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Food, Mood and Women's Health – Be your healthiest, look and feel great!

Sugar addiction

Antianxiety Food Solution review by Mira Dessy

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I’m thrilled to share this wonderful book review by Mira Dessy, Certified Nutrition Educator and holistic health columnist helping others eat well to be well. It was featured in a recent edition of Nourishing Bytes, the ezine produced by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (www.nanp.org)

Be sure to check out her blog for great nutrition advice and recipes!

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Written in a warm, reader-friendly style, “The Antianxiety Food Solution” takes the often undiscussed topic of anxiety disorders, brings them into the light, and offers solid, scientifically backed nutritional advice to help alleviate the symptoms.

Anxiety disorders encompass a wide range of conditions from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) to panic disorder to social anxiety and more.  Often undisclosed by those who suffer from this sometimes debilitating range of disorders, anxiety can cause a wide array of physical symptoms due to the stressors, emotional toll, nutrient depletion, and the lack of proper diet.  The author herself a former sufferer of anxiety, brings the voice of experience to this topic in a caring yet straightforward way.

Diving right in to the topic, Chapter 1, Figure Out Your Optimum Antianxiety Diet, gives a step-bystep approach to proper nutrition to support the bio-individual needs of those looking to, as the sub-title says, calm their anxious mind, improve their mood, and end their cravings.  As part of the nutritional support offered in the book, the author gives very clear examples of what to eat and, just as importantly, what not to eat, even including examples of nutrient dense bonus foods.  The author then takes the subject a step further by including chapters on a wide range of conditions that may affect nutritional status and promote anxiety such as allergies, addiction, blood sugar imbalances, poor digestion, brain chemistry, hormonal imbalances, and lifestyle choices.  Throughout the book are a number of easy to understand self-scoring quizzes as well as tables which concisely illuminate the points the author is making.

One main premise of the book is the promotion of a clean, traditional diet, free from chemicals and additives, that is high in whole foods.  In another significant topic, the author explains how the use of amino acids can be highly beneficial for many sufferers of anxiety disorders.  Clearly highlighting the symptoms each amino acid deficit can cause, she then illustrates how to address these deficits and discusses how to consider use of amino acids to help regulate brain chemistry.  She then looks at a little discussed condition called pyroluria…

You can read the rest of the review here:
http://grainsandmore.blogspot.com/2011/06/antianxiety-food-solution.html

By Mira Dessy

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And you can learn more about The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings! at www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com

Sweet misery & sugar wisdom in the Sacramento magazine

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I was recently interviewed (together with Dr Dennis Godby ND and Monica Randel, RD) by Cathy Cassinos-Carr for an article in the Health section of The Sacramento Magazine. It is called Sweet Misery: Seven spoonfuls of wisdom about sugar. Cathy has done an amazing job explaining why we don’t want sugar in our diets!

“Sugar can raise cholesterol, it suppresses the immune system, it has been connected to cancer, it masks other problems (such as anxiety or depression), it speeds the aging process, it is linked to candida, IBS and other digestive problems, and finally it can prevent us from eating the good stuff”.

“Craving sugar does not mean we’re weak or that we’re a failure. It means we’ve got some brain chemistry, nutrient or hormonal imbalances that need fixing, or perhaps candida. Quitting [sugar] is not about willpower.”—Trudy Scott

Read the whole article here http://www.sacmag.com/media/Sacramento-Magazine/August-2010/Health-Sweet-Misery/

Do you crave sugar all the time, use willpower and feel deprived?

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Here I am outside the Crave restaurant in Phoenix, AZ – I can help you to “Crave Not” without feeling deprived and no will-power required! (photo taken by my wonderful friend and fellow nutritionist, Robin Nielsen)

Do you crave sugar all the time, use willpower and feel deprived?

?       Are your sugar cravings out of control?

?       Are you the queen of willpower – sometimes – and then you slip up?

?       Do you feel guilty when you do slip up and indulge?

?       Do you feel deprived when you aren’t eating sugar?

?       Do you feel awful when you are eating sugar?

?       Is sugar comforting for you and do you LOVE certain foods?

?       Does the mention of chocolate or ice-cream bring a smile to your face?

?       Do you find yourself substituting “healthier” sweeteners like agave, stevia, honey, dried fruits etc?  (sugar is sugar! If you crave that sweet taste you have an issue – really!)

?       Do you use sugar for an energy pick-up and mood boost?

?       Do you eat sugar to calm down?

If you answer yes to at least three of the above questions then it’s very probable that you have sugar and carb cravings that could be the result of one of the following:

?       what you eat – so skip the junk food, processed food and even healthy whole wheat bread if you have an intolerance to it. Eat real whole food instead.

?       when you eat – so don’t skip breakfast and eat frequently enough to keep your blood sugar stable

?       how much protein you eat – have protein at breakfast and at each meal and snack (about a palm-sized portion at each meal)

?       low zinc levels (which are very common) – assess and address with supplements and/or a zinc-rich diet (red meat and oysters are a great source)

?       burned out adrenals – do a saliva test to assess and address nutrient-wise, slow down and de-stress

?       low levels of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin or endorphins – assess and address with the amazing amino acids like tryptophan, 5-HTP or DPA

?       candida and yeast infections – assess and get on an anti-candida program

?       toxins and pollution – do a detox at least twice a year

The first place I often start with my sugar-addicted clients is with the amazing amino acids and they see really dramatic results in few days, often in 24 hours! And they have more energy and focus, they sleep better, their mood improves, and worry and anxiety disappear.  This way it’s also so much easier to make all the food changes without it having to be a pure will-power thing and so you won’t feel deprived. We do of course also address all the other possible causes, as a holistic approach is the way to go.

If you address the root causes of your cravings then you won’t have to use will-power (really!) and sugar becomes a “take it or leave it” deal (really!) and you won’t feel deprived (really!).

If you need the support and guidance and are ready for this, contact me to set up a complimentary 15 minute consultation. All my programs are listed here https://www.everywomanover29.com/services.html It’s the perfect time to get your cravings under control before the holidays!

Secrets to Banish Sugar Cravings and Have a Great Mood

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I’m speaking at this fabulous event for women on April 11 – if you’re local come and join us! $35 includes presentations and buffet dinner (which starts at 4:45pm). Make an evening of it and bring a friend (or two or three)

The Secrets to Banishing Sugar Cravings and Having a Great Mood during Peri-menopause and Menopause

Are you stressed and overwhelmed?  Do you have mood issues like anxiety, the blues, irritability, low self-esteem and obsessive tendencies? Do you have sugar or carbohydrate cravings? Do you eat sugar to calm down or eat sugar for energy?  Do you eat sugar for comfort or as a reward? Do you have late afternoon and evening cravings? And have you ever considered that your mood, stressed-out feelings and cravings may be related?

You’ll learn the relationship between cravings and mood and the secrets to banish those sugar cravings, have a great mood and reduce stress. We’ll discuss the importance of eating real food and how much is enough protein (as well as avoiding problem foods like gluten) and more. You’ll also hear how to balance your neurotransmitters/brain chemistry, your hormones and address nutrient deficiencies with some pretty incredible nutrients – so you can feel on-top-of-the world during peri-menopause and menopause.

You’ll also have the opportunity to complete your own food-mood-cravings questionnaire, to provide you with insights to your own unique biochemistry. PS. This information is focused on peri-menopause and menopause but is applicable for younger women too.

feeling on top of the world

This is going to be an amazing event to celebrate and support women. There’ll also be a short exercise session, a talk on total wellness for hormonal health, some fun surprises and gift raffles, as well as some great vendors with special offers just for you.

Register with Diane Johnson (209) 747 7951 or Sherri Elston (916) 479 6406. For more information please call me at (916) 605 6283.

Walking in Wellness event, April 11, 2010  4-9pm, Arden Hills Resort Club and Spa, East Terrace Room, 1220 Arden Hills Lane , Sacramento

Amazing amino acids for sugar addiction, not soda taxes!

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I love the grass-fed beef and other great quality products from US Wellness Meats!  I subscribe to their online newsletter and a few days ago their trivia question was the following: “What US city is considering a tax on soda and what are your thoughts on this?”

I could not resist emailing my thoughts to them and I’d love to share them here too….

I think it’s great to bring awareness to the many health problems associated with excessive soda and sugar consumption: obesity, heart disease, cancer, lowered immunity and many other health issues.

But it seems that diet sodas will not be taxed and they have their own set of issues – health concerns regarding artificial sweeteners and the fact that some studies show that even diet sodas can cause weight-gain. Replacing regular sodas with diet sodas is not the solution.

The BIG thing for me, being a sugar-cravings and mood-food expert is that it is not addressing the root cause and is not providing solutions as to why you have sugar cravings – such as poor eating habits, nutrient and neurotransmitter imbalances, candida, stress and toxins/pollution. 

If you address these then you won’t crave sugar!  The first place I start with my sugar-addicted clients is with the amazing amino acids and they see dramatic results in few days, often in 24 hours! And they have more energy, sleep better and have a great mood. And more money in their pockets to buy healthy real food! 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this too….

PS. The city is New York.