Diabetes News

I just wanted to share some heartwarming remarks I received today from a reader, Kari in Utah. Here are her delightful remarks:

"Hi, I'm currently reading SUGAR SHOCK! My life is changed forever for the better -- because of its message -- because it helps me make sense of my life . . . past, present, and thankfully, yet to be! I want to share this message with others who so desparately need it . . .

"In addition to wondering about you speaking in this area . . . I'm wondering if I might have your permission to use your book in a support group for local people who are in SUGAR SHOCK! and who want to something about it."

Wow, comments like these just make me realize that my book is really helping people all over. What a wonderful, wonderful feeling this e-mail gave me!

The prestigious health foundation Institut Pasteur in Paris, France, announced that it will host the Paris Anti-Obesity 2007 conference from June 14-15, according to a press release posted on NutraIngredients.Com/Europe.

Intended to reach movers and shakers in the academic, scientific, and business communities, the conference will bring together the world's leading anti-obesity experts to discuss prevention, the newest therapeutic treatments, and ways natural ingredients and alternative therapies can be used to prevent or combat the problem.

It'll be interesting to see what new -- and much needed -- ideas to tackle obesity come out of this conference.

From Jennifer Moore

As I've said before, I absolutely love to hear from readers of SUGAR SHOCK!

I truly want to know if my book is helping you, educating you or inspiring you.

Anyhow, this message from Edna -- which arrived in my box at nearly 3 a.m. my time -- grabbed my attention with its subject heading: "How stopping sugar stopped my pains and mood swings."

I carefully read the e-mail from Edna, who lives in the Philippines. She wrote:

"I am a distance study student of Natural Health Institute [in] Canada. I became one because I [was] puzzled by all my bodily pains (joints, muscles, bones), my mood swings and my low energy -- ALWAYS by 4PM. I am 56 years old."

She then continues:

"After researching about sugar and finding out about your book, I eliminated sugary products and desserts from my diet. After only a month, I am a different person, [with] no aches, no pains, no mood swings, [and] no low energy.. and [I'm now] a happy and proud owner of your Sugar Shock book... Thank you Connie. Bless your effort to reach out to people and tell them about [the dangers of] sugar..."

And thank you, Edna, for sharing. Your e-mail absolutely warms my heart! It's thrilling to learn that SUGAR SHOCK! helped you

Readers, please let me know what you think of SUGAR SHOCK!

Former President Bill Clinton and talk show host Rachael Ray are teaming up to fight the childhood obesity crisis, according to an article in the New York Times by reporter Kim Severson.

For her part, Ray just launched Yum-O, a nonprofit organization that "educates kids and their parents about cooking, enabling them to explore the joys of food while making meals that are easy, healthy, affordable and delicious," according to the group's website.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the anti-childhood obesity initiative Clinton's foundation created with the American Heart Association, will be one of Ray's partners in this new venture.

Clinton's organization, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, works with schools nationwide to improve their menus and to implement other health-giving programs. Ray will give items from her line of cookware to schools on the forefront of improving nutrition, and may even visit some of those schools as well. Together, Ray and Clinton's alliance will also promote Nickelodeon's "Go Healthy Challenge," which is part of the channel's "Let's Just Play" series.

The two announced their plans on a recent episode of the popular "The Rachael Ray Show," which reaches 4 million viewers, according to Severson's story.

Clinton's zeal on this issue was partly inspired by his 2004 quadruple bypass, which, as he says in this clip of his appearance on Ray's show, was necessitated by years of indulging in fast food, fried foods and other artery-clogging stuff.

Both Clinton and Ray will bring an amazing amount of star power to this worthy endeavor. In fact, Clinton has interesting weight tales himself -- he was overweight as a child, he tells Rachel Ray, noting that when he was 13, he was 5'8" and weighed 185 pounds.

Of the scary possibility that today's generation of kids may actually face shorter life expectancies than their parents, Clinton declared "it will be immoral if we let that happen," according to the New York Times story. I couldn't agree more!

His appearance on "The Rachael Ray Show," isn't the only time that Clinton's been sounding the alarms about childhood obesity lately.

Now, a cynic might ask why Clinton didn't do more about the issue of childhood obesity when he was president -- and that's certainly a valid one. And not every recipe on Ray's Yum-O website is a perfect example of healthy food, in my opinion (like her Chocolate Yogurt Parfait).

But for me, raising a 4-year-old in this junk-food saturated world, it's never too late for our leaders and celebrities to take action, and I don't need perfection. I applaud Clinton and Ray for trying to address the very serious issue of childhood obesity, and I hope that their popularity and influence will inspire others to take action, too.

From Jennifer Moore

Given that I'm not only a journalist but also a certified holistic health counselor -- I studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition -- I was absolutely fascinated by this New York Times article, "Winning the Nutrition Game With the Help of a Coach," from reporter Eilene Zimmerman.

Kudos to Zimmerman for having the insight to tap into a nationwide trend: More are more confused consumers are finding that their health and life improve by getting guidance and support from a nutrition-oriented coach.

The New York Times reporter puts it succinctly. One woman -- who'd unsuccessfully tried Weight Watchers and other approaches -- finally was able to shrink in size from 279 puonds to 128 pounds with the help of a private nutrition coach, who gave her the guidance and support she desired.

Zimmerman observes in her article that folks turn to one-on-one help, because they're motivated by a particular desire -- whether it's to lose weight, manage their diabetes, bring down their high cholesterol levels, handle food allergies, combat fatigue or resolve sleep problems.

In fact, the woman featured in the lead to the Times story -- Mariam NoorzaiI of Camarillo, Calif. -- is quite dedicated to her nutrition coach.

Zimmerman writes:

"Ms. Noorzai finds coaching so crucial to her well-being that she has cut certain luxuries out of her life to afford the several hundred dollars a month for her weekly phone sessions with Mr. Zehetner [her nutrition coach]. 'I stopped going out at night, I don’t get manicures or pedicures, I don’t get my hair cut as often,' she said.

"Thanks to the coaching, `I know now how to make food work for me,' she said. “I’ve introduced myself to new foods and learned where the hidden calories are,' she added. `I know how to better combine foods, like proteins and carbs. What Brian is teaching me is a lifetime skill, not a quick fix. It’s literally changed my life.'”

That's sure is heartening. To think that nutrition coaches nationwide are creating such an amazing impact is absolutely inspiring!

FYI, after attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I realized that I could help people more if I became very specialized in my nutrition coaching. Right now, my focus is to help people break free from their sugar addiction. (People like to call me a "Sugar Liberation Coach.")

In addition, given my hectic schedule promoting my book SUGAR SHOCK! and doing group teleseminar programs, my work one-on-one with people is limited. (I can only work with three people at a time. If you're interested in private, kick-sugar coaching, you can contact me privately.)

Again, make sure to read Eilene Zimmerman's fascinating New York Times article, "Winning the Nutrition Game With the Help of a Coach."

With spring arriving, fresh fruits and vegetables will be growing in abundance all across the country. One of the best ways to quit focusing on those culprit carbs (think sugary and processed foods) is to begin to relish tasty, nutritious fresh organic fruits and vegetables.

But you don't have to buy expensive veggies and fruits grown clear across the country. After all, these have to be transported in gas-driven trucks and you'll pay more at the supermarket. Your best bet for your body, your pocket book, your local economy and your nearby farmers is to buy locally grown produce.

For a mere $14 a week, you can get the most amazing variety of tasty vegetables, and for an additional $10 a week, you can receive a whole bunch of diferent fruits. (Read on to learn more.)

Last year, I learned that you can save money on veggies and fruits and at the same time help your local farmers and economy by joining a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) group. So, at the nudging of the talented, hard-working Christine Savarese, a classmate of mine from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I joined the Columbus Circle CSA in New York City. You can join our CSA now by e-mailing Christine.

Of course, Manhattan isn't the only city where you can get delicious, locally grown fruits and vegetables. In fact, there are CSAs all across the country, and it's very easy to find one near where you live.

Just go to information-packed Local Harvest website, where you can do a search by zip code, city or state.

• Or, if you're in New York City, go to Just Food,

But if you live in Manhattan, I cordially invite you to join my wonderful CSA. By becoming a member of my CSA, you're in for a real treat. Last year, each and every week, I received a batch of the most delightful, fresh "goodies" from Norwich Meadows Farm.

On any any given week, we received six to eight different seasonable vegetables. (The pickings vary every week so you get surprised. For instance, one time last year, we received about three bags of five different kinds of the most succulent heirloom tomatoes you could ever eat. On other occasions, we got:

• Bok choy (delicious!)
• Kale
• Chard
• Spinach
• Carrots (yummy!)
• Lettuce (all kinds)
• Squash (different varieties)
• All kinds of cabbage (napa, red, etc.)
• Heirloom cucumbers (wow, did they taste amazing!)
• Grapes
• Apples (scrumptious!)
• Cherries (delicious!)
• Berries
• Plums
• Pears
• Etc.

Of course, I thought I'd enjoyed veggies and fruits before, but I'm telling you, I have never eaten such juicy fresh fruits and vegetables!

So, if you're a New York City resident, I invite you to join my Columbus Circle CSA now. Just e-mail our CSA organizer Christine Savarese.

The new season runs from mid-June through mid-November. Here's how it works:

• You pay in advance for your vegetable and fruit "shares." (Again, the fees are outrageously low and considerably less than what you'd spend in supermarkets for the same amount of fresh organic foods. Again, you're paying a mere $14 a week, and all the proceeds go to the farmer.)
• Every Thursday, between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., you (or a friend) go to the pick-up point in the West 50s in New York City to pick up your fresh goodies for the week. (We have the most delightful pick-up point -- it's like a green oasis in the middle of the city.)
• You donate 4 hours for the season to the CSA, whether it's to help unload the truck, give people their produce for the week, or help publicize it (such as I'm doing here).

You also get other wonderful benefits from being involved with a CSA, especially mine:

• You get to meet and network with lots of wonderful, like-minded, health-oriented people.
• Every week, if you have time, you can hang out for a while with these fun folks.
• You can visit the farm play farmer any time over the summer. For Norwich Meadows Farm, you can even sleep in a tent on their land or go to a nearby motel. (Unfortunately, I couldn't go last year, because I was on book deadlines, but Christine and other friends told me about how much fun they had planting cauliflower and picking fava beans.)
• You get to participate in periodic special events.

For instance, my Columbus Circle CSA has two special events planned thus far:

• On Thursday, July 12, I'm going to do a private book signing of SUGAR SHOCK! and sell limited-edition hardcover copies. (I'm selling the books for a really reasonable price, because these are all my friends and colleagues.)
• On Thursday, July 19, talented Raw Food Chef Dan McDonald -- co-founder of True Radiant Health -- will develop an improvisational menu using tasty treats from straight off the truck. (You can hear him chat here on the beta version of iFood.tv.)

Again, I invite you to join my Columbus CSA now. Just e-mail Christine directly, and she'll immediately send you a membership form, which includes info about the excellent prices.

Remember, you'll save lots of money, because what you'll pay to get fresh fruits and veggies direct from the farmer are outrageously low compared to what you'd have to spend at the grocery store. Plus, they taste better. (Of course, you can still get other organic produce from your favorite health food stores.)

Also, I invite you to attend one or both of two upcoming open houses at our Columbus CSA location. They are on:

• Thursday, May 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and
• Saturday, May 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

At both open houses, you'll get to taste some scrumptious veggies and fruits, and Christine will answer your questions about the CSA.

What's more, you'll get to experience the wonderful "garden oasis in the city" that is our pick-up point. (Yes, as I mentioned above, although my CSA is smack in the heart of Manhattan, we have the most charming, spacious, green space where we pick up our fresh produce.)

By the way, in addition to buying fruit and vegetable shares, you also can order organic eggs, yogurt, milk, cheese, butter, chicken and beef.

So join my Columbus Circle CSA if you live in New York City. Just e-mail Christine now.

A very special thanks to another former IIN classmate, Krista Peterson, co-founder of True Radiant Health, for help in writing this blog entry. Krista, a big fan of raw foods, offers some exciting programs and products, including her Everyday Raw DVD Series. She's also presenting our CSA's talk on July 19 with chef Dan McDonald.

Simply banning sugary foods and drinks and encouraging kids to replace junk with healthy, fiber-rich foods, decreased the rate of childhood obesity, according to an important new Swedish study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet, whose press release about this research appears on Medical News Today.

This study, called the Stockholm Obesity Prevention Project (STOPP), involved children ages 6 through 10 at 10 schools in the Stockholm area. Half the schools removed sweets and sugary beverages from their premises, offering kids higher-quality fare instead. The other half of schools didn't take out the sweet stuff and let the kids continue to indulge in them.

The results were amazing but expected:

• The rate of overweight kids at the schools that just said no to sugar-filled food dropped from 22% to 16%.
• The youngsters allowed to continue eating sugary foods saw their rates of obese and overweight kids rise from 18% to 21%.

(In fact, in Sweden as a whole, the rates of childhood obesity have been climbing, just as they have in the U.S., according to another study reported on by Nicholas Bakalar of the New York Times.)

This study is really good news, because it's proof positive that we can do something about childhood obesity. And thankfully, more and more American schools are getting the message and kicking more and more sugar to the curb.

I hope parents whose kids attend schools that still ply them with needless sugar will use this study to spur their children's schools to change.

But parents need to act on the home front, too. Yes, as a mother, I understand that it's challenging to get your little ones to give up sweet stuff they love. But it's not impossible. In fact, Connie offers great advice on what parents can do to get their kids away from sugar in her book SUGAR SHOCK! (The tips -- provided by a number of experts -- are in Chapter 17, to be exact).

Let's hope news of this study spreads quickly to responsible adults and that they'll take action to fight this very serious problem for our kids.

From Jennifer Moore

Note from Connie: Wow! This is fabulous! I've been eagerly awaiting for this results of this study to be released, and sure enough, the findings are quite impressive. Also, please note that STOPP was financed by the Stockholm County Council, with contributions from the Swedish Research Council and the Masonic Home for Children in Stockholm. Maybe some American organizations will get the same idea to do such a study?

Lately, the news keeps coming in connecting genes and type 2 diabetes.

Today, as MSNBC reports, thanks to the Associated Press, a new study -- one of the largest yet -- reveals that scientists studying more than 32,000 people in five countries found clusters of new gene variants that raise the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

The study, which was published online in the journal Science, reveals some fascinating findings about spots that harbor genetic risk factors for this complicated killer.

And the researchers were pretty excited about what they've uncovered. “We have been.. looking under the lamppost to try to find those genes ... and lots of times the lamplight was not actually where we wanted it,” said Dr. Francis Collins, genetics chief at the National Institutes of Health, a co-author of the research. But this new approach, he says, “allows us to light up the whole street, and look what we find.”

Meanwhile, as mentioned in a recent Newsweek article, a simple blood test may soon be used to identify individuals whose genes put them at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The biotechnology company deCODE Genetics discovered a number of genes linked to the disease, including one that regulates the amount of insulin produced in the body. People with an abnormal copy of the gene are at a much greater risk of developing diabetes.

This new test -- which could help spur people to action (such as exercising more, losing weight and taking drugs) -- is expected to cost $500, Bloomberg.com reports.

But, think about it, wouldn't identifying a person's genetic predisposition for type 2 diabetes be problematic or maybe even dangerous? What happens if, after taking the test, a person finds out that he or she is nott likely to develop type 2 diabetes? Would that person use that information as license to exercise less and eat those potentially dangerous, fast-acting carbs? Those are thoughts to ponder.

Besides, "Just because you don't have the gene, that doesn't mean you have zero risk," Larry Deeb, president of medicine and science for the American Diabetes Association, told Newsweek.

"So we don't want to be telling people that if they test negative, they can just sit on the couch and not worry. They're still not off scot-free."

Which brings us back to the same message I raise here over and over again. Genetic susceptibility or not, you still need to take care of yourself. Cut out or cut back on those culprit carbs, exercise regularly and try to relax. All of those activities can give you a more happy, healthy life.

Althea Chang contributed to this post.