SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

"Bad Carbs" Aren't To Blame for Obesity, Professor Claims! Hogwash, I Say! It's Time for a Debate

If you've read SUGAR SHOCK! and check out this blog regularly, you'll know that I found a preponderance of research studies (which still keep pouring in) to support the theory that refined carbs -- which I often call "culprit carbs" -- can make you fat and give you other diseases.

So, it was certainly with great interest (and, I confess, a huge amount of skepticism) that I learned about a new review article in the October Journal of the American Dietetic Association from a University of Virginia professor, who considers the bad-carbs-make-you-fat theory complete rubbish.

Not one to shy away from controversy, I thought you should know that Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., professor of exercise physiology and director of the Kinesiology Program in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, believes that this heavily documented hypothesis about culprit carbs is “just nonsense,” Science Daily reported.

"Eating sandwiches with white bread, or an occasional doughnut, isn't going to kill you, or necessarily even lead to obesity," Dr. Gaesser said, according to Science Daily. (Come on, folks, how many people eat only occasional doughnuts -- American ingest a plethora of these culprit carbs, including white bread, which do lead to weight gain, as well as a host of other diseases.)

But I'm here to let the outspoken scientist who believes carbs won't kill you have his say.

Dr. Gaesser, who is author of  It's the Calories, Not the Carbs and Big Fat Lies: The Truth About Your Weight and Your Health, also reportedly found that diets high in carbs are "almost universally associated with slimmer bodies," as Science Daily puts it. (What kinds of carbs are we talking about? Fruits and vegetables? Processed carbs?)

Again, bear in  mind that you'll find an opposing viewpoint in my book SUGAR SHOCK! and also in the meticulously researched, fascinating new book, Good Calories, Bad Calories, from renowned science journalist Gary Taubes, who has achieved considerable acclaim for his ability to cull facts from fiction.

In fact, you can listen to Gary Taubes eloquently present his point of view on this week's my Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Show on Blog Talk Radio. (Shame I wasn't feeling better that day myself.)

Back to another conclusion from Dr. Gaesser. He found that consuming lots of high-glycemic foods is not associated with higher body weights, another conclusion with which I find fault.

Slipped? Destroyed Your Diet? 7 Tips to Get Back on Track

Lately, I've been hearing from people who started eating sugar again and who wanted some guidance. Here's an article I wrote to help them -- and you -- if you fell off the no-sweets wagon.

Slipped? Destroyed Your Diet? 7 Tips to Get Back on Track
By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Did you fall off the diet wagon? Did you eat foods you promised to forego? Are you upset with yourself for "stupidly" eating sugary or fast-acting carbs?

Time and time again, my clients and readers of my book SUGAR SHOCK! complain to me about how they stumbled and fell down again. They desperately want to know how to get out of their muck and kick sugar for good.

Here are 7 tips to pick yourself up and get back on track and finally succeed.

1. Be gentle with yourself. If you slip and forego your good intentions, this is not the time to berate and belittle yourself. Instead use this "mistake" to lavish yourself with compassion, understanding and sympathy. Yes, you messed up, but give yourself a break!

2. Accept that you're imperfect. People with food issues often tend to expect themselves to get everything exactly right--or perfect. That sets you up for a huge letdown. Now that you've slipped, use this as a chance to claim your humanity, which means you'll make mistakes from time to time. Owning up to your limitations can be quite freeing.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Companies Begin to Skip the Sweetenter

As more and more Americans make a point to steer clear of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) because they believe that it's unhealthy for you, more and more manufacturers are responding to consumer demand by bumping the sweetener from their foods and drinks.

Companies are increasingly touting the fact that their products are "HFCS-free" in order to position them as healthy, a phenomenon observed by NutraIngredients.com, which learned about this trend from market researcher Data Monitor.

In fact, Datamonitor found 146 new foods and beverage products worldwide that claim to be free of the corn-based sweetener, which has been linked with obesity and other health issues.

You can read about some of the new research about high fructose corn syrup's dangers in my book SUGAR SHOCK!

Work Makes Hard Work of Healthy Living, Survey Finds

Note from Connie: Ah yes, it's a challenge most of us often face -- we know we need to get out from behind our desks and get moving, and better yet, eat healthy foods. But how the heck do we do all of that while at work? Karen James brings us news about a survey, which brings us some dismal news.

Our workplaces aren’t the most conducive to healthy living, a national telephone survey has found.

Granted, the survey was conducted on behalf of Nationwide Better Health, a company that makes its money by bringing work-site screenings, medical and maternity management, lifestyle health coaching and other programs designed to increase employee productivity into the workplace.

Still, considering how much time the average person spends at work, the results, which I learned about from Business Wire, gave me pause to stop and think.

Dr. Mehmet Oz: Mark Your Calendars for Oct. 30 When Dr. Stephen Sinatra & I Interview Him on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio

Save the date!

I just received confirmation that on Tues., October 30 at 2:30 EST, Dr. Mehmet Oz has agreed to appear on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show.

This will be a very special show, because I will not be interviewing Dr. Oz by myself.

Dr. Stephen Sinatra, contributing author to SUGAR SHOCK!, will join me, and the two of us together will talk with Dr. Oz.

The idea for this special show came about, because Stephen (that's Dr. Sinatra) and I thought it would be really fun to turn the tables, because a few months ago, Dr. Oz interviewed both Dr. Sinatra and I for Oprah & Friends Radio to talk about our book.

(It was such fun to watch the two doctors show each other such respect and admiration. Plus, it was a real treat to watch them share ideas and medical tips on nutrients, etc.)

Of course, on Oct. 30, Dr. Sinatra and I will do our best to ask Dr. Oz questions to help you lose weight and achieve better health. (We'll have lots of questions planned, but you're invited to submit your questions, too.)

During our interview with Dr. Oz, we'll talk a lot about his new book, YOU: Staying Young.

Quite coincidentally, I asked for an interview on Oct. 30 not knowing that Dr. Oz's new book, which he is co-authoring again with Dr. Michael Roizen, is scheduled to come off the press this week -- specifically, a day later, October 31. (Amazon has the pub date listed as Oct. 30.) Great timing, eh?

So you, dear readers of this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog, get to be among the first to hear Dr. Oz talk about his new book. Sign up for updates here about the radio show.

Gary Taubes Chats With Me Today on Stop SUGAR SHOCK!

Just a quick reminder that today, at 4 pm EST on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio, I'll interview one of America's most revered science writers, Gary Taubes.

author of the controversial new book Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Diet, Weight Control, and Disease.

You can listen live this afternoon or afterwards to Gary -- author of Bad Science and Nobel Dreams and a correspondent for Science magazine -- debunk some of your most cherished nutrition beliefs.

By the way, this sure-to-be-provocative SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show is sandwiched between a day of two other big media appearances. At around 8:30 today, Gary appeared on "Good Morning, America," and this evening, he'll be on "Nightline," too.

I'll ask Gary to discuss some of his fascinating conclusions, such as:

• Refined carbs and sugars cause heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (I'm a big fan of this theory myself, as readers of SUGAR SHOCK! know.)
• Fast-acting carbs also are likely dietary causes of cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
• Exercise doesn't lead to weight loss.
• Obesity isn't caused by overeating and sedentary behavior.
• Salt does not cause high blood pressure.
• Fiber isn't a necessary part of a healthy diet.
• Saturated fat and cholesterol don't cause heart disease. (Cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, M.D., contributing author to SUGAR SHOCK!, agrees with this conclusion and makes this point in our book.)
• Obesity is caused by our hormonal responses to the carbs in our diet.

By the way, this sure-to-be-provocative SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show is sandwiched between a day of two other big media appearances. At around 8:30 today, Gary appeared on "Good Morning, America," and this evening, he'll be on "Nightline," too.

I'll ask Gary to discuss some of his fascinating conclusions, such as:

• Refined carbs and sugars cause heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (I'm a big fan of this theory myself, as readers of SUGAR SHOCK! know.)
• Fast-acting carbs also are likely dietary causes of cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
• Exercise doesn't lead to weight loss.
• Obesity isn't caused by overeating and sedentary behavior.
• Salt does not cause high blood pressure.
• Fiber isn't a necessary part of a healthy diet.
• Saturated fat and cholesterol don't cause heart disease. (Cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, M.D., contributing author to SUGAR SHOCK!, agrees with this conclusion and makes this point in our book.)
• Obesity is caused by our hormonal responses to the carbs in our diet.

Culprit Carbs May Cause Fatty Liver, Study Finds

Did you hear about the recent study from scientists at Children's Hospital Boston, which reveals that fast-acting, rapidly digested carbohydrates may cause fatty liver disease and that this condition could lead to to liver failure and death?

You can read about this scary phenomenon on BBC News, Yahoo! News, the press release and in the September issue of Obesity.

In addition, I invite you to catch my interview this week on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio with acclaimed epidemiologist and children's obesity expert David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., leader of the research project.

Dr. Ludwig warns you that if you -- like most Americans -- eat a diet that's high in those rapidly digested carbs, you, too, could become one of millions suffering from this entirely unnecessary condition.

Of course, as readers of this SUGAR SHOCK! Blog know, by quick-burning carbs, I mean cookies, cakes, most prepared cereals and other sugary foods, as well was white bread, chips, white rice, etc. or other "culprit carbs," as I dub them.

Listen to Dr. Ludwig warn about how fatty liver is a byproduct of the obesity epidemic and it may be preventable and treatable through dietary changes.

SUGAR SHOCK! Fan and Her 9-Year-Old Former Sugar-Addict Daughter Find Me at Whole Foods While I'm Out Having Fun

Usually, I don't post anything here personal on this SUGAR SHOCK! blog. Inevitably, there's a connection to my book SUGAR SHOCK! In fact, many readers, I suspect, aren't even aware of the fact that I'm a single, available chick living in Manhattan and that I have ample time to play these days now that my book is published.

But today, after much blog-soul-searching, I'm going to break new ground and get personal, because my two worlds collided recently in the most unexpected way imaginable. (Perhaps I got motivated by advice from popular blogger Melissa Lafsky, who I interviewed this afternoon on my Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show, which you can listen to now.)

...So, having said that, I invite you to go back with me in time about a week and a half ago to one of the Whole Foods locations in New York City, where I was going through first-get-together rites with a good-looking, interesting, charming man. (Let's call him "Dignified.")

Dear readers, I invite you to imagine now the following scenario: So there we were, my brand new acquaintance and I, sitting at a counter at Whole Foods.

Picture us: I'm eagerly relishing my scrumptious salad while Dignified chomps an organic Fuji apple and pulls out his just-purchased copy of SUGAR SHOCK! (Honest, it wasn't my idea to buy the book at the Border's upstairs!)

As my companion and I went through getting-to-know-you questions ("Where are you from originally? What are your favorite sports?," etc.), along comes a slim, attractive blonde.

She stops dead in her tracks when she spies SUGAR SHOCK!

She then looks directly at Dignified and asks him point blank, "Have you read that book? That's a great book. I've given it to a number of friends."

Needless to say, my jaw dropped! A slim, pretty woman, who read SUGAR SHOCK! pops by out of the blue to talk to a new friend and me about my book?

Opinionistas.com Blogger Melissa Lafsky: Listen to Replay Now of Interview on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio

Catch the fun!

You can already listen to the interview I just held with the eloquent, entertaining Melissa Lafsky, founder of the popular Opinionistas.com blog.

You'll enjoy -- I'm convinced -- Melissa's fascinating tale from anonymous blogger to renowned writer. She also shares some tips on how to unlock your self expression line.

Listen now to the interview with Melissa Lafsky, creator and founder of Opinionistas.

Gary Taubes to Appear Tomorrow on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio

Just a quick reminder. Tune in tomorrow, Thursday, at 4 pm EST, to Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio, when I interview one of America's most revered science writer Gary Taubes.

Dear readers of this blog, if you have any questions about what kinds of foods you should eat to lose weight and what you should do to avoid heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, then you need to catch this show either live -- or afterwards.

Gary -- author of Bad Science and Nobel Dreams and a correspondent for Science magazine -- will debunk some of your most cherished beliefs.

Interestingly, this sure-to-be-provocative Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show comes on the same day that Gary appears on "Good Morning, America" and "Nightline."

In our show, the award-winning journalist will discuss some of the eye-opening findings that he discusses in his new book Good Calories, Bad Calories: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on Diet, Weight Control, and Disease.

Gary's book -- which is being published this week by Alfred A. Knopf -- is so highly anticipated among fans of the low-carb diet and nutrition experts and scientists nationwide that my blogging compatriot Jimmy Moore (to whom I owe credit for the photo to your left) has dubbed this week "Celebrate Gary Taubes Week."

Before Gary appears tomorrow on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio, I highly recommend that you read a few enlightening articles by Gary before (or after) our interview.

• Read Gary's now-famous, provocative 2002 New York Times Magazine article, "What If It's All Been A Big Fat Lie?"  This fabulous piece -- which I was thrilled to see while smack in the midst of researching  my book SUGAR SHOCK! -- exposed some of the most cherished nutrition myths. It was wonderful to see him expose the stupidity of the widely cherished low-fat diet and the efficacy of the low-carb diet.
• Next, check out Gary's article, "Do We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy?", which appeared in The New York Times Magazine last week. You also can catch his responses, and you can listen to him discuss his story on NPR, too.
• And then read his Gary's eye-opening piece, "The Scientist and the Stairmaster: Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we're wrong," which shocks people reading New York Magazine.

So, do you have any questions for Gary? Let me know ASAP what you'd like to find out.

Remember, if you miss my interview with Gary, you can easily listen after the fact just by visiting the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio website.

WDVR-FM Interviews Me for "The LowDown" Radio Show

Today, at 6:30 p.m. EST, Victoria Ann Davis will be interview me on WDVR-FM for a show called "The LowDown."

The show covers a variety of topics, including women's issues, health, community events, independent music, art and entertainment news.

WDVR-FM is a not-for-profit, listener-supported radio station that airs in the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys ,as well as central and Northern New Jersey.

You can listen live here.

WBAI Radio in New York: Host/Producer Nathalie Thandiwe Interviews Me for "Women: Body & Soul" Show

Catch me on the radio in New York City tomorrow at 12 noon to 1 p.m., when I'll be interviewed on WBAI Radio (99.5 FM) by Nathalie Thandiwe, host of Women: Body & Soul.

If you don't live in New York, you can listen here on the web.

As the WBAI website explains, " Women: Body & Soul" is program that facilitates "provocative dialogue about what matters to women--health, relationships, sexuality, and more, from holistic, multicultural perspectives."

The show's creator and host Nathalie Thandiwe has a fascinating background. She is an herbalist and director of a holistic wellness center. She trained at Dreamtime Center for Herbal Studies in Virginia.

Not only that, but, as the WBAI website explains, Nathalie is "interested in extrasensory healing gifts and traditional indigenous healing practices. She has a passion for creating dialogues that break the silence surrounding so many aspects of our lives that we must speak of to heal and know that we are not alone."

Nathalie also is, as WBAI puts it, "deliciously curious." (Love that description!) So I'll assume that she's deliciously curious about the dangers of sugar shock, which is why I'll be on that show.

Opinionistas Blogger Melissa Lafsky & Famous Science Journalist Gary Taubes Featured on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio

Just three quick reminders. This week is really big for Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio, because I'm conducting 3 interviews, not one as usual.

Today, at 4 pm EST, we're going to get off topic -- nothing in the way of sugar or carb content. We will delve into one of my absolute favorite topics -- blogging and the power of blogs to express yourself, as well as to motivate and educate other people.

I'm utterly thrilled to present Melissa Lafsky, a non-practicing attorney, who achieved acclaim and kudos for her sharp-witted Opinionistas blog, which she began in March of 2005.

Melissa will chat with me about Finding Yourself Through Blogging: Unlocking Self-Expression Online"

That's today, Wed. Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. EST (Remember, you can listen afterwards if this time is not convenient for you.)

If you're a veteran blogger or a wanna-be blogger, you'll want to catch my interview with Melissa Lafsky.

Of course, I'll also ask Melissa to share her story about how her Opinionistas blog captured the blogosphere's attention. For instance, she'll discuss how she began her blog as an exercise on her therapist's s orders and revealed her experiences while working at a hot-shot law firm. (I'll ask her why we can't find any of these beautifully written, astute observations and behind-the-scenes revelations now.)

Melissa will, of course, discuss how on April 15, 2005, the super-hip blog, Gawker, linked to her blog's telling post, propelling her into the limelight. In that now-famous post, she revealed that she'd witnessed:

"...enough bad lawyer behavior to fill a full season of reality TV. Partners hurling f-bombs, staplers and Blackberrys at cringing subordinates, sleep-deprived mid-level associates screaming at paralegals to recopy massive boxes of documents in thirty minutes or else file for unemployment, male partners engaging in the full gamut of "inappropriate workplace touching" of young female employees, all before the morning coffee break."

Melissa will wow us with stories about how that Gawker post led readers to flood her site by the thousands, and how, by December of 2005, Opinionistas.com had been profiled in the New York Times, which described her blog as "funny, angry, cynical, acidulously and avidly read."

Anyhow, make sure to tune in today or later to Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio to catch my interview with Melissa.

Then, tomorrow, Thursday, on Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio, I'm honored to present one of my journalistic idols.

You, dear readers, will have a chance to listen to me interview the renowned, award-winning science writer Gary Taubes.

This is sure to be an exciting, enticing show, because Gary will discuss some of the eye-opening findings that he discusses in his new brand new book Good Calories, Bad Calories.

To get in the mood for our interview, check out Gary's provocative 2002 New York Times Magazine article, "What If It's All Been A Big Fat Lie," which, at the time, shook up the nutrition world with his provocative conclusions.

(I well remember Gary's fabulous article, because at the time, I was deep doing research for my book SUGAR SHOCK! and I was really happy to learn that a respected science journalist and I were on the same wave length. Unfortunately, however, I never was able to reach Gary to interview him for my book.)

To get ready for our interview on the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show, I also invite you to read two of Gary's most recent and equally enlightening articles.

First, check out his piece, "Do We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy?", which appeared in The New York Times Magazine last week. You also can catch his responses, and you can listen to him discuss his story on NPR, too.

Then, read his Gary's eye-opening article, "The Scientist and the Stairmaster: Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we're wrong," which was published in New York Magazine.

Do you have any questions for either Gary or Melissa? Let me know ASAP what you'd like to find out.

Remember, if you miss either of these interviews, fret not! You can listen after the fact just by visiting the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio website. You also can sign up here to  get alerts about upcoming shows and to learn how to download previous shows. (Make sure to catch yesterday's interview with renowned children's obesity expert Dr. David Ludwig.)

Overweight Kids? Dr. David Ludwig Offers Tips to Slim Down Your Children

Just a quick reminder: One of America's foremost obesity experts, Dr. David Ludwig, will offer tips on how to slim down your kids on my Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show at 4 pm EST today.

You can listen live or afterwards, at your own convenience.

Topic of Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show: "How to Help Your Kids Slim Down"

Guest: Renowned children's obesity expert David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., author, Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/Fake Food World. 

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 4 pm EST (Podcast available afterwards.)

As you may recall, Dr. Ludwig, who is director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) Program, a renowned pediatric weight management program for children at Children’s Hospital Boston, recently offered 6 tips to readers of the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog.

On the upcoming Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show, you'll get to receive pointers directly from Dr. Ludwig, in which he'll teach you how to help trim down your kids and how to get them to cut back on those tempting desserts.

Dr. Ludwig also is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a revered researcher, who has come up with some eye-opening conclusions about the role of culprit carbs to weight gain. During our interview, Dr. Ludwig will, for instance, help teach you:

• How to explain to your youngsters the differences between “real food” like veggies and fruits and “fake food” like sugary soda and processed chips, crackers, cakes, etc.   
• How to help your kids make friends with crunchy, savory vegetables.
• How to wean your kids off soda – the nutrient-lacking sugary drink that can pack on those pounds.
• How to get your kids to eat healthy meals and snacks even if they now swear they’ll never have them.
• How to introduce your family to tasty, fiber-filled whole grains such as brown rice, steel cut oats, millet and quinoa.
• How to transform food conflict into food cooperation.
• What do when your children bug you for candies, cookies, chips, pizza or fast food.
• How your children can have fun becoming food label-reading experts so they can make better food choices.
• What to tell your children to combat peer pressure to eat junk food.
• How to help your kids enjoy getting active.
• How to inspire and help your kids to eat healthy, even if they’re on the run.

Make sure to see the useful tips Dr. Ludwig gave previously, which I posted here.

Sugarfree Doesn't Mean Safe or Healthy: The Myth About Artificially Sweetened Candies, Cookies, Drinks, Etc.

Granted, I'm alarmed about the dangers of sugars and refined carbs and how the typical American's over consumption of them can lead to a host of ailments, including heart disease, cancer, depression and early aging, but why do companies and people automatically assume that chemically produced, made-in-the-lab, "fake" sweeteners are any better than sugar?

Please, folks, research the subject before you inject foods with Splenda, aspartame, ace-K, sugar alcohols, etc. up. Bear in mind that these products don't come from Mother Nature -- they're made in a lab.

If you're thinking about kicking or cutting back on sugar and refined carbs and want to replace them with artificial sweeteners, please read the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section of my book SUGAR SHOCK! first, where I answer popular queries about artificial sweeteners, thanks to the help of several artificial sweeteners experts and medical studies.

Institute for Integrative Nutrition: My Amazing Day Hobnobbing With Old & New Friends; Getting Tips Galore

What a wonderful day I just spent at an alumni conference for those of us who've attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I studied to become a certified holistic health counselor.

As usual, Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, the founder of the school, gave us all kinds of pearls of wisdom and fodder for thought. Meanwhile, other people also offered us all kinds of other valuable, practical info, too.

I'm so high still! (Don't worry; it's NOT a sugar high! LO!) I just love the people who attended this school! They're so hip, cool, interesting, fun, upbeat, you name it! Just had dinner with three of them and I made at least a couple new friends today, too.

If you're eager to learn more about nutrition and want to know more about the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, feel free to contact me.

Low GI Breakfast May Make Kids Eat Less, Study Says

Note from Connie: It's always fascinating to me how more and more research pours in, which validate conclusions reached by other scientists that those culprit carbs cause innumerable problems galore. Researchers also are proving over and over again that those those nutrient-filled, fiber-rich quality carbs can do all kinds of wonderful things like ward off disease or keep your appetite under control. Now Jennifer Moore tells us about yet another breakfast study.

 Kids whose breakfast is comprised of low glycemic index foods -- all-bran cereals, whole grain oatmeal, whole grain breads, and fruits like apples, plums, or mangoes, for instance -- may ingest 60 fewer calories during the rest of day than kids who eat sugary, quickie carb fare in the mornings, according to a new study, which Reuters wrote about.

Sixty fewer calories a day may not sound like much. But if a kid ate 60 fewer calories every day, it would come to 21,840 fewer calories consumed over the course of a year.

"As you do not become obese or overweight overnight...the modest reduction in calorie intake reported in our work is exactly what you need," said Jeya Henry, a professor of food science and human nutrition at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, who published his team's findings in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Remember, high GI foods, like white potatoes and white bread, cause blood sugar levels to spike suddenly, while low GI foods cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.

So, the Oxford Brookes researchers figure that low GI foods keep the body fuller for a longer period of time that those quickie carbs do, which helps keep your appetite under control.  (By the way, Connie writes about this in her book SUGAR SHOCK!, too.)

Now the trick is getting the kids off those tempting sugary cereals and other processed stuff in the mornings!

Jennifer Moore for SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Features 3 Hot Experts Next Week: Science Journalist Gary Taubes, Melissa Lafsky and David Ludwig

Next week, you'll have a chance to get valuable advice, tips and insights from three very different, hot experts on the Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show.

You'll have a chance to get pearls of wisdom from:

• Renowned science journalist Gary Taubes (Thurs., Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. EST)
• Revered children's obesity expert David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D. (Tues., Sept. 25 at 4 p.m.)
• Acclaimed blogger Melissa Lafsky (Wed., Sept. 26 at 4 p.m.)

Now, here's some info about each of the exciting shows.

Title of Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show: "The Low-Fat, High-Carb Diet Hoax: Why Conventional Dieting Wisdom Is Wrong"

Guest: Award-winning science journalist Gary Taubes, author of the groundbreaking new book, Good Calories, Bad Calories.

Date: Thurs., Sept. 27 at 4 pm EST. (If you miss the show, remember, you can listen afterwards, at your convenience.)

Gary -- who spent 7 years researching and writing his book -- will debunk that long-cherished, misleading myth that a low-fat, high-carb diet is the way to go. (You may remember his much-acclaimed New York Times article, "What If It's All a Big Fat Lie?", which caused quite a stir in the health community.)

Gary will tell us that:

• Those fast-acting, "culprit carbs" (as I call them) lead to a host of chronic diseases, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. (You may remember Gary's much-acclaimed New York Times article about the subject in 2005.)
• Exercise doesn't lead to weight loss.
• Obesity isn't caused by overeating and sedentary behavior!
• Salt does not cause high blood pressure.
• Fiber isn't a necessary part of a healthy diet.
• Saturated fat and cholesterol don't cause heart disease. (Cardiologist Stephen Sinatra, M.D., contributing author to SUGAR SHOCK!, also makes that point in our book.)
• Obesity is caused by our hormonal responses to the carbs in our diet.

Topic of Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show: "Finding Yourself Through Blogging: Unlocking Self-Expression Online"

Date: Wed., Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. EST (Remember, you can listen afterwards if this time is not convenient for you.)

If you're a veteran blogger or a wanna-be blogger, you've surely heard of Melissa Lafsky, a non-practicing attorney, who began her sharp-witted Opinionistas blog in March of 2005 about her experiences while working at a hot-shot law firm.

But her beautifully written, astute observations and behind-the-scenes revelations -- which, incidentally, began as an exercise recommended by her therapist -- quickly snagged the blogosphere's attention.

In particular, on April 15, 2005, the super-hip blog, Gawker, linked to her blog's telling post in which she revealed that she'd witnessed "...enough bad lawyer behavior to fill a full season of reality TV. Partners hurling f-bombs, staplers and Blackberrys at cringing subordinates, sleep-deprived mid-level associates screaming at paralegals to recopy massive boxes of documents in thirty minutes or else file for unemployment, male partners engaging in the full gamut of "inappropriate workplace touching" of young female employees, all before the morning coffee break."

Readers then flooded her site by the thousands, and by December of 2005, Opinionistas.com had been profiled in the New York Times, which her blog as "funny, angry, cynical, acidulously and avidly read."

Anyhow, Melissa -- who I had the pleasure of meeting recently -- will offer insights into her ascent to popularity, and she'll offer tips to help you, too. (More details coming soon.)

And now for info about the third show of the week.

Topic of Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show: "How to Help Your Kids Slim Down"

Guest: Renowned children's obesity expert David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., author, Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/Fake Food World. 

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 4 pm EST (Podcast available afterwards.)

As you may recall, Dr. Ludwig, who is director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) Program, a renowned pediatric weight management program for children at Children’s Hospital Boston, recently offered 6 tips to readers of the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog.

On the upcoming Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show, you'll get to receive pointers directly from Dr. Ludwig, in which he'll teach you how to help trim down your kids and how to get them to cut back on those tempting desserts.

Dr. Ludwig also is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and a revered researcher, who has come up with some eye-opening conclusions about the role of culprit carbs to weight gain. During our interview, Dr. Ludwig will, for instance, help teach you:

• How to explain to your youngsters the differences between “real food” like veggies and fruits and “fake food” like sugary soda and processed chips, crackers, cakes, etc.  
• How to help your kids make friends with crunchy, savory vegetables.
• How to wean your kids off soda – the nutrient-lacking sugary drink that can pack on those pounds.
• How to get your kids to eat healthy meals and snacks even if they now swear they’ll never have them.
• How to introduce your family to tasty, fiber-filled whole grains such as brown rice, steel cut oats, millet and quinoa.
• How to transform food conflict into food cooperation.
• What do when your children bug you for candies, cookies, chips, pizza or fast food.
• How your children can have fun becoming food label-reading experts so they can make better food choices.
• What to tell your children to combat peer pressure to eat junk food.
• How to help your kids enjoy getting active.
• How to inspire and help your kids to eat healthy, even if they’re on the run. 

Stay tuned for more updates. Hope you can join us either live or after the fact.

Roomba Robot Sucks Up Your Dirt: Should We Dance Around Behind the Clever Contraption to Get Exercise?

Whoever thought that a blog entry about a snazzy, high-tech, vacuuming robot with an eagerness and voracious hunger to suck up your dirt could be such a hoot?

Gotta hand it to Farhad Manjoo of the Machinist, a technology writer at Salon.com, for making me crack up and even laugh out loud because of his Roomba writings?

Darn, Farhad's informative, entertaining item is making me greatly tempted to buy this glorious, dirt-digging Roomba from iRobot. Sure sounds like the new incarnation of this revolutionary household gadget could help me out, especially because it pays attention to the clock and clearly won't keep me waiting for hours like my annoying, perpetually late cleaning lady, who I no longer use.

But I have a couple of dilemmas that I need to resolve before I fork over my $350 for a Roomba 560.

First off, I'm now resolved and determined to get much more fit because these days (1) Yeah, I'm not sitting on my butt so much anymore working on my book SUGAR SHOCK! and (2) I got greatly inspired Tuesday night by "Celebrity Fit Club's" Harvey Walden, IV to not make any excuses for why I can't work out. (Mark your calendars, because I'm interviewing Harvey on my Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show on October 16.)

Well, Harvey advised those of us attending his Learning Annex talk -- given on the pub date for his new book No Excuses! Fitness Workout -- that one clever, viable way to make sure you get ample exercise is to carefully clean your house.

Harvey told us to even get on our hands and knees, scrub and vacuum with voraciousness. (He even regaled us with a story about how he gleefully "tricked" his grandmother into exercising by luring her into moving furniture around!)

Anyhow, here's the catch: If my dutiful Roomba is happily roaming about my two-bedroom apartment ferreting out grime while I'm getting a bigger butt just sitting in front of my computer (working as usual), then how am I to get more lean, mean and trim while Roomba gets the exercise that I should be getting myself?

On the other hand, wouldn't it be a hoot and more svelte-creating for my much-in-need-of-exercise body if I just took a study break, put on some music, cranked up the volume, boogied a bit and ran around my place following Roomba?

Hey, Roomba and I could even do a dirt-sucking dance together. (Honest, I'm being very decent and clean here!) Ah, working alone at home does make one resort to desperate measures to amuse oneself. LOL!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or Repititive Strain Injury? Learn How to Help Yourself on Sept. 26

If you have carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive strain injury or other joint pain, you'll definitely want to catch a teleseminar that I'm hosting on Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. EST with my friend Julie Donnelly, L.M.T.

In this class via phone, Julie, author of How To Be Pain-less... A Beginner's Guide to the Self-Treatment of Muscle Spasms, will actually teach you to work on yourself using her groundbreaking Julstro™ technique of deep muscle therapy.

Yes, over the phone, Julie will reveal to you how to help relieve your own pain. Pretty cool, eh?

Interestingly, much like my interest in the problems of sugar overload began with my own horrendous ailments, culminating in 1998, Julie's concerns about repetitive strain injury intensified when, as a hard-working massage therapist in 1996, she herself developed a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome, which threatened to end her career.