Sugar Shock!: How Sweets and Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life-- and How YouCan Get Back on Track [Paperback]

Connie Bennett (Author), Stephen T. Sinatra (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 26, 2006

A provocative exposé of the negative effects of sugars and simple carbs-and how to break the addiction.

Most readers already know that succumbing to sweets too often can lead to obesity and diabetes. What many don't know, however, is that too many "quickie carbs" can bring on a host of other maladies-such as "brain fog," fatigue, mood swings, heart disease, and even cancer-from which millions may be suffering because of their sugar or carbohydrate habits. Once besieged by 44 seemingly unconnected symptoms, former "sugar addict" Connie Bennett, an experienced journalist, managed to kick sweets and simple carbs in 1998. She improved her health-and uncovered extensive medical research that substantiated her theory: people who eat too many low-caliber culprit carbs could be in sugar shock. Based on the insights of thousands of physicians, nutritionists, researchers, and "sugar sufferers" worldwide, SUGAR SHOCK!(tm) not only addresses how badly sugar affects the body, it demonstrates how everyone can kick the sugar habit.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Connie Bennett, C.H.H.C., is an experienced journalist, former sugar addict and holistic health counselor. She founded "The 21-Day, Kick-Sugar Countdown Diet" and an international online support group, "KickSugar."

Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D., is an internationally recognized cardiologist, certified nutrition specialist, and bioenergetic psychotherapist with 30 years' medical experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425213579
• ISBN-13: 978-0425213575
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (94 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

151 of 156 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I'm a sugar addict - how do I stop?? March 28, 2008

By LH

Format:Paperback

Even though I gave "Sugar Shock" three stars, I want to say up front that I DO like it; it has made clear to me how sugar has messed my life up and I have been in so much denial about my reliance on it. I really am like an alcoholic or crack addict! I have not yet stopped eating sugar - it's scary to think about trying to do it again and failing again, but I am feeling more concern for my health and damn it, I want to live a real life that's not clouded by the stuff.

The reason I gave this book three stars is because of the author's presentation; she frequently reads like an ad, not a book. She'll say things like, "...John showed classic signs of sugar addiction, which I outline on my website and blog site [...]" It's so infomercial-y. I tried to overlook this but it kept coming up through the book. Although this doesn't dilute her message, the constant referral to her web site and commercial references like that make her sound like she's more interested in marketing her company and herself than she is in her message. In other words, she can be annoying.

Also, I felt she spent too much time on how sugar is ruining our lives - but little space on how to practically eliminate it. She offers a list of seven tips on getting sugar out of your life but if I am a sugar addict, I need more than that.

I would have liked to have learned more about her own experience than just about when her dr told her to drop sugar and she did and it changed her life. I would like to have heard about if she had sugar withdrawals so strong she thought she would scream or if she ever experiences cravings now. She doesn't really talk about herself much apart from that initial "burning bush"-like moment at her dr's office -- which doesn't inspire me much.... I've had those moments, too, and make a great start but then fail.

I do believe her when she says it changed her life but for most addicts of any kind (note I said, "most") it's not just "I decided to stop and I did and my life is SO much better!" That's the issue with addicts: we all WANT to stop but it's hard to do it, so we feel trapped. HOW do we get out?

On another note, I was surprised to see an endorsement on the book and a review here from Jimmy "Livin' La Vida Low Carb" only because on his web site he seems really into artificial sweeteners (which I am, too) but the author of this book does not recommend them at all. Whatever!

The authors of "Sugar Shock" make a convincing case to significantly cut down, if not completely eliminate, sugar from our diets. I'm going to try it for sure. Read more ›

74 of 80 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous Success - THANK YOU! January 14, 2007

By A. Codd

Format:Paperback

I never thought I would be able to talk about life without sugar for more

than 3 days. I am in the process of getting rid of sugar from my diet,

and am proud (and SHOCKED) to say that I have been refined sugar-free

for 19 days. My personal record before this was 8 days (a rarity, most

of the time it was 2 or 3 days!)

Truly, honestly, I have Sugar Shock! to thank for helping me finally

kick the habit. In reading about how sugar sets up a subclinical

infammation that can cause so many diseases like cancer, heart disease,

arthritis, diabetes, etc, it really helped me to gain perspective on my

habit.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars MUST READ!! January 12, 2007

By Christine L. Sardo

Format:Paperback

You must read SUGAR SHOCK! It is so informative, so interesting, you will change the way you eat!

Connie has written what will be regarded as a respected reference on sugar and an important resource for the public.

I have highly recommended it to friends, families, and patients already after reading the book in just a couple days. The amount of research that went into this book is unbelievable. Connie has exceeded all expectations and will surely gain the respect of anyone interested in learning about how to control their sugar habit.

I met Connie at a professional meeting several years ago and her personality shines through in SUGAR SHOCK. Her upbeat personality and conversational tone make SUGAR SHOCK easy to read and her personal stories are so engaging that they will inspire anyone who has felt the highs and lows of too much sugar to make changes. You will find all the solutions to stopping your sugar habit in this book!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good Book August 9, 2007

By autumnphoenix2 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I think that this book provides a TON of information about the harmfulness of sugar, which is good, but it was almost too much background info for me. I ended up skipping some parts because it just went on and on about various conditions related to sugar (again, that's great and important, but it was just too much repitition for me).

Instead, I was hoping for lots of suggestions for kicking the sugar addiction....I happen to be someone who eats some form of dessert after lunch and dinner, and I wanted to break that habit. Overall, the book had a lot of good ideas, but I found some better ones (and basically the same info, but condensed) in "Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet" by Anne Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S. Either way, this book is a useful tool and I would recommend it, but I would definitely recommend "Get the Sugar Out" more.

96 of 114 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Ready For The SUGAR SHOCK! Of Your Life December 26, 2006

By Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Man TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Tens of millions of people in the United States of America every single day willfully expose themselves to one of the most harmful substances that has ever been discovered. This stuff quite literally wreaks havoc on both your mental and physical health in a multiplicity of ways like nothing else and yet nobody seems to be sounding the alarm loud enough for something to be done about this dangerous substance before it claims any more victims.

Is it crack cocaine? No. How about the much-vilified fat? Uh-uh. Could it be alcoholic beverages? Nope again. This is arguably one of the most stealth public health threats in the history of mankind that has quite literally fallen beneath the radar of public scorn somehow while millions of people worldwide have fallen prey to its inevitable health consequences.

I'm referring to the sweet kiss of death known as sugar!

In the great debate over the healthiness of this white granular substance, there is one singular voice of reason that rises above them all. Her name is Connie Bennett and she has written the ultimate book on why people should be concerned about consuming too much sugar in her long-awaited debut book release entitled "SUGAR SHOCK!: How Sweets And Simple Carbs Can Derail Your Life--And How You Can Get Back On Track!" from Berkley Books (part of the Penguin Group).

With all the honesty of a woman who admits her once all-encompassing, head-over-heels love affair with sugar, Bennett implores her tremendous skills as a talented journalist to uncover some deep dark secrets surrounding sugar by digging into the great body of research and personal experiences of people who have been negatively impacted by it.... What she discovers in the process could very well unlock the mystery behind so many of the health crises that plague our healthcare system today.

Incredibly entertaining and impeccably sourced, "SUGAR SHOCK!" will quite literally give you the "shock" of your life when you learn just how ruthless and unforgiving sugar can actually be on your health. For people who smugly proclaim that "it's only sugar," you might want to get yourself a copy of this book and see for yourself why there is cause for concern.

Bennett, along with medical consulting from cardiologist and nutritionist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, share her harrowing experiences with sugar, including wild mood swings, unstable blood sugar, depression, headaches, and much worse. It's this personal touch that makes you realize she isn't just blowing smoke on a subject she knows nothing about. On the contrary, Bennett is abundantly aware of the reaction she had to sugar and wants to warn others so they can avoid the same mistakes she did.

Aftering becoming successful at overcoming her own "SUGAR SHOCK!," now Bennett seeks to educate people about what they can do to not only reduce, but actually eliminate their desire to eat sugar ever again. Seriously! Does this sound too good to be true? After you read this book, you may never want to put anything containing sugar in your mouth for the rest of your life. This book is indeed lifechanging!

As someone who has lost nearly 200 pounds on the low-carb lifestyle and by permanently eliminating sugar from my diet, I can certainly appreciate what Bennett has to say about how processed carbs are exascerbating the weight and health of most Americans. I was there once weighing over 400 pounds and suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and breathing problems. Additionally, my sugar addiction had me gripped by the throat and refused to let me go.

All of that changed in 2004 when I bid farewell to sugar and my life will never be the same again. It is a difficult transition, but a necessary one that people need to make before sugar claims you as its next victim. That's why I appreciate what Connie Bennett is doing to help others who desire to learn more about the outstanding benefits of eating quality carbohydrates while pointing people away from eating simple sugars. She really puts the whole "low-carb equals no carb" rumor to rest by sharing the kinds of "quality carb" foods people can and should be eating as part of a healthy lifestyle.

You also have the opportunity to jump in on the challenge to kick sugar from your life forever after Bennett explains why you would want to do that, including improving your sex life (WHAT?!), helping your brain function, giving your emotions a boost, and loosening your addiction to the sweet stuff. Plus, Bennett reveals how that innocent sugary dessert you feel you can't live without could actually be the reason why diabetes, cancer, heart disease and obesity rates are all reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and around the world! It makes you wonder, doesn't it?

So, what do you do after you experience "SUGAR SHOCK!" and are thoroughly convinced of your need to stop eating sugar? Well, you look for the cure and Bennett offers that to you as well with key tips and advice about what to eat, how and what to shop for instead of sugar, overcoming cravings, and defeating the sugar monster in your life forever. You just don't realize how much better you will feel until sugar no longer has control over your life.

Featuring a distinguished foreword by Dr. Nicholas Perricone as well as input and endorsements from many of the world's most renowned health experts, including Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Marion Nestle, Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Barry Sears, Dr. Fred Pescatore, and countless others, "SUGAR SHOCK!" is indeed one of the most important health books of the twenty-first century! Every single diabetic and obese person needs to read this book! Get a copy for yourself and for every overweight and sick friend and family member that you know. This is just too important a subject to be ignored any longer! THANK YOU, Connie Bennett! Read more ›