SUGAR SHOCK! Blog

Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings (Creatively Procrastinate)

Here's an article I wrote to help you those of you, who are sugar addicts or junk food junkies, who need help to sweetly say, "No, thank you!" when offered those tempting, unhealthy "treats."

Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings™: Creatively Procrastinate to Ditch Your Sugar Addiction & Excess Weight

By Connie Bennett, MSJ, CHC, ACC, CPC

Whenever people meet me, join my Sugar Freedom Now program or work privately with me or read my book SUGAR SHOCK!, they almost immediately ask me (either in person or via e-mail), "How can I overcome my sugar cravings?"

It can be challenging to say "No, thank you!" when your favorite, tempting dessert is right there, in front of you.

Because it's what you do in that very first one or two minutes that can make or break your diet, I'm determined to help you get over that "Must-Have Sugar Now! hurdle."

Let me share a tactic that helped me on many occasions (back in 1998) and that now helps my clients and Facebook Smart Habits Now fans.

One of the most powerful and effective strategies is so simple that you’ll wonder why you never tried it in the first place.

It's this: Simply DELAY before you put any sugar or dessert foods in your mouth. That's right, DELAY before you something that you'll later regret such as when you look at your scale a day or two later or when your pants don't fit anymore or when you become edgy and unfocused after your Sugar High.

Let's be honest: If you do mindlessly nosh on those fast-acting sweets or much-like-sugar carbs™ into your mouth, won't you become feel headachy, wiped out, spaced out, moody, depressed or even angry at yourself (and maybe your loved ones)?

Let me introduce you to the Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings Method™ (also called Do Creative Sugar Procrastination™).

Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings, and Sweetness Will Fill Your Life Instead. -- Connie Bennett

Think about it: Most of us excel at putting things off or procrastinating, right?

We have every good intention to clear off our desks, donate old clothes, organize our drawers, ditch (recyle) those not-needed papers, help kids with their homework, throw out the garbage, etc.?

Clearly, all of us have things we've been planning to do but we just haven't got around to doing it. 

Well, I invite you to take a positive look at procrastinating. It can be a wonderful, Won't-Have-Sugar-Just-Yet Strategy.

I hit upon this incredible simple technique back in 1998 when I reluctantly kicked sweets and refined carbs on doctor's orders. To this day, I continue to be amazed at how easy, effortless, and darn effective it is to just delay.

What's so wonderful about this Delaying Now Method is that people of all ages—unless maybe you’re a tot—can easily cultivate this tactic.

So, here's how to do it: Just promise yourself to delay eating that tempting "treat" for a certain amount of time, say 10 minutes. You can do that, of course!

In other words, you will Delay Away Your Sugar Cravings for 10 minutes at a time. Then, you can delay over and over again -- for another 10 minutes -- for a while, like an hour even. It's that easy!

Now think ahead to the next morning when you're so relieved and proud of yourself that you didn't cave into your cravings.

Here are 7 ways Delaying or Creatively Procrastinating becomes your ally to help you pull the plug on your unwanted sugar addiction. (Delaying is one of the "7 D’s” that I developed to help “Sugar Kickers.”)

1. First delay 10 minutes before you eat that cookie, candy bar or brownie that's calling out to you. When you do that, you begin to detach from your destructive impulses.
2. When you delay for 10 minutes, then another 10 minutes, and another 10 minutes, your cravings will subside while you get involved with other things. At that point, you'll also be able to put your cravings into proper perspective. 
3. When you Delay Away Your Cravings, you're taking powerful, positive, health-promoting action by simple inaction. Yes, doing absolutely nothing can be pivotal when you kick or cut back on sweets and quickie carbs. See how simple this is? 
4. When you delay, you turn procrastinating into a useful, proactive skill. Procrastinating becomes a good thing!
5. When you delay, you can take time to find out which foods—if any—you’re really craving. Is your body really needing cookies, cake, and pretzels? Of course not! Your Amazing Body might instead be begging you for water, fresh vegetables and fruits, high-quality protein or healthy fats?
6. When you delay, you can get in touch with your true feelings. By putting your sugar binging on hold for 10 minutes or more, you can figure out what the heck is really going. Ask yourself, "Why do I feel like I must have these sweets now?"
7. When you delay, you'll be so proud of yourself! You'll be filled with a longer-lasting joy than the very short-lived, self-defeating immediate gratification you'd get from a cookie. What is your real goal? Are you seeking to shed excess weight, get more energy, concentrate better, improve your health and boost your libido? So delaying gives you a chance to think about what you really want rather than suffer the consequences of your moment of weakness.)

Want more simple techniques from Gurus Galore and me? Just join the juicy, life-changing six-week Sugar Freedom Now course, which starts June 14. This session will feature renowned experts such as mindfulness expert Dr. Lilian Cheung and Law of Attraction Expert Christy Whitman. Plus, you'll be able to listen to other inspiring people on the private membership website.

Can You Go a Year Without Candy? Join Blogger Dana Kennedy

Can you go a year without candy? Specifically, can you quit your favorite candies, cookies, cakes, ice cream, pastries and any sugar-based desserts for 365 days running? Not only that, but can you chronicle your candy-curbing adventures publicly, doing so with panache, humor and even literary aplomb? 

That's exactly what talented journalist Dana Kennedy is now doing on her entertaining, insightful, healthily addictive A Year Without Candy Blog, which she began on Feb. 28.

Now one month into her sugar-squashing mission, Dana -- who contributes to AOL News, People Magazine, TIME and other outlets – began her blog announcing her "choice to abstain from" her "addiction of choice – candy, ice cream, cakes and all manner of sweet treats – for at least a year." A few days later, she also humorously announced her candy-cutting mission on the Huffington Post blog, admitting being "as hooked on cheap and delicious American candy like Hershey bars, Junior Mints and candy corn (bite it, dessert snobs) as I am on creme brulee, moelleux au chocolat and tarte tatin."

If, like most people, you can't resist the urge to indulge in sweets (either often or periodically), I urge you to follow A Year Without Candy Blog, where the former correspondent for ABC News, Fox News and MSNBC offers a compelling mix of confessional moments (like the time she was Dreaming of Red Twizzlers and Relapses or when chocolate lured her on Wicked Wednesday); tangible accomplishments (such as when she survived three weeks without candies); and scary motivational tidbits (such as Dr. Nancy Appleton’s eye-opening list of 146 ways that Sugar Can Kill You).

However, Dana is at her best when she dishes out original, self-mocking observations or quirky musings that illustrate her fun-loving nature, such as when she asked on Day One: "Is there a less-sexy addiction than being a sugar freak? Or a more infantile one? Doubtful.

"Have you ever seen a film noir with the possibly-murderous icy blonde reclining on a sofa and waiting for the next sucker to lure into her evil web – while pulling on a Twix bar?

"Or have you ever gone a hot date with a cool guy and after dinner, leaned back seductively, locked eyes with him, reached into your purse and said, `Do you mind if I… toss down a few Gummi bears?' How wholesome. How very not treacherous femme fatale."

The articulate, anti-candy crusader graciously took time to share how her blog has been an ally in mission to kick candy.

Connie:  Dana, what made you decide to quit candy and to announce publicly, on a blog?

Dana: The idea to stop eating candy and blog about it came to me like a bolt out of the blue the night of my birthday on February 27. It's almost as if a power greater than me to stay on the straight and narrow was to go public with this.

I've tried to quit candies and sweets so many times before – always beginning with the greatest of intentions – and then I’d last anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks, but I’d always find some reason to go back to it. I would then lose my motivation, and that'd be the end of it. And it set up the cycle of being discouraged that I couldn’t get the monkey off my back.

Connie:  Well, you certainly came up with a clever way of holding yourself “accountable,” to use life-coaching parlance.

Dana: Well, what motivates me more than anything is the idea of a challenge, and the blog is a public challenge to myself. The blog is like my conscience. People could tell me all day long how bad candy is for me, what emotional effects it has on me and what [nutrient-poor] ingredients are in it, but what gives me more motivation is having to be held accountable to somebody or something -- in this case, the blog.

Unwittingly, I did the perfect thing for my personality, which is to issue a public challenge to myself. Although I know that if I fall off the wagon tomorrow and close my blog, I'm sure the world would go on, but in my mind, I would have failed with this personal challenge. The blog is really me saying to the public and to myself -- this is what I'm going to do -- please support me.

Connie:  Has your blog led to any unexpected reactions?

Dana:  Yes. What’s been really surprising is the number of people, who have reacted positively to the blog and who wrote to say that they were inspired and that they’ve [been helped by] things they’ve learned on the blog. I’m really surprised that people like it.

Connie:  I’m not surprised. It’s a fabulous, fascinating blog. Dana, again, let me congratulate you for surviving a month without candies. That’s a major accomplishment. How were you able to pull it off?

Dana: Support has helped me keep going -- which is the name of the game if you're trying to give up any kind of addiction.

Connie:  Now that you’ve gone a month being candy-free, how have things changed for you?

Dana:  Lots of things have changed. First off, I’ve been helped by lots of people [whom I’ve connected with] because of the blog, including you. I've received a lot of support that I didn't expect to get. It’s a completely different experience [to quit sugar while writing a blog] than to kick sweets by yourself. If you're an alcoholic, you can go to AA every night and be with people who have your issues all the time, and it's taken seriously. But if you say, “I wish I could have some fudge,” [many] people who don't understand look at you [with confusion].

Connie:  How else do you feel differently now that you’re not eating sweets?

Dana: I feel lighter – and not just weight-wise – although I’ve lost 5 pounds so far.  I feel happier. And I feel like people are easier to get along with. I feel like I’m starting to conquer my candy addiction – and that makes me feel lighter.

Connie:  That’s awesome, Dana. Keeping your blog can be eye-opening to people, who think they’re alone. Many people don’t realize that you can get addicted to sweets.

Dana:  Yes, most people don’t talk about having a candy addiction. [Initially,] I didn’t think that many people could relate.

Connie:  So, now you’re discovering that people around the world identify with you?

Dana:  Yes, I’m really surprised at how alike we are. Most of the time I’ve been the only one I know who's a candy addict.

Connie:  What was a typical day before you chose to cut out candies?

Dana:  On a typical day, I’d eat a candy bar like a Bounty or Mars bar for lunch, another candy bar after dinner and/or a couple of packages of Haribo.  Maybe I’d also have a scoop of ice cream from a delicious French ice cream shop or dessert whenever possible.

Connie:  Some people may think that isn’t really an addiction.

Dana: True, but I felt addicted. It weighed heavily [on me]. I was a candyaholic. Just like there are different kinds of alcoholics such as the skid row alcoholic or the binge alcoholic, [there are different kinds of sugar addicts]. If I were going to compare myself to an alcoholic, I was like someone, who has to have two to three glasses of wine every day.  But it’s up to you whether or not you [consider] yourself an alcoholic or sugar addict. Yes, I never went on a binge or went off to eat candies in secret. This is not a story of me in a closet chowing down on cookies. I’m just somebody who likes candy too much. It sounds like nothing.

But I always had sweets every day—even if not in huge quantities. The fact that I wanted candy or sweets every day is not good. There was never a day that went by that I didn’t have candy bar. And I felt bad about having it [because] I know that candy’s not good. You don’t have to be a binger or classic overeater to have issues with a substance. If I could have a candy bar only once or twice a week, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

Connie:  Dana, I’m sure your readers will want to know, as I do: Why do you often use a photo of a piglet on your A Year Without Candy Blog?

Dana:  The piglet is my alter ego. The piglet is trying to keep her head above water. Anyone who eats candy every day has a bit of piglet in them.

Sugar & Its Dangers Hit the News, Thanks to Dr. Robert Lustig's YouTube Video & Nightline

Recently, both DeGeneres and Jeff Garlin spoke out against sugar and declared that they were off the sweet substance, as I recently wrote about in this opinion piece for AOL News.

Last night, sugar and its dangers hit the news again, thanks to ABC's popular show, Nightline, which, last night, aired a compelling story spotlighting sugar's role in the obesity crisis. 

In his "Sugar Wars" piece, correspondent John Donovan offers a fascinating look at the views of esteemed pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig, whose YouTube video -- entitled "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" -- has garnered more than a quarter of a million hits to date and clearly brought Dr. Lustig into the limelight.

In this Nightline segment -- which you can watch below -- Donovan calls Dr. Lustig "a man at war with sugar," because he argues that too much fructose and not enough fiber are to blame for our obesity crisis and metabolic syndrome.

"Fructose is the cause of the current epidemic," insists Dr. Lustig, director of UCSF’s Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Clinic and UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology.

Nightline correspondent Donovan also includes quotes from the pediatric endocrinologist about how fructose confuses people's brains into thinking they're hungry and about how low-fat foods such as SnackWells cookies and fruit-flavored yogurt are filled with sugar. Dr. Lustig even argues that teens should be carded when buying sugary foods.

In the Nightline "Sugar Wars" piece, Donovan strives to be unbiased by allowing Dr. Lustig's ideas to be refuted by three pro-sugar advocates -- one from the American Beverage Association (formerly called the National Soft Drink Association) and two from the Corn Refiners Association, including a cardiologist, who has done studies funded by PepsiCo, the manufacturer of sugar-filled soft drinks.

Understandably, correspondent John Donovan seems to be like millions of Americans, who have a sweet tooth. In fact, the reporter readily admits that strolling with Dr. Lustig at San Francisco's Pier 30  (a hot spot filled with sugary foods such as waffle cones) can be "at times, well, a bit of of a downer. Because we love sugar, don't we, most of us?"

Donovan is absolutely correct in his assessment. Most Americans -- and people around the world -- are so keen on sugar that they imbibe it to their detriment. Unfortunately, the Nightline reporter did not mention that obesity is only part of the sugar story.

The average American's sugar consumption -- about 170 pounds per year per person -- also has been linked with heart disease, cancer, severe PMS, memory loss, depression, fatigue, headaches, infertility, low libido, polycystic ovary syndrome and many other ailments.

In addition, regretfully, the Nightline piece did not point out that Dr. Lustig is in good company. His views are shared by many of us concerned health advocates. For instance, esteemed pediatric endocrinologist Dr. David Ludwig -- who was previously interviewed along with me for a "CBS News Sunday Morning" segment, "Is America Too Sweet on Sugar" -- is among those frightened by the massive consumption of sugar, particularly high fructose corn syrup, in this country and around the world.

Others sounding the sugar alarm include:

• Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard;
• Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction;
• Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum, who appears on my Gab with the Gurus Radio Show on March 31 to discuss his new book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now! ;
• Dr. Richard Johnson, author of The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick.);
• Celebrity health and wellness expert J.J. Virgin, who will be on my radio show in May to discuss her upcoming book, Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy; and
• Myself, author of SUGAR SHOCK! How Sweet and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life--And How You Can Get Back on Track.

Now, I invite you to watch the eye-opening Nightline segment below.

I also encourage you to watch Dr. Lustig's YouTube video, in which he argues that the current obesity epidemic is due to the marked increase in people's consumption of fructose over the last 30 years. He also points out that fructose is toxic in large quantities, because it is metabolized in the liver in the same way as alcohol, which drives fat storage and makes the brain think it is hungry.

Finally, I invite you to watch this 3 Minute Ad Age segment, in which I reveal that if you're eating processed foods, it's virtually impossible to take in high fructose corn syrup in moderation, as the Corn Refiners Association ads assert.

FYI, this increased awareness about sugar's dangers comes at an exciting time for me, because next month, I celebrate my 12th year off sugar. If you'd like help to conquer your sugar habit and other bad habits, join the Smart Habits Fans on Facebook to get daily tips. 

You're also invited to learn about my new 5-week, Break Free With Connie teleseminar program, which begins April 20. In honor of my 12th year kick-sugar anniversary, early-bird rates are now in effect.

Ellen DeGeneres & Jeff Garlin Are Setting Great Examples!

Did you know that comedians Ellen DeGeneres and Jeff Garlin are shunning sugar?

In my opinion, this is fabulous, because they're setting great examples for the rest of us.

Americans consume way too much of the stuff -- about 170 pounds per person -- and thereby are paving the way for disaster and disease.

Read my op ed piece on AOL to learn more.

What do you think of this sugar-stopping phenomenon?

Share your thoughts either here or my Smart Habits Fans page on Facebook.

My ABC's to Break Free of Sugar & Other Bad Habits (Babits™)

Have you seen my video yet on YouTube, in which I shared My ABC's to Break Free of Your Sugar Habit and Other Bad Habits?

Here's a companion article to give you more information and tips to release your bad habits or what I call babits™.

My ABC's to Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction & Other Bad Habits by Connie Bennett, CPC, CHHC

If you’re like most people, you’re often tempted by gorgeous, mouth-watering, nutrient-poor “treats”—dazzling donuts, colorful cereal or buttered bagels—and other bad habits such as excessive coffee-drinking, negative thinking, procrastinating and obsessive texting. 

As I mentioned on my companion YouTube video, It's certainly understandable if you feel tempted. Wherever you go and wherever you live, you’re inevitably bombarded by unhealthy foods, substances, thoughts and activities.

But I invite you to look inside and decide: Do you feel trapped or imprisoned by your sugar habit or other bad habit (what I call a babit™)?

And are you plagued by baffling health issues such as annoying weight gain, ferocious headaches or even type 2 diabetes?

I’m here to reassure you. You can escape from the prison of a bad habit.

In fact, I respectfully challenge you. Get out from under your sugar habit or other babits™ so that you can have a life that rocks!

You may be wondering WIFY (What's In It For You?) if you overcome your bad habit. You can benefit in many ways!

New Year's Resolutions: 10 Simple Steps to Stick to Them

Now that it's a new year, most people wonder how to stick to their new year's resolutions.

Even if you've already broken them, that's no reason to throw in the towel. You can still pick yourself up and create smart habits to better your life.

Many of you are seeking, for instance, to shed excess weight and release such health-harming habits as over-consuming sugar, coffee or diet soda. Many of you want to quit procrastinating, smoking, being habitually late, obsessively checking emails or biting your nails.

Before you begin to make positive changes, it's helpful to focus on the Benefits of Breaking Your Bad Habits or what I call “Babits™.

Let's take the case of quitting sugar. As I learned back in 1998 when I cut out out sweeteners and refined carbs on doctor’s orders, ALL 44 of my baffling ailments, from crushing fatigue to brain fog, completely disappeared, as I recounted in my book SUGAR SHOCK!,

For instance, licking sweets (pun intended) and other health-robbing substances and unproductive habits from caffeine overloading to diet soda guzzling can help you to:

• Shed excess weight,
• Get consistent energy,
• Boost your moods,
• Calm you down,
• Become more spiritual and centered,
• Increase your passion and productivity,
• Reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer or hypoglycemia,
• Manage these conditions, if you have them,
• Rev up your libido,
• Reduce your PMS symptoms,
• And so much more!

In short, when you remove sugar and other negative patterns, you leave room for positive activities to take their place and you can begin to get a Life That Rocks!™. Here are 10 smart steps, which can help you break free of your babits™ (bad habits) so you can to replace them with smart habits.

1. Congratulate Yourself. To begin your journey to health and wellness, I invite you to pat yourself on the back. You may wonder why you would want to do that, especially if you’ve spent years abusing your body. You want to applaud yourself, because the mere fact that you’re beginning to look at your sugar addiction or other bad habit is big! The first step to break away from sweets, refined carbs and other babits™ is to NOT beat up on yourself. Granted, you may have gobbled or guzzled high-calorie nutrient-poor sugary foods and drinks over the years, but now is a time to be gentle with yourself, to treat yourself with compassion and to take pride that you’re taking the much-needed first step to treat your body with love and care. Go ahead: Lavish some praise and kudos on yourself now that you’re finally confronting the bad habit that’s been plaguing you—perhaps for years. Share your excitement in your journal or in a heart-to-heart conversation with a loved one. Then imagine that you’re at the starting line of a race like a runner athlete and that you’re ready to make a massive positive shift. Please also remember to acknowledge and celebrate your every little accomplishment. For example, when you make it through a meal without sugary foods, diet soda or caffeine—or if you at least consume less of them—take pride and applaud yourself. After all, each time you make healthier choices, you get closer to more energy, a trimmer body and a better life. 

2. Move With Your Mind & Mantra. Before you begin to try to kick your sugar addiction or another babit™, it’s time to embark on Seven Smart Starter Habits (through Step #8) to cement your confidence that good health, inner calm and new patterns await you. That’s because whenever you seek to remove an old habit and replace it with a new one, your work begins before you even try to make changes. In other words, before you begin to “diet” or make important lifestyle changes, you want to convince your mind that you CAN succeed. Begin each day knowing in the depth of your being that you’ve already licked your unhealthy habit. To get both your subconscious and conscious mind to accept that you’ve succeeded—or are on the path to succeeding—create an easy-to-repeat phrase, affirmation or mantra such as “I, [Your Name], choose only nourishing foods and drinks, which keep me slim, toned and healthy.” Repeat your positive statement at least 30 times a day. Make sure to say it in the morning, right after you wake up, and in the evening, before you go to sleep. Repeating it about 10 to 20 times before meals also can help. Back in 1998, when I finally kicked sugar, repeating my mantra enabled me to succeed. Now, my clients find this technique effective, too.

Sugar Addiction, Caffeine Addiction, Etc.: 10 Steps to Break Free

Are you frustrated and discouraged by your habit of consuming sugar, coffee or diet soda, as well as procrastinating, smoking, being habitually late, obsessively checking emails, nail biting or other bad habits? 

Are you discouraged that, up until now, you’ve often gone out of your way to cave into your “cravings” to unhealthy “treats” or patterns?

Wouldn’t it be nice to Break Free of Your Bad Habits (what I call “Babits™”) for good?

I bring you hope. You CAN Break Free of Your Babits™ such as your dependence on sugary foods, coffee, soda (both with sugar and artificial sweeteners), alcohol, late nights and putting thing off. When you cut loose of babits such as sugar addiction, you will receive many physical, emotional and spiritual benefits.

Perhaps it's “Time to Say Good-Bye”. Just get encouraged and moved to action from Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. (Listen below.)

Indeed, as I recounted in my book SUGAR SHOCK!, after quitting sugar and refined carbs on doctor’s orders in 1998, all 44 of my ailments, from crushing fatigue to brain fog, completely disappeared! I was amazed! You, too, can learn that licking sweets (pun intended) and other health-robbing substances, as well as unproductive habits, can help you to:

• Shed excess weight,
• Get consistent energy,
• Boost your moods,
• Calm you down,
• Become more spiritual and centered,
• Increase your passion and productivity,
• Reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer or hypoglycemia,
• Manage these conditions, if you have them,
• Rev up your libido,
• Reduce your PMS symptoms,
• And so much more!

In short, removing sugar and other negative patterns can help you get a Life That Rocks!™. Here are 10 smart steps, which can help you break free of your sugar addiction and other babits™ (bad habits).

1. Congratulate Yourself. To begin your journey to health and wellness, I invite you to pat yourself on the back. You may wonder why you would want to do that, especially if you’ve spent years abusing your body. You want to applaud yourself, because the mere fact that you’re beginning to look at your sugar addiction or other bad habit is big! The first step to break away from sweets, refined carbs and other babits™ is to NOT beat up on yourself. Granted, you may have gobbled or guzzled high-calorie nutrient-poor sugary foods and drinks over the years, but now is a time to be gentle with yourself, to treat yourself with compassion and to take pride that you’re taking the much-needed first step to treat your body with love and care. Go ahead: Lavish some praise and kudos on yourself now that you’re finally confronting the bad habit that’s been plaguing you—perhaps for years. Share your excitement in your journal or in a heart-to-heart conversation with a loved one. Then imagine that you’re at the starting line of a race like a runner athlete and that you’re ready to make a massive positive shift. Please also remember to acknowledge and celebrate your every little accomplishment. For example, when you make it through a meal without sugary foods, diet soda or caffeine—or if you at least consume less of them—take pride and applaud yourself. After all, each time you make healthier choices, you get closer to more energy, a trimmer body and a better life. 

2. Move With Your Mind & Mantra. Before you begin to try to kick your sugar addiction or another babit™, it’s time to embark on Seven Smart Starter Habits (through Step #8) to cement your confidence that good health, inner calm and new patterns await you. That’s because whenever you seek to remove an old habit and replace it with a new one, your work begins before you even try to make changes. In other words, before you begin to “diet” or make important lifestyle changes, you want to convince your mind that you CAN succeed. Begin each day knowing in the depth of your being that you’ve already licked your unhealthy habit. To get both your subconscious and conscious mind to accept that you’ve succeeded—or are on the path to succeeding—create an easy-to-repeat phrase, affirmation or mantra such as “I, [Your Name], choose only nourishing foods and drinks, which keep me slim, toned and healthy.” Repeat your positive statement at least 30 times a day. Make sure to say it in the morning, right after you wake up, and in the evening, before you go to sleep. Repeating it about 10 to 20 times before meals also can help. Back in 1998, when I finally kicked sugar, repeating my mantra enabled me to succeed. Now, my clients find this technique effective, too.

Speed Shrinking With Author Susan Shapiro

Recently, my friend, the talented author Susan Shapiro, came out with her first work of fiction, Speed Shrinking.

This book offers a very humorous account about a female sugar expert, who fell prey to her cupcake cravings right before she was set to appear on a national TV show.

Sue, a master marketer, has been doing a series of "Speed Shrinking" events to dramatize what her main character went through -- she checked about 8 shrinks in eight days!

Anyhow, check out this story in the Independent from writer Claire Prentice about the Speed Shrinking event last Friday.

Susan was kind enough to invite me to be one of the "speed shrinkers," as you can see in the article. A photo of me is also included.

Now, before the holidays, is a good time for you to get Susan's entertaining book Speed Shrinking.

It's ideal for those of you, who have sugar issues, who are eager to lose weight, who would like to be entertained and read some beautiful writing, and who to laugh at your food challenges. If anyone can get you to do it, Susan can.

Read about Susan's other Speed Shrinking events, too.

Make Your Valentine's Day Sweeter & More Romantic By Offering Heartfelt Gifts (Article)

Hope you enjoy the following article that I wrote, which is appearing on various websites.

Make Your Valentine's Day Sweeter & More Romantic By Offering Heartfelt Gifts
By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Every Valentine's Day, I’m saddened, because men all across America are unknowingly putting their honeys into sugar shock by lavishing them with super-sweet chocolate candies, placed, of course, in beautiful, red, heart-shaped boxes.

Of course, that gesture is intentioned and intended to show these significant others that they're cherished, adored and beloved.

But this annual sugary ritual is one that sends women into diet frustration, chocolate fixation and agonized moments on the scale. Not only that, but chocolate and other candies could harm their chance for romance that evening.

Each year, I hear from many of these agonized, sugar-addicted women, who fear and despair that this innocent candy gift may trigger binging, falling off their diet, weight gain, mood swings, depression and even a decrease in libido.

Men, let me clue you in on something: For most of us females, a calorie-packed, sugar-filled chocolate is not the easy, fast way into our hearts and bedrooms.

Guys, I know you mean well, but in this day and age of obesity run rampant and type 2 diabetes soaring, it's just not politically correct or considerate to give sweet chocolate on Valentine's Day—despite the fact that candy companies invest heavily in advertising to convince you otherwise.

But, rest assured, men, you can still show your love in other creative, more healthful, heartfelt ways. Here are 7 gift ideas that women across America submitted to my Sweeter Gift Challenge survey at www.SweeterGiftChallenge.com. Unlike rich chocolate, these Valentine's Day presents won't send your sweetie into either sugar shock or dieting dismay:

1. Write your sweetheart personal poem and frame it. Then be loving by spending quality time with her—and not just on Valentine's Day.

2. Go for the old standby—give her a dozen red roses. Flowers are always a better choice—and much more appreciated—than candy.

3. Pamper your lady by running her a bubble bath and giving her a luxurious, lengthy massage with wonderfully scented oils.

Fast Food Nightmare: Kids With Good Grades "Win" McDonald's Happy Meals in Florida

In school, kids are supposed to learn reading, writing and arithmetic. Is it too much to ask that children also begin to get some nutrition basics from at least one of their teachers?

Apparently, in Florida's Seminole County, the notion of teaching kids about healthy eating and good food is a foreign one.

The school board there struck the most ill-conceived, nutritionally horrific, jaw-droppingly bad deal with McDonald's restaurants in Seminole County: For the 2007-2008 school year, elementary school kids with good grades and near-perfect attendance are rewarded with Happy Meals.

That's right. If you're one of the 27,000 school kids from kindergarten through fifth grade who does well in school and comes all but one or two days to classes, you get a "food prize" -- nutritionally lacking, fatty, sugar-or-culprit-carbs laden, calorie-packed junk food.

As if that wasn't bad enough, as part of this so-called "report card incentive" program, the Seminole County schools also are allowing McDonald's to turn report cards into advertising vehicles. In fact, Stuart Elliot of the New York Times so aptly puts it, the Florida schools are "using children's report cards to help stimulate sales [at McDonald's]."

7 Simple Steps to a Sweeter You by Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Here's an article I wrote that I hope will help you. This piece is to inspire both sugar addicts and those who are immune (or relatively unfazed) by sugary temtpations.

7 Simple Steps to a Sweeter You
By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

With the winter holidays here and the New Year on the horizon, it’s the ideal time to take stock of where you are and where you'd like to go. In other words, it's invaluable to take a probing look inward and make some moves in the direction of your dreams. Ask yourself:

•    Are you the kind of person you'd like to be?
•    Are you achieving your heart's desires?
•    How can you be kinder, better and sweeter?
•    What traits and skills do you need to develop or cultivate to get to where you want to go?

Or let’s put it another way: It’s time to do some internal housecleaning. Since we’re human, each of us can always find something about ourselves to improve.

My clients have found that doing this kind of assessing and goal setting helps them to build confidence, achieve inner joy and love themselves.

Here are 7 areas to explore that can lead you to personal growth and transformation so you become a person you like, admire and respect.

1) Take delight. Do you view the glass as half full rather than half empty? Do you feel joy, delight and glee when you view a sunset, when you see trees, when your child looks at you with adoring eyes, when you first bite into an organic apple, when you walk down the street, or when you’re immersed in a project? Make yourself to look at the bright side of things. No one wants to be around a killjoy so concentrate on fostering that part of you that's childish, innocent, sweet and fun. Become the kind of person people love to be around.

2) Listen with zeal. Do you pay close attention to other people when they speak? Do you care about their worries, goals and fears? Or are too wrapped up in yourself? There’s nothing more annoying than someone who cuts you off in the middle of saying something. Challenge yourself to really focus on what people are saying. That way others will want to share with you more. Besides, you’ll like yourself better, too.

Halloween: Don't Trick Kids With Candies! Treat Them With Healthy, Fun "Goodies" Instead

Here's an article I wrote to help you and your family have a healthy and happy Halloween.

Halloween: Don’t Trick Kids With Candies! Treat Them With Healthy, Fun “Goodies” Instead

By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Halloween is downright spooky. And I’m not talking about the cavorting children dressed up as gruesome goblins, ghouls, monsters or pirates.

Rather, the scariest part of Halloween is that it’s become our nationally observed, mandatory “Spooky Sugar Overload Day” (and week).

Sadly, most Americans follow this accepted, but outdated ritual despite our alarming rates of obesity and skyrocketing numbers of children getting type 2 diabetes.

This Halloween, it’s time for us to face the frightening facts: When kids come trick-or-treating, you are tricking them rather than treating them by giving them sugary candies galore to gobble and gorge.

In short, you could be sending unsuspecting children into sugar shock.

When children overdose on sweets, they could become moody, anxious, depressed, unsociable, brain-fogged, obese, quarrelsome, confrontational, hyperactive, rowdy, raging and tantrum-throwing kids. In short, they could be transformed into “Sugar Brats.”

By my calculations, the average child scarfs down between 20 to 50 teaspoons of sugar and hundreds of calories on Halloween night alone. And that doesn’t include the massive sugar overdosing in the days that follow.

What’s more, Halloween sets the stage for sugar overloading year round. And this sugar habit, research shows, could pave the way to obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, failing memory, early aging and many more health problems. 

Many parents think that since Halloween only comes once a year, they needn’t worry about their child’s sugar intake. Quite the contrary.

The average American consumes between 142.6 pounds to 170 pounds of sugar per year—or nearly a cup of sugar per day. But many children take in much more than that.

These figures are a far cry from the average sugar consumption nearly two centuries ago when the average person only tasted 2.2 teaspoons of sugar a day. 

So, this Halloween, why put your child’s health at risk by handing over sugar-loaded candies?

Hand Out Toys as “Treats” Instead

Thankfully, some savvy, nutrition-minded health experts now recommend that parents give out fun, colorful, non-edible Halloween “treats” and fun party favors instead of candy.

For instance, you could offer such healthy, Halloween-themed goodies as bats, spiders, beetles and mice. Or you could hand out slinkees, kazoos and glow-in-the-dark fingers. (More ideas can be found at www.SugarShockBlog.com.)

Halloween: 5 Tips to Treat Kids, Not Trick Them & Have a Healthier Holiday

With Halloween around the corner, I wrote an article to help parents and adults who give out "goodies" to the costumed trick-or-treaters. You may republish this story, but you need to provide the credit provided at the end of the piece. Hope this helps!

Halloween: 5 Tips to Treat Kids, Not Trick Them & Have a Healthier Halloween

By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

Halloween frightens me.

Not because of ghosts, goblins or ghouls – or even the costumed monsters, witches and pirates.

What’s spooky about the holiday is that it’s a mandatory “Sugar Overload Day.”

I’m dismayed that, despite soaring rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes among kids, on Halloween, it’s an accepted tradition to send your and your neighbors’ kids into sugar shock.

But, let’s face it, when kids come knocking on your door to playfully trick-or-treat , you’re actually tricking them, not treating them, by giving them candies galore to gobble.

Around Halloween, people tend to completely forget and ignore the fact that too much sugar could spell downright scary news for your children’s health.

Even more spooky: The average child scarfs down between 20 to 50 teaspoons of sugar and hundreds of calories on that one night alone!

But research suggests that cutting back on sugar could give your kids more energy, put them in better spirits, enable them to them focus better and score higher grades, get along better with their peers, and, of course, lose weight and minimize their risk of type 2 diabetes.

So why give in to the accepted sugar-gorging way of celebrating?

Instead, I invite you to pass up on all those candies in your neighborhood drug store and instead help your children and your neighbors’ kids to observe Halloween in a safer, healthy way.

Here are 5 tips to create a healthier Halloween.

Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Presents "Lick the Sugar Habit" Author Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.

During tomorrow's Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Radio Show (at 4 p.m. EST), I will have the honor to present one of the first people to speak out about sugar's dangers.

I'm thrilled to have the chance to interview Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., author of the classic, Lick the Sugar Habit. Nancy is one of my mentors and also a major anti-sugar pioneer, who has been spreading the news about sugar's dangers since the 1980s.

It's always exciting for me to interview Nancy. She was kind enough to be interviewed for my book SUGAR SHOCK! and now, she has agreed to come on my radio show to give you helpful tips to get over your sugar addiction for good.

Remember, if you miss the show live, you can always listen afterwards, at your own convenience.

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.

How To Forgive Your Loved Ones, Yourself Or Strangers: 7 Simple Steps to Let Go

Dear Readers, I do hope that the following article helps and uplifts you.

7 Simple Steps to Forgive Others & Yourself
By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C.

No matter what your goals -- whether you yearn to feel free, become empowered, lose weight, be more loving or break a sugar habit, you may not be able to move forward or succeed until you forgive your loved ones, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, yourself or even strangers who harmed and wronged you, whether deliberately or unintentionally.

When you feel forgiveness in your heart, it's much easier to be happy, productive, accomplish your goals and be at peace with yourself.

During the Jewish New Year—a 10-day period for self-examination, atonement and forgiveness—I realized that I hadn't fully let go of the hurt, pain and sadness that someone special had caused me. Once it dawned on me that I hadn’t yet completely released my anger, disappointment and regret, I initially berated myself, but then I immediately created a plan to graciously pardon his affronts with dignity.

All of us—of every religion or belief—should be contrite and confront our sorrowful, hostile and critical feelings and thoughts head-on and then make amends. Not facing up to our emotions could lead us to overeat, gain weight, turn to sugar or alcohol, work too hard or develop other unhealthy habits. Denying our feelings also could cause us to withhold warmth, tenderness and love from our friends and family members. Then, we just won’t fully enjoy our lives.

Many of us don’t realize that by forgiving other people and ourselves, we’re really being compassionate and considerate of ourselves. But if we hang onto our bitterness and harbor grudges and don’t find it in our hearts to be forgiving and merciful, we’re cheating and betraying ourselves. Sure, it may feel right to hold resentment, ill will and hard feelings in our hearts, but we’re really committing a sin against ourselves.

So kindly absolving and pardoning another is really less about other people and more about being true, kind and respectful of yourself. Likewise, humbly and remorsefully atoning for your sins and transgressions against another is a way to give yourself the esteem and value you deserve.

Not forgiving someone else and not repenting for the wrongs you’ve committed can:

• Rob you of your power.
• Strip you of your dignity.
• Keep you trapped in anger, indignation and resentment.
• Make you feel helpless, stuck and  frustrated.
• Harm you physically or emotionally. 
• Turn you into a killjoy, who's unpleasant to be around.
• Keep you from moving forward to enjoy relationships or revel in your accomplishments.

On the other hand, forgiving someone else or yourself – and the flip side, asking for forgiveness – can:

• Free, heal, nurture and release you.     
• Fill you with lightness, compassion and good will.
• Lift your mind, spirit and soul.
• Ennoble, empower and enliven you.     
• Lift a tremendous load off your heart and spirit.
• Bring you closer to God or goodness (however you choose to look at it).
• Refresh, reward and renew you like nothing else can.

To really and truly forgive, one helpful approach is to begin to buy and read books from such renowned forgiveness experts as Dr. Fred Luskin, Everett Worthington, Gary Zukav and Rabbi Irwin Kula.

But until your book(s) arrive, you can take a fast track to forgiveness by embarking upon 7 easy steps that I developed, which spell out the word "Forgive."

Does That Chocolate Have Your Name On It? Does That Cheesecake Call Out to You? Hogwash! 4 Simple, Sure-Fire Techniques to Squash Temptation Now (Article)

This morning I felt a compelling need to write something that will empower sugar addicts everywhere. So I was inspired to write this article for you.

So is that chocolate donut calling out to you? Does that French toast tempt you? Are you convinced that the scrumptious-looking brownie is beckoning you?

Hogwash. No offense, but it's time for a reality check.

Look, I don't mean to sound callous, but it's simply preposterous to think that those foods are deliberately whispering out to you or that they have your name on them! Yet, these are exactly the phrases that I frequently hear from people overly attached to sweets.

Whoah! It's time to squash those desires right now!

Now before you get angry at me and claim that I don't understand your feelings, you need to know that I am an ex-sugar addict myself so sweets used to capture me often, too. In other words, I deeply empathize deeply with your plight. But now, I'm here to show you the way out of this sugar trap.

So here are 4 sure-fire techniques to squash that temptation right as it confronts you. When those sugary foods "call out" to you:

1. Pinpoint the source of your hunger. Are you really famished for those nutrition-lacking pieces of red licorice that you gaze at so longingly or do you instead long for love, tenderness, joy, friendship, laughter, sympathy, a good workout, a session of spirituality, a better job, or improved communication with your significant other? In other words, are you completely malnourished, because your heart and soul aren't getting the things you most cherish and need? When I kicked sugar back in 1998, asking myself such questions helped me to turn away from sweets time and time again. Just become conscious in the moment as to the reason(s) for your so-called "hunger," because powerful knowledge like this can lead you to right, healthy actions. Or, you can think of this in another way, as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) (where I studied) suggests. When sugary temtations are about to get the better of you, ask yourself, "Do I really yearn for "primary food" instead?
2. Get really angry at your habit! At this point, I suggest that you get furious at your pitiful reliance on sugary foods. I'm not suggesting that you become hateful at yourself; just become outraged at your behavior and the fact that you lean on sweets so much when you're blue, lonely, moody, etc. Now go ahead -- get downright repulsed and revolted by your heinous, destructive habit and how you let these sweets strip you of your dignity and force you to do demeaning activities such as digging into your garbage pail to retrieve uneaten candies. (Sound familiar?) Get really livid at how low you have gone. (I'm not a therapist, but I'm telling you that tapping into your fury -- which is what I once did -- can have a potent, effective, life-affirming result.)

3. Claim your power. Realize that you are in control. It's totally up to you what you stick on your fork. You can consciously make better selections as to what you'll feed yourself and how you'll spend your time. Stand in your own corner. Stick up for yourself and choose to treat your body and soul with respect, dignity, admiration and even encouragement.

4. Choose nourishment instead. Armed with the valuable information that maybe you're really not hungry for sweets but instead need a strenuous workout, a fun time out with a friend or some tenderness from your significant other, you can make a better, more positive, healthier choice. Pick a more healthy, nurturing activity to substitute for pigging out on sweets or refined carbs. Now go do it!

Remember, if it's been your pattern to turn to sweets for solace, at times you may feel that sugary foods have control over you. But you need to remind yourself that this is just not so!

You alone have the final say as to what you put into your mouth -- not your sugar-pushing relative or insensitive, sugar-addicted friends or loved ones. You can choose health by saying no to this potentially damaging white powder (or food using it).

Take back your power now and decide that you just do not have to cave into temptation. Chooose to nourish yourself in other ways instead.

As someone who has been where you are, I bring you abundant hope. You can win out in your battle against processed sweets and refined carbs. In fact, you have many easy tips and tactics on which you can rely. These are just four of many that you can use to break free from your sugar habit.

Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. is a former sugar addict and author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books), with Stephen Sinatra, M.D. She now helps thousands of people worldwide to break free of their debilitating sugar habit. Connie is the founder of the 21-Day, Stop SUGAR SHOCK! Countdown Diet™; a certified holistic health counselor; and an experienced journalist, who has contributed to eDiets.com, The Los Angeles Times, and many other media outlets. To get more simple strategies to squash sugar's temptations, grab a sneak peek of her book SUGAR SHOCK!  If you'd like to reprint this article, please contact me first for permission.

Sugar Addicts: Did Mom Turn You Into A Sugar Junkie? 5 Tips to Avoid The Same Fate

With Mother's Day coming soon, I thought the following article was appropriate. Enjoy.

Sugar Addicts: Did Mom Turn You Into A Sugar Junkie? 5 Tips to Avoid The Same Fate

By Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C., with Lisa R. Delman, M.A.

You may have inherited your mom’s smile. You may share her love of clothes. Perhaps you both sneeze when you’re around daisies.

But you may also take after your mother in another way. You may have become “addicted” to candies, cookies, soda or chocolate just like her.

In other words, did mom unknowingly turn you into a sugar addict?

But we’re not here to lay guilt trips on poor mom. Rather, we want to tell you how to break free from a destructive habit that your mother may have passed onto you—and mother’s mother may have passed onto her. And so on. (If you're getting impatient, learn about one way now to cut through the emotional clutter and make peace with mom.)

After all, your relationship with your mom is the first one that you have, and it profoundly influences the course of your life.

Here are 5 ways to escape the sugar trap that your mom may have unintentionally given to you:

1. Do “Sugary Soul Searching.” In other words, think about how your sugar habit began. (For example, did mom and dad take you out for ice cream as a reward when you were good? Did your mom buy huge bottles of soda and keep them around your home all the time? Did you get chocolate if you finished your dinner? Did you catch mom in the kitchen secretly polishing off last night’s dessert? Did she prepare special desserts just for you and get hurt if you didn’t want any?)

2. Think about how your mom used to relate to sweets. Or maybe still does. (Does your mother serve special treats to show her love? Does she use desserts to lay a guilt trip on you? Perhaps she offers edible “goodies” to make peace with members of the family?)

3. Do a special visualization meditation in which you see, feel and hear yourself discussing topics with your mother that have been on your mind for years. Make sure to envision yourself opening your heart to her.

4. Have a conversation with your mother in which you discuss your mutual connection to sugar and chat about other matters of the heart. (You can talk with her whether or not she’s alive.)

5. Write a letter to your mom to achieve closure and a new more meaningful connection. In your own words, you’ll share feelings that you’ve kept inside for years. (You won’t be mailing this letter, but writing it will help you to forgive her, as well as to release your anger, sadness and frustration.)  The power of writing such a letter cannot be overestimated. Putting thoughts and feelings on paper has helped thousands of women worldwide.)

Naturally, many of us would like to have better relationships with our mothers (whether she’s alive or not).

By resolving past grievances and resentments with mom, you can more easily let go of your frustrating attraction to sugar and other unhealthy behaviors and feelings.

Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C. is author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books, 2007). She is a certified holistic health counselor and former sugar addict, who now has a healthy relationship with her mother. Lisa Delman is author of Dear Mom, I’ve Always Wanted You to Know (Penguin Group, 2005). She almost lost her mom to heart disease, and the shock drove her to write 11 cathartic letters to her. Since then, Lisa developed “The Letters From the Heart Project” and has taught thousands of women around the world to write a powerful, letter to mom to help release pent-up emotions and to honor the most important relationship of your life. Learn how to write a powerful, moving letter to mom now.

Join Me Monday Night at 8 p.m. EST for a Chat at WeightLossBuddy.com

Please join me Monday night at 8 p.m. EST when I host a free chat at WeightLossBuddy.com.

This is the third chat I've hosted for this wonderful site, which bills itself as "The Leading Weight-Loss Network."

It's really a wonderful place to connect with experts and other people who are going through weight or sugar issues.

The concept of a buddy is one that's been proven to help people. Anyhow, the basic service is free, but you can get additional benefits by joining the paid program, too.

Hope to see you Monday night during my free chat.

FYI, you can find the schedule of chats here.

Wow! Unsolicited Rave Review of My Book SUGAR SHOCK!

I just had to share this with you. This absolutely awesome recommendation just came to my KickSugar group from a newcomer there, who found the group after reading my book SUGAR SHOCK!

"Dear Group,

"Reading Sugar Shock! is a watershed event that started with this book. I've felt tired, had the blues, out-of-control with cravings, humiliated, lackluster, and FAT for years now. To sum up Connie's book in a word: WOW!

"No other book I've read on it (starting with Sugar Blues in the 80s) has motivated me to get off the junk.

"Coincidentally, I serendipitously picked up her book at Barnes and Noble when I went to get another book that didn't pan out. But hers did.

I" write health newsletters for work and hope to use (and crediting the source*is that okay, Connie?) some of the information that's in the book. I usually put "adapted from (book) by (author)." Please let me know!

"The author's generous offer to refund seems to genuinely reflect conviction and belief in the subject matter.

"I really appreciate interaction with an author --[this is] a rare opportunity.

"I've recommended Sugar Shock! to a co-worker who is having trouble with her daughter's emotional and physical health. I offered to loan it to her, but she wanted her own copy. I was relieved as I'm rereading it now and have marked it all up anyway.

"My grandsons (ages 10 and 7) live with me and, believe it or not, now relish fruit for dessert.

"Disclaimer: LOL, no, I don't know the author and am not being paid for this endorsement. But it's that good and seeing that someone may be misunderstanding the intent of the author, I was prompted to speak up. I haven't had many life-changing and life-saving books, but this is definitely one of them.

"I had colorectal cancer eight years ago and have had a bit of a helpless feeling before. Last year I became vegan with hopes of preventing it again after reading The China Study. This year, I feel even more empowered by becoming sugar-free.

"THANK YOU, CONNIE, FOR HAVING WRITTEN THIS BOOK! It has the potential of, as you say, `being on the cutting edge' of saving millions of lives. That is not an exaggeration, IMO.

"I wrote a review on Amazon because I'm a frequent customer, but since I bought it at Barnes & Noble, it's [only] fair that I write a review there, too. : ). This book deserves more than the usual five stars, that's for sure.

"Warmly,
Pat"

I know I'm a writer and journalist who is supposed to come up with clever quips and comments, but I'm simply speechless. Thank you so very much, Pat! I truly do hope that this book helps you to break free!