Tag: Beyond Sugar Shock

Do You Mindlessly Rush & Stress or Mindfully Relax? 7 Tips to Calm Down

Join the Conversation. Are you a Rusher or Relaxer? And have you ever hurt yourself mindlessly hurrying?
Last Sunday afternoon, mindlessly stressfully and rushing landed me in major trouble—specifically, major physical pain.
Despite my recent efforts to relish nature’s magnificence, appreciate my peaceful surroundings, and slow down my breathing, last week I temporarily forgot my mindful intentions.
Instead, I was was hurrying and scurrying as in an area I don’t know.
There I was, in the Downtown Disney® Marketplace in Orlando, Florida, speedwalking so I’d arrive on time for the opening keynote of the Launch conference, sponsored by intentional-leadership guru Michael Hyatt and motivational speaker Ken Davis.
I was very eager to attend this event, because I’m a huge fan of Michael Hyatt, author of the fabulous book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, a jewel I discovered, thanks to Hay House, publisher of my most recent book, Beyond Sugar Shock).
Anyhow, although I’d been savoring my meandering for about an hour (even finding some sweet-smelling bath salts), I’d simply lost track of time.
Photos 4-11-11 017So as I was rushing to the Launch conference opening talks, a curb came out of nowhere — well, that’s certainly what it felt like! — and I wrenched my knee. Ouch! Aargh! Eeeks!
I could actually feel my kneecap move around into places where it didn’t belong (although I was wearing a very thin protective brace, because I’d harmed this same knee before.)
In short, I hurt myself because I was in a rush, and I wasn’t fully present or consciously alert.
Otherwise, I would have seen that high-level curb and therefore easily avoided it.
For the next four days, while at the great Launch conference, I regularly iced my painful knee. (I chose not to take the hours it would take to find a doctor in Orlando, get X-rays, etc., because I didn’t want to miss the amazing event.)
Yesterday, after returning back home, I realized that I badly needed medical help.
After many desperate calls to orthopedic surgeons—who couldn’t see me until June or July!—I finally pleaded pitifully enough so that one doctor’s assistant kindly squeezed me in to see a top-notch doctor to whom I’d been recommended.
The Doctor’s Verdict
I have a medial collateral ligament strain, grade 2 (meaning that it wasn’t super-awful, but it wasn’t just a minor injury).
Healing Required
I need to wear a big, monstrous brace while walking (see photo above.
Plus, I have to see a physical therapist a couple of times a week.
And I need to ice 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.
As for exercise, I can’t do any Zumba or high-intensity spinning or stair-blasting. Okay, I admit, that’s very frustrating!
I also can leisurely walk and in about a week, I may be able to start swimming (not my favorite sport) and I can do slow biking on a stationary bike.
I’ve Also Personalized My Healing Plan
Since I’m a health coach and life coach, I’ve come up with some more healing action steps.
As my awesome tapping consultant, Mary Ayers — who I had to cancel on to see the doctor — reminded me, I need to do lots of EFT on the pain and the feelings associated with my injury.
I also plan to get help from Nick Ortner, author of The Tapping Solution.
I also need to slow down. (See also my 7 Tips to Calm Down.)
My doctor predits that in about 8 weeks — I hope sooner, my knee should be fine.
I’ve Rushed for Years. What About You?
Contorting and twisting my knee while confronting that darn curb made me realize and admit that for years, I’ve excelled at rushing.
I’m a Rusher Par Excellence!
Apparently, I’ve even sought out places to live and a profession where scurrying is a plus—or, rather a must. Yikes!
Just consider:
Up until two years ago (when I moved across country to be with my then-terminally ill mom, who I later lost), I lived in Manhattan, the city where if you rush, you excel. (Okay, I’m exaggerating, but it often seems that everyone is dashing about and running late in The Big Apple.)
Not only that, but as a trained journalist, I’m used to frequent article deadlines. In fact, my editors often leaned on me, saying, “Connie, where is your story? We need it!” Back in my days as a daily reporter, I had to crank out several articles a day.
Now I”m forced to face that this I may have hurry sickness, which, in turn, has made me accident-prone.
The fact is this isn’t the first time that my stressing and rushing have made me accident-prone and then caused me serious physical pain.
While a daily journalist and pushing to meet constant deadlines, striking computer keys so quickly (I’m super-fast) and so often on an ergonomically unsound work station and not taking enough breaks, led to excruciatingly painful carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, tendonisovitis and dystonia. At the time, I could barely move my hands, but my doctor didn’t recommend surgery. Besides, I was was determined to find another route — thank you, acupuncture and B vitamins. Anyhow, I had to take many weeks off work, and and eventually I just quit my job so I could go freelance to protect my poor ailing wrists.
Another time, while racing to meet a deadline to finish my first book, Sugar Shock, I badly injured my back by sitting too long while on the keyboard and by not getting up to stretch often. My amazing acupuncturist helped me get through this time.
Then, once, while dashing for a cab in New York City, I severely sprained my ankle by stepping in a nasty pothole I hadn’t noticed.
Oh yeah, there was also the time, while rushing to get back to my sailing lesson that I rammed head-first into a glass window and suffered a concussion.
Beyond Sugar Shock Book CoverNow, let’s get to the sugar connection, which date to about 1998. While trying to cope with the ever-pressing deadlines of a journalist, I became addicted to sugar and processed carbs, which I call quickie carbs.
In fact, I relied on unnatural sugar and carb highs to give me a buzz, help me think straight and write quickly. (Ultimately, I beat my sugar and carb addiction while creating many easy-to-master tools, which I shared in my book Beyond Sugar Shock. FYI, my quit-sugar-iversary comes uup Tuesday so stay tuned for my upcoming post, “7 Ways Life Improved by Being Sugar-Free for 16 Years.”
Back to my hurry accident. The Universe — speaking through my aching, throbbing knee — is clearly telling me to Slow Down!
Plus, I need to get a handle on what some experts call “hurry sickness.”
As I’ll ll now I nurse my injured knee back to health, I’m more determined than ever to breathe deeply, mindfully relax, and consciously choose calm. Read on so you can join the No-Rush Challenge.
Of course, most of us know that scurrying and hurrying while under stress is just not healthy.
A plethora of research shows the many benefits of slowing down. When you’re mindful, you’re happier, you live longer, and (no surprise!) you’re less accident-prone.
Plus, when you eat more mindfully, you lose weight.
Will you join me in a campaign to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing? Here are 7 tips to get you going.
7 Tips to Stop Rushing & Start Relaxing
1) Claim Calm.
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, breathe deep into your belly and then exhale. Do this for three to 7 minutes. As you do this, inwardly repeat, “I claim calm now. I claim calm now. I claim calm now.” (If you can’t last that long, just try 7 or 10 rounds.)
2) Stay Calm Even If You’re On Deadline.
Whenever you feel rushed for one reason or another, claim calm for at least three breaths. You can do this even when you’re working, driving, waiting for your kids, walking or preparing that pressing project.
3) Take Relaxing Time-Outs.
Throughout the day—at least three times a day—claim calm again for seven breaths; notice and enjoy the scenery around you.
4) Calm Down Before a Meal.
Every time you eat, take seven “I claim calm” breaths first. Research ven shows that you can even lose weight by eating mindfully.
5) Add time.
Whenever you have an appointment, give yourself an extra 45 minutes to an hour to get there. That way, you won’t get frazzled if you hit unexpected traffic, get lost or encounter other surprising challenges. (You certainly won’t mess up your knee as I did rushing to get there.)
6) Keep Track of Time.
Enjoy yourself, but if you have an appointment, keep an eye on the clock so you won’t have to rush at the last minute as I did.
7) Be Alert for Street and Sidewalk Ruts & Potholes.
What a no-brainer! Wish I’d taken my own advice here.
Join the Conversation. Do you rush instead of relax? Have you injured yourself (like me) because you were rushing?

Would You Like to Help Me?

Since I’m in pain now due to my knee injury and need to take time off to heal, I need help more than ever.
Do you have proven skills and experience in any of the following: Research, Writing, Journalism, Taking notes during my Gab with the Gurus Show, managing telesummits, and event coordination?
FYI, these will be modestly paid duties.
In addition, if you have sugar or other challenges, we may be able to swap or set up some kind of a way for me to help you, too.
Interested?
Just write back to me here. I ook forward to hearing back from Sugar Shock Blog readers.

Need Guidance? Pick a Page, Any Page

Recently, I’ve become a big fan of creating fun ways to get guidance with minimal effort.
Whenever I’ve faced a particular challenge or perplexing situation, I’ve often done what I call Motivating with the Masters.
In short, without ever meeting big-name gurus, I’ve received personal attention from them, but they don’t even know they’ve been helping me. Cool, eh?
While seeking guidance from the masters, I’ve created the super-simple Pick a Page, any Page Process, which helps you to easily tap into Infinite Intelligence, God or whatever you want to call it so you can know what to do.
Here’s how to do this simple technique.
First thing in the morning — or whatever time appeals to you — select a book from one of your favorite motivational authors on a subject that speaks to you.
Sit down, turn your head away, and randomly select a page, pointing to it a finger.
Start reading. Almost inevtiably, I’m willing to bet, you’ll soon find your day’s message whether it’s in the first sentence, a few paragraphs down or hidden in two pages.
Now, if that passage doesn’t connect with you, continue reading to find what you need. Or, if you prefer, repeat # 2 so you can land on another passage that’s better suited to your situation.
In addition to doing this Pick a Page, Any Page Process in the morning, you also can rely on it whenever you’re stumped about a particular challenge, dilemma or situation.
Let me give you three personal examples about how this simple Pick a Page, Any Page Process worked so well for me. One day I was feeling stressed out although I’d recently moved to a healing place after my mother’s death.
Longing for some simple, but great advice, I turned to Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., a leading expert on stress, spirituality, and the mind/body connection, whose book, Inner Peace for Busy People: 52 Simple Strategies for Transforming Your Life was inviting me. I landed on pages 72 to 74.
Here’s the guidance I got to help yank me out of my Dark Night of the Soul, which I went through after Mom died.
“This week, think about the simple pleasures that give you the time of your life. Walk around your house and take stock. Do your possessions energize you, or are they a drain? If you own things that are more trouble than they’re worth, simplification is in order. That’s why God invented garage sales.”
What incredible timing! As I was reading this, I had just completed my move of about 500 miles from northern to southern California and I was still donating, recycling, displaying, or temporarily hiding items that were mine or my late Mom’s.
When I read further, Dr. Borysenko hit another telling chord when she discussed my newly acquired boob-tube reliance.
“If you’re a habitual television watcher and want to discover more simple pleasures this week, try a TV fast. Lots of time will open up. Spend it with your loved ones making music, reading, painting, repotting your plants…* tending a fish tank, or any hobby that needs time and care.”
Although I didn’t put her strategy to use right away—since Mom’s death, I’d become hooked on such TV shows as “Charmed,” “Perception” and “Necessary Roughness”—I decided to slowly move in that direction by watching TV less rather than cut it out cold turkey. I even took time to bike on the beach.
Dr. Joan Borysenko then offered me more hope in a section called, “Take Time for Simple Pleasures.”
“Life is lived in the small places, the in-between spots whose magic lies in their capacity to reconnect us to our souls.”
How cool! See what I mean about how picking a page can help you?
A morning or two later—and many other mornings—I turned to the pioneering Geneen Roth, who has helped millions struggling with compulsive eating to transform their relationships to food. I found more pearls of wisdom from her on pages 780 to 781 in her landmark book, Women, Food and Good: Unexpected Path to Almost Everything. She writes:
“The shape of your body obeys the shape of your beliefs about love, value and possibility. To change your body, you must first understand that which is shaping it. Not fight it. Not force it. Not deprive it. Not shame it. Not do anything but accept—and, yes, Virginia—understand it.”
Ah yes, many of us have embarrassed ourselves into dieting and only briefly shed weight. Geneen continued:
“Because if you force and deprive and shame yourself into being thin, you end up a deprived, shamed, fearful person who will also be thin for ten minutes. When you abuse yourself (by taunting or threatening yourself) you become a bruised human being no matter how much you weigh…”
Later, Geneen hit the jackpot for me:
“When you believe in yourself more than you believe in food, you will stop using food as if it were your only chance at not falling apart. When the shape of your body no longer matches the shape of your beliefs, the weight disappears. And yes, it really is that simple.”
On a number of occasions, I also got A Hahs! from Marianne Williamson in her book, A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. On another morning–which coincidentally fell on Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish New Year, when you review your past year and atone for your mistakes—here’s the “Ding” I received. It was a prayer:
Dear God,
As I enter into this new chapter
of my life,
please bless my steps forward,
With this ceremony,
may Your Spirit come upon me
and release me from my former self.
Please deliver me to sweeter realms
and teach me how to be, dear God,
a freer person, a happier person,
a saner person,
without compulsion or fear.
And so it is.
Amen.
I hope you’ll enjoy my simple Pick a Page, Any Page Process.
Join the Conversation: Tell us what passage has inspired you.
thanks to Pam Lawhorne for this fabulous image shown above. Hope I’m able to use it. If I goofed, contact me, and I’ll pull it.)

Berries Benefit Your Brain

Do you regularly eat luscious strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries?
BerriesExciting new findings reveal that berries can boost your brain power.
Researchers writing in the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, conclude that eating more blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and other berries may help prevent age-related memory loss and other mental status changes.
Berries benefit your brain in several ways. They’re already known for their high levels of antioxidants, which are compounds “that protect cells from damage by harmful free radicals,” found the researchers, Barbara Shukitt-Hale, Ph.D., and Marshall G. Miller.
Research also shows that berries alter the manner in which neurons in the brain communicate. “These changes in signaling can prevent inflammation in the brain that contribute to neuronal damage and improve both motor control and cognition,” said ACS, a nonprofit organization chartered by Congress.
This new study adds to the growing body of research, which has identified neurological benefits associated with consuming berries.
This sweet berry news emphasizes the fact that if you don’t eat refined sugar, you can still enjoy sweet foods — and benefit at the same times. Now that you have more reasons to eat berries, here are two ideas on how to consume them:
Try adding a modest portion (1/4 or 1/2 cup of blueberries, raspberries or other berries_ into a tasty, healthy, sugar-free Berry Cacao-Cado Protein Shake (as I did this morning).
Make your own yummy, sugar-free berry dessert, thanks to the new Dessert Bullet, as I shared earlier on this Sugar Shock Blog.
Join the Conversation: What’s your favorite way to eat berries? Share your thoughts now.
Special thanks to Natural News and reporter J.D. Heyes for the heads up about this new research.

WHO Recommends Reducing Sugar to Below 5 % of Calorie Intake

The World Health Organization is again urging people to lower sugar consumption.
“We should aim for five per cent [of daily intake] if we can … but 10 per cent is more realistic,” said Dr. Francesco Branco, head of nutrition for health and development for WHO.
Five percent comes to about six to seven teaspoons a day.
Please note that a can of soda probably has more than 10 teaspoons of sugar.)
During a virtual press conference, Dr. Branco discussed the 5 per cent figure. (The independent WHO notes that restricting intake to no more than 10 per cent is also good.)
Please note that these welcome reduce-sugar suggestions are considered only “draft recommendations” — which you can read here.
In fact, these not-yet-final recommendations will probably be contentious. Obviously, food companies won’t like this cut-back-on-sugar advice.
The WHO is inviting public comments until March 31. Then the agency and scientific advisers will finalize the guidance.
The challenge among consumers today, as the WHO points out, is that most sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods and therefore aren’t seen as sweets.
For instance, 1 tablespoon of ketchup can contain 7 grams of sugar. (Divide by 4 to figure out how many teaspoons that is.) “A single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of sugar,” the WHO points out.
“Sugar … might become the new tobacco in terms of risk,” Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of Nutrition for Health and Development for the WHO, said during the the virtual press conference.
Those sugars you can’t see are, in fact, the biggest cause of alarm for those of us who advocate reducing sugar.
As the WHO observes, these hidden sugars are in condiments, sauces and more.
The WHO has been urging people to limit sugar calories to less than 10 per cent of their daily calories, but the 5 per cent target is new.
Dr. Branco was particularly concerned about pop drinks and children.
“An average serving at a fast food place of sugar-sweetened soda … approaches 30 grams of sugar per serving,” noted Branco. “That already exceeds the recommended daily serving for a child.”
See the transcript here.
Kudos again to the WHO for the superb advice. The research is irrefutable that cutting back on added sweeteners can benefit your moods, concentration, weight, and health, including sex drive.
What do you think? How much added sugars should people have and how much do you have? Weigh in here with your amount.

FDA to Include Added Sugars on Nutrition Labels

Added sugars will be singled out for the first tiarmful sweeteners.
me, according to proposed label changes from the United States Food and Drug Administration.
This is very good news for those of us, who’ve been warning people about sugar’s dangers and who’ve been trying to help people reduce their consumption of potentially hWhat you’ll see are two lines of information for the total amount of sugar contained.
One line will say, “Sugars,” and another line will state “Added Sugars,” according to the FDA.
By offering information about “Added Sugars,” this will help consumers to cut back on their sugar consumption. which the U.S. government now recommends.
It’s reassuring that the FDA is now making efforts to educate consumers about of how much sugar occurs naturally in a product, and how much has been added.
Other changes you’ll see will include:
Updated serving sizes, which will make it clearer for products that are consumed in one sitting. (You’ll find dual column labels that indicate both “per serving” and “per package” calorie and nutrition information for larger packages that could be consumed in one sitting or multiple sittings.)
Calorie information will be provided in a bigger font and bolder. Serving sizes would be bold, too. (The proposed label “would drive attention to calories and serving sizes,” Michael R. Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, said in a statement.
The new labels would take out Calories from Fat. (This decision was to show type of fat rather than amount so that consumers can choose products lower in saturated and trans fats.)
Changes Won’t Happen For 2 Years
Unfortunately, consumers won’t see changes right away. Food companies will have two years to comply with the new requirements, according to the FDA.
Even though this will take some time, the FDA’s plans are exciting, because they’re designed to reflect the latest scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.
Learn about other FDA food label changes here.
Nutrition-label-fda-140227b-02Special thanks to Karl Tate, who created the above infographic for LiveScience.

Too Much Sugar Can Kill You, Research Shows

Need another reason to kick sugar — other than that all those cookies and candies can make you fat?
Let me dish the facts to you blluntly:
Too much sugar can kill you.
That’s the conclusion of a new research study, published in the reputatble Journal of the American Medical Assocation.
The study found that Americans consume too much sugar and that their exess intake can lead to cardiovascular disease and death.
Now watch the CNN story about this study.
Wondering if the authors of this study can be trusted? Check out their impeccable credentials.
Quanhe Yang, PhD1; Zefeng Zhang, MD, PhD1; Edward W. Gregg, PhD2; W. Dana Flanders, MD, ScD3; Robert Merritt, MA1; Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD4,5
1Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
2Division of Diabetes Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
3Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
4Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
5Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
Are you ready to at least consider quitting the dangerous sweet stuff? Join the conversation. What do you think after learning that Sugar Can Kill You? Post your comment now.
Beyond Sugar Shock_RGBConnie Bennett is a former sugar-addicted journalist and author of the bestselling books, Sugar Shock, which was praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz, and Beyond Sugar Shock, which was endorsed by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Daniel Amen, and Dr. Christiane Northrup. In 1998, after Connie quit sugar on doctor’s orders, all 44 of her baffling ailments vanished, including brain fog, depression, mood swings and severe PMS. For more than 15 years, Connie—who is acclaimed as The Sugar Freedom Guide—has helped thousands of sugar and carb addicts worldwide discover that Life is Sweeter When Sugar Doesn’t Seduce You™. Subscribe to her popular Sugar Shock Blog and like her on Facebook.

Sugar Shocker! Can You Believe It? Under Lock and Key

Since 1998, while quitting sugar on doctor’s orders, the subject has astounded and enthralled me. In short, I’ve been absolutely astonished by a variety of Sugar Shockers! Today begins a new Sugar Shocker! feature, which I’ll post from time to time. As you may know, I included a variety of Sugar Shockers in my first book, Sugar Shock (2007). Here’s the first such entry.
SUGAR SHOCKER!It’s hard to believe, but as William Dufty recounts in his landmark book, Sugar Blues, refined white sugar was locked up back in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe and America.
At the time, the substance was so expensive (the equivalent of about $30 a pound or a year’s salary for the average working man) that it was considered a delicacy reserved for the very wealthy, and the nobility certainly didn’t want their servants stealing such an exorbitantly expensive substance.
To this day, Unani healers or hakims in Afghanistan reportedly keep sugar under lock and key, believing it to be a narcotic.
Excerpted from my book, Sugar Shock! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life — And How You Can Get Back on Track (p. 133).
If you know of any Sugar Shockers, please let me know so I can feature it on this Sugar Shock Blog.
Join the convversation. What do you think about this Sugar Shocker? Tell us now.

Tasty, Sugar-Free, Cacao-Cado Frozen Treat: Guess What’s In it & Win My Book, Beyond Sugar Shock

Read below to learn how to win a copy of my most recent book, Beyond Sugar Shock. Just guess what to create the tasty, frozen treat shown below..
Often, when people discover that I’ve been sugar-free for nearly 16 years, they’re alarmed, worried, and overcome by fear.
Mostly, people are worried that they’ll have to go without tasty desserts?
Their voices just exude anxiety and apprehension.
“Connie, yes, I know I should kick sugar, but I just don’t want to go without ice cream or frozen yogurt!”
Now, I bring you fabulous news.
You can now easily go sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, agave-free and artifiical sweetener-free and still be able to eat the most delectable dessert.
Not only that, but your dessert will be chock full of nutrients, minerals, anti-oxidants and other good stuff.
Thanks to the amazing, simple-to-use Dessert Bullet, you can easily make your own tasty, frozen treat. (FYI, I get no money for telling you about this cool product.)
Just check out the Tasty, Sugar-Free, Cacao-Cado Frozen Treat I created in about 5 minutes for an afternoon snack! Yummy!
Photos 1-30-14 018
Can you believe my delectable dessert had sugar sugar, no agave, no honey, no dairy, no gluten and no artificial sweetener? Tough to imagine, right?
Let’s have some fun now.
If you accurately guess exactly what I put in this delectable dessert, I will personally give you a signed copy of my most recent book, Beyond Sugar Shock.
Join the conversation. What ingredients do you think I used to create my Tasty, Sugar-Free, Cacao-Cado Frozen Treat? Post your thoughts now.
The deadline to post your ideas is next Thursday, Feb. 15. Share your thoughts now.

Kids Get Sugar Savvy, Thanks to High Voltage (Kathie Dolgin)

On Friday, as I posted here, Katie Couric presented a fabulous episode, The Not-So-Sweet-Side of Sugar, which educated viewers about sugar’s dangers.
The epiisode began with some alarming information from pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Robert Lustig.
In the same episode, you can learn about One Woman’s Mission to Educate Kids About Hidden Sugars.
That groundbreaking health and fitness pioneer, Kathie Dolgin, aka High Voltage (seen to your left), has spent 12 years spearheading a program, Energy Up, which helps school children become what she dubs “sugar savvy,”
In the segment, Voltage then displays how much sugar is contained in a bottle of soda, a granola bar and a milk shake. (Like other health advocates, Voltage suggests that kids consume no more than 24 grams of sugar in 24 hours. That comes to 6 teaspoons.)
Watch the segment below to get Sugar Shocked.