Tag: sugar-free

Do You Crave Sugar or Sweetness?

Whenever I coach sugar addicts, I find that there’s something missing from their lives.
In other words, when sugar “calls out” to them, that’s really not what they need.
Sweet snack foods don’t fill you up in a substantive way. Instead, they deplete you and send you into a downwards spiral.
Rather, you — and most sugar addicts — need something else that’s more nourishing and nurturing.
So I inviteyou to think: What do you most crave? Sugar or genuine sweetness in your life?
Read my article on the Hay House Heal Your Life website to discover 3 tips on how to make your life sweeterlicious (my word for sweeter, delicious, scrumptious, luscious, and sensuous.)
Special thanks to CutestPaw for the adorable pooch image. I sure hope it’s okay to use. Very grateful! Check out this chariming CutestPaw site.
Make sure to send my article, “Is it Sugar You Crave … Or more sweetness in your days?” to your friends and loved ones? Then share your 3 biggest Ahahs!

7 Secrets to Calm Your Sweet Tooth: Free Program Tonight

Would you like to break free of your sugar addiction for good and escape from your self-imposed misery, extra weight, and self-abuse?
Join me in a free 45-minute program today at 5 pm PDT today on 7 Simple Secrets to Smash Your Sweet Tooth. (Get details below on how to sign up.)
In our free teleseminar/webinar, you will discover:
1) One thing (or words) that will doom you to failure every time you try to quit your sugar or carb addiction. (You’ll also discover how to escape from this to achieve what I call “Sugar Freedom.”)
2) One super-simple, frequently ignored activity that works miracles to help calm your sugar cravings, make you feel more in control, and even improve your moods. (Sleep.)
3) One easy way to erase your crazy cravings around that time of the month or during that time of life (if you’re going through menopause). This tool also can help you if you’re a man with low libido. This simple technique can come to your rescue no matter where you are or what tempting sweets are facing you.
4) One simple three-fold tactic (involving food) to pick yourself up if you do cheat. (PPF)
5) One powerful, often-overlooked technique that can pave the way for you to ease away from your sugar addiction.
6) One simple way to shift into success.
7) One simple way to begin to escape from what I call sugar bondage.
Join us at 5 pm PDT today to discover 7 Simple Secrets to Smash Your Sweet Tooth.
If you cannot make this webinar/teleseminar live, just sign up and you’ll be able to listen later.
During our program, you’ll also get a chance to learn about my upcoming book, Beyond Sugar Shock, and my companion Sugar Freedom Now Course.
Sign up now to join us either live or later so you can find out 7 Simple Secrets to Say Farewell to Your Sweet Tooth.

Connie’s Super Cacao-Chia-Moringa Shake to Begin the Day

Lately, Facebook friends and other fans have been intrigued when I said I start my day with a Super Cacao-Chia-Moringa Shake.
For the past week or so, I’ve been creating and revising this tasty concoction, adding or subtracting ingredients. Now, people have been repeatedly nudging me to share my recipe.
First a bit of background. Recently, I’ve been recovering from adrenal fatigue (worked too hard and didn’t play enough!), and I’m now doing all I can to boost my energy, concentrate better, improve my stamina, be in my best shape ever, and write a fabulous book (my next book, The Sugar Shock Diet) to help many.
To that end, I’m now on Day 24 of detoxing, thanks to the program outlined in Dr. Jeffrey Morrison’s exciting new book, Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind. (He recently appeared on my Gab with the Gurus Show. I’ll be reposting as soon as I hit Day 30.)
6-24-11 283Anyhow, these days, my goal is to cram lots of superfoods and healthy ingredients into my first meal of the day.
My breakfast helps me remember that we eat to live and to thrive, remember?
So here’s the healthy way I now start the day. Usually, I’ll work out right afterwards, too, and it’s easy to prepare this Super Cacao-Chia-Moringa Shake.
It fills you up, too, and doesn’t send your blood sugar bouncing all over the place.
Here are the items that go into my breakfast shake:
— 2 T. The Ultimate Life, Ultimate Meal. What’s really wonderful about this powder is that it contains no gluten, no soy protein or fiber, no whey, no nuts, no MSG, no corn, no yeast, no dairy, no maltodextrin, sugar, honey or fructose, no colors, no preservatives, no fillers, and no animal products. (This is very hard to find in protein and health powders.)
– 2 T. organic cacao nibs. Adding these gives your shake a chocolate burst–plus you get the superfood benefits. Love these nibs!
– 1 tsp. Ribose (Just started to add this today to use before an intense workout – the one I use is Ribose from Jarrow. (As the description indicates, “Ribose is one of the necessary building blocks for the formation of ATP; the `universal’ energy molecule in the body.* Physical stress can deplete ATP stores in cardiac and skeletal muscles.* As the rate-limiting substrate in the synthesis of nucleotides; including ATP; ribose plays a vital role in replenishing ATP; thus; enhancing energy production; improving muscle recovery;and thus Muscle Edge.
I also add to the shake:
– 1 tsp. Psyllium Husks Powder (I’m using this because I’m now detoxing. I use the one from Yerba Prima)
– 1 T. ground Nutiva organic chia seeds (or whatever brand you can find.)
– 1 T. ground plain organic flax seeds (I like the Spectrum that you can find at Whole Foods.)
1 tsp. Glutamine Plus from Daily Benefit
1 tsp. It’s Moringa powder (*The Moringa plant has been called “The Miracle Tree.” I just started taking this today and am noticing a difference. Believe it or not, but I started adding this today, because my intuition told me to include this superfood, which I learned about months ago. See info below to learn more about this amazing product of nature.)
A big dash of Simply Organic cinnamon
Some clove powder if I’m in the mood for that
About 10 frozen organic strawberries from my friends at Vital Choice. (Or, I may use a combo of strawberries and blueberries that I’ve bought fresh and frozen.)
Sometimes I’ll add a tiny pinch of green powdered stevia from Navitas Natural . (Sometimes no sweetener at all. I never use the white powder though. It always has to be naturally sweet.)
About 8 ounces Water (after my Brita water filter has purified it)
Coconut milk (about 1/3 cup/Soy Free/Dairy Free/Unsweetened from SoDelicious. (I may also or instead of the milk take a tiny taste, about 1/4 tsp., of refrigerated Organic Coconut oil.)
(At the beginning of the day, I also take two or more Ogganic Royal Maca but do NOT put this in the shake because I don’t want it to ruin the taste.)
Blend until all ingredients are ground up and your shake is thick and creamy. Then enjoy!
FYI, I also save about a third of it in the fridge to finish when I get back from working out.
Let me know what you think of this recipe. What other great super ingredients would you add?
Moringa-Oleifera Now, let here’s more info about Moringa oleifera, which has been hailed as the most nutritious leafy green in the planet today.
As I mentioned, I began adding it to my shake today. It did not make it taste extra green-y, which was nice.
* Please bear in mind that these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease.
According to my new friend, Jude Ken-Kwofie, founder of It’s Moringa, “just one scoop of our moringa dried leaf powder in your favorite meal or beverage helps you achieve your recommended 5 to 9 daily servings of vegetables.”
Moringa can be used by people in average or poor health, Jude says. Some reported health benefits of Moringa include:
Increases and sustains energy naturally
Gives a feeling of general wellness
Nourishes that body’s immune system
Promotes healthy circulatory system
Increases the natural defenses of the body
Heightens mental clarity
Provides nourishment to the eyes and the brain
Promotes metabolism with bio-available ingredients
Promotes natural serum cholesterol
Known to enhance weight loss
Promotes healthy digestion
Acts as an antioxidant
High alkalinity helps balance your body’s pH level
Has natural anti-aging benefits
Anti-inflammatory support
Supports the normal sugar levels of the body
Jude tells me that It’s Moringa products contain a high concentration of chlorophyll, which is also known as the “blood of the plant” and gives plants their green color. Chlorophyll, which is rich in magnesium, is also known to fight infection, cleanse the body of unwanted toxins, promote the healing of wounds, improve the body’s circulatory, immune, digestive, and detoxification systems. Due to its similarity to hemoglobin, chlorophyll is easily absorbed into human blood, which transports nutrients effectively and efficiently to every cell of the body. Incorporating chlorophyll into one’s diet, Jude says, is equivalent to consuming the energy of life. It’s Moringa products reportedly contain 4 times (4X) the chlorophyll content of wheatgrass.
What appeals to me about It’s Moringa and why I chose to become an affiliate even though other companies also sell this superfood is that this particular company donates 10 percent of its sales to support malnutrition around the world. In fact, did you now that one third of all childhood deaths are caused by under-nutrition? Sad to think about that given our country’s obesity problem.
Anyhow, to fight malnutrition, It’s Moringa has partnered with Vitamin Angels or www.vitaminangels.org and Nourish America or www.nourishamerica.org..
So, what do you think of my Super Cacao-Chia-Moringa Shake? Let me know know what you think aftter you try it out.
Is there anything else I should add?

Jack LaLanne: Fitness Guru & Anti-Sugar Pioneer Thrives Until 96

In Loving Memory of Jack LaLanne
The personable, larger-than-life fitness guru and anti-sugar pioneer Jack LaLanne passed away yesterday at the age of 96.
What’s so remarkable about the Superman-like Jack LaLanne was not that he lasted into his 90s but that the energetic, effervescent health aficionado knew how to live well.
Decades before Americans realized the value of fitness, Jack opened his first own health spa and, of course, worked out regularly himself.
What’s more, decades before people knew that sugar was bad for you, Jack spurned the sweet stuff. (Actually, people are still waking up to sugar’s dangers, which is now keeping me busy.)
More importantly, because of Jack LaLanne’s determination to stay healthy, fit and happy, he thrived. The idea of “just surviving” or “getting by” was completely foreign to him.
I mean, the “Godfather of Fitness” really lived, as I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing.
That’s because, in recent years, since becoming an anti-sugar advocate, I’ve had the honor and pleasure of interviewing Jack LaLanne several times.
First, in 2004 or 2005, he took time out for an interview for my book, Sugar Shock. (For those of you who have my book, please turn to page 139, where you can read his compelling sugar story.)
Then, in April 2008, Jack graciously appeared on my radio show as part of my 10 Years’ Sugarfree Celebration. At the time, Jack had been off of sugar for a whopping 80 years! (FYI, my show was then called the Stop Sugar Shock Radio Show, not the Gab with the Gurus Radio Show, which is what it’s called now. Special thanks to BlogTalkRadio for featuring that interview with Jack LaLanne.)
The following year, on April 26, 2009, I had the pleasure of meeting Jack in person.
I was invited to interview Jack and to present him with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a Obesity and Food Addiction Addition Summit on IslandWood, Bainbridge Island. What a treat that was! (You can watch the program here.)
Granted, I wasn’t a close personal friend of Jack’s, but from our few times chatting, what struck me about this amazing man was his infectious enthusiasm, his remarkable power to motivate people, his deep-seated joie do vivre (gusto for life), his diehard commitment to a healthy lifestyle, and his profound love and admiration for his wife Elaine (to whom he was married for 51 years).
Jack LaLanne also had a gleeful, “I’ll-show-you-how-much-a-man-can-do” attitude, which, of course, led him to perform quite amazing feats, which I recounted on my Sugar Shock Blog.
As I take some time out from writing my next book, Beyond Sugar Shock, to reflect on this magnificent, inspiring man, I’ve trying to think of how best to pay tribute to Jack LaLanne.
What I’ve concluded is this: Each and every one of us should honor Jack by living gloriously and cleanly, as he did.
In other words, fellow Americans — or people around the world — let’s get off our tushes now. In short, let’s exercise often. No excuse is good enough, as Jack pointed out.
And ditch the sugar, which can, to put it bluntly, kill you if you consume too much of the stuff. (Almost all of you fit into that category, as The Dr. Oz Show pointed out last week.)
For that matter, let me scare you more. Your excess sugar intake can trigger heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer so there’s a good chance you won’t make it anywhere near 96 like Jack.
Now, let’s all honor Jack LaLanne by making plans to get on a regular work-out regimen.
And please, I implore you, also in his honor, get on the White-Out Wagon — in short, quit the nasty White Substance, sugar, that can cut your life short.
Now, I invite you to watch what Jack said about sugar years ago, on his “Jack LaLanne Show.”

Check Out Tasty NuttZo

Nuttzo ef4efac4092338feb4e677dad1fa2311-1I’m always on the lookout for healthy, unsweetened, organic foods. that won’t put you into Sugar Shock. People often ask me for foods to recommend.
Well, I’m delighted to report that I found Organic NuttZo, a yummy, crunch nut butter that has no sugar or sweeteners added.
Recently, I had some, and it’s really tasty! Having a tablespoon of that, I believe, can help to help you (or many of you) to quit thinking about sweets.
Try some yourself, and let me know if you like NuttZo as much as I do.
My Criteria: FYI, I’m pretty careful as to what foods or beverages I’ll recommend. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve turned down requests to feature a product, because it just didn’t meet my stringent standards. For instance, here are the things I look for. Whenever possible, I prefer organic. In addition, I will NOT recommend anything that contains any sugars or sweeteners, including agave, honey, maltodextin or raw cane sugar. And I will NOT advocate foods containing artificial sweeteners.
Remember to let me know what you think of NuttZo.

Recipe: IIN Winner Frank Giglio’s Seared Scallops with Cucumber Salad

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the wonderful school I attended in 2005-2006, recently held a “What’s on Your Plate?” contest.
Here’s the yummy recipe winner from chef Frank Giglio. Thanks, IIN and Frank, for sharing this with us!
Seared Scallops with Cucumber Salad
Serves 2
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons coconut oil
4-8 Large scallops (U-10)
A sprinkle of Frank’s Finest Lemon-Pepper Blend
1 large English cucumber
2 Tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
1 cup snap peas, cut into 3rds
1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
2-3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Freshly cracked black peppercorns
1/2 lemon for drizzling
1 green onion, tops sliced thin
Directions:
With a Japanese mandolin or sharp knife, thinly slice the cucumber. Place into a large bowl, mix in the snap peas, onions, and dill. Drizzle in the olive oil and vinegar, then season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss well and allow flavors to meld.
Place the scallops on a dish and season with Lemon-Pepper blend
Heat a large heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the coconut oil and when a light amount of smoke is visual, add the scallops. Cook on one side until well browned, then flip each scallop, turn off the heat and allow to rest in the pan for 1-2 minutes before removing.
Place a small amount of cucumber salad onto 2 plates. Place 4 scallops around each salad. Drizzle the plate with lemon juice and sliced green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Frank Giglio is the owner of Frank’s Finest. He is also the Executive Chef and Contributing Editor to The Best Day Ever. Learn more about Frank at www.FrankGiglio.com.
If you have an interest in nutrition, I highly recommend that you contact the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Learn more information at www.IntegrativeNutrition.com. Or you can call IIN with questions. From the US, use this number: (877) 730-5444, and International callers can use this number +1 (212) 257-6171. You can also set up an appointment to talk to an admissions advisor. Please make sure to say that Connie Bennett referred you. (I’m a big believer in being “as transparent as an ocean breeze,” as marketer Alex Mandossian calls it, so let me reveal that, yes, if you sign up, I would get a referral fee. However, the only reason I’m recommending the school is because the training you get from IIN is an amazing, one-of-a-kind experience. So I encourage you to contact IIN now.

Get Smartly Nutty with Me

Nuttzo ef4efac4092338feb4e677dad1fa2311-1 I’m always on the lookout for healthy, unsweetened, organic foods that won’t put you into Sugar Shock so I can recommend them to you.
But more often than not when I’m introduced to a new food product, I get to about the second or third ingredient on the food label, and find that it doesn’t fit my stringent, healthy criteria.
In case you’re wondering, I will NOT recommend anything that contains any sugars or sweeteners, including as agave or honey. In addition, I will not advocate any foods containing artificial sweeteners.
Well, today, I’m excited! I just discovered Organic NuttZo, a yummy-sounding product that evidently has no sugar or sweeteners added.
Let me know what you think of it if you order it, too.
And please let me know about other healthy products that you think I should feature on this Sugar Shock Blog.