Halloween Tricks Kids Into Sugar Overload: Op Ed Piece

Are you re planning on passing out sugar-filled candies for Halloween tomorrow night?
If so, you should know that every time you hand out candies, you’re tricking kids into sugar overload.
Halloween isn’t just one night. It paves the way for bad eating habits year-round.
Read more about this in our opinion piece in today’s Newark Star-Ledger.

My Author Friend & I Are Going Zany During Book Expo America This Week

For this important week in publishing — during which Book Expo America takes place — my fun author friend Dr. Diana Kirschner and I are going out on a limb to drum up interest in our books. Here’s a press release that’s now going out to the media today.
Authors Develop Zany, Outrageous Marketing Gimmicks to Nab Publishers & Fans in these Challenging Economic Times
NEW YORK—As thousands of authors vie for publishers’ and readers’ thumbs up in this uncertain economic climate, some innovative, pro-active authors are taking matters into their own hands by coming up with over-the-top, outrageous, humorous marketing gimmicks.
“It’s time to become an out-of-the-box-thinking author-preneur, who creates gutsy, captivating messages that nab the attention and tickle the funny bones of readers and publishers,” claims author Connie Bennett, who is laughingly walking around Book Expo America on Friday and Saturday sporting a provocative, 24”-by-30” sandwich board that says, “Are You ‘The One’?”
The amiable author’s “Are You `The One’?” message—which looks like a single’s ad—pokes fun of the fact that Bennett is both a single woman and an available author with a Big Platform, who’s seeking “a committed relationship” with a “compatible publisher” to release her second book.
“I wanted to playfully show that I have the guts, initiative and ingenuity to be a successful author no matter what the economic climate,” adds Bennett, an experienced journalist, certified health counselor, self-described “Ex-Sugar Shrew!” and author of SUGAR SHOCK! (Berkley Books) (www.SugarShock.com).

Sign Up Now for the Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge on Jan. 16

Are you like Oprah — tired of lugging around excess weight?
Do you feel that you have no control over your sugar or carb habit?
Are sugary foods your “drug of choice”?
Would you like to get more energy, focus better, rev up your libido, get along better with loved ones and get a hot, trim body?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you’ll want to join the First Annual Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge, which takes place Jan. 16.
Many of us experts are here to help you begin to lick your sugar habit.
We’re here to give you the support, compassion, information and education that you need and deserve.
My co-organizer Dr. Scott Olson and I invite you to take our challenge by submitting your comment here.
Spend time on Jan. 16 to look at your sugar issues, learn about the dangers of sugar overloading (which people around the world are doing) and cut it out totally on that one day.
Wondering what could happen if you kick sugar? Read these amazing success stories now.
So sign up here now.
Make sure to tell us about your sugar history, what a lot of sweets do to you and what you envision for the future if being sugar-free was a reality.
What are you waiting for? Join us now.
And spread the word. We want to get a huge viral campaign going.
After you sign up, mark your calendar.
Our festivities begin Jan. 16 at 12 p.m. Eastern on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show for the Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge,.where we’ll be joined by some of the biggest health and sugar experts in the country. (You can listen live or later, at your convenience, to a podcast.)
For instance, we’ll be joined by Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, author of Get the Sugar Out; Elizabeth Abbott, author of Sugar: A Bittersweet History; Dr. Eric Westman, director of Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic; (?), Dr. Hyla Cass, integrative psychiatrist and author of 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health and Natural Highs; MeMe Roth, founder and president of the National Action Against Obesity; Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Lick the Sugar Habit; Dr. Woody Merrell, author of Unleash Your Natural Energy; Dr. Fred Pescatore, author of The Hamptons Diet; Amy Kalafa, co-founder of “Two Angry Moms,” which is dedicated to cleaning up the school food environment; Susan Linn (?), director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood; Dr. Yvonne Sanders Butler, principal of Browns Mill Elementary School in Lithonia, Georgia; the first sugar-free school in the country; Roberta Ruggiero, founder of the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation;; Dr. Larry McCleary, author of The Brain Trust Program; Dr. Roberta Lee, vice chair of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel’s Center for Health and Healing in New York City; the “Nutrition Twins” Tammy Lakatos Shames and Elysse (“Lyssie”) Lakatos, authors of Fire Up Your Metabolism; and integrative medicine practitioner Steven J. Bock, M.D.
In addition, several happy, successful “Sugar Kickers” will participate, including popular low-carb blogger Jimmy Moore, who lost 180 pounds, mostly by cutting out sugar and refined or starchy carbs, and Amanda Lerner, who shed 25 pounds and got more energy, clearer skin, increased focus, creativity and a profound feeling of freedom. In addition, her cravings, depression, eczema, candida and fainting spells disappeared.
Then from 12 noon Friday to 11:59 Saturday, we’ll conduct a supportfest on Twitter. If you don’t have an account yet, just sign up at Twitter and then start following @TwitAsYouQuit.
Frustrated right now? Want support this minute? Get going now by becoming a member of my free online Kicksugar discussion group.
Remember, if you have sugar issues, this Sugar Shock Blog is your place to get news updates, information about upcoming programs and much more.
Sign up now for the Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge.

Dieters, Sugar Addicts, Diabetics & Hypoglycemics To Be Helped By Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge on Jan. 16 (Press Release)

Experts Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, Dr. Nancy Appleton, Dr. Hyla Cass & Many More Gurus Urge People Around the Globe to Learn the Sour Sugar Facts
NEW YORK AND DENVER—On Friday, Jan. 16, a group of concerned health and wellness experts are holding the first annual Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge to draw attention to the many health hazards that could result from over-consuming sugar* and refined carbohydrates, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, infertility and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge begins 12 p.m. Eastern Friday, Jan. 16 with a 90-minute show/podcast on the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show (http://tinyurl.com/sugar-out-challenge-radio-show) featuring such recognized experts as Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, author of Get the Sugar Out; Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Lick the Sugar Habit; Dr. Woody Merrell, author of Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health, and Feel 10 Years Younger; Elizabeth Abbott, author of Sugar: A Bittersweet History; Roberta Ruggiero, founder of the Hypoglycemia Support Foundation and author of The Do’s and Don’ts of Hypoglycemia: An Everyday Guide to Low Blood Sugar; Dr. Larry McCleary, author of The Brain Trust Program; Dr. Roberta Lee, vice chair of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel’s Center for Health and Healing in New York City; integrative medicine practitioner Dr. Steven J. Bock and other experts. In addition, several successful “Sugar Kickers” will be on hand, including popular low-carb blogger Jimmy Moore, who lost 180 pounds, and recovered sugar addict Amanda Lerner.
Sugar-Out coordinators Dr. Scott Olson, author of Sugarettes, and Connie Bennett, host of the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show and author of SUGAR SHOCK! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life—And How You Can Get Back on Track, will emcee the activities and interview the guests.
The Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge also features a 24-hour hour twitfest, where frequent, inspirational, informational tweets will be sent out from www.Twitter.com/TwitAsYouQuit. Twitter is a popular, fast-growing, microblogging program, where people send out messages of up to 140 characters.
This is the first time that a worldwide event has been held to draw attention to the massive amounts of sugar that the typical person consumes, which is about 170 pounds a year or one cup a day for the average American and the same for someone living overseas.
The Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge is also the first time authors of “competing” sugar books have banded together to invite people worldwide to learn the sour sugar facts and to urge them to take the challenge of cutting back on sugar or removing it entirely for at least one day.
“Most people don’t realize that they’re eating or drinking huge doses of sugar over the course of a day whenever they have packaged or processed foods,” says “Sugar Liberator” and Sugar-Out Challenge co-coordinator Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C., author of SUGAR SHOCK!, a certified health counselor, speaker and life coach.
“Of course, you’re getting sugar and other sweeteners from candy bars, soda and cookies, but you’re also getting a lot from less obvious sources like yogurt, whole grain cereal, peanut butter, salad dressings and mayonnaise,” continues Bennett, a journalist, who, before kicking sugar in 1998, used to “need” frequent sugar “fixes” to meet article deadlines.

High Fructose Corn Syrup: Dig Deeper Before Believing the New Corn Lobby Ads & Consuming the Stuff

Have you seen any of the TV spots, print and online banner ads that seek to convince us that high fructose corn syrup is fun to consume?
Before you believe the many new ads from the Corn Refiners Association — which is spending a reported $20 million to $30 million to convince us of its safety — I urge you to get facts from my recent Gab With The Gurus Radio Show, where I had the following guests:
Curt Ellis, director and producer for the fascinating documentary “King Corn.”
Cardiologist Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., co-author of my book Sugar Shock!
Nutritionist, author and personal trainer Pedro Bastos, a colleague of Loren Cordain, Ph.D., acclaimed for his Paleo Diet.
Biochemist and food and beverage formulator Russ Bianchi, who is also chief executive officer and managing director of Adept Solutions.
Richard J. Johnson, M.D., author of The Sugar Fix: The High-Fructose Fallout That is Making You Fat and Sick (His interview is coming up.)

Halloween: Handing Out “Treats” Is “Tricky”—6 Tips To a Healthier Holiday

Halloween is a spooky time and not because of goblins, ghosts or ghouls. Oct. 31 is downright frightening because it is a nationally accepted Sugar Overload Day.
Around Halloween, just about everyone “forgets” the truly scary facts: Kids have been growing more and more obese, even developing type 2 diabetes—conditions that researchers attribute to such unhealthy activities as over-consuming sweets and refined carbs and lack of exercise.
Despite the dangers to our children’s health, every Halloween, it’s accepted—even encouraged—to pass out gobs of sugar-filled candies that could harm the health of our neighbors’ kids.
But every time you give candies to youngsters who come knocking on your door to playfully trick-or-treat, you’re tricking them, not treating them.
Indeed, the average child easily wolfs down about 20 to 40 teaspoons of sugar and more than 500 calories on that one night alone. Then, for days or weeks afterwards, the typical kid is still pigging out on leftover candies.
Research at Harvard, Yale and other institutions have discovered that eating fewer sweets and skipping the soda and other sugary drinks could help children and adults alike lose weight and reduce their risks of getting type 2 diabetes.
This Halloween, I invite you to quit encouraging sugar gorging and instead to begin to take some steps to make Halloween more healthy. Here are 6 tips to create a healthier holiday.