I’ve been asked a lot about how effective my 30 Sugar Free Days Program and my new Alien Diet Program is for weight loss and while I could give you a lot of diet success stories, why don’t I let the people who have been through the program let you know:

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I just began my third week on Sunday, and my wedding ring is loose! All my clothes are baggy and I don’t think I will ever eat sugar again! I love how you said you can feel like an “alien on planet carbohydrate” … that’s exactly how I feel! I have found some wonderful farms in my area and I’m shopping at the market less and less. Thank you so much, this is exactly what I needed!

Hilary Barry

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My great news is the my cholesterol went from 268 to 184 and my triglycerides from 271 to 75. I am simply amazed!  My cholesterol and triglycerides have never been that low as far back as my records show which is 1998.  This after being sugar free for just 4 months. It proves to me how dangerous sugar is to our health.  This is great motivation for me!

Thank you again.  I am floating above the clouds after being so down for so long with these high numbers.

Marion Pippin

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I’ve been sugar free for a little over 2 weeks now, and Dr. Scott was right, my cravings severely declined within the first week I would say. Now I don’t even think about sweets! That’s not to say that at this point I wouldn’t WANT something sweet , but I have the willpower to turn it down because my cravings are no…t out of control. I’ve never gone this long without sugar or bread, I can’t believe I’ve made it this far

Nerine E

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Thanks a million for your program and sage advice. I did not follow the plan strictly for these 30 days (it is my second time around), but kept the principles in mind to adjust my entire lifestyle for the rest of my life. I am a former fat girl, went from 170 lb in my teens to now 115 lbs at 47 years old. I look and feel better tha n I ever have in my life. I can do 30+ pushups, vigorous cardio, working with a preschool population with ceaseless energy. Everyday, I work out and I eat a lower carb, low sugar diet super rich in veggies, fruit, nuts and meats…

I think what you offer us is so great…Your language and formatting is direct, concise and easy to absorb.  You do not come across like a lobbyist, or in-it-for-profit industrialist, or highly technical scientist…

Your encouragement and inspiration works to motivate me.  You are giving the gift of a better-lived life:   with a healthier body, clearer thinking, more energy to be the best YOU…I am so grateful.

Diane Rogers

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I’ve completed 7 days and lost 1.5 pounds. I don’t think I’ve ever EVER gone 7 hours without sugar so this is a HUGE accomplishment. I really look forward to the emails. I keep them all and reread when I need a boost.

Very nice program!

Jess Marke

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I’ve been low-carbing for 5 years now and feel terrific. Still, I have a sweet treat from time to time and was having a horrid problem eliminating artificial sweeteners from my diet. Your challenge inspired me – 30 days! I could do that.

Thanks for sponsoring this!

Bev C

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I’m sorry but I didn’t think to take pictures but I did take body measurements and I lost about 2” off my hips. I hope that helped, I plan to keep doing it for life. Thanks a lot!

Cathy

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I’ve been sugar free and actually, mostly meat free as well, for almost 3 weeks now. The weight is coming off finally and I feel free. I feel that I’m healing from all the destructive foods I’ve eaten in the past year. Not eating the meat has provided my liver to clean up, so I’m grateful to be “cleaning house”. I can tell by my increased energy and healthier looking skin, that it’s really helping.

My cravings have virtually disappeared, I think because I’ve eliminated the foods that trigger the cravings. It’s been, actually, the easiest weight I’ve lost in a long time.

So, thank you again. Just had to write and let you know how much I appreciate this.

Elaine A

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I have become a much healthier person in the last month (my doctor said I could lower my insulin from 30 units to 25) and I thank God for finding you and your program on the internet! Thank you for staying in touch with me through the 30 day challenge and being the encouragement that you are!

God Bless You, Joe

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After just two weeks going sugar free, the biggest benefits I get are:

• Less muscle pain.

• Better sleeping at night.

• More energy.

• Clearer thinking. That is the number one reason I’ve gone without sugar. Sugar fogs my brain. After just two weeks going sugar free, I can think clearly, process difficult decisions effortlessly and remember much better.

• I simply function more efficiently.

Again, thank you for the 30 days plan. I think it’s great!

Yours truly,

Julia M

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I just finished the 30 day Sugar Free Days. I really enjoyed having someone who knew what I was going through. I thought I had been sugar free for three months before I started your program, but I didn’t realize how many products I was eating contain sugar by a different name. I would go to my computer each morning before breakfast to read your encouragements. I learned a lot from your e-mails and printed some out for reference.

I am pre diabetic and my blood sugar was in the 100-115 range when I started four months ago. It has only been in the low 90?s for the last week, for which I am grateful to you. I didn’t think I could get it down without medication. I am having my cholesterol checked on Monday. I am hoping for the same result.

Thank you very much,

Marion

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Facebook

There are more diet success stories on Facebook, check them out here: Facebook Group 30 Sugar Free Days

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I often get the question about why fruits and vegetables are good for you and the short answer is that they are good for you because they are what you are supposed to be eating. That sweet tooth you have is not meant to lead you to white sugar or refined carbohydrates it is meant to lead you to the natural sweetness found in fruits and vegetables. Let’s take a look at exactly why fruits and vegetables are good for you.

High Nutrition, Low Calories

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I’m not a big fan of the calorie concept (see: When it Comes to Weight Loss, Forget Calories), but calories can be useful when talking about certain food concepts and understanding the goodness of vegetables and fruits is one of those times.

There are many ways to measure the value of the food you are eating. Measuring food by weight and nutrients is called a Nutrient Adequacy Score and is a common way to measure the quality of food, but it is very inaccurate. You can also measure the quality of food by calorie (how many nutrients does a food supply per calorie) and this is much more accurate. When you compare the nutritional value of foods by calories (called a Nutrient Density Score) you see that nothing stacks up to fruits and vegetables.

When you calculate the Nutrient Density of Foods then foods such as Kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts score really high (you get a lot of nutrients per calorie) and foods like grains, beans and meats are much lower (not many nutrient per calorie).

There are many different nutrient density scoring charts, but the most user-friendly is Dr. Joel Furhman’s (see ANDI Scoring System). Using this system show you that there is nothing as good for you to eat as fruits and vegetables.

You might be shunning fruits and vegetables for their cost, but take a closer look. When Turns out vegetables may seem expensive, but they provide the best nutrient per calorie of any food[i]

Anti-Everything

Fruits are vegetables are the anit-everthing foods (anti-cancer, anti-heart disease…) There are no better fighters of disease to put in your mouth than fruits and vegetables. Let’s take a look.

Anticancer

• Fruit consumption seems to be protective against cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, and larynx.[ii]
• Eating more fruits and veggies protects against cancer of the stomach and pancreas as well as colorectal, prostate,^[iii] and bladder cancers. Even lung cancer risk is lower for smokers who eat their veggies.^[iv]
• For women, cancers of the cervix, ovary, and breast,^[v] and endometrium are all lower when they consume more fruits and vegetables.
• Women who consume a large amount of fiber are at lower risk for breast cancer in women (fiber “sweeps” cholesterol and bad estrogens out of the body).^[vi]
• Clinical trials are ongoing with many individual fruits and vegetables:
  • Cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and broccoli).[vii]
  • Allium vegetables (such as garlic and onion).[viii]
  • Tomatoes.[ix]
  • Berries.[x]

• Compounds found in fruits and vegetables are also being tested:  lycopene (from tomatoes), sulforaphane (from asparagus), brassinin, (from cruciferous vegetables), indole-3-carbinol (from broccoli), and resveratrol (from grapes and peanuts). [xi]

• John Hopkins School Of Medicine has been studying the benefits of Brassica vegetables for over 20 years.
  • High fruits and vegetable consumption reduces your risk of high blood pressure.^[xii]
  • A high-fiber diet lowers cholesterol,^[xiii]
  • You also reduce your overall risk of heart disease when you eat fruits and veggies.^[xiv]
  • Consumption of fruits and vegetables—particularly leafy green vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits—appears to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease.^[xv]
  • Eating more fruits and vegetables helps you to lose weight; scientific research has shown that eating more fiber does help to lower your weight.^[xvi]

  Heart Disease

  • High fruits and vegetable consumption reduces your risk of high blood pressure.^[i]
  • A high-fiber diet lowers cholesterol,^[ii]
  • You also reduce your overall risk of heart disease when you eat fruits and veggies.^[iii]
  • Consumption of fruits and vegetables—particularly leafy green vegetables and vitamin C-rich fruits—appears to have a protective effect against coronary heart disease.^[iv]

Weight Loss

• Eating more fruits and vegetables helps you to lose weight; scientific research has shown that eating more fiber does help to lower your weight.^[v]

Other Diseases

• The risk for Alzheimer’s, ^[xvii] diabetes, ^[xviii] and many other diseases is lower with higher fruit and vegetable consumption.

Vegetables and Fruits are Good For You

There is no doubt that vegetables and fruits are good for you, the research above is only a tiny bit of what is out there. You should try to make fruits and vegetables as much of your diet as possible. You can feed your body what it needs by making sure every meal has some sort of fruit and vegetable in it.

[ii] Riboli E, Norat T. Epidemiologic evidence of the protective effect of fruit and vegetables on cancer risk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Sep;78(3 Suppl):559S-569S.

[iii] Freedland SJ, Aronson WJ. Dietary intervention strategies to modulate prostate cancer risk and prognosis. Curr Opin Urol. 2009 May;19(3):263-7.

[iv] Block G, Patterson B, Subar A. Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence. Nutr Cancer. 1992;18(1):1-29.

[v] Patterson RE, Cadmus LA, Emond JA, Pierce JP. Physical activity, diet, adiposity and female breast cancer prognosis: A review of the epidemiologic literature. Maturitas. 2010 Jan 22

[vi] Suzuki R, Rylander-Rudqvist T, Ye W, Saji S, Adlercreutz H, Wolk A. Dietary fiber intake and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer defined by estrogen and progesterone receptor status–a prospective cohort study among Swedish women. Int J Cancer. 2008 Jan 15;122(2):403-12.

[vii] Herr I, Büchler MW. Dietary constituents of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables: implications for prevention and therapy of cancer. Cancer Treat Rev. 2010 Aug;36(5):377-83. Epub 2010 Feb 20.

[viii] Bianchini F, Vainio H. Allium vegetables and organosulfur compounds: do they help prevent cancer? Environ Health Perspect. 2001 Sep;109(9):893-902

[ix] Ansari MS, Ansari S. Lycopene and prostate cancer. Future Oncol. 2005 Jun;1(3):425-30.

[x] Gullett NP, Ruhul Amin AR, Bayraktar S, Pezzuto JM, et al. Cancer prevention with natural compounds. Semin Oncol. 2010 Jun;37(3):258-81.

[xi] Gullett NP, Ruhul Amin AR, Bayraktar S, Pezzuto JM, et al. Cancer prevention with natural compounds. Semin Oncol. 2010 Jun;37(3):258-81.

[xii] Alonso A, de la Fuente C, Martín-Arnau AM, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption is inversely associated with blood pressure in a Mediterranean population with a high vegetable-fat intake: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study. Br J Nutr. 2004 Aug;92(2):311-9.

[xiii] Brown L, Rosner B, Willett WW, Sacks FM. Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Jan;69(1):30-42.

[xiv] Slavícek J, Kittnar O, Fraser GE, et al. Lifestyle decreases risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2008 Dec;16(4):161-4.

[xv] Joshipura KJ, Hu FB, Manson JE, et al.  The effect of fruit and vegetable intake on risk for coronary heart disease. Ann Intern Med. 2001 Jun 19;134(12):1106-14.

[xvi] Liu S, Willett WC, Manson JE, et al. Relation between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and development of obesity among middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Nov;78(5):920-7.

[xvii] Giem P, Beeson WL, Fraser GE. The incidence of dementia and intake of animal products: preliminary findings from the Adventist Health Study. Neuroepidemiology. 1993;12(1):28-36.

[xviii] Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, et al. A low-fat vegan diet and a conventional diabetes diet in the treatment of type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled, 74-wk clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1588S-1596S. Epub 2009 Apr 1.

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• When You Hear the Words Heart Attack, What do You See? (1)

A picture pops into most people’s heads when they hear the words “heart attack.” That picture usually starts with an old man who is a drinker or a smoker. Maybe he’s outside working, or maybe he is having an argument and is really angry; either way, he stops what he is doing and grabs his chest. Soon, he is felling numbness or tingling down his left arm, eventually the pain intensifies (like an elephant sitting on his chest). Suddenly, grabs his chest and falls to the floor.

Heart attacks are considered the silent killer because the first sign of a heart attack is usually the heart attack itself. The hidden nature of heart attacks is made even more severe by the fact that most people (including doctors) have that exact picture of an old man in their head when they think of someone having a heart attack. That picture, while correct, doesn’t account for over 1/2 of the people who visit the emergency room with heart attacks.

What we and doctors need is a new picture that represents the most common heart attack victim.

Try this picture:

Instead of the old man, you need to put a woman in your picture, because since the mid 1980′s more women have died of heart attacks than men.

The woman in our new picture doesn’t smoke, but she might have high blood pressure or diabetes and she is often normal weight. She knows she doesn’t feel well, but cannot place what is wrong. Sometimes her neck or shoulder may hurt, but often she just feels sick to her stomach and may vomit. Occasionally she may feel short of breath.

All of these symptoms make her think she maybe ate something she shouldn’t have, but nothing a serious as a heart attack is entering her mind (because she too has the wrong picture in her head). She has no tingling down her arm, no elephant on her chest, no collapsing… just vague symptoms. Her chest may hurt enough that she calls or even stop by her doctor’s office, but she will often leave with a suggestion to take some antacids.

Even if she makes it to the hospital and they somehow think her problems may be heart-related, none of the common tests they run show anything wrong. For example, a common test for heart disease called an EKG is often normal looking even in a woman who has had a heart attack; other standard tests may also show nothing is wrong.

Women and Heart Disease

What doctors and the rest of the world are starting to understand is that heart disease is an entirely different condition in women than in men. Cardiovascular disease affects more women than men and is the leading killer of women in America.

Let’s look at why heart disease is such a serious problem for women:

• Most of the research done on heart disease has been performed on men.
  
• The leading cause of death of women 25 years and older is coronary artery disease (clogged arteries).
  
• While death rates from heart disease have dropped in men over the last few decades, they are increasing for women.
  
• More than 250,000 women in the United States die each year from heart disease (accounting for 40 percent of all deaths for women).
  
• Even if a woman reports chest pain, they are much more likely than men to have clear coronary arteries, this leaves researchers scratching their heads wondering what is going on.
  
• The standard treatments for blocked arteries are commonly balloon procedures or bypass and women are much more likely to have a poor outcome from these treatments than men. This may be due to the fact that women with heart disease are much more likely to have another disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol which makes any surgery more dangerous.
  
• Women, more than men, are likely to develop heart failure.
  
• Even blood tests that help diagnose heart attacks are often negative in women.
  
• Depression is a common in over 40 percent of women who have had a heart attack; depression typically occurs in only 20 percent of men.
  

It is obvious from the above that heart disease in women is different from heart disease in men.

The danger for women is threefold: They are more likely to have a heart attack than a man; they may not have typical symptoms if they do have a heart attack; and their doctors may not take them or their symptoms seriously.

Heart Health for Women

Remember, a heart attack can look like that picture of the old man, but other symptoms may include:

• Squeezing or feeling of fullness the chest
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Nausea
  
• Sweating
  
• Dizziness
  
• Fatigue
  
• Paleness
  

The standard advice for heart disease applies to women, only more so: Remember to eat well, exercise, keep your weight normal, and don’t smoke. New research studies are starting to uncover the differences in heart disease in men and women, but taking control of your health is of vital importance for women.

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