tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27436552539137038012024-03-13T15:01:22.275-07:00My Years Without SugarMy Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-54180081617259084652019-09-10T20:47:00.000-07:002019-11-04T09:41:58.051-08:00I'm Back After Losing Weight (17 pounds) and Going 100% Sugar FreeBy 100% sugar free I mean even all of the natural sugars and even most fruit!<br />
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The "diet" (which has become a lifestyle, a way of eating I will continue with the exception of adding back those fruits and some veggies that I avoided during active weight loss) is called <a href="https://coderedlifestyle.com/" target="_blank">CodeRed</a> and it's the ONLY thing that has worked for me to lose weight.<br />
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Over the years I've tried:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Exercising like crazy (yeah I got stronger but zero weight loss with this. I kept it up thinking that I was gaining muscle and losing fat but the cellulite told the truth about what was really happening)</li>
<li>Cutting out white sugars and corn syrups (the weight loss with this, 5 pounds +/- in the end was insignificant).</li>
<li>Weight Watchers (It started out working okay with approximately 5 pounds of loss but I hate all the calculations to the point where I found myself cheating and eventually just falling off and gaining the weight back).</li>
<li>Getting a personal trainer at my gym who encouraged me to do a 30 minute exercise circuit every day to lose weight and THIS DID NOT WORK! Yeah it's super healthy to exercise but i was seeking weight loss.</li>
<li>Keto.....I ate WAY too much cheese and also some crap that was allowed and did lose some weight but there's so much varying information out there about this diet that I think overall I got sidetracked, confused and bummed out trying to figure out what was legitimate. Plus Keto did not speak to my eating and snacking habits which CodeRed addresses and for the first time in my 44 years of life I do not snack. And I don't miss it. I know it sounds weird, but I am very full at every meal (2-3 meals a day) which takes care of my desire to snack. Back when I was eating rice cakes and chips etc. I was snacking throughout the day because I was always a little hungry. </li>
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CodeRed is the reason I have lost 17 pounds to date, with 9 pounds to go to reach my goal weight which is what I weighed the day I got married. This program promotes eating a veggie, a protein and a fat at every meal and this is what has worked for me and I am still kind of shocked at having lost all this weight. The weight has burdened me over the years psychologically, emotionally and physically. Now I have a bag full of all my pants and jeans that don't fit anymore I'm donating to a thrift store, but I also keep adding to it!</div>
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As I sit here I am wondering what my purpose is in writing this post....to promote CodeRed? YES!!! ....to share about cutting out ALL sugars? YES!!! ....to inspire my readers? YES!!!!!</div>
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The ONLY sweet things I eat now are berries. Pure fat is allowed on this diet so I whip up heavy cream and add vanilla extract and put this divine whipped cream on my berries and add macadamia nuts or cashews and sometimes sprinkle unsweetened shredded coconut on top. This is THE thing that has allowed me to not go completely crazy giving up all the carbs and sugars I was eating on a regular basis. What's great is that this is not a snack or dessert. It IS the meal. The berries are the "veggie" the cream is the fat and the nuts are the protein. It's incredibly filling, satiating and now a regular meal that I look forward to more than anything.</div>
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I plan to start writing on this blog regularly again so stay tuned! </div>
My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-50442347156987068612017-11-06T15:34:00.000-08:002017-11-06T07:49:03.755-08:00Yogurt's Broken HaloDo you consider store-bought yogurt a healthy food?<br />
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Do you have any idea how much sugar companies add to yogurt?<br />
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It's maddening when I think about the <a href="http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Sugar-101_UCM_306024_Article.jsp#.WgCBeBNSzBI" target="_blank">American Heart Association's</a> recommendation for daily sugar intake:<br />
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<i>Children (age 2-18) should eat less than 25 grams of sugar daily (less than 6 teaspoons).</i><br />
<i>Women should eat no more than approximately 6 teaspoons of sugar daily.</i><br />
<i>Men should eat no more than approximately 9 teaspoons of sugar daily.</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Four grams is equal to one teaspoon!</span></b><br />
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I'm so mad I'm considering Ben & Jerry's for breakfast. My neighbor made some yogurt the other day using bacteria and milk. She added nothing else (possibly a pinch of sugar to feed the bacteria?) and the outcome was incredible. It was refreshing, sweet (lactose in milk is naturally sweet) and satisfying.<br />
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So why are so many yogurt companies adding 20+ grams of sugar to each little cup of yogurt?! (And I'm talking about the <i>healthier </i>yogurts, organic, found at health food stores, etc.) For the same reason sugar is added to anything--we will remember how much yummier <i>this</i> brand is over <i>this</i> brand and we will gravitate towards the sweeter one. <i>Naturally</i>.<br />
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Examples of the healthiest yogurts I could find, but not healthy in terms of added sugars:<br />
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<b>Nancy's</b><br />
Whole Milk Yogurt Plain: 1 container (8oz) = 180 calories, 16 grams sugar (from milk)<br />
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<b>Nancy's</b><br />
Nonfat Yogurt Plain: 1 container = 120 calories, 17 grams sugar (from milk)<br />
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<b>Nancy's</b><br />
Organic Cultured Soy Unsweetened Plain: 1 container (6oz) = 80 calories, 0 grams sugar<br />
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<b>Brown Cow</b> (<a href="http://www.certifiedhumane.org/">American Humane Certified</a>)<br />
Strawberry Nonfat: 1 container = 130 calories, 23 grams sugar (evaporated cane juice)<br />
Chocolate Nonfat: 1 container<br />
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<b>Redwood Hill Farm</b> (Goat Milk Yogurt)<br />
Vanilla: 1 container (170g) = 140 calories, 5g fat, 14g sugars (maple syrup)<br />
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<b>Wallaby Organic</b><br />
Key Lime Lowfat: 1 container = 150 calories, 2.5g fat, 22 grams of sugar (organic evaporated cane juice)<br />
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<b>Stonyfield Organic</b><br />
Chocolate Underground 0% Fat: 1 container = 150 calories, 0g fat, 29 grams sugar (naturally milled organic sugar)<br />
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<b>Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream</b><br />
Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream: 1/2 cup = 260 calories, 15 g fat and 25 grams sugar. This is less sugar than one container of Stonyfield chocolate yogurt. OMG.<br />
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Livid! The organic yogurts have a lot of added sugar and the sugar-free yogurts either are not organic or have scary artificial sugar substitutes. And soy? Not a huge fan anymore but at least no one is getting milked to make soy yogurt.<br />
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The ONLY brand of yogurt that I have found to be both organic and lightly sweetened is <a href="http://www.nancysyogurt.com/">Nancy's</a>. However, recently agave nectar has been substituted for honey in a few of Nancy's yogurts. <i>Bad move!</i> Sadly, this yogurt is difficult to find everywhere. I've lived on the west coast, east coast and a few places in between in the last five years and have not always been able to find Nancy's. Write or call your grocery store and request it.<br />
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Also, if you're as mad as I am about the tremendous amount of sugars added to yogurts, write to the companies. Or make your own (check out this <a href="http://www.wildfermentation.com/" target="_blank">wonderful book</a>!)<br />
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The biggest take away I hope you get from this article is that YOGURT HAS A BROKEN HALO! MOST STORE BOUGHT YOGURT CONTAINERS HAVE YOUR ENTIRE DAY'S WORTH OF SUGAR. WORTH IT??<br />
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My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-30862058786563938792017-10-24T14:10:00.000-07:002017-10-24T14:14:30.176-07:00Sugar and SleepinessI haven't blogged in a while (2 years...?) because I've been experimenting with sugar. Sugar as it relates to my sleep cycle. Motivation. Naps. Nightmares.<br />
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My suspicions have been confirmed, and now it's time to share what I learned. For the record, my experiences obviously don't mean this is what is happening to everyone, however, they <i>could</i> represent what others of you might be experiencing. I would love to hear from you either way!<br />
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I have determined that when I eat sugar at night (anytime after 7 or 8pm) I have a more difficult time going to sleep. It may be this restless going in and out of sleep and/or accompanied by nightmares. Why is this so?<br />
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I get sleepy during the day at different times so I have spent the last several years experimenting with meals, specific foods and noting when I get tired. I will most likely <i>always</i> be tired after a very large meal. So I have stopped eating large meals unless I'm at home and can roll onto the couch to catch a quick snore. Otherwise, especially days I have a busy schedule, I will not eat any sugar (check the label on your yogurt, my friends!) AND I'll only eat small amounts of what I do eat. For instance I will have my morning cup of drip coffee and a small dish of nuts and fruit. Then I will pack an apple or banana and more nuts and sometimes string cheese. If it's going to be a really long day I will also make a no-sugar, vegan protein shake with water and frozen fruit and bring it with. These small bits of food keep me slightly hungry and therefore less tired.<br />
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No matter what, I take an afternoon nap, but it's always a great day when I get to choose the time of day instead of my body saying, "Sleep now or you are going to collapse! Yes, right here on this bench in the west wing of this crowded museum in front of everyone! Sleep, now!"<br />
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<b>Side note</b>: I have memories of working at my first real job (babysitting only paid $3/hr in the 80's so not so much a real job) in an office as a file clerk. Mom dropped me off after school and I spent the afternoon filing and sharing the nice ladies' M&M's they had in crystal dishes on their desks. I wondered if they put them out mostly for visitors or for themselves, because they always seemed happy when I took some but often by 5pm the dishes were empty. Now I can say I've been in similar jobs where I've been sitting and it's the afternoon and I ate too much lunch and anything with sugar seems like a fix.<br />
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For me, sugar is directly related to feeling tired and sometimes the need to nap right away. Without exception those Sunday morning donuts with coffee gift me with a few minutes to get from the kitchen table back to bed to nap it off. On long road trips I'll stay alert and peppy if I nibble on carrots instead of Skittles. If Jeff sees me open a bag of candy on the road he moans because he knows I'll be asleep in a few minutes and all conversation comes to a screeching halt.<br />
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I'll write more later about different kinds of sugar but for now, for this article, I'll just say that any food with added sugar is a serious threat to my wakefulness. Does anyone relate to this?My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-73884222227046395172015-11-17T15:23:00.002-08:002015-11-17T15:23:42.026-08:00Refined Sugar VS Natural Sugars = They Are All Still Added Sugars!I thought I was a rockstar for not eating refined sugar and allowing "natural sugars" but they still caused a spike in my blood sugar and a horrible sleepy spell afterward.<br />
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If knowing is half the battle, then I'm part way there. Though it was difficult to cut out white refined sugar and corn syrups because they are in <i>everything</i>, it's not like I couldn't satisfy my sweet tooth on a cookie made with <a href="http://myyearwithout.blogspot.com/2009/11/cut-out-sugar-with-these-cut-out-sugar.html" target="_blank">honey</a> or <a href="http://myyearwithout.blogspot.com/2008/08/here-is-best-gingersnap-cookie-recipe.html" target="_blank">date sugar</a> or molasses. Yes my tolerance for sweet changed but I still ingested <i>added</i> sugars regularly.<br />
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It's easier to discuss this now while I have no agenda. I'm not totally sugar-free anymore. I keep this blog because I know it's helped people with their sugar-free goals. I still have people email me after all these years.<br />
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I may not be 100% sugar-free but I do have a deeper understanding of added sugars in general and that has crushed the life out of all those <i>natural</i> sweeteners that cost me so much money. Seriously, when was the last time I paid $10 for date sugar or $15 for ground maple sugar? It's been years! I usually choose a coconut sugar or honey or dried fruit to sweeten a recipe with and I'm unwilling to spend the money on those specialty sugars anymore because they no longer have the halo. They are still <i>added sugars</i>. And don't get me started on <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/07/01/7-healthy-foods-to-avoid.aspx?e_cid=20150701Z1_DNL_art_2&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art2&utm_campaign=20150701Z1&et_cid=DM78391&et_rid=1014981911" target="_blank">agave nectar</a>. This little gem lines the shelves at all co-ops and health food stores and enjoys its glory--not because it's healthy! But because it's dreamy as a sugar substitute in baking AND it sells! It's got approximately the same fructose amount as high-fructose corn syrup! Bleh, I can't even stand it.<br />
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<br />My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-27063342838453686852015-08-03T17:06:00.000-07:002015-08-03T17:06:21.806-07:00I'm So Famous It HurtsI'd like to think that's how my grandmother thought of me. Ha!<br />
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When she passed away my aunt found this collage of articles in her home and thought I might like to have it. I had no idea my grandmother kept these, much less made a collage out of them. I have no idea what to do with all these long forgotten snippets of interviews and being on the front page of a newspaper with Leonardo Di Caprio.
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<br />My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-70568305229216523852013-11-08T11:06:00.000-08:002013-11-08T11:06:40.136-08:00The Sugar BlaaaaaahhhhhsMy stomach's bloated.<br />
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I lack motivation.<br />
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My butt feels too big.<br />
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I'm skipping the gym.<br />
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Can't concentrate on homework.<br />
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I want to curl up in a blanket and eat donuts and cry.<br />
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I wanted<i> a little bit</i> of sugar <i>once in a while</i>. The routine has evolved to epic sugar proportions: I wake up and pour my coffee and gather a handful of cookies to eat with my coffee. Because there is nothing tastier. But nothing squelches motivation like a belly full of sugar rot.<br />
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For lunch I will probably eat a giant, colorful salad. Then the sugar craving will kick in and I will hunt around the kitchen for something sweetly satisfying. It almost feels okay because my lunch was so healthy.<br />
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One handful of chocolate covered almonds becomes two or three handfuls. Then I get so sleepy I have to nap it off.<br />
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When I wake up from napping, I search around for chocolate almond stragglers. Remnants.<br />
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I skip dinner because I don't want calories from both a healthy dinner and the inevitable ice cream.<br />
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My joints hurt. I have to carefully stretch my back when I get myself off the couch. It's bedtime and yet just one more chocolate beckons me, just one more spoonful of ice cream.<br />
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Why am I in this perpetual loop?<br />
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I need the angel on my right shoulder, because for now I can only hear the devil on my left.<br />
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<br />My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-54549222760604623122013-03-24T10:39:00.000-07:002013-03-24T10:39:06.825-07:00Why Results of Sugar Studies are Unclear<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /> <img border="0" height="302" src="http://www.naturalnews.com/cartoons/sugar_humans_600.jpg" style="color: #0000ee; text-align: center;" width="320" /><br />
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Who is willing to go without sugar, even with financial incentives? Even on behalf of sugar research, who would the control groups be?<br />
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<li>People who are going to lie--"Sure I'll go without sugar for 6 months for your study!"</li>
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<li>People who go into it honestly, but fail--"Um, Mr. Researcher, I, uh, had an accident the other day, and then the day after that, and, uh, I failed."</li>
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I am concluding that there are two types of people. The liars and the failures. Kidding. There are a great number of people across the globe giving up sugar for weeks and months and years at a time, but how are the researchers going to pinpoint these perfect candidates for their studies? It seems to me like studies are done locally by the institutions performing them. This local cohort of people I would tend to believe fall into one of the above two categories. </div>
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My oh so brilliant solution? Researchers ought to hire a savvy social media person to collect contact info on people around the globe who are, on their own, giving up sugar. These people blog and use other social media outlets to share their experiences. I think this is our best shot at collecting accurate stats about sugar and human health. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">"<i>Since the latter part of the twentieth century, it has been questioned whether a diet high in sugars, especially refined sugars, is bad for health. Sugar has been linked to obesity and suspected of being implicated in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, macular degeneration and tooth decay. Numerous studies have been undertaken to try to clarify the position but the results remain largely unclear, mainly because of the difficulty of finding populations for use as controls that do not consume sugars</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;">(</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar)</span></span></div>
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As an afterthought, I suppose another way to go about studying sugar's effect on human health would be to categorize groups of people by how much sugar they consume. Then require your control group to eat a certain amount of sugar, additionally. Gross thought.<br />
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My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-29883753781200323112013-01-22T07:57:00.001-08:002013-01-22T07:57:19.542-08:00Sugar & Weight Gain<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://www.archerville.com/sue/suearcher.html">Sue Archer</a>)</span></div>
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This may not come as a surprise to those of you battling sugar: A new <a href="http://www.1037chuckfm.com/news/lifestyles/health/sugar-and-excess-weight-evidence-mounts/nTxsx//">study</a> found that eating less sugar is linked with weight loss and eating more sugar is linked with weight gain.<br />
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A study or did they just read my blog? :)<br />
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One of my nutrition heroes, Walter Willett, chair of nutrition at <a href="http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/">Harvard School of Public Health</a>, comments, "<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Sugars from whole fruits have not been linked with weight gain."</span><br />
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Such simple, wise advice. Now, let's eat whole fruits and give up added sugars, shall we? It's soooo hard to do.<br />
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Lately I've been satisfying my pesty sweet tooth with big chunks of fresh pineapple. Seriously, you are not going to crave Ben & Jerry's or cookie dough after chewing on these juicy, sweet morsels. I would know because it seems like I have to go to the ends of the earth to douse my sugar cravings. Or just eat pineapple. Treat yourself to a whole one. Cut off the skin and around the fibrous core. It's good for digestion and it's full of nutrients.<br />
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I think I need <a href="http://thenewsharingmachine.com/collections/sale/products/cupcake-t-shirt">this cupcake t-shirt</a>....it captures the vibe quite well.My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-68842994969758173582013-01-12T13:50:00.000-08:002013-01-12T13:50:06.517-08:00Yummy Sugar SubstitutesI've quit sugar enough times to know that it can't (shouldn't) be done without the right substitutes in your cupboards. This just takes a little bit of planning.<br />
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If you've already quit sugar but haven't stocked up on substitutes, it's not too late but I recommend you hustle to your local grocery store. Do not delay! A health food store like <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/whole-foods-market">Whole Foods</a> or Trader Joe's would be best. Being prepared with substitutes can make the difference between reaching your goal of staying off the white stuff or giving in and re-starting the icky cycle.<br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">FAVORITE SUGAR SUBSTITUTES</span><br />
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<b>Zesty Nacho Kale Chips</b> at Trader Joe's. So good you might eat the whole bag! And if you do (pull out the little packet of silica gel, first) that's 300 kale calories, with some healthy cashew and beet powder goodness. These seriously rock and satisfy the need to nosh...and keep noshing.<br />
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<b>Hot Tea</b>. Splurge on the most exciting flavors of tea. Tea has a wide price range, but don't be frugal here. Buy that Red Velvet Chocolate tea and you will feel so much better sipping on that rather than crying over a chocolate cake you've just devoured. For me, something about the heat satisfies all on its own.<br />
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<b>Dark Chocolate Honey Mints</b> at Trader Joe's. Only three ingredients: honey, chocolate liquor and oil of peppermint. If you like York peppermint patties, you will love these. The peppermint is so strong that you can only have one or two at a time. And it's honey, not white refined sugar, although the "sugars" in three small patties still equals 17 grams.<br />
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<b>Dried Fruit Leathers from Trader's</b>. About 50 cents each, but so good and made with just fruit. Sometimes if my sweet tooth is really buggin', I will need to eat two or three leathers to feel satisfied....but I've avoided white refined sugar!<br />
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<b>Fresh Fruit</b> washed and cut. For me the fruits that really satisfy a sugar craving are: mango, pineapple, crunchy apples with almond butter or cheese, dried fruit like prunes or apples.<br />
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<b>Fresh Veggies</b> washed and cut. Crunchy, juicy peppers in hummus, carrots with almond butter, cucumbers, celery, etc. If I've taken the time to have these prepared then it's so easy to grab them. If not, I'm likely to talk myself out of washing and cutting and finding the right sized container first.<br />
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<b>Juice</b>. (My favorite: Grape Juice). Although this is a kind of sugar, at least it's from fruit and not the white refined stuff. It contains nutrients that white sugar can't speak of. I like to pour myself a very small glass and sip it. It's so sweet and nice and cold that I don't need Ben & Jerry's after all.<br />
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<b>Popcorn</b>. So many different flavors of microwave popcorn (read labels!), but of course best popped fresh with minimal butter and salt added. Spray some soy sauce and then sprinkle nutritional yeast/garlic spices for a real treat.<br />
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* Remember this, the goodies you are using as sugar substitutes <i>must</i> be good. They must really make you excited. Do <i>not</i> hesitate to overstock your kitchen with goodness.<br />
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** Lastly, a word on the existing junk food in your pantry. I don't necessarily recommend throwing it all out. If you're anything like me, you kind of need to know it's there and that you're really avoiding it daily. Other family members are NOT quitting sugar with you so the junk food is theirs. I try to find a happy medium here. I <i>don't</i> like Oreos in my cupboard because they are a food I might break my sugar fast for. On the other hand, other junk food like candy or chocolate chips or whatever don't tempt me as much. If you <i>do</i> choose to throw out every last piece of tempting junk food, just brace yourself for when you <i>are</i> in the presence of these things: friends' homes, restaurants, mom and dad's house, etc. It might prove to be more difficult because you haven't had practice with avoiding them up front.<br />
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Sugar-free feels AMAZING!<br />
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<br />My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-85085762742781476442012-07-30T11:22:00.001-07:002012-07-30T11:28:04.538-07:00Toothpaste Heaven: Earthpaste<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like foods that have few ingredients. The less, the better. I love how an apple has one ingredient. Same with a beet and a blueberry. I also lean towards body and bath products with fewer ingredients. The more ingredients something has the more likely it seems to have "bad" ingredients.<br />
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Toothpaste, for instance.<br />
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I had been using my husband's favorite toothpaste, Arm & Hammer's COMPLETE CARE with baking soda and peroxide. The ingredients seemed better than other toothpastes I have seen with added sugars. (Yes, dextrose and sucrose for instance!) However, there are still several ingredients that I can't pronounce. Chemicals? Unfortunately, in doing some looking around for toothpaste ingredients online, I discovered that major brands like Crest and AquaFresh don't post their ingredients online. Weird! (Or they make them difficult to find, as I could not find them.)<br />
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Thanks to <a href="http://www.earthpaste.com/">Earthpaste</a>, I now have a toothpaste with five ingredients. Five. Not only that, the paste is so healthy you can eat/swallow it! <span class="GRcorrect" grphrase="7aab0edc0fcbf1591351fde954ec34e88b872932" grtype="null" id="GRmark_7aab0edc0fcbf1591351fde954ec34e88b872932_Earthpaste:0">Earthpaste</span> sent me samples of all three flavors of their toothpaste: Wintergreen, Peppermint and Cinnamon. All three are delicious and refreshing.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span class="GRcorrect" grphrase="71c03c162d3398976a3957744fd477712230e3a4" grtype="null" id="GRmark_71c03c162d3398976a3957744fd477712230e3a4_Earthpaste:0">Earthpaste</span> ingredients</b>: clay, <span class="GRspelling"><span class="GRcorrect" grphrase="71c03c162d3398976a3957744fd477712230e3a4" grtype="null" id="GRmark_71c03c162d3398976a3957744fd477712230e3a4_xylitol:1">xylitol</span>,</span> sea salt, menthol and tea tree oil. Oh, and water, which I am not counting as an ingredient. (Watermelon is full of water but I still consider watermelon having only one ingredient.)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Arm & Hammer COMPLETE CARE ingredients</b>: Sodium fluoride, baking soda, PEG-8, PEG/PPG-116/66, <span class="GRcorrect" grphrase="1cf199acee01e98c0991774268f47ae567d665ba" grtype="null" id="GRmark_1cf199acee01e98c0991774268f47ae567d665ba_copolymer:0">copolymer</span>, sodium carbonate peroxide, silica, water, sodium saccharin, flavor, zinc citrate trihydrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate.</div>
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Although not foamy (no <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_laureth_sulfate">sodium <span class="GRcorrect" grphrase="5a3c202f037d1e4d75bafff60e8b7a670234e0cd" grtype="null" id="GRmark_5a3c202f037d1e4d75bafff60e8b7a670234e0cd_lauryl:0">lauryl</span> sulfate</a>), Earthpaste packs a menthol punch and leaves my teeth feeling clean and fresh.<br />
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My teeth? It's hard to say if the toothpaste has made a difference yet. I've only been using it for the past few weeks.<br />
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Bottom line: I am not using artificial ingredients that might be harmful if swallowed. My mouth is a mucous membrane that I want to treat with care and natural ingredients.<br />
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<br />My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-22412442444717849552012-06-22T10:03:00.000-07:002012-06-22T10:08:10.498-07:00Trouble with Your Teeth? Me Too, and I Don't Drink Soda.<div>
<span style="background-color: white;">I am freakishly regimented when it comes to oral hygiene. I always have been because a) I don't want halitosis b) I don't enjoy getting cavities and c) I dread getting my cavities drilled out and filled. I have never been to the dentist for a cleaning and exam, in all my 36 years, and been told "Congratulations! You have no cavities!" Rather, every single time I get an exam (not regularly, mind you, but regularly enough) I am told I have <i>at least</i> one cavity, but usually two or more. "Oh they're small, good thing we caught them early......" </span></div>
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What?!?! </div>
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I never drink soda (maybe one root beer every three years?), I gave up refined sugar for years, and brush my teeth every morning and night, and floss every single night. I should be the poster girl for excellent oral health based on my actions. </div>
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Instead, cavities. Enamel erosion.</div>
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<a href="http://www.seapointclinic.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/effects-of-fizzy-drinks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.seapointclinic.ie/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/effects-of-fizzy-drinks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Not my teeth, but you get the picture.)</div>
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This also chaps my hide: ever since I was a kid, dentists have told me that I brushed too hard and that's why my enamel is eroding. That baffled me because I brushed the way they always showed me: nice, soft circular motions for 1-2 minutes with an "Extra Soft" toothbrush. </div>
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A few years ago a dentist told me that my cavities had nothing to do with my oral hygiene. What?!? He told me that my cavities and enamel erosion were 100% based on the acidity of my mouth. So naturally I re-examined my diet, bought a book about pH and drank water with lemon* regularly. </div>
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Maybe I'm not drinking enough lemon water. Maybe I should <i>eat</i> lemons. Although it's been almost a year and a half since I visited the dentist, I can feel a few problem teeth that need attention sooner than later. I just dread the inevitable. I feel like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisyphus">Sisyphus</a>!</div>
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Then this morning I came across <a href="http://cookitallergyfree.com/blog/2012/06/do-you-have-tooth-enamel-issues-related-to-celiac-disease/">this blog</a>. I don't know if I have Celiac disease or not (I don't like that it's considered a disease....it seems like the body's natural way of just rejecting certain foods. I bet 1000's of years ago it was unheard of, but now that we are fudging around with the science of foods, GMO's, pesticides, etc...?).</div>
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Thanks to cookitallergyfree.com for the <i>Steps Known to Promote Enamel Growth, </i>some of which include: getting adequate vitamins, using natural toothpastes and eating unrefined salt instead of the pure white stuff. I have never had a dentist tell me these things. I have, however, come home with prescription "gum creams" to smear on my eroding enamel. Somehow that stuff never made it on my gums... I have come home with little bottles of "dental rinses" that ultimately sting my tongue and hurt my overly sensitive mouth. The best I've been able to come up with on my own is lemon water and a baking soda rinse after brushing, in an effort to alkalize my mouth. </div>
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Since I know I can kick the sugar habit (not that I'm currently doing the best job....) I know that I will be able to kick the foods known to promote enamel loss. Most of those foods I don't eat or drink anyway, but I do eat grains, cereals (healthy, I thought....) and use commercial toothpastes. Thanks to another <a href="http://www.naturallyknockedup.com/homemade-toothpaste/">wonderful blog</a>, I just learned a lot about homemade toothpastes and <a href="http://www.redmondtrading.com/product/earthpaste-natural-toothpaste/earthpaste-amazingly-natural-toothpaste">Earthpaste</a>, an "amazingly natural toothpaste" made with only four ingredients: Redmond clay, Xylitol, essential oils and unrefined salt. </div>
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What?!? Is it possible to cut a few more things from my diet, switch toothpastes and expect healthier teeth and gums? For the skeptics out there, the thing is, nothing else is working for me. </div>
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*<a href="http://phbalance.wikispaces.com/Lemons+Alkaline%3F">Lemons are alkaline forming</a></div>My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-90736348040188515902012-04-15T13:01:00.000-07:002012-04-15T13:01:57.027-07:00Easy & Delicious Yogurt CakeWhen a recipe turns out so well, sometimes I eat and blog at the same time. Right now I have a little plate with a piece of yogurt cake and chopped, fresh strawberries. It is so good I never want it to end. I was having a little sweet tooth fit, with nothing in my kitchen to nibble on. This is a good thing. If I had junk food I would eat it. Days like this force me to get creative in the kitchen.<br />
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I searched other blogs for recipe ideas, craving something chewy and sweet like cake. I found a <a href="http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009/05/honey-yogurt-cake-gluten-free-dairy.html">Honey Yogurt cake</a> that I used as a loose guide for my experimenting.<br />
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I have a bad habit of not keeping careful track of the amounts of ingredients...and it happened again today. In my excitement (I'm also currently experimenting with making granola bars) I neglected to take pictures and the cake is lying upside down on tin foil. Not so picturesque, but so delicious.<br />
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Here is a sort-of recipe, with all ingredients but mostly guesses at how much I used of each.<br />
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<b>Easy & Delicious Yogurt Cake</b><br />
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1 C white whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/4 C vegetable oil (if I had coconut oil I would have used it)<br />
1/4 C honey<br />
1/2 C vanilla yogurt (I use Nancy's organic, nonfat plain yogurt)<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla<br />
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350 degrees for about 25 minutes. The cake is fluffy, moist, sweet and heavenly. Especially with fresh strawberries added to each bite.<br />
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Next time I make it, I'll take pictures. I may make cupcakes next time, and after they bake add a few slices of strawberry to each top.My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-2251631352997824522012-04-10T06:34:00.000-07:002012-04-10T06:34:53.921-07:00Absolutely Delicious, Chewy Vegan GingersnapsO. My. Gosh.<br />
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I've perfected the gingersnap.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dT2ociUthVQ/T4Q1XUhRQ4I/AAAAAAAAUfE/1oJwc3NVpAM/s1600/DSCN7783+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dT2ociUthVQ/T4Q1XUhRQ4I/AAAAAAAAUfE/1oJwc3NVpAM/s320/DSCN7783+(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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This cookie has been my favorite since I was a little girl tugging at mom's apron, begging to lick the beaters. I used her recipe for years, even sold the cookies at a lovely little coffee house in Seattle called the Library Cafe. During my vegan years I messed with the recipe and toyed with other people's vegan gingersnap recipes. The real challenge came when I cut out refined sugar, and ate mostly vegan. I've posted those gingersnap recipes, using ground date sugar, and they are fabulous.<br />
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But the following recipe is perfect. The sweeteners are blackstrap molasses and a very small amount of coconut palm sugar. I knew immediately when I nibbled on the cookie dough that I hit the jackpot.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Best Vegan, Molasses-Sweetened Gingersnaps</span></b><br />
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2 and 1/2 C white whole wheat flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp sea salt<br />
1/8 C coconut palm sugar<br />
1 tsp ground cinnamon<br />
1/2 tsp ground ginger<br />
1/2 tsp ground cloves<br />
1/2 C molasses<br />
1/2 C oil<br />
2 tablespoons water<br />
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Mix dry, then add wet and mix just until moistened. Roll into balls and place on parchment paper on cooking sheet (so much easier to clean up!) and then smash down a little with spatula.<br />
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375 degrees F for approximately 8 minutes<br />
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*Next is to experiment further to make these gluten-free. Brown rice flour? Coconut flour? Suggestions?My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-43516635164256963422012-04-06T12:31:00.003-07:002012-04-07T10:28:05.473-07:0060 MINUTES: Brand New Research Shows Sugar is Toxic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4cREfDcEvY4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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I don't know what I am more excited about: the 60 Minutes interviews, the doctors doing research on sugar & the body, or the funny response to the interviews on the <a href="http://www.sugar.org/press-releases/sugar-association-responds-to-60-minutes-unfounded-accusations-mislead-consumers.html">Sugar Association</a> website.<br />
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Watch this segment of 60 Minutes where doctors reveal new studies that show sugar can wreak havoc on your health. Heart disease, cancer, obesity and Type II diabetes are some of the health issues discussed.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">"<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>Dr. Robert Lustig is a pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco and a pioneer in what is becoming a war against sugar. </i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><i>Motivated by his own patients -- too many sick and obese children - Dr. Lustig has concluded that sugar, more than any other substance, is to blame</i>."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white;">60 Minutes host, Dr. Gupta, interviewed someone from the Sugar Association, as well: </span></div><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 18px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: blue;">"Dr. Sanjay Gupta: You know, a lot of people, Jim, are saying that sugar is different. That it is bad for your heart and is causing a lot of the problems we're talking about. It is addictive and in some cases might even fuel cancers. What would you - I mean you've looked at this. You must have looked at some of these studies. What do you say about that?</span></i></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><i>Jim Simon: The science is not completely clear here</i>."</span></div><div class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">For a most fun read on the Sugar Association website, read the article: <i><a href="http://www.sugar.org/press-releases/sugar-association-responds-to-60-minutes-unfounded-accusations-mislead-consumers.html">Sugar Association Responds to 60 Minutes: Unfounded Accusations Mislead Consumers</a> </i>where they state, <span style="color: blue;">"<i>Every major review of the full body of scientific evidence has concluded that sugar intake is not linked to any lifestyle disease</i>."</span> </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Wow! I am so excited that the Sugar Association, with no interest in sugar whatsoever, made this statement. Yay. Now I can eat sugar because they say it is not linked to any lifestyle disease! Gimme a break.</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Need I go over the last 4+ years of my life where I account for my own personal dis-ease caused by sugar? I want to be livid at the Sugar Association's response, but what can we expect them to say? They have to say something. Sugar=money. </div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">Let's end on the positive note that sugar studies are being done. That finally medical professionals are saying what I've been <i>feeling</i> all along, Sugar is Bad!</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="p1" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">(</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57407294/is-sugar-toxic/?tag=contentMain;contentBody)</span></span></span></div><br />
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My dogs love these.<br />
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The best part is that my older mutt (in the background) has a very sensitive tummy but she can eat these with no problems. Most other treats we try with her and we're running for the bottle of Pepto.<br />
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<b>Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Dog Treats</b><br />
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1/2 cup milk<br />
1/2 cup oatmeal<br />
1/2 cup peanut butter<br />
1/2 tablespoon baking powder<br />
1 cup white whole wheat flour<br />
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Preheat oven to 375. Mix together dry ingredients and then add wet and stir together until dough forms. Roll out on floured surface (and/or parchment paper) and then use cookie cutter. I cut a grid, which yielded over 175 inch-sized squares.<br />
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I am going to look for goat's milk at the farmer's market this weekend. Goat's milk is supposed to be very nourishing to dogs. I'm not yet done playing around with this recipe, but as is it's simple and the biscuits drive my dogs wild.My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-76490724068384506342012-03-27T08:36:00.003-07:002012-04-02T13:56:17.487-07:00Food Companies Transition from Naturally Sweet to Refined Sugar?In my going-on-five years of sugar sleuthing I've come to understand one thing really well: Food manufacturers know and capitalize on our lust for the white stuff. That is why it is getting increasingly difficult to find naturally sweetened (or non-sweetened) packaged foods. When I started out giving up sugar in 2008, I could verifiably count on a number of companies to provide naturally-sweetened products. Since then some companies have begun to use refined sugar. The horror!<br />
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<b>Pamela's cookies</b> The lemon shortbread cookies were to <i>die</i> for. Some (most?) flavors had honey or molasses as the only sweetener. Now Pamela's uses evaporated cane juice and agave. When I wrote to find out why, here was the response:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">"<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">I’m sorry to hear that you do not care for the Lemon Shortbread cookies because we had to change the recipe from honey and molasses to sugar. The reason for this is because all of our honey plants were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and the crops have not been replanted. We had to switch over to using sugar, and it is unclear if </span><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;">Pamela</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px;"> is going to switch the recipe back. I will certainly pass along your suggestions to her, but as of this moment, we will be continuing using the sugar."</span></div><br />
<b>Izze beverages</b> I <i>love</i> Izze drinks. Yes, fruit juice is full of sugar, but it is naturally-occurring from fruit. I was horrified one day when I grabbed a Birch-flavored Izze from my fridge and glanced at the nutrition facts/ingredients out of habit and found SUGAR in the ingredients. I thought I could count on Izze to provide a no-added-sugar beverage. In my outrage I wrote to the company asking about this. Here is the response:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">"<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">You'll notice that Sparkling Birch and Ginger are not listed on the website, this is because these are not fruit-flavored beverages and not part of our permanent line extension. Because there are no naturally-occurring sugars from fruit, we needed to add sugar to achieve the desired flavor profile." </span></div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<b>Uncle Sam's cereal </b> My favorite healthy packaged cereals. Attune foods has sent me several boxes of cereal to try since I started my blog. In 2011, I discovered added refined sugars which was very disappointing. The Uncle Sam Strawberry cereal has evaporated cane juice added, which I tasted anyway, at 7 grams of sugar per 3/4 cup cereal. It was too sweet for me. But for most people used to super-sweet, this may be the perfect transition cereal. When I questioned the company about this they responded:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">"<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Our intention in releasing these newer flavors (Strawberry and Honey Almond) to the Uncle Sam cereal line-up was to appeal to the vast majority of Americans used to very sweet cereals and we felt that allowing a small amount of sugar might be a good bridge to get them to try the cereal and eventually transition to Uncle Sam Original. We are considering modifying those particular flavors further and with our Skinner's Raisin Bran, we recently adjusted the recipe and removed 1g of sugar per serving (barley malt as the sweetener)." </span></div><br />
<a href="http://www.attunefoods.com/products">Attune foods</a> They are wonderful at answering questions and they take feedback very seriously. It sounds like they are working towards more/all naturally-sweetened cereals. Also note, most boxes of cereals include a coupon ($1 off or 75 cents off) on the inside panel of the box. Uncle Sam's original cereal is usually $2.25 or so a box, so with the coupon, it's well under $2 per box.My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-77341120907550718502012-03-13T09:15:00.000-07:002012-03-13T09:15:43.458-07:00High on JuiceFreshly juiced fruit and vegetables do <i>not</i> taste how I anticipated.<br />
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The first time I juiced I got nauseous. And I don't get sick like that. However, my husband drank his tall glass of juice and asked for more, so I tried a different blend of fruit and veggies and tried a sip. It was a little better. Since then, it's only gotten better. I can drink almost any blend and I love it. Not sure why my taste buds/stomach rejected it at first.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OEm1dX5xuT0/T19rZMx1ifI/AAAAAAAAUYg/5lQ_mR406og/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OEm1dX5xuT0/T19rZMx1ifI/AAAAAAAAUYg/5lQ_mR406og/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>With amazon credit, I was able to get this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breville-JE98XL-Fountain-850-Watt-Juicing/dp/B003R28HWQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331653820&sr=8-1">fantastic juicer</a> by Breville. The crazy thing is that in January it was $149.00, and now a used one is $200?! Apparently everyone and their uncle is juicing. I LOVE this juicer (we got it based on customer reviews) because it is easy to use and clean and it can take hard veggies like beets, sweet potatoes, ginger, etc. I didn't realize that I would have to clean the parts every time I juiced, but that is a small price to pay (5 minutes) for a glass of frothy, delicious nutrition. Not to mention now my husband gets numerous fruits and vegetables in his diet, too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRmZIgf1lTM/T19uWwj72wI/AAAAAAAAUYo/tA_bpsu7jfI/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KRmZIgf1lTM/T19uWwj72wI/AAAAAAAAUYo/tA_bpsu7jfI/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
I have so many favorite blends, where do I begin?<br />
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Pineapple, Carrot & Ginger<br />
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The Sour Apple: Granny Smith Apples, Kiwi & Green Grapes (It is our favorite.)<br />
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The Beeting Heart: Pineapple & Red Beets (If you juice the pineapple first, then pour beet juice on top, you can pour the beet juice in the shape of a heart onto the pineapple froth and it is adorable. Sorry, no pic of this yet.)<br />
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Kale, Pineapple & Ginger<br />
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Tomato, Celery, Parsley & Cucumber (no need to add salt. celery is plenty salty. who knew?)<br />
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Apple & Ginger<br />
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Pineapple, Jalapeno, Celery, Kale & Parsley<br />
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Carrot, Tumeric (stains everything but totally worth it. can find it at some health food stores and most asian markets.) Ginger, Lime & Beet<br />
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Pineapple, Spinach & Mango (very thick and frothy)<br />
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Orange, Red Apples & Spinach<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U6tdh-u4NME/T19wW6LWx3I/AAAAAAAAUYw/9sC2SZYyEGc/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U6tdh-u4NME/T19wW6LWx3I/AAAAAAAAUYw/9sC2SZYyEGc/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Now my goal is to find a good use for the fibrous material left behind (besides composting). I imagine that the bits left over from a carrot-ginger juice would be fabulous in a stir fry. I haven't researched ideas but that is my next endeavor.<br />
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I tried eating only fresh juice for three days and that was okay. It required a lot of food prep and washing the juicer parts every time I was hungry enough to juice. Three days was a good start. I thought after watching Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead that I would go two months on juice, but come to find out that if you plan to go longer than 10 days on fresh juice alone, it should be done under medical supervision. If I had the money to pay a naturopath right now, I would consider it, but alas....<br />
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For now Jeff and I <i>use</i> juice as a sweets substitute, sometimes a meal substitute and sometimes when friends are over we experiment with whatever they bring over.<br />
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Ginger is by far our favorite ingredient. We can't seem to get enough of the spicy, internally warming stuff!<br />
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More juicing ideas?My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-70391446363903618542012-03-06T06:42:00.000-08:002012-03-06T06:42:01.776-08:00Ice Cream, Sugar and CocaineAm I the only one who has a problem with ice cream? Apparently not.<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.1073theeagle.com/videos/ap/top-news/study-ice-cream-as-addictive-as-cocaine/vGHZx/">this news story</a> claiming that ice cream may be as addictive as cocaine. Hilariously sad.<br />
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Juicing recipes, pictures and my thoughts coming very soon!!My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-78177685435624083312012-01-28T08:32:00.000-08:002012-01-28T08:32:22.258-08:00Avoiding Sugar Can Change Your LifeThe countdown begins. Today is Saturday and Monday begins the juice fast/feast (depending on how you look at it).<br />
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All those little bouts of purging sugar from my kitchen ended badly. I kept caving. How is it possible to go almost 3 years without sugar and then have this much trouble quitting again?<br />
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My hope is that with 2 months of juicing I will know better than to dabble with sugar. If I play with sugar, it wins. If I abstain from sugar, I win.<br />
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Quitting sugar changed my life once. I know quitting again will have the same profound affects. It's what motivates me this time around. Valuable lesson learned? I really can't balance moderation with sugar, I wish I could. It's easier to just go without it 100%.<br />
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<br />
Check out this interview:<br />
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<a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2011/01/how-avoiding-refined-sugar-changed-a-womans-life.html">How Avoiding Refined Sugar Changed a Woman's Life</a>My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-22745875914784224772012-01-16T11:01:00.000-08:002012-01-16T11:01:36.958-08:00Extreme Make-Over: From Grumpy & Frumpy to Juicing and Sugar-FreeMy next endeavor is to juice stuff.<br />
<br />
The goal is to try juicing for a month or two and see how it helps with sugar cravings, energy, my sleep cycle and my weight (which has skyrocketed since moving to Texas--go figure!).<br />
<br />
My husband is on board with this, too. Amazing.<br />
<br />
We watched <i><a href="http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/">Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead</a></i> together and when it ended we looked at each other and shared an ah-hah moment. We still have to do our research to see how this will be done, the health benefits/risks, etc. We're really not-knowers when it comes to juicing.<br />
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Any tips?My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-69999429505445830062012-01-16T10:17:00.000-08:002012-01-16T10:43:43.972-08:00Quitting Sugar, Again<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35040868?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/35040868">2012 Re-Quitting Sugar</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user10002416">myyearwithout</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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It was easier to go without sugar for 3 years than it has been to give it up for a month at a time. The holidaze were the worst! I think people <i>wanted</i> to watch me feast on the white stuff. Every imaginable favorite dessert of mine was homemade and waiting for me when I returned to the northwest for Christmas. <br />
<br />
On the flight to Portland I turned down freshly baked chocolate chip cookies (Frontier Airlines) and ate from a healthy pre-packed lunch. <i>I was superior and not going to give in.</i><br />
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What is it about being home for the holidaze, surrounded by family and friends with fragrant homemade goodies and sweets everywhere?<br />
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Sweet tooth trumped Willpower. <i>I don't understand this, because I was solidly off sugar for 3 years!</i><br />
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Let the justifications begin: I wanted to have a good time with everyone else and <i>not</i> be the only one not eating Mom's hot cinnamon rolls with frosting. I struggle with moderation, so once I let myself have a little sugar, <i>nothing</i> was off limits. I loitered in the kitchen every day in search of delicious ways to feed the monster.<br />
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Everything tasted absolutely heavenly but it didn't take long for my sweet tooth to become satiated. But the next day my tolerance for sweet had increased, and the day after that I had three cinnamon rolls in one day, not counting other goodies during the day.<br />
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If I'm going to indulge, I do <i>not</i> want to feel bad about it. Feeling guilty ruins things, doesn't it? So I made a mental note that after returning from the holidaze I would go back to being a devout non-sugarist. Until then, I would enjoy finishing off my stocking candy. Which led to making peanut brittle, then a chocolate espresso cheesecake (I am going to attempt this with <i>a less-refined sweetener</i> next time) for my husband, and then I made a lemon pound cake which I substituted for lunch.<br />
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The other day I looked through my cupboards to purge the demons, and Jeff quickly set up the video camera. Although I wasn't looking my best and would have liked to shower/do hair/make-up etc. (I mean, I <i>am</i> posting this on my blog!) I appreciated Jeff's quick reaction to the spontaneous moment and let it be.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><a href="http://vimeo.com/35040868" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" target="_blank">http://vimeo.com/35040868</a><br />
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</b>My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-27568569854382330152011-11-22T06:21:00.000-08:002011-11-22T06:21:59.837-08:00Oh Sure, Sugar's Not Addictive: I'm Just a Raging Zombie Having a BF!I become a zombie robot when a sugar craving hits:<br />
<br />
1. Glassy-eyed and salivating, I venture into the kitchen and peek in all cupboards, the fridge and the freezer. I look behind cans, cartons and boxes hoping to find the perfect solution to my craving. Dried cranberries, prunes, naturally-sweetened cookies or even the perfect tea. If I'm lucky.<br />
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2. Upon finding nothing that appeals, I exit the kitchen in hopes of distracting myself.<br />
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3. Unless I've found something <i>really</i> engaging, I typically wander back into the kitchen and hope to find something that I missed the first time.<br />
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4. Repeat.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmLnrETmy64/TsuuHq2fJWI/AAAAAAAAURM/gQXGLz9kTJk/s1600/robot-zombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmLnrETmy64/TsuuHq2fJWI/AAAAAAAAURM/gQXGLz9kTJk/s320/robot-zombie.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
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Needless to say this routine has got to stop. My mouth has <i>got</i> to stop dictating my actions. My brain and willpower are stronger than this, aren't they? What on earth propels me to shut off my brain and re-enter the kitchen over and over again? It's not like a little fairy flew in and sprinkled magic fairy dust on my prunes turning them into Oreos. The worst thing is, I'm not even hungry.<br />
<br />
So, I created a solution.<br />
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The miracle is, it's working.<br />
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I made a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMzn7ieJC3I&feature=related">Bitch-Fit</a> (BF) Book. I labeled a notebook and set it on the kitchen counter. When I have a craving I go right to the book and write. I mean, <i>write</i>! Everything I am feeling, wanting and needing. I write anything and everything that comes to mind. By the time I'm done leaning against the counter writing, my craving has dissipated. I write until "it" is out of my system. Some entries are so passionate and desperate that my writing is hardly legible. I'm usually exhausted by the time I put the notebook down.<br />
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<i>But it's working. </i><br />
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I highly recommend it. If you create your own BF book, please let me know how it works for you.<br />
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<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> Last night for some reason (where I'm at in my cycle?) even though I wrote in my BF book I felt like if there were a pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough ice cream I would have eaten it. That's one reason I don't keep food like that in the house. </i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Image found at: http://www.librarything.com/topic/44157</span></i>My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-90656638188320395072011-11-14T09:23:00.000-08:002011-11-14T09:32:25.265-08:00The Pleasure of Temptation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMr9zl94JXM/TsFP_RbgtjI/AAAAAAAAUQw/PCEZWs2Ee4M/s1600/Temptation+Cartoon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMr9zl94JXM/TsFP_RbgtjI/AAAAAAAAUQw/PCEZWs2Ee4M/s320/Temptation+Cartoon.JPG" width="250" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(Cartoon resource www.aliveandyoung.net/2009/08/garden-temptations)</i></span></div><br />
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My pattern is always the same: The mere thought of chewing on something sweet and I become orally fixated. Needy.<br />
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<i>Temptation.....</i><br />
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I must put something sweet on my aching tongue or I'm convinced it will wither. I fantasize about donuts and ice cream and cookie dough for a second, and visualize going to the grocery store to buy whatever I want.<br />
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<i>Temptation....</i><br />
<br />
I ditch that idea and consider what's available immediately: A chocolate bar, chocolate chips or my husband's pint of ice cream.<br />
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<i>Temptation....</i><br />
<br />
The more I fantasize how satisfying it's going to be, the more the momentum builds. As I scan cupboards, fridge and freezer the momentum speeds up. When I make my decision to take the chocolate bar and have my way with it, the momentum is unstoppable. Minutes later I have regret and begin the pattern of self-deprecating.<br />
<br />
If I had stopped the pattern of thoughts from the beginning, I could have stopped the initial momentum.<br />
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I discovered this on Saturday. Friday was my last day of work in an office, and I decided it was time to go without sugar again. Saturday.<br />
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It's now Monday, almost noon, and I haven't had an issue with cravings. I decided to ignore them. I've also created a BF (Bitch Fit!) book to log any and all thoughts, feelings and cravings. It sits on my kitchen counter. I hope to identify more emotions/situations that lead me to desire sweets.<br />
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In the meantime, I'm abiding by the AHA's daily recommended added sugar quotient, which is 6 teaspoons for women, 9 for men. I will only be eating non-refined sugars like maple syrup, honey and dried fruit but no more than 6 teaspoons a day. So far, so good.<br />
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My goal is to someday crave only whole foods, you know, the kind nature intended.<br />
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<br />
<b><i>More thoughts on Temptation: </i></b><br />
<br />
Wikipedia defines temptation as: "...A temptation is an act that looks appealing to an individual. It is usually used to describe acts with negative connotations and as such, tends to lead a person to regret such actions."<br />
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Some proverbs, quotes and other verses describing temptation:<br />
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"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."<br />
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"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us...."<br />
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"Good habits result from resisting temptation."<br />
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"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it," Mae West.<br />
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"Temptation is the fire that brings up the scum of the heart," ShakespeareMy Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-5297249673640842152011-11-05T09:22:00.000-07:002019-11-04T09:40:05.558-08:00Sweet Mother of My Sweet Tooth!Okay, I'm on a roll. This is my third post of the morning.<br />
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I'm frustrated at all of the latest sugar information I've waded through this morning: news articles about obesity, sugar addiction and beverage company lobbyists.<br />
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Thing is, I went 3 years without eating refined sugar.<br />
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I was superhuman.<br />
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I couldn't fly, but turned down every cookie, cake, beverage, ice cream and morsel of sugar. Dang! That was then. Now I'm eating it again and all of my former issues (self-loathing, addiction, sugar blues, muffin top) are back. So why don't I just cut it out again? If it were that easy I wouldn't be scrolling through the <a href="http://www.12step.org/">Twelve Steps</a>.<br />
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I'm frustrated because I'm no longer <a href="http://myyearwithout.blogspot.com/2008/12/holidaze-how-to-say-no.html">superior</a>, no longer superhuman. I'm a mortal living among other sugar-addicted mortals fighting the urge to snack on chocolate or buy Ben & Jerry's. Dang.<br />
<br />
What happened?<br />
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Like every other addiction I know of, it seems to be an all or nothing ordeal. There can be no moderation, no matter what anyone says. But is this true, or just true for me?<br />
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According to the <a href="http://myyearwithout.blogspot.com/2009/08/american-heart-association-recommends.html">American Heart Association</a> women are to eat no more than 6 teaspoons of (added) sugar per day and for men it's 9 teaspoons. What the hey? When are 6 teaspoons ever <i>just</i> 6 teaspoons? As if!<br />
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The main reason I am so frustrated, no, I'm freaking raging right now, is that once upon a time my cave-woman ancestor ate to live. Zog brought home leg of deer and they ate. They slept. They tidied their cave dwelling and she sewed the deerskin into a loincloth. I can't picture either of them sitting there chewing on a stick dreaming of Hershey's or the Cheesecake Factory. If Tala found a bush of berries while Zog hunted, they ate some. Some. Okay maybe all, but even if they stuffed their bellies with berries, we're talking about a whole food.<br />
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What the!?<br />
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I'm aware of the influences and traditions and conveniences that ease and justify my way to the cake mix aisle, but I would love to have the primitive tooth of Tala and be surrounded with bushes of berries instead of aisles of junk food. Yeah we've come a long way, but with the nation's obesity rate soaring, we're now devolving. (If you click on this <a href="http://templatelab.com/us-obesity-trends/" target="_blank">LINK</a> watch the graph change with every year. Scary.)<br />
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Now what?My Year Withouthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17290085498074393110noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2743655253913703801.post-5654421326451286562011-11-05T08:29:00.000-07:002011-11-05T08:29:22.203-07:00Big Soda Means Big ProblemsUm, yeah:<br />
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<div class="p1">"Over the years, CSPI has documented how the sugary-drink industry has used ostensible philanthropic programs to burnish its image in the eyes of health officials and the public. In 2009, Coca-Cola made a six-figure payment to the <a href="http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/media/releases/newsreleases-statements-2009/consumeralliance-cocacola.html"><span class="s1">American Academy of Family Physicians</span></a> to underwrite “consumer education content related to beverages and sweeteners.” In 2003, the <a href="http://www.aapd.org/hottopics/news.asp?NEWS_ID=212"><span class="s1">American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry</span></a> took a $1 million payment from Coca-Cola."</div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Here is the complete article written by <a href="http://cspinet.org/new/201111031.html">CSPI</a>.</div><br />
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