or kids are screaming at you;
• Keep you from reaching for cookies, chocolates and other refined carbs, even when surrounded by one enticing candy store or bakery after another;
• Sleep better;
• Make healthier food choices so you have more energy, improved concentration and a more relaxed frame of mind;
• Be more calm and have fewer mood swings so you don't take it out on the ones you love;
• Decrease your risk of diabetes; and
• Optimize your overall health.

Space is limited to this exciting program, so reserve your place now, before all the spots are gone.

Worried because you missed the first of the two tele-seminars? No problem: Getting on the list will ensure that you get free access to downloads for both calls.

* * *

Here are the details you'll need:

TOPIC: Don't Mess With Stress™

GUEST: Jill Baron, M.D., PC, FAAP, DABHM -- an acclaimed Primary Care and Holistic Physician and Stress Management Expert.

DATE: March 28, 2006

TIME: 5:30 pm Pacific / 7:30 pm Central / 8:30 pm Eastern

HOST/INTERVIEWER/PRESENTER: Connie Bennett, journalist/kick-sugar coach; author, SUGAR SHOCK! (Jan. 2007); holistic health counselor; and creator of the Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program™ and 21-Day, Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Countdown Diet™

DURATION: 60 to 75 Minutes

NOTE: We start promptly, according to Time.gov.

RAFFLE PRIZES: For those who participate in the call live, we will hold a special drawing for:

- 2 complimentary admissions to my upcoming 21-Day Stop SUGAR SHOCK™ Diet & Countdown Program™, designed to help you Stomp Sugar Out of Your Life!, beginning May 9. (Value - $ 397)

- 2 complimentary admissions to replays of all 14 (10 so far) tele-seminars in my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program™. (Value - $97)

Sign up now for the exciting stress-busting call.

While you're at it, feel free to spread the word about Dr. Baron's exciting, two-part tele-seminar series.

Fascinating Event to Improve School Food in New York City

"Two Angry Moms" Amy Kalafa, H.H.C. and Susan P. Rubin D.M.D., H.H.C. -- who recently appeared in one of my tele-seminars -- are speaking at an exciting event on April 1 in New York City.

If you're a concerned parent or administrator in the New York, you'll find this day-long conference, Schools and Food: Innovation, Opportunity and Wellness, quite intriguing.

The event, sponsored by the Baum Forum, will highlight "the challenges, successes and proven strategies for implementing change in the school food environment from pre-k through college."

Wow -- a lot of interesting topics will be covered.

Presentors will discuss recent research, current legislation, inspiring local and state policies, sample menu items, nutrition and gardening-based curricula, advocacy tool kits, farm-to-school programs, and how to build coalitions for change.

The list of collaborating organizations is pretty impressive, too. They include Just Food, New York Coalition for Healthy School Lunches, Slow Food U.S.A., and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I'm currently studying to become a holistic health counselor.

Here's how to register.

The Looming Threat of Obesity

CNN News offers a very concise, measured overview article about the dangers of obesity, with a compelling lead about formerly obese Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who now speaks out about the need for Americans to peel off the pounds.

Huckabee -- who began to lose weight after being diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic, believes he hit about 300 pounds (his scale only went up to 280) -- also presents an optimistic view -- one much needed, given the alarming stats.

"My own experience gives credibility to the fact that people can change," Huckabee told CNN.

Well, in my humble opintion, we need lots of optimism like that and equally ample motivation, because, as CNN pointed out, about two of every three American adults, and more than one in six children and adolescents are considered overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What's more, some 31 percent or 60 million people in the U.S. are now obese -- they have a Body Mass Index of 30 or more, according to Dr. Cynthia Ogden, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As news accounts warn repeatedly, if you're overweight, you increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and some cancers.

"A study released last year by the National Institutes of Health suggests average life expectancy could decline by nearly five years if the rising rates of obesity cannot be curbed," CNN reports.

"Costs attributed to overweight and obesity accounted for 9.1 percent of total U.S. medical expenditures in 1998, according to a study cited by the CDC. The costs may have been as high as $78.5 billion -- $92.6 billion in 2002 dollars."

Read CNN's interesting article.

Then, please take some action. Here are some ideas of how you could lose weight to increase your health, get more energy, and scale back the threat of all many diseases and conditions.

• Join my free, online KickSugar group for some support. (Cutting out sweets or at least cutting back on them and getting your blood sugar under control could help you lose weight.)
• If you eat when under stress, sign up for this Tuesday's Don't Mess With Stress™ tele-seminar with stress-management expert Jill Baron, M.D. (We're offering replays/MP3s of the course so you can re-use these relaxation techniques over and over again.)
• Join Weight Watchers, Overeaters Anonymous or another weight-loss support group.

Please, I urge you, if you're among the overweight or obese, do something!  Is eating all those sweets, quickie carbs and fast foods worth living a shorter life?

Clever Animated Video Parody on www.Mercola.com

You simply have to check out this animated video parody released by Dr. Joseph Mercola, and based on the health fable authored by Mike Adams (www.NewsTarget.com).

The animation cleverly delves into the impending demise of an accident-prone town that treats symptoms of traffic accidents (skid marks) rather than their causes. In other words, it investigates the absurdity of treating diseases with drugs.

Rather than ruin the surprising or not-so-surprising conclusions and inferences, I'll let you see the piece for yourself.

But YahooNews.com provides a clever summation, noting that the"entertaining 7-minute video animation creatively parodies everyone involved in the existing health care system — the greedy pharmaceutical industry, the self-interested medical profession, the inept FDA, a general public ignorantly aiding in their own downfall, and even the so-called 'crackpots' and 'quacks' who are ridiculed for sounding the alarm."

Sure enough, the clever video irked some folks. Indeed, as a special report from Dr. Mercola today notes, their "information servers were attacked by a source that does not want you to know the truth about the medical industry."

This meant that yesterday "all of the site's articles weren't accessible for most of the day." Whether or not there's any truth to this, Dr. Mercola suspects that their video which "sharply criticizes the current medical establishment" and which is spreading extensively across the web, including the Yahoo piece, "likely" prompoted this "retaliative attack from a company or organization that financially benefits from the corrupt conventional healthcare model."

By the way, when I looked at the video, there were still some kinks to iron out. I could only see half of it before the video just stopped mid-stream and repeated one image over and over again. I hope they get it up soon. I want to see the ending!

If you have problems viewing this, see the illustrated storyboard here.

For those of you who don't know about this great www.Mercola.com website, it was founded by clinician and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopath. The site is the Web’s #1-ranked natural health website (and the Web’s 2nd most popular non-government health website overall, according to Web ranking engine Alexa.com).

Diabetics Misguided About Ideal Weight

Well, sadly, this makes sense.

Just as anorexics don't realize they're emaciated, it appears that many Americians who are diabetic just don't realize they're overweight or even obese -- they actually think they're at a healthy weight, according to a recent study coming out of the University of Pittsburgh.

"These findings are concerning given the importance of body weight in managing diabetes," study first author Dr. Kathleen McTigue, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a prepared statement, according to HealthDayNews.

McTigue and her colleagues looked at nearly 2,500 diabetic patients and found that "41 percent reported a 'healthiest' weight for their height that actually measured in the overweight body mass index (BMI) range," the researcher said. And 6 percent thought their "healthiest" weight was one that was obese.

Then, looking at obese respondents, 66 percent thought that an overweight or obese body weight was ideal for health. And another 41 percent of overweight patients believe that a too-high-weight is healthy. And only 4 percent of normal-weight patients overestimated healthy body weight.

What gives? Why would peple think that a higher-than-normal weight is healthy?

Is it because we're simply surrounded by overweight and obese people? After all, 65% of Americans are overweight or obese.

This sounds like an important study, because if people feel their weight is normal or ideal and they're really overweight or obese, then they're going to not be as motivated to lose weight.

Obesity & Diabetes on the Rise in Massachusetts

The Boston Globe reports that both obesity and diabetes are on the rise in Massachusetts.

Actually, I defy anyone out there to find me one state in the U.S. that isn't experiencing a sharp rise in obesity and diabetes.

Sometimes, the spate of news accounts about our soaring amounts of adipose tissue and diabetes just get so depressing...

But while one can dwell on the dismal news, reporter Stephen Smith ended his piece on an up note. (Kudos to him for doing that.)

Journalist Smith tells the story of a 5-food-9-inch man, David Arnold Ackerman, who used to weight 222 pounds and who used to include in sweets -- cakes, cookies and ice cream.

''But when they told me I was borderline diabetic, I stopped the sweets cold turkey," he told the Globe. ''It was a terrible addiction for me."

Ackerman did exactly what I recommend: He began to eat more veggies, spend time on a treadmill, and he kicked the sweets.

He's now a trim 165 pounds. Cool, eh?

Stressed Out? Get Simple Tools In 2 Tele-Seminars, Beginning Tomorrow Night

Stressed out? Tired of caving into cravings when overwhelmed? Yearning to take control?

If you can, you'll want to attend a groundbreaking tele-seminar tomorrow night at 8:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. PST). (This is the first in a two-part series -- the second class is the following Tuesday, March 28, 2006.)

Acclaimed stress-management expert Dr. Jill Baron will present her Don't Mess With Stress™ program to teach you the tools you need to handle stress with grace, fun and ease. 

Sign up now, because space is limited and slots are quickly filling up.

More details coming soon about this exciting program.

Apology for Regretful Headline & Analogy re Sugar-Can-Be-Addictive Post

I admit it: Looks like I really put my foot in my mouth.

Please accept my formal, profuse apology for the badly chosen headline and analogy for my recent blog entry, entitlted "Sugar Can Be As Addictive as Heroin, Diet Expert Says."

Witchlin and others who commented on the Low Carb Newsline website (where my posts also appear), I'm truly, truly sorry if my analogy and headline offended you.

I do not mean, in any way, to minimize the intense suffering experienced either by those with a drug addiction or the family members.

It must be simply beyond awful to to be in either shoes, and clearly having a heroin addiction is a horrific nightmare far, far worse than having a "sugar addiction." I can understand how you feel that comparing them is simply unfair.

Again, writing the headline I did was a very bad judgment call on my part and being on a tight deadline is no excuse for the insensitive error I made in drawing a close analogy to heroin addiction and "sugar addiction."

Having said that, I'd like to point out that, if you'll note, I basically used a very similiar headline to the one that ran on this TV news story.  The KCAL Channel 9 news piece that I singled out bore the headline: "Diet Expert: Sugar Can Be As Addictive as Heroin." (Feb. 13, 2006). I then unthinkingly wrote a headline using the same angle. (Perhaps you might like to write to them, too, with your justifiable complaint.)

Alas, in my haste to post something so that people could hear this interesting TV news story, I made a horrible mistake. 

But, while it may be  unfair to compare having a heroin addiction with the nightmare of "sugar addiction" and I'm embarrassed that I presented it the way that I did, allow me to explain, however, that in my work with thousands of people who claim to be "hooked on sugar," the common complaint is this: "I have no control. I feel just like a drug addict.".

There is some literature on the subject that repeats this refrain. In fact, in Sugar Blues by William Dufty, he writes:

"I knew enough about junkies to recognize reluctantly my kinship with them. I was kicking cold turkey, the thing they talked about with such terror. After all, heroin is nothing but a chemical. They take the juice of the poppy and they refine it into opium and then they refine it to morphine and finally to heroin. Sugar is nothing but a chemical. They take the juice of the cane or the beet and they refine it to molasses and then they refine it to brown sugar and finally to strange white crystals."

Experts such as chemical dependency specialist Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., CEO of Radiant Recovery (The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Plan, Little Sugar Addicts, Potatoes, Not Prozac, etc.), Dr. Rachel F. Heller and Dr. Richard F. Heller (Carbohydrate Addicts books), Julia Ross (The Mood Cure) and others also use this analogy, comparing sugar addiction to drug addiction.

March is National Nutrition Month

Did you know that March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association?

The ADA designed the campaign "to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits."

Here's the suggested proclamation that the ADA urges peoople get signed by governors or mayors around the country.

Well, let's hope some of this focus on nutrition will reach those who most need it -- people suffering from weight issues, health concerns, etc.

To help students learn about nutrition in honor of the ADA's special month, Education World compiled a wealth of great resources "for teachers who mix healthful nutrition into their classroom instruction."

Check out some information, featured the catchily named articles, Canteloupe Instead of Cupcakes? Believe It! and Nutrition on the Net -- Healthful Activities for Every Grade!

Special thanks to Joshua Rosenthal, founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I'm going to school, for the heads up on the fact that March is National Nutrition Month.

Sugar Can Be As Addictive as Heroin, Diet Expert Says

For those of you who've felt sweets "calling out" to you, you'll feel heartened after watching these  interviews with sugar addiction expert Julia Ross, as well as two former sugar addicts, who now have conquered their habit.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ross, author of The Diet Cure and The Mood Cure, for my upcoming booK, SUGAR SHOCK!

Get inspired now by listening to this short news report from KCal Channel Nine News in southern California.

What I find almost ironic is that I used to live in L.A. (where this piece aired) and seeing this news item when I was in the throes of my sugar addiction--would have brought me tremendous hope and encouragement.

So, let this news piece show you sugar junkies out there that you can successfully beat this destructive behavior.

Incidentally, when kicking sweets, I was on most of the supplements that are mentioned in this report.

CSPI & Other Health Advocates Call on Senate to Reject "Reckless," "Wrongheaded" Food-Safety Laws

What the heck is going on? Why would members of Congress even think of passing a bill that cuts back on food-safety and labeling requirements? Why threaten our citizens by not requiring critical laws that provide for such things as shellfish safety and restaurant hygiene?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest and other groups are alarmed about this state of affairs.

In fact, leading food safety advocates -- responding to the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005, H.R. 4167 -- are calling for a boycott of the big food companies that wrote the legislation and lobbied Congress to secure its passage.

Now the U.S. Senate is considering this bill, which would wipe out more than 200 state and local food-safety and labeling requirements that would protect consumers from infected, toxic and carcinogenic food. This act would eliminate ways to alert us about health hazards in our food and water such as mercury in fish, arsenic in water, genetically modified ingredients in common foods, carcinogens in processed foods, and pathogens in raw and undercooked foods.

But at least some lawmakers are smart enough to realize that this potential legislation is horrific. In the last week, 39 State Attorneys General and seven Governors have urged the House of Representatives to reject this wrongheaded legislation.

Even former USDA insider Dr. Luise Light, nutritionist and food safety activist, is outraged.

"At a time when we know that there are 72 million bouts of illness, 325,000 hospitalizations, and more than 5000 deaths each year as the result of food poisoning, what justification can there be for destroying the minimal food safety protections now in place?" says Dr. Light, author of What to Eat; the Ten Things You Need to Know to Eat Well and Be Healthy (McGraw Hill, 2006), "As we import more food from third world countries with poor food sanitation, we need more and better regulations, not fewer and weaker ones," adds the former USDA insider, who is one of a number of activists calling for a big food brand boycott to drive home the anger of many consumers and food, health and environmental professionals to the legislation passed in the House on March 8, 2006, without public input.

Other groups who've also opposed this legislation include the Association of Food and Drug Professionals, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, the Organic Consumers Association, and numerous other consumer and environmental groups.

All of them are urging the Senate to vote to undo the damage done by the House.

Please join alarmed citiizens and write to your legislators now to prevent this dreadful proposed legislation from being passed. Here's how to take action.

Special thanks to Pam Killeen, investigative consumer reporter and real food activist, for alerting me to Dr. Light's involvement in this important issue.

Calling Moms, Dads, School Administrators & Other Concerned People: Boot Junk Food Out of the Schools And Donate to Two Angry Moms Important Film Project

If you're concerned about the foods served to children nationwide in their schools, then you need to know about the Two Angry Moms Amy Kalata and Susan Rubin, who both appeared last night in my the final official call of my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program™.

If you missed their articulate, impassioned remarks -- they really were wonderful interviewees and guests -- then stay tuned here, because we will let you know soon when a replay/MP3 is available.

Amy and Susan talked about a number of exciting programs across the country, some of which they are featuring in their documentary in the making.

Here's where you come in: These very talented and committed ladies need your lunch money, so I urge you to take my lead and donate now to Two Angry Moms (yes, I contributed this week to this very worthwhile project). you can view some clips here.

Just think about how powerful such a film can be!

Armed with a movie camera, Amy and Susan are visiting school cafeterias nationwide to see what foods are on the menu and what the kids are eating. They're speaking to food service vendors, teachers, health experts, politicians and parents, as well as officials from the USDA and the FDA.

They're even analyzing the contents of school lunches and they're examining the nutritional content. They're addressing what's gone wrong with our School Lunch Program. And they're coming up with some viable strategies to get real food into our nation's school cafeterias.

If you'd like to get a flavor for what they're doing, check out some preview clips here.

Sure, Amy and Susan are just two moms. But when Agricultural Secretary Susan Coombs said that it will take 2 million angry moms to change the school lunch program, the two committed women got an idea. They're now looking for 2 million angry moms.

This is where you come in! If you're here, you probably agree that our nation's kids should be able to choose wholesome, nutritious food in schools instead of all that processed, sugary, nutrient-lacking crap. Any and Susan like to say that "It's a mom. It's a movement." And they're right on.

So I invite you to donate now to Two Angry Moms. If you help them make the film, Amy and Susan will even show it in your school district.

Just think about it: Given Amy's extensive film credits and Susan's impressive background, you could be in on the ground floor of the next Super Size Me.

That's right. I'm completely convinced that these 2 million moms could make this film a huge hit. But that's just part of what all these women could do.

These 2 million moms, led by Amy and Susan, could change what's served in our nation's schools. Isn't this exciting?

So, again, I urge you to become one of the 2 million Angry Moms. (Hey, join even if you're not a mom.) We have to serve kids better foods or they could continue to gain weight, get diseases such as type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes), have difficulty learning in school, have mood swings, and ultimately die at an early age.

If you are completely new to this whole subject and you're wondering why nourishing, wholesome foods should be served in schools, then listen to this wonderful quote, which I took from the website for Susan's organization, Westchester Coalition for Better School Food:

The actress/activist/junk food opponent Marilu Henner said:

"Research has shown that even small amounts of processed food alter the chemical balance in our brain and cause negative mood swings along with noticeable drips in energy."

Feedback From Leader of Hypoglycemia Organization on Last Night's Tele-Seminar

Just received the following e-mail from someone I greatly admire about last night's tele-seminar with the Two Angry Moms and Gary Ruskin of Commercial Alert.

Roberta Ruggiero, founder and president of the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation, wrote:

"Last night was fantastic...you provided a wealth of information plus  an introduction to three specialists joining together to  get the junk foods out of our schools. The only way this could happen is if we all join together. I will definitely contact them ASAP.

"I am so proud of the work you are doing!"

In case you're wondering why Roberta is "proud" of me, it's because she was my sole support when I kicked sugar back in 1998. I used to bug her with phone calls every couple of weeks with one question after another.

Listen to a free replay of Roberta, who appeared in Week # 1 of my Fast-Track, Kick-Sugar Countdown Program™ at http://www.KickSugar.com/replay.

Stomp Out Stress Without Eating Sweets: Special Offer

Feeling overwhelmed by all the demands on your time? Do you cave into your cravings when stressed out? Tired of being controlled by your frenzied, harried life?

Then, you'll want to learn about Dr. Jill Baron's Don't Mess With Stress™ tele-seminar program, which we're offering held Tuesdays, March 21 and 28, 2006 at 8 p.m. EST (5 p.m. PST).

In this exciting two-part tele-seminar, Dr. Baron -- an acclaimed integrative physician -- will:

* Teach you what to do in the first 10 seconds when that sugar craving hits and you're tempted to eat something you know will later make you feel tired, unfocused, pissed off and awful.

* Reveal pointers on how to keep walking or driving by that tempting McDonald's sign and that enticing brownie.

* Give you very simple tactics to topple stress in the very moment that you need it.

* Tell you how stress can damage your health and show you how to bring back good health.

* Instruct you on easy stress-busting tactics such as the 'Twenty Breath' technique.

* Show you how to relax at any time, under any condition.

* Help you to reverse stress with foods and supplements.

* And much more!

If you register now through March 17 at noon, you can take advantage of a huge discount.

To sign up now for this exciting program, click here.