Jonny Bowden's Blog, page 26

Dr. Jonny Bowden’s Healthy Travel Recipe Contest

Thanksgiving, is almost upon us, so what better time to feature healthy travel tips?

Let’s face it: this is definitely the time of year when we’re all confronted with some serious challenges in the area of nutrition and diet. So why not get in the right frame of mind with some (hopefully) useful tips and information?

But we would love to hear your ideas on the subject, so we decided to make a game out of it!

Go here to submit your favorite healthy travel recipe, whether it be a healthy snack like trail mix, a picnic style meal that travels well or a nutritious crowd pleasing meal – we want to hear your ideas!

We will select five winners who will receive an autographed copy of  The Great Cholesterol Myth and we will publish their recipes on our blog in order to share it with the Dr. Jonny Bowden community!

We will contact the winners once they are selected and will publish the recipes November 17th through November 21 at www.jonnybowden.com.

Don’t wait to submit your entry – the deadline for recipe submission to the Dr. Jonny Bowden Healthy Travel Recipe Contest is Wednesday November 12th at 8:00 am PST. See below for official rules.

 

Official Rules for Healthy Travel Recipe Contest Created by JonnyBowden.com

ENTRY:  No purchase necessary to enter or win. Contestants will enter by registering here and submitting their healthy travel recipe.
ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open only to legal U.S. residents, over the age of 18, who have a mailing address in the continental United States. Employees of JonnyBowden.com (along with its contractors, affiliates and subsidiaries) and their families are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law.  Contestants residing in those areas where the contest is void may participate in the contest but may not win any prizes.
WINNER SELECTION:  Jonny Bowden will select five recipes at his discretion.  All decisions are final.
PRIZES:  Winners will receive an autographed copy of The Great Cholesterol Myth shipped to their address within the continental United States. The winner will also have their healthy travel recipe published on the JonnyBowden.com Blog.
WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified within 24 hours of contest end. Inability to contact a winner may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.
NOT ENDORSED BY FACEBOOK: By participating in this contest, you acknowledge that this contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook and release Facebook from any and all liability arising from or related to this contest. The information you are providing for this contest is being provided to JonnyBowden.com and not to Facebook, and will be used to notify you if you have won, and to inform you about special offers from JonnyBowden.com.
CONDUCT: All contest participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules.  Jonny Bowden.com in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person it finds to be tampering with the entry process, the operation of its web site or is otherwise in violation of these rules.
LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: The JonnyBowden.com  is not responsible for late, lost or misdirected email or for any computer, online, telephone or technical malfunctions that may occur.  If for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort, JonnyBowden.com may cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest.  Entrants further agree to release JonnyBowden.com from any liability resulting from, or related to participation in the contest.
WINNERS LIST: The names of the winners may be obtained by sending an email to projects@talentbranded.com

 

From A to C Cream of Coconut and Butternut Soup

The following is from The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer Cookbook by Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Jeannette Lee Bessinger, C.H.H.C., published by Fair Winds Press (2010)

From Dr. Jonny: A great recipe for building the immune system. The red peppers are loaded with vitamin C, the butternut squash is full of vitamin A, and the coconut oil is an antimicrobial. The soup is rich and warming with a surprisingly fresh “bite” from the lime and cilantro. I especially love the way Chef Jeanette has made the recipe customizable for protein and fat content.

 

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or unflavored vegetable oil)

1 large sweet onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons minced ginger root

1 teaspoon salt

2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 1 large squash)

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (13.5 oz) of coconut milk*

Juice of 1 lime

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

*You can customize this soup for fat and protein content, if desired. Use full-fat coconut milk for the richest soup. If you prefer lower fat and higher protein, use low-fat coconut milk and add one 12.3 ounce block of firm silken tofu. Drain the tofu and puree in a blender until smooth and creamy. Add to the pureed soup and cook for 10 minutes before adding the lime and cilantro.

 

Instructions

In a heavy-bottom soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft but not burned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, cumin, coriander and cayenne, stirring to combine well. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add the broth and coconut milk, increase the heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until all vegetables are very tender.

Remove from the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth.

Return the soup to the burner and heat on low for 5 minutes. Remove the heat and stir in the lime and cilantro.

Yeild: about 8 cups

Per Serving: 338 Calories; 19g Fat (47% calories from fat), 7g Protein; 41g Carbohydrates; 6.2 g Dietary Fiber; 1.7mg Cholesterol; 1493mg Sodium.

 

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Hey guys,

This time of year there’s an awful lot of “winter blues” going around.. the technical name for it is SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and it affects anywhere between 10 million and 35 million people in the US alone.

Listen to this short video I put together on Seasonal Affective Disorder. I talk about what happens to our mood in the winter, and– most important– what you can do to get through the season.

Warmly

jb

5 Chances to Win a Case of neuro DAILY!

This week we are excited to announce that we will be running a daily contest sponsored by neuro! neuro DAILY is the delicious functional drink that makes your multivitamin feel like it’s slacking. Packed with essential vitamins and full of natural immune enhancers including: Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamins A, C, D, E. neuro DAILY is available in delicious Tangerine Citrus flavor.

2 Steps to Enter to Win:

Go here to register (one time only).
Go here to answer the neuro Question of the Day (once a day).

We’ll post the neuro Question of the Day

Tuesday 11/4/14 – Saturday 11/8/14 at noon, 12:00pm PST

Everyone has a chance to win a case of neuro DAILY each day! *See below for official rules.

Learn More About neuro

Today’s world is full of uncertainties, responsibilities, and stressful demands that can stretch us thin. Our busy schedules can pull us in all different directions. Yet, day in and day out we are expected to eat well, exercise, sleep, and excel in all the various roles we take on. Life is a tough juggling act on its own. Once you factor in how confusing it can be to make better choices for health and wellness, it certainly feels like the odds are stacked against us.

That is why our founder, Diana Jenkins, created neuro drinks. As a mother of two, Diana was concerned about the lack of healthier alternatives to sodas, flavored waters, and other sugary drinks. Many foods and drinks feature artificial colors, flavors, fillers, and empty calories, making it difficult to make better choices necessary for a healthy lifestyle. neuro drinks were created to make a real difference in people’s lives. Each drink focuses on a specific need – quality sleep, stress reduction, increased energy and mental performance, and maintenance of our overall health.

Our drinks are always made from the very best ingredients available from the finest quality sources. Each drink is created and bottled to the highest cold fill standards in the USA. We never allow artificial colors or flavors and our drinks are Kosher, gluten-free, and quality tested. The current family of neuro drinks includes:

•  neuro DAILY: our answer to getting your essential vitamins and minerals every day in a tasty and easy way; has vitamins A, C, D (1000 IU), E, zinc, and selenium

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/daily

•  neuro BLISS: our stress reduction drink for which we just completed a 2 year clinical study in Australia that proved that it reduces stress by 15% within the first hour of consumption; promotes a calmer mood and focused concentration using L-theanine extracted from green tea and chamomile

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/bliss

•  neuro SONIC: contains 100mg of caffeine (about the equivalent of a cup of coffee) coupled with L-theanine (our source is the only natural extraction from green tea available in the world) to support focus and higher mental performance while also increasing alertness without jitters or a crash

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/sonic

•  neuro SLEEP: 1 bottle contains a total of 3mg of natural melatonin to promote restful sleep; 1 bottle is often enough for 2 servings or 2 nights worth of better sleep but you are free to adjust your dosage to best fit your needs; neuro SLEEP is non-habit forming

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/sleep

—–

Official Rules for neuro Question of the Day Contest Created by JonnyBowden.com

ENTRY:  No purchase necessary to enter or win. Contestants will enter by registering at  http://bit.ly/BowdenRegister and answering the neuro Question of the day at https://www.facebook.com/Dr.JonnyBowd...
ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open only to legal U.S. residents, over the age of 18, who have a mailing address in the continental United States. Employees of JonnyBowden.com (along with its contractors, affiliates and subsidiaries) and their families are not eligible. Void where prohibited by law.  Contestants residing in those areas where the contest is void may participate in the contest but may not win any prizes.
WINNER SELECTION:  Employees of JonnyBowden.com will enter the answers to the daily question and input the submissions into a randomizer. The winner will be selected by random. All decisions are final.
PRIZES:  Winners will receive one case of neuro DAILY shipped to their address within the continental United States.
WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winners will be notified within 24 hours of contest end.  Inability to contact a winner may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner.
NOT ENDORSED BY FACEBOOK: By participating in this contest, you acknowledge that this contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook and release Facebook from any and all liability arising from or related to this contest. The information you are providing for this contest is being provided to JonnyBowden.com and not to Facebook, and will be used to notify you if you have won, and to inform you about special offers from JonnyBowden.com.
CONDUCT: All contest participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules.  Jonny Bowden.com in its sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person it finds to be tampering with the entry process, the operation of its web site or is otherwise in violation of these rules.
LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: The JonnyBowden.com  is not responsible for late, lost or misdirected email or for any computer, online, telephone or technical malfunctions that may occur.  If for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort, JonnyBowden.com may cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest.  Entrants further agree to release JonnyBowden.com from any liability resulting from, or related to participation in the contest.
WINNERS LIST: The names of the winner may be obtained by sending an email to projects@talentbranded.com

 

 

5 Chances to Win a Case of nuero DAILY!

This week we are excited to announce that we will be running a daily contest sponsored by neuro! neuro DAILY is the delicious functional drink that makes your multivitamin feel like it’s slacking. Packed with essential vitamins and full of natural immune enhancers including: Zinc, Selenium, and Vitamins A, C, D, E. neuro DAILY is available in delicious Tangerine Citrus flavor.

2 Steps to Enter to Win:

Go here to register (one time only).
Go here to answer the neuro Question of the Day (once a day).

We’ll post the neuro Question of the Day

Tuesday 11/4/14 – Saturday 11/8/14 at noon, 12:00pm PST

Everyone has a chance to win a case of neuro DAILY each day!

 

A Note from neuro

Today’s world is full of uncertainties, responsibilities, and stressful demands that can stretch us thin. Our busy schedules can pull us in all different directions. Yet, day in and day out we are expected to eat well, exercise, sleep, and excel in all the various roles we take on. Life is a tough juggling act on its own. Once you factor in how confusing it can be to make better choices for health and wellness, it certainly feels like the odds are stacked against us.

That is why our founder, Diana Jenkins, created neuro drinks. As a mother of two, Diana was concerned about the lack of healthier alternatives to sodas, flavored waters, and other sugary drinks. Many foods and drinks feature artificial colors, flavors, fillers, and empty calories, making it difficult to make better choices necessary for a healthy lifestyle. neuro drinks were created to make a real difference in people’s lives. Each drink focuses on a specific need – quality sleep, stress reduction, increased energy and mental performance, and maintenance of our overall health.

Our drinks are always made from the very best ingredients available from the finest quality sources. Each drink is created and bottled to the highest cold fill standards in the USA. We never allow artificial colors or flavors and our drinks are Kosher, gluten-free, and quality tested. The current family of neuro drinks includes:

 

•  neuro DAILY: our answer to getting your essential vitamins and minerals every day in a tasty and easy way; has vitamins A, C, D (1000 IU), E, zinc, and selenium

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/daily

•  neuro BLISS: our stress reduction drink for which we just completed a 2 year clinical study in Australia that proved that it reduces stress by 15% within the first hour of consumption; promotes a calmer mood and focused concentration using L-theanine extracted from green tea and chamomile

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/bliss

•  neuro SONIC: contains 100mg of caffeine (about the equivalent of a cup of coffee) coupled with L-theanine (our source is the only natural extraction from green tea available in the world) to support focus and higher mental performance while also increasing alertness without jitters or a crash

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/sonic

•  neuro SLEEP: 1 bottle contains a total of 3mg of natural melatonin to promote restful sleep; 1 bottle is often enough for 2 servings or 2 nights worth of better sleep but you are free to adjust your dosage to best fit your needs; neuro SLEEP is non-habit forming

Link for more information: http://www.drinkneuro.com/the-drinks/sleep

Almost No One Gets Enough Of This Superstar Vitamin

If nutrients were on the cover of US Weekly, vitamin D would be a superstar.

It’s also probably one of the half dozen most important supplements you can take.

Let me explain.

New research is showing the importance of vitamin D in preventing cancer. We now know that it’s essential for bone strength. Sex hormones are made from the stuff. Populations that don’t get much sunlight are at greater risk for multiple sclerosis. And research has shown that physical performance—especially in older folks—is significantly affected by their vitamin D status.

Even weight loss is affected by vitamin D. One study showed that those with the lowest levels of vitamin D had the hardest time losing weight. And if that’s not enough, a major study found that low levels of vitamin D were associated with higher rates of mortality—from any cause whatsoever!

All this might not be much of a problem except for the fact that more than 25 percent of the population—and that’s being wildly conservative—is vitamin D deficient.

As of this writing the recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU. I—and a growing body of nutritionists and doctors and health professionals—think that’s way too low. Oh, I’m being polite. We think it’s ridiculous. The current (paltry) levels of vitamin D recommendations are based mostly on vitamin D’s effects on bone health. But as Denise Houston, Ph.D., observes,  “Higher amounts of vitamin D may be needed for the preservation of muscle strength and physical function as well as other conditions such as cancer prevention.” But get this: Research from the Institute of Medicine shows that fully 50 percent of women aren’t getting even the paltry amount of vitamin D currently recommended, let alone the revised, more optimal level.

So we know for a fact that women are lacking vitamin D. What about men?

Not long ago, the website Medical News Today asked the rhetorical question, “How do we get men more interested in vitamin D?” The site reported that most men could care less. But what if vitamin D were linked to the kinds of things that get guys’ attention? Performance? Sex? Hair growth?

Well, vitamin D may not grow hair on bald heads, but new research is showing that it significantly impacts performance and may be especially important for older adults. Research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that older adults who don’t get enough vitamin D are at increased risk for both poor physical performance and for disability. More than 900 people over sixty-five years of age from two towns in Italy were tested on their walking speed, their ability to stand from a chair, and their ability to maintain balance in a variety of positions. They were also tested on handgrip strength, which seems to predict future disability very well.

The results? Those who had low levels of vitamin D were about 5 to 10 percent lower in most measures of performance. A completely different 2007 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism with a randomized Dutch population showed virtually identical results and arrived at a similar conclusion.

When Medical News Today continued its discussion of “how do we get guys interested in vitamin D?” they put it to their readers this way: “Actually, what we are asking is: Does the most potent steroid hormone system in the human body have any effects on balance, muscle strength, muscle mass, reaction time, etc.?” Well, when you put it that way, fellas…. Interestingly, two studies that looked at physical fitness and athletic performance found that physical fitness peaked in late summer when vitamin D levels are at their highest.

Older adults are especially susceptible to low levels of vitamin D because number one, they get less sun exposure, and two, their skin is less efficient in producing vitamin D from the sun in the first place. And it’s not easy to get enough vitamin D from food sources.

The scientist who’s done the most research on vitamin D and the one who’s been sounding the alarm the loudest about our collective vitamin D deficiency and the need for smart sun exposure is Michael Holick, M.D. He’s written a great book called The Vitamin D Solution, which I highly recommend. He’s looked at the vitamin D levels of pregnant mothers coming into his hospital, and also at the vitamin D levels of their infants once they were born. He found that 76 percent of the mothers were severely vitamin D deficient, and 81 percent of their infants were as well.

And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 42 percent of African American women were deficient in vitamin D during their childbearing years, especially at the end of winter time. In fact, African Americans are especially at risk for vitamin D deficiency because having dark skin is like wearing a permanent sun protection factor of 15 to 30. Holick says that even 48 percent of Caucasian girls aged 9 to 11 are deficient in vitamin D at the end of the winter, and 17 percent of them remain so at the end of the summer because they’re all wearing sunblock.

The 5 Tastiest Snacks That Flatten Your Stomach

Let’s start with the bad news. You can do 1,000 sit ups every day and it won’t give you a six pack. What it will do is give you abs of steel; but whether anyone will actually see those rock-hard abs, well that’s a completely different question.

Whether anyone actually notices those new ab muscles of yours depends on one thing only- how much belly fat you’ve got in front of them. Sumo wrestlers have some of the hardest abs in the world but you’ll never see those abs cause they’re surrounded by fat.

Losing Belly Fat: A Simple 2-step Process

Figure out what you’re doing to put the belly fat on in the first place.
Stop doing that.

What drives the accumulation of belly fat, for most people, is a hormone called insulin, which rises in direct response to your blood sugar. Shoot your blood sugar up with a nice million-calorie “low fat” bran muffin and a mocca latte, and your insulin will shoot up faster than the Challenger with a tail wind.

And when insulin is high, fat storage is in overdrive. Not only that, but high levels of insulin prevent your fat-burning switch—a hormone called glucagon—from doing its job.

And on top of that, insulin locks the doors to the fat cells, making fat loss extremely difficult.

Solution: Eat in a way that doesn’t drive blood sugar (and insulin) skyward.

Five Belly-Flattening Snacks

The following five snacks are favorites of mine not just because they’re tasty and convenient and easy to make, but because the combination of fiber, fat and protein is unlikely to send your blood sugar on a trajectory that feels like the roller coaster at the New York, New York Hotel in Vegas .

“With a Smear”. This is one of my favorite snacks, period. I take some hearts of celery and fill in the groove with some organic almond butter or peanut butter. This snack really travels well in Tuperware-type containers, and makes a terrific pre-workout snack. Why? The celery has fiber and nutrients (including calcium and vitamin A) and a ridiculously low 6 calories per medium stalk. The nut butter has protein and fat. The overall calories are low and this really fills you up without slowing you down. Great for “slow-release” energy.
“The Double A”: An apple with almonds. The apple is the perfect food for a snack especially if coupled with some fat and or protein (i.e. string cheese). It’s sugar load is very moderate, it contains valuable pectin fiber which slows the entrance of that sugar into the bloodstream, and it’s a nutritional powerhouse containing vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. Try combining it with about a dozen almonds, which adds some fat and protein, further slows the entrance of the sugar into the bloodstream for sustained energy, and keeps hunger away.
“Whey to go”: Whey protein is my favorite kind of protein powder. Not only is it extremely high quality, bioavailable protein, but it supports the immune system by providing the body with the building blocks for glutathione, arguably the body’s most important antioxidant. And studies indicate that whey protein may boost weight-loss efforts. According to one French study, consuming whey before exercise supports fat burning and may help with gaining or maintaining lean body mass. I suggest a whey protein shake made with either water alone or with frozen berries. The berries add fiber, nutrients, some extra carbohydrates, and make for a more delicious drink.
“Berry Cheesy”: Here’s a little tidbit of info for you that you might enjoy: In my book, “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth” I asked 16 of the best known experts in the country to contribute their personal “top ten” list of favorite healthy foods. Berries- especially blueberries- made the list of more experts than any other food. Berries are loaded with phytonutrients, antioxidants and fiber, and are low in sugar. Mix a bowl of berries with a piece of string cheese for the perfect snack. The string cheese has 8 grams of protein, some fat to keep hunger at bay, and only about 80 calories. Plus it’s an excellent source of calcium.

By keeping blood sugar even, and insulin levels in the ideal “zone”, you’ll be turning your body from a fat storage machine into one that eats fat for breakfast.

Belly fat, watch out!

Toasted Chai Latte for Long Life

The following is from The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer Cookbook by Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S. and Jeannette Bessinger, C.H.H.C.

Okay, what’s the point of living long if you can’t enjoy any of your favorite foods or drinks, right? Take chai latte, one of life’s great pleasures. But first, take a look at the amount of sugar in a vanilla chai latte at Dunkin’ Donuts or Starbucks. Both contain 30 or more grams of sugar. Chef Jeannette whipped up a latte that actually tastes better but won’t give you the big dose of sugar which, if it doesn’t directly shorten your life, as many health professionals believe, certainly doesn’t extend it! And excess sugar depresses immune function. There are only 13   grams of sugar per mug in this recipe, but it’s all from raw honey, and you can reduce that to zero if you use stevia! So enjoy. Tea is enjoyed by some of the longest-lived cultures on Earth. This version tastes amazing adn will make your house smell like a spice market in tropical Grenada.

 

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons (9 g) whole cardamom pods (about 23)

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks (or ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon)

2 star anise pods (or ¾ teaspoon whole fennel seeds)

6 cups (1.5 L) water

¼ cup(32 g) grated ginger

3 tablespoons (60 g) honey (or 4 drops liquid stevia for sugar free)

½ cup (120 ml) unsweetened evaporated skim milk, unsweetened vanilla soy, or almond milk

4 high-quality black tea bags (pure Ceylon or Darjeeling work well)

 

Instructions

Toast all spices except ginger in a small dry skillet over a medium heat for about 5 minutes or until spices are very fragrant. Remove the cinnamon sticks and grind the remaining spices coarsely in a spice grinder (or dedicated coffee grinder), about 9 short pulses (if you don’t have a spice grinder, you can grind them by hand with a mortar and pestle, but it’s hard work!).

Add the ground spices, cinnamon sticks, plus 6 cups (1.5 L) water and ginger to a medium pot over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and lower the heat to a low simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered. Add the tea bags and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low to end the simmer and add the evaporated cow’s milk, if using. Continue to heat for 5 minutes (if using vegan milk, lower the heat but don’t add the milk until the last minute to prevent curdling or separation).

Strain the tea twice through a double-mesh sieve, stir in the sweetener, and enjoy.

Yield: 4 mugs

My Video Interview With JJ Virgin

Are you a carb addict?   Check out my interview with celebrity nutritionist and New York Times best-selling author  JJ Virgin. We talk  about sugar addiction and discuss her new book, The Sugar Impact Diet.

Join JJ Virgin and her amazing group of top-notch experts who will teach you 3 things at this FREE live streaming event:

1. How we’ve been looking at sugar all wrong and how that’s affecting us.

2. How to get rid of your cravings and take control over sugar in two weeks.

3. What the heck should I eat? (How to clean out the fridge & pantry, what to do for breakfast & a sample shopping list!)

CLICK HERE to save your seat!

America’s Number One Addiction Might Shock You

The following is a guest blog from my friend, JJ Virgin, author of NY Times bestseller The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days.

 

“I wanted to do it alone,” a client told me. “I didn’t want anyone else around. Minutes after I began, I felt this rush of euphoria and I couldn’t stop. Then came the inevitable crash, where I wanted to curl up in the fetal position watching Friends reruns.”

If you’re concerned my client had a drug addiction, you’re not far off. Sugar had become her drug of choice, and constantly grazing on even so-called healthy hidden-sugar foods had trained her body to demand it constantly.

“Being addicted to sugar and flour is not an emotional eating disorder,” says Dr. Mark Hyman, author of The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet. “It’s a biological disorder, driven by hormones and neurotransmitters that fuel sugar and carb cravings — leading to uncontrolled overeating. It’s the reason nearly 70 percent of Americans and 40 percent of kids are overweight.”

You might find it hard to believe a bag of chips or chocolate bar could create such catastrophe, but those and other processed foods send a rush of sugar that alerts your brain’s reward center to release feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and beta endorphin.

These endorphins respond to dietary triggers. When you eat a fatty, sugary food – say, a chocolate chip cookie – they really come out to party. The endorphin surge gives you intense pleasure and blocks pain, the same as if you had just injected heroin.

Considering the average American eats 22 teaspoons of added sugar, largely from processed foods and fizzy drinks, those several daily feel-good surges can become quite a habit.

Sugar: The New Cocaine?

A decade ago, critics appeared skeptical sugar could become addictive. Yet as new studies emerge and prominent experts speak out, sugar addiction has become a legitimate, concerning focus as sugar consumption, particularly as high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), escalates.

“Animal studies have shown that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine, heroin or morphine,” says As Dr. Pamela Peeke, author of The Hunger Fix. “An animal will choose an Oreo over morphine. Why? This cookie has the perfect combination of sugar and fat to hijack the brain’s reward center.” Hyman believes sugar can be eight times more addictive than cocaine.

Outlandish as those claims might seem, studies verify them. One published in the journal NeuroReport argues that “palatable food stimulates neural systems implicated in drug dependence.” Another study published in the journal Archives of General Psychology found a food addict’s brain operates similarly to a drug addict when they think about eating sugary, fatty foods.

It’s not just the immediate gratification that creates damage. Sugar addiction also sets the stage for future hunger, cravings, and food intolerances.

One study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found high-sugar impact foods trigger the nucleus accumbens, your brain region that controls reward and craving. Researchers noted this domino addictive pattern plays a “special significance to eating behavior at the next meal.”

Dr. Robert Lustig, an American pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has become a vocal sugar-as-addiction proponent. Lustig’s lecture “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” has almost five million YouTube hits.

“His meta-analysis of the cutting-edge research on large-cohort studies of what sugar does to populations across the world, alongside his own clinical observations, has him credited with starting the war on sugar,” writes Zoe William in The Guardian. “When it reaches the enemy status of tobacco, it will be because of Lustig.”

Lustig believes sugar creates serious hormonal havoc. High blood sugar elevates insulin, which blocks your satiety hormone leptin. High levels of cortisol, your stress hormone, increase your urge for comfort foods. High cortisol during sleep increases ghrelin, your hunger hormone, so you’re more likely to ask for a stale donut the next morning with your caffeine fix.

Other hormones become disrupted too, but you get the domino-effect point. From that hormonal havoc, you can begin to understand how sugar addiction occurs. With the right strategies, you can free yourself even if you’ve been an addict for years or decades.

Freeing Yourself from Sugar Addiction

I helped my client, who was so embarrassed about her sugar addiction that she often ate alone, and numerous other people break the cycle with healthy substitutes that satisfy without leaving you deprived or hungry.

Eventually, you begin to crave these foods rather than a big piece of peanut butter chocolate pie. You might not believe me if you’re a current sugar junkie, but I’ve witnessed former addicts crave the natural sweetness of berries, vanilla, and roasted almonds.

Sugar could be holding you hostage in ways you’re not even aware. Bottled drinks, vinaigrette dressings, and glazed meats are among the many “sneaky sugars” that add up around your waistline.

You needn’t surrender all these foods cold turkey. In fact, I’d rather you didn’t. In my new book The Sugar Impact Diet, I’ll show you a cutting-edge, withdrawal-free way to gradually taper off sugar so you never feel deprived.

The biggest step to conquer sugar addiction is with your fork. Pile on the clean, lean protein, stock your fridge with fresh veggies and hummus, and keep nuts and seeds at the ready on your countertop. They’ll keep your serotonin levels even and will help keep your amped-up food-reward cycle in check. A steady supply of sugar to the brain from slow carbs actually helps your mental clarity and focus.

As your taste buds come alive again, you’ll learn to appreciate spicy and savory foods like Cajun spices, salsas, garlic, and onions. You’ll ratchet up the flavor in your foods until you can appreciate the way they burst!

As a sugar addict, you may not even realize that your diet is bland. Not only because you’re eating one-dimensional high-sugar impact foods, but because you’ve also lost your ability to truly taste.

You’re missing out on a lot. You’re missing bitter, like the nuance in dark chocolate, and tart, like the party on your tongue after you eat Greek yogurt. These foods and flavors will all help you transition beyond craving sweet, and only sweet.

Once people become sugar detectives, they become amazed at how sneaky added sugars can become. What’s one food you once thought healthy that you actually learned contained hidden sugar? Share your thoughts below or on my Facebook fan page.