Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Butter Cups for Halloween
Enjoy this Halloween with a yummy, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Butter Cups from Lizette Marx.
Enjoy this Halloween with a yummy, Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Butter Cups from Lizette Marx.
Please let us know how you’re doing. What are your favorite ways to get back on track?
Halloween_funny_pic_07-400x300If you’re like millions of Americans, yesterday, you overdosed on candies, in large part, because Halloween is a sanctioned National Sugar Overload Day.
For years now — ever since 1998, when I kicked sugar on doctor’s orders — on The Day After Halloween, I hear from frustrated, disappointed, Sugar Shocked people, who want to know how to Get Back on Track.
For instance, today, a determined Christie wrote to say:
“I’m ready to kick sugar again…..again!!! Ready to sleep better at night, have more energy during the day, and have the brain fog lifted!”
If you, like millions of Americans, pigged out on Halloween candies, you’re probably reeling from Sugar Shock — which means you may be feeling dizzy, headachy, sluggish, irritable or wiped out.
Since you’re not feeling so great, here are 6 easy ways to help you Rebound After Relapse™, as I call it,
1. Drink plenty of water. That, of course, you probably know. Add some lemon, too, if you can.
2. Ditch the Sweet Stuff or Hide it in Your Car Trunk. Please don’t keep leftover candies in your home. Temptation can lead to one bite, which, of course, can lead to many more.
Now, if you’d rather not be restrictive with your kids because you feel that they’ll then want more candies, then ration them out. Let your childreen have 2 small candies per day. Then hide the rest in your car trunk or another place that’s not easily accessible.
3. Treat Yourself to Nutritions Meals.
Given that yesterday you tricked yourself, today’s the day to treat yourself with nourishing meals. Think quality protein (free-range chicken, fish, etc.), healthy fats (like a little olive drizzled over your dinner), and quality carbs (a salad and veggies).
4. Savor Sweet Potato & Sweeten with Cinnamon.
If you find yourself craving something sweet today — which can be expected — try sprinkling some cinnamon on a cooked sweet potato or pumpkin. Not only is this combo yummy, but cinnamon, as a 2007 study showed, may lower your blood sugar after meals, (See the actual study here.) You also can add a dash of olive oil or flax oil, which makes your dish quite tasty. In fact, you can make this your dessert.
5. Sniff Away Your Cravings & Stress.
Since today, you may be feeling especially stressed since you ate a lot of sugar-filled candies, try dabbing on some lavender, which research shows can diminish stress, which is a prime trigger for food cravings. The various chemicals in lavender — such as Linalol, linalyl acetate, geranyle, eucalyptol, pinene, limonene, cineole, phenol, coumarins, and flavonoids — work together by “ stimulating smell receptors in the nose, which then send messages through the nervous system to the limbic system.” That’s “the part of the brain that controls emotions,” according to The Mayo Clinic.
6. Join fitness and nutrition expert JJ Virgin, for for another livestream event with top health experts.
JJ, whose new book, The Sugar Impact Diet, comes out next week, is following up her previous event on Thursday. Today, she’ll speak to cultured foods expert Donna Gates, along with nutritionist Christa Orecchio and Dr. Nalini Chilkov,, who will discuss sugar’s connection to cancer.
A very special thanks to YouOffendMeYouOffendMyFamily.com for this entertaining graphic.
Personal Note from Connie: As you may know, I’m home now with a nasty flu, but I really wanted to help you Get Back on Track after Halloween whille I rest.
Please let us know how you’re doing. What are your favorite ways to get back on track?
Today’s Halloween, a day that really spooks me.
The reason Halloween frightens me is because it’s a sanctioned and heavily promoted National Sugar Overload Day. (That’s what I call it.)
Tonight, during and after trick-or-treating throughout their neighborhoods, millions of kids — and their parents — will be stuffing their faces with candies galore.
But candies don’t just grab our attention on this one night alone.
Tomorrow and in the coming days, both youngsters and kids will be gorging on candies.
Worse still, Halloween kicks off an entire two-month Season of Mindless Sugar Gorging.
This is utterly frightening, because when you overdose on candies and other sweets, you’re speeding towards obesity, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes—and an early death.
Today, I’d planned to present an exciting special Gab with the Gurus Halloween show. My guests were High Voltage (Kathie Dolgin), author of The Sugar Savvy Solution, and Barry Friedman, founder of 30 Days Sugarfree.
Alas, I had to cancel the Gab with the Gurus Show since I’m sick with a nasty cold/flu and need my rest. Instead, I invite you to watch this video with me, thanks to Chris Morrow for iCNN.
CB – pink shirtAbout Sugar Shock Blog Founder Connie Bennett: Connie Bennett is a former pooped-out, fuzzy-headed, sugar-addicted journalist, whose 44 baffling ailments completely vanished in 1998 after she quit sugar and quickie carbs on doctor’s orders. For the past 16-plus years, the energetic, charismatic, self-mocking Sweet Freedom Guide™ has been sharing The Sour Scoop about Sweets™ and helping people worldwide Get a Sweeter Life that Rocks™. Connie is a transformational speaker, certified health coach, certified life coach, EFT practitioner, Gab with the Gurus host, and bestselling author of Beyond Sugar Shock, which was endorsed by many leaders such as Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Dr. Daniel Amen, JJ Virgin, Brian Tracy, John Assaraf, and High Volltage (Kathie Dolgin). Her first bestselling book, Sugar Shock, was praised by Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Christiane Northrup and many more. Connie is now planning the first Sugar World Summit, which will feature 29 of the biggest names in sugar and carb addiction, recovery, mindful eating, compassion, and weight loss, etc. She is also completing her next book, The Bounce Back Diet™, which will help millions to Rebound After Relapse™, after they’ve been walloped by the death of a loved one, divorce, moving, financial loss or another life-changing event. Stay in touch at Sugar Shock Blog updates here.
Join the Conversation. What most surprised you from this fascinating interview with Michael Moss?
Salt, Sugar, FatLately, I’ve been planning the Sugar World Summit, which will feature some of the biggest names in sugar educationn, carb addiction, health, wellness, mindful eating, and personal empowerment.
For instance, in this virtual event, which will take place two weeks before Halloween, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Robert Lustig, JJ Virgin, Dr. Richard Johnson, Colette Baron-Reid, Sarah Wilson and many others will join us to give you The Sour Scoop or Sweet Solutions.
Anyhow, while preparing for the event, I came across this fascinating NPR interview with Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist Michael Moss, author of the extraordinary book, Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us..
In his fascinating book, Moss takes an insightful look at the $1 trillion processed food industry, which most health experts believe has triggered the obesity epidemic and put millions at risk for such chronic health conditions as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Thanks to his many revealing interviews with leading food scientists and top food industry executives from companies such as Kraft and Coca-Cola, Moss explains how most Americans have become so dependent on processed food.
Get shocked now, thanks to this intriguing NPR interview.
Join the Conversation. What was your biggest A-hah?
It’s that spooky time of year again.
Not because of neighborhood kids masquerading as ghosts, goblins and ghouls.
Halloween candyBut because of scary candies.
Beginning Halloween, through the end of the year — for a whopping two-plus months — millions tend to completely “forget” the fact that too much sugar can trigger harmful effects on your children’s health, including obesity, of course. .
On Spooky Sugar Overload Day – my phrase for Halloween — millions develop collective amnesia about how rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other crippling sugar-triggered ailments are skyrocketing.
And every year, at this time, I watch in astonishment at how cool, chic and accepted it’s become to hurl your neighbor’s kids into Sugar Shock.
For instance:
This year 74 percent of households in the United States are expected to hand candies to trick-or-treaters (80 percent of households with children will do so), according to the candy-promoting National Confectioners Association. http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/content.cfm?ItemNumber=5137&navItemNumber=4569
Of those sugar pushers, 72 percent of those households will give away two or even three) pieces of candy per trick-or-treater.
Let’s put this in simple terms: On Halloween night alone, the average child in your neighborhood may mindlessly scarf down between 5 to 50 teaspoons of sugar and hundreds of calories.
In short, Spooky Sugar Overload Season starts with Halloween.
Factor in all the sugar that most people will gobble up during Thanksgiving dinners, holiday parties, as well as Christmas or Chanukah vacations.
All this sugar gorging begs these questions:
Why has it simply become un-American NOT to hand out candies on Halloween?
Why is it outright weird NOT to give your neighbors’ kids sugar-filled treats, which will surely send them into Sugar Shock? (Think anxiety, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, temper tantrums, crankiness and much worse.)
Why is candy-giving expected even though just about everyone knows that too much sugar (candies) can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases, which, in turn, can kill you?
Thankfully, a small but growing number of us are urging parents to give out safe, fun toys instead.
Unfortunately, though, it’s far easier to find candies than it is to locate sweet, sugar-free toys such as glow-in-the-dark insects, spooky fingers, Halloween-themed stickers or pencils, rubber worms, creepy fingers, action figures, kazoos and whistles, baseball cards, plastic animals, spin tops, and party favors like engine whistles, key chains, pen, and stickers.
Furthermore, let’s face it, these cool Halloween options cost more than sugar-filled, or high fructose corn syrup-laden candies.
Right now, I urge you parents to take charge. This Halloween, just become more mindful.
Every time you dish out candies, think about just two things.
You are an “enabler” – as drug addicts are to other drug addicts. Your neighbors and you could be paving the way for neighborhood kids to crave candies. For that matter, you could be addicting or re-addicting their parents, too. (A number of coaching clients confessed to me that they stole their kids Halloween candies!)
You could be contributing to soaring rates of obesity and other diseases in your neighborhood.
Do you really want to have that on your conscience?
Instead, why don’t you find ways to help your children and your neighbors’ kids to observe Halloween in a safer, healthier way?
For instance, you could:
Offer your kid(s) a healthy meal with ample protein, fiber and fat before she or he cavorts around the neighborhood.
Give away one candy per trick-or-treater. (Don’t let kids grab a handful of sweets.)
Hand out small bottles of water. That way, you’ll help trick-or-treaters stay hydrated.
When your child or children come home from trick-or-treating, have fun together doing high-intensity play or dancing for at least 10 minutes.
Hug your kids and figure out one or two other ways to give them lasting sweetness.
About the Author:
Connie Bennett, CHHC, CPC, ACC, is a self-mocking former sugar addict and author of two bestselling books, Sugar Shock! and Beyond Sugar Shock.
Her first book, Sugar Shock! How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life– and How You Can Get Back on Track, was praised by Dr. Mehmez Oz and many others.
Her latest book, Beyond Sugar Shock: The 6-Week Plan to Break Free of Your Sugar Addiction & Get Slimmer, Sexier & Sweeter, has been endorsed by numerous luminaries, including Wayne Dyer, Dr. Daniel Amen, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Bernie Siegel, Joe Vitale, Marci Shimoff, Kathy Smith, John Assaraf, Colette Baron-Reid, Janet Bray Atwood, Donna Gates, Alex Jamieson, and Dr. JJ Virgin.
Connie is also a certified health coach, certified life coach, EFT practitioner, widely published jouirnalist, columnist, and and essayist (AOL News, eDiets.com, The Los Angeles Times, www.SheKnows.com, etc.), as well as an in-demand speaker, entertaining TV and radio show guest (“CBS News Sunday Morning,” “Oprah & Friends Radio,” “The Howard Stern Show,” etc.).
In 1998, Connie was a tormented sugar-addicted journalist, who secretly “used” candies galore just to make all her deadlines. When she was bombarded by brain fog, heart palpitations, severe PMS and 41 other baffling ailments, Connie finally turned in deperation to a doctor, who ordered her to quit sweets. Much to her surprise, all her ailments went poof!, and the journalist was reborn, filled with determination to spread the sour news about sugar.
Now sugar-free (mostly) for 15 years, Connie — now known as The Sugar Liberator — had helped thousands of people worldwide to break free of sweets and discover that Life is Sweeter Naturally™.
Get free gifts at www.Connie-Bennett.com. Then discover if you’ve been brainwashed to become a sugar addict by taking The Sugar shock Quiz at www.SugarShockBlog.com.
Tomorrow, millions of Americans will celebrate Halloween, which has become a National Sugar Overload Day.
This means that teens and tots all across America will gorge on candies galore.
So today, I invite you to boost your sugar consciousness.
Join us today for the first ever Sugar Addiction Awareness Day, thanks to organizer Jill Escher.
Granted, all across America tomorrow, people will hand out candies galore, forking over about $2.3 billion this year.
Let’s face it, it’s Halloween dilemma time, as the Los Angeles Times so aptly points out.
Join us for the first ever Sugar Addiction Awareness Day Gab with the Gurus Radio Show.
In this show, Sugar Addiction Awareness Day founder Jill Escher joins me. Listen now to find out how to:
Help your kids avoid going into huge sugar shock.
Talk to your kids before they go trick or treating on Halloween.
Deal with your kids if they come back home hyped up on sugar.
Get involved with Sugar Addiction Awareness Day.
Begin to break free of your own sugar addiction. (You’ll get some easy steps. In addition, you can learn about my Sugar Freedom Now Course here.
Gotta dash. It’s time for one of my big treats of the day — a fun class at Equinox, my gym.
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Every year, many people become overly attached to candies and cookies, starting on Halloween. As we know, this holiday season, which kicks […]
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.
Halloween can be a harrowing time for both kids and their parents, because on this holiday and the days or even weeks that follow, kids will often face major blood sugar highs and lows after pigging out on dozens of sugar-laden candies.
In other words, they’ll be hurled into sugar shock.
Let’s face it, no matter what kind of limits their parents may try to place on their children’s candy consumption, youngsters will often overdose on sweets, even if they have to do it in secret.
Unfortunately, that’s what Halloween means these days. It’s a nationally sanctioned “Sugar Overload Day.”
So how can you help your young trick-or-treaters not get wiped out, cranky, depressed, headachy or charged up from having too many candies?
The way to soften the blood-sugar-bouncing whammy and lessen sugar shock is to make sure that your children eat a healthy meal before they cavort aroundthe neighborhood trick-or-treating for candies.
For instance, before they head for the streets, give your children: