Spotlight on the Sugar-Filled, Nutrient-Deficient “Newsroom Diet” at the Napa Valley Register & Other Newspapers Nationwide

On the one hand, I’m entertained. At the same time, I’m horribly saddened to think about the kinds of sugary, nutrient-lacking, brain-diminishing foods that reporters and editors consume at newsrooms across America.

Thanks to a playful, provocative piece in the Napa Valley Register, attention is now being directed with humor to "The Newsroom Diet," which columnist Bill Kisliuk describes as "the special combination of idleness and nutrient-free office cuisine that fuels some of the finest print journalists in this land."

While Mr. Kisliuk’s column is quite amusing, at the same time it offers a terribly sad commentary on what many journalists (and millions of Americans) thrive on today — junk food and sugary "treats" in all their non-glory.

This so-called "Newsroom Diet" piece also brings back many memories. Ah yes, I well remember the plethora of low-calorie, hard candies; sugary cookies; birthday cakes; and all-too-often-offered red licorice that I used to eagerly over-consume while working as a staff reporter/columnist or reporting intern at several newsrooms in various states.

But today, I’m no longer the nutritionally illiterate woman I once was. For instance, I would never ever eat the sugary foods that I once couldn’t turn down. And because I now shun culprit carbs, I’m also much more healthy, have more energy and am more cheerful. But that’s all.

From a work perspective, I now make a much better journalist and writer. These days, I have an amazing ability to concentrate that I never used to have. Furthermore, I can make my deadlines more easily and gracefully, because I’m not clamoring for a quickie-carb fix to give me a fake "high" so I can  crank out my story.

In addition, now that I’m off sugar, I pulled off what was once seemingly unmanageable. I actually was able to spend undertake and complete the laborious process of researching and writing a book over a period of five years — something that would have been impossible during my sugar-addiction days.

Ironic, isn’t it? On the one hand, smart journalists around the country are educating us about news events as they occur. They’re also offering us insightful glimpses into our world. And yet, many of them are not savvy about the dangers of partaking of sugary snacks and quickie-carb foods. In fact, I suspect that many of them — as I once did — are simply moving from coffee fix to sugar fix to soda fix over the course of a day just to make it through the day and complete their stories.

Thank goodness, times are beginning to change. The pervasiveness and onslaught of articles about obesity and type 2 diabetes has transformed some reporters into more nutrition savvy, health minded people. But what about the rest of the reporters and columnists?

What it comes down to is this: Clearly the Napa Valley Register’s Bill Kisliuk is like many journalists. He doesn’t give much thought — as I once did not either– to the fact that what you eat not only affects your weight, but also your moods, concentration and energy levels — all vitally important for a journalist frequently faced with pressing deadlines.

Clearly, Mr. Kisliuk just isn’t hip to the many health hazards, as well as emotional ramifications, that can result from over-consuming these sugary, fatty foods.

But I’m here to help. In fact, today I plan to FedEx a press copy of my book SUGAR SHOCK! to Mr. Kisliuk to wake him up to the dangers of what he and others are doing.

Journalists across America, I empathize with your junk-food plight. I know what it’s like to be in a newsroom where donuts, pies, cakes, pizza and other junk foods tempt you all too often.

Let me help you if you’re one of those reporters who survives on this "Newsroom Diet" of sugary, fatty junk food.

Here are 3 tips to avoid your plight. So the next time someone urges you to eat a piece of birthday cake or some sugary cookies, try this instead:

1) Just say, "I’m sorry, I’m on a deadline, and if I have some
sugar, I’ll get brain fog,and, of course, I don’t want to bust my
deadline, right?"

2) Indulge in some creative procrastination. In other words, delay!
Say, "thank so much, but I need to go edit my story." Then make a dash
to another part of the newsroom, start talking with a co-worker about
the latest breaking story or get involved with something else, and your
sugar desire may pass.

3) Politely decline. Then take a brisk walk around the block to clear
your head and to let your cravings subside. (At the same time, plop a
pedometer on your waist and take some pride in all the steps you’re
taking over the course of the day. FYI, 2,000 steps equals a mile.)

And when at wit’s end, contact me. In fact, I just had an epiphany: I’m
going to start offering sugar-awareness seminars to junk-eating
reporters at newsrooms across America.

To all you junk-eating reporters out there, bear in mind that I know
what it’s like to be bombarded by junk-food temptations galore. So it
would be my honor to help you rise above these sweet sights and instead
zeio in on sweeter delights.