Today I’m featuring a guest blog from a friend & colleague Jennifer Hill.  Jennifer is an Educator, Intuitive Eating Health Coach, and the Producer and Host of Portsmouth, NH’s Public Television Show, “Intuition Nutrition.”  She also helps Creative Entrepreneurs with the tech side of things as a Virtual Assistant.

As the holiday season fast approaches I think we can all relate to feeling a little frazzled.  It might seem hard to stay on track with festive sugary treats presenting themselves at every turn, but it’s not impossible.  Hopefully after reading Jennifer’s article “sugar sucks” you will be able to resist those unhealthy temptations, and enjoy the holidays without regret.

Tip:  Did you know that sugar has 56 different names?  Neither did I until recently.  Print this link – and keep it with you when you are grocery shopping.

Remember to always check the labels!

Here’s Jennifer’s Guest Blog Post:

The other day I was presenting to a group of teachers at a leadership conference.  I spoke of the importance of weaving wellness into every day life at school. For students and teachers.  We touched on a lot of topics, and when people were giving me their “takeaways” from the presentation, one participant raised her hand and simply stated, “Sugar sucks.”

I laughed out loud, because it is so true!  (And I love hearing educated grown-ups loosen up and talk like that)

Her comment inspired me to share this letter.  A quick note before you read, this break-up happened a while ago, but I just put it down in writing as more of an empowerment exercise to share with you.

Dear Sugar,

Where do I begin?  It’s time to move on.  It’s not you, it’s… Oh, whatever – I’m not going to sugar-coat it for you.  You suck.

But I didn’t always think so – let me explain.

You were that handsome suitor with a twinkle in your eye, promises of everlasting love and showering of gifts.  Scratch the surface, and you are really a co-dependent , invading parasite, wreaking havoc on every part of life.

You were the idea that everything would be alright, if we added something sweet to it.  You were an energy-sucking vampire, disguised as happiness in a shiny wrapper.

“Why get so dramatic?” you say.   “You love me and you need me.  You’ll be back,” you claim with faux confidence.  “Come here, one last taste for the road,” you implore.  “You and I belong together!” you exclaim.

Sorry, bud.  Buh-bye.  Like I said, you suck.

And here is why:

(Adapted from 146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health by Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.)

1. When you are with me, you suppress my immune system, making it easier for me to get sick.  Sick and weak, just where you like me to be.
2. You can interfere with absorption of calcium and magnesium. (Which I need, for healthy bones and muscles) (But you probably don’t want me to be that strong, do you?)
3. You can weaken my eyesight.  Yep, so I can’t see your imperfections as well.
4. You make me gain weight. Of course, then I feel crappy about myself, and you are conveniently there to “help” me.
5. You can cause arthritis.  You’re so mean.
6. You can cause heart disease and emphysema.  Helloooo?!  Google up leading causes of death in women.
7. You can increase cholesterol.  Don’t you get it that my genes don’t need any help?
8. You make my skin age by changing the structure of collagen.  (But I know you’ll always love me, right? Ha!)
9. You cause headaches, including migraines.
10. You can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.  And I have too much good in my life to want any help losing the memories of it all.

Here’s the long and the short of it:

Life is sweet enough without you.

Food tastes even better without you.

By the way, I have a new sweetie now.  I guess you can say I’m “dating” (pun intended).

Dates.  Dreamy, naturally sweet dates.  Full of iron, fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamins and minerals.  Honest and upfront, sweet with benefits.

Sugar, it was sweet while it lasted. I will treasure the memories, especially those first few encounters.  But I know it will never work out.  In fact, I highly recommend you take a good look at yourself.  Really.

I hope more of us wide-eyed sweet seekers do not fall unwittingly into your trap.  I am just glad I realized what I had gotten myself into before it was too late, and I was totally hooked on your charm and empty promises.

Hasta nunca,

Jen