“The Dark Dirty World of Sugar”: An interview with Joyce Laszloffy

Trying to overcome the powerful pull that sugary foods can have on us , she shares how , for years , she managed to hide her addiction from her family and friends , often feeling powerless and humiliated , dealing with health issues including high blood pressure , pre-diabetes , fatty liver , depression and mood swings , until she found the key to finally kicking the habit .

She has since taken her ideas to others through her courses , helping people banish sugar in all its forms from their lives , with often spectacular results .

And later in the podcast , let's talk about Defiant Health's sponsors Paleo Valley , our preferred provider for many excellent organic and grass-fed food products , and BiotiQuest , my number one choice for probiotics that are scientifically formulated , unlike most of the other commercial probiotic products available today . Well welcome , joyce . Thank you for taking this invitation .

I'd like to hear more about your approach , your unique approach to reducing or eliminating sources of sugar . But first of all , how did you go down this path in the first place ?

You know , when I think of my trips to Disneyland , I don't think of Space Mountain , like most kids might . My first thought that I remember is like the chocolate fudge and the root beer candy sticks that I would buy on Main Street in the candy shop .

My family cruise in seventh grade you know that was me frequenting the gift shop , maybe three , four times for three musketeer bars . These are my fun , exciting memories . Or all those dessert bars you know that they've got the buffets every hour , on the hour , repeatedly .

You know all my holidays every time I think about a holiday Valentine's Day , hanukkah , christmas , Halloween they're all revolve around sugar and the candy and the desserts that I would eat .

And then in my late teens , as I would get through breakups , you know , have a stressful moment at school or being a teenager , hormones setting in I would deal with it with massive sugar binges .

I would go to the store I could easily buy like a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream , a pound of M&M bags , bag of cookies eat it all in one night in a serving . It was nothing for me .

I could just never have enough sugar and I used to say , up until I kicked sugar , that sugar was my best friend and I hear this all the time from women in my program , you know , and I thought I believe that it comforted me . And the thought of giving it up , like what you want me to get rid of this , it scared the hell out of me .

Most of my life I was physically and mentally unhealthy . At my heaviest I was 67 pounds overweight , so I weighed about 186 pounds . I weighed about 186 pounds For me , you know I'm small framed , I'm 5'3" , you know , so that's a lot of weight on a little person . I struggled for years with my weight , with high blood pressure , fatty liver .

I was diagnosed with a high A1C I mean all the markers stomach issues , which relates so much to the gut microbiome , chronic , you know , stomach issues , chronic yeast and sinus infections . I was constantly going to the doctor in my 20s for that . I mean two , three a year bouts of that and really lots of depression and anxiety .

My moods were constantly a roller coaster , so I was very , very manic and it was really all due to the poor food choices that I made daily . And the main culprit for me was sugar , you know . And I used to eat , you know , healthier during the day and I would restrict my calories . That was kind of healthier for me .

But then I would binge at night Because , you know , I went ahead .

By the end of the day I had used up all of my willpower , you know , and I was just looking for a way to soothe myself for whatever uncomfortable feeling that I was feeling or stress I was having in that moment , and I used sugar to avoid the numb and to numb my pain and just avoid that discomfort that I would have .

As I said , I could easily , you know , into my adulthood , into my forties , eat , you know , one to two pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream . I loved the Nestle Toll House cookie dough . Oh , I would buy like a roll of that and eat that in one evening , one serving . And I used to hide my addiction . I was very ashamed by it , you know .

I would tell my husband oh , I got to go out to the store .

I forgot something at nighttime , you know , something for our son's lunch , you know , and it was just an excuse to go to the store because I was craving , I was jonesing something sweet and there was nothing in the house and I would buy like a bag of cookies and I would sit in the parking lot , you know , at nighttime , in the dark , and this is common .

This isn't one episode , this was routine for me Stuff my face there in the darkness , solitude , in my car , go back out , throw the wrappers , you know , out in front of the stores there would be no evidence that I'd eaten that and drive home . I was on four different medications at one time and I wasn't even 40 years old yet Now I'm 54 .

I was on five , tried five different antidepressants . None of them worked and I was actually told by doctors a nephrologist actually said this to me you're just going to have to face the facts . You are going to have to be on a lot more medications as you continue to get older . That's just what happens as we age .

But I'll tell you what the worst part for me , dr Davis , was actually the part allowing sugar to control my life was the constant , daily berating of myself that went on with the sugar and the eating this . You know that inner voice inside you that tells you , oh , you're not good enough , you're not smart enough , you're not talented enough . Choice .

You know you have no willpower and I would say cruel things to myself , like you , fat loser . I'd look in the mirror and I'd say that to myself and I taught this way to myself internally , daily . This was a constant thing . That mental abuse that inflicted on myself .

That was by far the worst and what I consider the most detrimental and actually what stops so many women that I work with being able to make positive changes in their lives . For anyone that's trapped in something . So being trapped in that vicious cycle is tough .

But instead of giving up , you know I went and I dived deep and after 17 years of doing my own research , just like you advocating your book Undoctored , you know , I started diving into those stacks and reading books by leading experts like yourself in the field of functional medicine and sugar and neuroscience , brain chemistry , the gut , you know so important and I

gathered all the best tips and advice from these experts in the field on addiction , on health , and I really uncovered what I feel is the dark , dirty world of sugar .

You know , and , most importantly , I discovered the secret to kicking sugar that I really don't think anybody talks about , which has allowed me to break free from my sugar addiction once and for all me to break free from my sugar addiction once and for all . So I went from a lifelong sugar addict to never craving the sweet stuff again .

And then I started to share my journey , you know and just telling , because at first I was kind of quiet about it and then I would be at a party and just the birthday cake will be passing around or you'd be standing at the dessert table and other people would be partaking it and they'd be noticing that I wasn't eating it and they'd be like what's going on ?

Why aren't you eating something ? And I would share my story that I just shared with you . And they were like oh my gosh , you know that's me

. And I discovered I wasn't alone . And you know my whole life . I thought that I was broken . You know that there was just me . I had no willpower , there was something wrong with me , I had no self-control . But the more times that I shared this story with others , I heard back from women sharing the exact same story and I realized I wasn't broken .

You know , these women aren't broken . Our food system is broken . That's what's here and what's wrong and that sent me on the mission to found healthy education and write I Kick Sugar and then create the I Kick Sugar Masterclass Program where I lay out the exact same steps . It's super simple , it's not rocket science .

Same steps and revelations that I used to kick sugar . I can say now wow , this past September was eight years for me and soon , just word got out . It was crazy . The internet , you know . And now we've got over 18,000 women from around the world , you know , who have joined and are reclaiming their health and happiness .

So to anyone listening , you know , to this podcast right now , I just want them to get that it is possible , no matter where they are , to kick sugar , absolutely yeah .

My big aha moment that I had , after years and years of trying to , you know oh , okay , I'm going to quit sugar and I would , you know , be off of it for a couple of days and then be right back on it , on off , on off never lasting more than probably a week . What , finally , did it ?

My aha moment eight years ago was I'm a big journaler and I was journaling and I was talking to myself Joyce , you know , just kick sugar . What are you doing ? You can do this , you're strong enough . And I'd be like no , I'm not strong enough . I've tried so many times , I don't know how to . I love it so much .

And the big aha for me was when I realized and I told myself you are strong enough . I want you to look at your past behaviors and things you've accomplished in the past , and for me that was that I was plant-based .

I went vegetarian when I was 22 years old and I did that at the time for ethical reasons , and then my whole family became vegetarian , plant-based , and then I went vegan . I even went off and worked for PETA for a couple of years and got into animal rights . A whole big , long history .

There Didn't care about , you know , my health at the time , because you can be a very unhealthy vegan , which I was , you know , still eating lots of sugar , being a vegan . I would drive to McDonald's and I'd be like I'll have a hamburger minus the meat and a fry and a Coca-Cola . You know that's how a lot of us ate .

And hey , we weren't , we weren't hurting and harming any animals just ourselves Right . So it was a process , this journey , for me , but what I learned was that the reason why it was so easy for me the day that I declared that I don't eat animals , that I am vegetarian , it was a simple thing . I made a decision in that moment .

I had enough information , I had gained enough , you know material , to know that this was fit my philosophy , my belief system , my being , who I wanted to stand for and be . And when you put that behind a decision , wow , it makes any decision simple . You cut off all other choices , and I did .

I've never looked at a piece of meat or been tempted by anything like that . It means nothing to me . The same way , cigarettes and I pose this to women all the time Do you smoke ? A lot of them , don't ? Oh , they're grossed out by it . Why ? To others , it's truly an addiction to them , but to you it's not .

So I show people that in all different areas of their life , they have the power and they hold that . When you connect your identity and a belief system behind something , you can go so much further . And so I saw this with myself and I realized I just need to arm myself now with the power to see why I don't want to eat sugar anymore .

What's really so bad about this ? To dive deeper into it and to learn the psychology and the science behind it , so that I could break free from it once and for all and make that decision .

So when women get to the end of my course , they're at the point where which I actually share , because I tell everyone in the program I don't want them to stop eating sugar . You know that's the worst thing you can do . And they're like what are you talking about ? You want me to keep eating sugar .

I just signed up for this , I kick sugar course and you're telling me to keep eating sugar . Yes , keep eating sugar , absolutely , because you've already tried doing it with willpower , you've tried with restriction and that doesn't work . You know , when we deprive ourselves of something , what do we want ? We want it more .

You tell a little kid don't touch the stove . What do they do ? They touch the hot stove . You know . You tell your daughter don't date that guy . She goes behind your back and dates that guy . Don't get into the alcohol cabinet . We want what we can't have . So we should know , you know , when we learn this , it's such simple principles that that doesn't work .

So what I have , them women learn through the course , and what I learned myself , part of the steps to kicking sugar was that it's a process and you have to build a foundation first , and so that requires you to understand and learn everything about sugar , your body and brain and how it affects your body , the science behind that because there is real science for

sure behind all of that as you talk about in all of your books . This isn't make-believe Any addiction . There's two sides of addiction . There's a physical side and then there's a mental side . The problem is that most diets you know fail because all we do is talk about the physical side .

And that's actually quite easy to overcome , particularly when you start incorporating real whole food . You know you don't just restrict calories , because that doesn't work . What matters is what those calories are made up of .

And when you fill that plate up with real whole food , the right foods to feed your gut , microbiome , all those bugs that tell your brain to stop , you know talking to you craving and wanting all of that , then you can quiet the noise down .

And then when you work on the mental side , which is not talked about , which is understanding the conditioning that you know our society , that our upbringing , that our family , that big food and big , you know , beverage does specifically to manipulate this food and our minds and connect these emotional attachments to food , when you learn all of that and understand that

, then you're building this foundation . So when you get to the end of the program , it's not that you can't have sugar , it's not that you shouldn't have sugar , it's not because I told you follow this protocol and don't eat sugar again , it's that you don't want it . You've learned so much about it that you're disgusted by it .

I mean , women going through it are like I don't want to eat it anymore , but Joyce keeps , you know , making me go through the program until she gets to the end . So it's kind of like you're building a case , you know like you're in court and you're building a case against sugar so that you never want it and desire it again .

And when you can stand in that place , you know of saying it's not that I can , it's not that I shouldn't , I don't eat sugar . When you make that declaration , that is a much more powerful place to stand by to , where , when you are at a party and someone says , you know like , oh , do you want a piece of cake ? No , I don't eat sugar .

You know it's a belief for you . So much more powerful .

And those withdrawals , as you know , like headaches or body aches , lethargic feeling , maybe a little nauseous , you might even have a little bit more cravings . All of that is typical with a withdrawal . Not everybody has it . Some do , usually typically last maybe two to three days , maybe it will go two weeks . You can be very , very tired .

I encourage everybody to eat lots of real whole food during that time , not to worry about weight loss , just like you discussed with your program and with ladies and gentlemen . Men that'll come off Like not to focus on that right now . It's about . When you switch your food and your habits , the weight will come off .

So if you have to eat lots of healthy fats , eat lots of healthy fats to keep you satiated . But I remind ladies that you know , the physical side of that addiction is actually easy to overcome and so many have . You know , oh , I want to get in that bikini for the summertime , and you know , and they starve themselves for two weeks and they're going through .

You know , oh , I want to get in that bikini for the summertime , and you know , and they starve themselves for two weeks and they're going through . You know , withdrawals are shaky and irritable and bitchy at work and they get past it .

Or , oh , you know , they want to wear a new dress for a wedding or Lent , you know , if they have like a belief system around religion , and they get through that hard time because of that belief . So we all have conquered that . Get through that hard time because of that belief . So we all have conquered that .

And so , again , it's about reframing , like this journey , like why you're kicking sugar , so that you don't see it as that negative but as something positive . Look at that as something positive , that your body is detoxing off of the sugar and you want to go through that , Welcome it . That's again a much more positive place when you reframe that for sure .

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So it sounds like you've had your share of your own personal mental and emotional health struggles . Tell us what's become of that .

That is definitely leveled out . It's been eight years now . I will say , though , that what and what I teach in my course with these ladies ? That it is first of all progress , not perfection , and this is a lifelong journey to be healthy . I haven't figured it all out , just like . You know you discussed in .

You know , after wheat belly it's like , oh , people were having great success . Tell me if I'm mistaken or not . You know they're doing the protocol , they're having the success of cutting out the grains , but then you know there's still what . They're having the success of cutting out the grains , but then you know there's still what .

Not everything was a 100% , there's still other issues . And then you dive deeper and , wow , discovered other stuff . You know it's like that . There's other components , and that's what I'm definitely figuring out as well . I mean , when I started this journey I wasn't fully aware . I mean , I knew enough .

But , as you can probably guess yourself , in eight years how much has been really discovered on the gut microbiome that wasn't talked about even as much eight years ago when I discovered this and kicked sugar and then wrote the course five years ago .

I mean , every day now , exponentially , the science is coming out and the research and people are starting to understand it better , and so with that new knowledge and expanse , I'm learning as well . You know that .

You know what I tell women , because I've had women on my course who have kicked sugar , they've been sugar free and they're still having issues with their gut . You know , it's like the bloating . I'm not gonna lie , I'm still having it , you know , not to the degree that I did when I was on sugar , but I have learned't know if I'm celiac .

Years ago , prior to kicking sugar , when I was trying to figure out what was going on with me and I didn't want to accept that it was sugar , I went to a gastroenterologist , got tested . I found out I had two celiac genes and I had a high IGA . And the doctor says you don't have celiac . I'm like , really . So he's like , and you're already gluten free .

So just just stick with what . If that's working for you , stick with that . And so I stayed gluten free for two years . I went to go see then shortly after another gastroenterologist because I was also . You find what you're looking for right ? I really almost wanted this diagnosis so bad , to be celiac , so I could say that would solve everything .

That's the reason why I don't need to be on gluten anymore and I can keep eating sugar and just go on my merry way . And I went to her . She looked at everything , did some more . She's like no , you're definitely celiac , you know you're on the right path . So what do I believe ? So I stayed very strict , gluten free for two years .

Who do you believe I teach my women ? You believe your body , listen to your body , it's wise , all it . Just like you say in Undoctored you are your own best doctor , you know your best .

So I was stayed on gluten , was still eating sugar felt better , better , but , you know , still had some episodes here or there and finally one day , because I didn't have a reason , a belief behind it , I didn't have enough knowledge to gain in power , like what was going on with gluten , I went back to eating .

I had pancakes one morning and boo , you know , from there I had gluten and I didn't have any flare ups . So I thought you know what that first doctor must be right . I'm not celiac and I don't know if I am or not , but I do know that gluten doesn't work for my stomach because through the years , I mean , I eat very small amounts .

And then I'll say why are you having a flare up ? Why is your stomach , you know , bloated ? Why do you not feel good ? And I , you know , and then I'm like I'm eating so healthy . Well , maybe it wasn't so healthy . Maybe those gluten-free wraps that you had , you know , made with rice flour or one of the other ingredients , maybe it's not .

Maybe you need to start listening to Dr Davis , you know , and so it's a process is what I try and tell all my women . I don't want to overwhelm them with all of this , because then you're just paralyzed and you don't move anywhere . But what I do encourage and I say at the very beginning , which is why , like my program , instant access , lifetime access .

It's like my coaching goes beyond , you know , the eight weeks , because once you've declared your day and you're sugar free , you don't just , don't leave , don't quit and say goodbye . It's almost like alcohol's anonymous . You need that support you .

You need a positive community , people just to talk about the conversation and learn what the latest thing is , Learn the latest science , Understand more because the field is constantly growing and expanding and to keep moving on . Like you know , I'm going to start getting into making your yogurts now .

I didn't do that eight years ago or these eight years , so I'm just going to keep getting healthier and healthier . You know it took me 50 or 40 some years to get to this place . It's going to take me another 40 to get , to continue on with this place .

How has this gone over with the rest of the family ?

So diabetes runs in our family and so I need to be aware of that too , that I do believe that I'm very gluten sensitive , that I am , you know , carb sensitive . You know it doesn't have to be a candy wrapper , it could just be , you know , a tortilla . That's going to throw me off and raise my glucose levels for sure .

Again , I want women to start at a starting point , so it's not like you wipe everything out right away . What I do work on in the program is we're focusing on you know there's a hard line with . I want to teach them to stay away from ultra processed sugars , you know , like high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners like sucralose that are in .

You know , like high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners like sucralose that are in . You know , diet sodas and diet candies . Aspartame , I mean that , we know , without doubt affects our gut microbiome and it is unhealthy and that's what's being pumped into 80% of supermarket shelf products these days . You know all this ultra processed foods stay away with .

You can't read the label and you can't read the ingredient . I mean , you know all this ultra processed foods stay away with . You can't read the label and you can't read the ingredient . I mean you shouldn't be putting it in your body , you know ? Make it simple . I don't know what to eat . It's so confusing .

Six ingredients or less , and if you can pronounce it , great . If you can't , that's a clear indicator . Or even better no label .

You know , something that's been on the feed lot that's pumped with antibiotics and growth hormones . It's like go spend a little bit more money and have something healthier . And I do that because you know it's , it's real whole food . So and everybody is different and I want everyone to get that , it's about cutting out those ultra processed sugars .

And just from women , so many women think that soda was okay . I mean it's a big aha moment . You don't have to do a lot to get a lot of results and big results . And it's those baby steps .

Because if I had started right now , like if you would introduce me on day one , make the yogurt , take this test , do this , do that , cut out the glue and I'd be like , ah , you know , my life's falling apart and so it's a slow and gradual process that even I'm on my husband's super , on board my son , I mean both of them are clear examples how I believe ,

just from reading and understanding about the gut microbiome , that they have good bugs . I mean they've got some really good bugs . I was not so blessed or I destroyed my bugs . Perhaps I also was on a lot more antibiotics than my husband or my son ever were .

You know , growing up I was on so many and so clearly that's an integer they didn't have the cravings that I have , you know , and I talked about this in my course , like that , I loved Halloween and I was always like , oh my gosh .

You know , when I was a kid it was a pillowcase that I would fill up and I would finish that pillowcase in like two , three days and hide it in my room . You don't touch that pillowcase , that's mine . My grandpa wants a piece of candy . No , grandpa , you're not getting any .

You know , then , when my son , I had my son he's 18 now when he was little , we take him trick-or-treating . I mean , the kid's still in his cart . He can't even eat candy . You know , he's less than a year old and I'm pushing around , who do you think's eating the candy ? Me , you know .

And then he's finally five years old and he doesn't even want to go trick-or-treating . And he's like , he's like I don't really like trick-or-treating . It's like it's a dumb holiday . You know , when he's never been into Halloween , he didn't want to dress up , he didn't want to go .

When I did make him go , prior to that , it's like we'd go to the store I'm like to pick out . You know what he's going to put the candy in , and he'd pick a little dinky plastic pumpkin . I'd be like that's how much candy can we get in that ? You know it's like . So there's . I teach too that there is sugar sensitivity .

I firmly do believe that Kathleen DeMoss from Potatoes , not Prozac , she really introduced me to that concept and seeing that , and I think that almost there's a spectrum , I don't use that as an excuse , though , or to to play this victim role , because we can , if so much of that revolves around our gut microbiome right that spectrum , so we could turn that around

and change that , without doubt . So , yeah , they're . They , you know , look at me and they don't get it in the sense like they're not addicted to sugar and think about it the way I did . But we all live a pretty , pretty clean , healthy life now , which is is fantastic , and I'm so happy for that , for my son and my husband .

You know their glucose morning glucose is above 200 in the two fifties . They drop it down to a hundred to in the nineties , you know , doing the program .

Um , but what really gets like if you look at at I get all my ladies through advertising on Facebook and it's really focused on what grabs people in to even be interested in learning more about this is the emotional side , is just sharing and connecting .

Like what I just shared , you know , right now , with our listeners about my story of how I struggled emotionally and how I would hide the food and how I would eat it . They think they're alone in that area , they think they're weak in that area and they're not weak .

They've just got some really strong bugs , you know , and they've got a lot of chemicals and food going in them . Right now that is making them addicted and craving and having these thoughts and so when I can show them that and share my story with them .

That brings them in , you know , into the community , and then I'm sharing you know more about and we get to the weight right , in the sense that the weight is the last thing I think it's the same with you to to to worry about and focus on , because every other diet , that's what they focused on and that doesn't work . You know you've got to stop the blaming

and shaming . Now it's very crucial that they understand where their weight is and all of their markers . That's part of the one of the first things in module one that I have women do is because the only way change can occur is through awareness .

So a lot of times they may be 250 , 300 pounds coming into my program and they're not even really fully aware that they're overweight . They're not aware of even their physical symptoms . You know that , hey , their watch is making a mark on their wrist . You know that they can't get their wedding ring off . You know , oh , there we go .

You know that their ankles , you know , are all swollen and their socks are indenting in these little things that I point out in the course , and so I have them get just a basic like BMI scale . I want them to get on that . I want them to to know what their body percent fat is . Don't care really too much about the BMI . I think that's inaccurate .

You know I could have a bit higher BMI because I've got a lot of muscle on my body , but that I want them to learn about visceral fat , so important .

So to measure that , and even though scales might not be 100% accurate , like a DEXA scan , it's a marker right , and if they just keep using that consistently , they'll see the change , whether it's the most complete , accurate change . And it's not to blame and shame them oh my gosh , this is what you are . I want them to take starting photos .

I want them to really look at themselves so that they can really see who they are , what their body , what they've done to their body , and again , it's not to put fault on them , but to have a wake-up call , get their head out of the sand , and then from there we can move forward .

We can go forward with that , and one of the other reasons why I don't want them to kick sugar when they're starting because one of the tasks I have also is I want them to download an app like , for instance , myfitnesspal , and I want them to track what they eat on average . You know , on a daily average of their food . You know everything .

And I want them to have a food scale so they can really see . You know what a bag of potato chips you know it's like . One serving of potato chips is what ? Like 12 chips ? It's nothing right . 28 grams . I mean , I know this off the top of my head , but you know you need to . That's empowering . It's not to become obsessive about it , but you need to .

That's empowering . It's not to become obsessive about it . It's to have knowledge and from knowledge , when you have that power , then you can make sound decisions and the best decisions for yourself . And so I have them track that .

What's interesting is when I started the course myself and I had written the course three years after I had kicked sugar , so I'd already kicked sugar , I'd been sugar-free for three years and after talking to people , that's when I said you know what , I'm going to write this .

So I had to go back and remember how much sugar was I eating and I tracked it and I was consuming on average about 186 , 180 grams of sugar a day . Out of sugar . I thought that was a lot . I mean particularly because when you read , like , what the average American consumes , they say it's not even that much . I'm like they're delusional .

Who's ever coming up with these numbers ? Because my ladies , I coach them and see them face to face every month and I talk to them and they all share when they do this task . They are consuming on average , you're not , I mean , you might believe this , but anywhere between 400 to 500 grams of added sugar a day . Because I wasn't eating McDonald's then .

You know , I was just eating . Well , just , I was just having a roll of cookie dough and two tubs of ice cream and some M&Ms , but they're eating that . And then they're also eating the French fries and they're having the Coke . I wasn't drinking soda . They're drinking a lot of soda .

I mean , you know one soda you got 46 grams of sugar in that right there , and they could have two , three , four a day . Or they'll have a Big Mac and they don't realize . The bun hey , that's probably like eight , 10 grams of sugar right there . The ketchup there's another four grams .

I mean it adds up and that's where they have that oh my gosh , aha moment . And as much as it's like wow , it's also very exciting and liberating because I mean , if they just cut that out , just the added sugar , that added sugar a day , imagine what it will do to their life .

You know so cause then a lot of times they'll start and they'll say , well , what about honey or Date Paste or Stevie or Monkford ? I'm like , let's not worry about that . You know , when you get to where I am , then we can start analyzing how good is that .

Let's just work on this right now , and that alone is going to friggin change your life , and it does I mean these women that I'm talking about getting their A1C from nine down to sixes and fives . They haven't even gotten like totally physically fit yet . It's just from changing that , going from 500 grams of added sugar a day down to maybe even 80 .

Now I'm prescribing not to consume more than 25 grams of added sugar a day . That's the goal . But again , it's not about perfection , right , it's progress . 25 grams of added sugar a day , and I like to say that added sugar should be coming from something like maybe the honey . If you bake , you know , I make this delicious banana bread .

The entire banana bread has one tablespoon of honey in it , you know . And then either some dark chocolate chips or chalk zero chips that's sweetened with monk fruit , you know so like . Add that up just so you have an idea . But don't worry about the fruit .

Eat the fruit whole , right , not fruit juice , but whole , with the fiber , the vitamins , the minerals , packed with all that . The way nature intended us to eat fruit to slow down the absorption of the sugar and to feel full .

You know then , if you eat that , if you eat the real whole foods , you won't be craving that ultra processed food and you'll be able to kick it so much easier for sure .

It said , sure , the doctor's been monitoring her and you know , keeping her eye on everything . And she was on metformin . She's off of metformin now . And the doctor says so , did you really ? She's like did I really what ? Did you really kick sugar ? Does sugar really suck ? She's like did I really what ? Did you really kick sugar ? Does sugar really suck ?

She's like , yeah , I really did . You know it's been eight months now and she's lost over 60 pounds . You know her A1C is down , her blood glucose level off metformin and he's . And he walks around . She tells us in the group she walked , he walked around his desk and he pulls out a little mini Snickers bar and says you sure ?

And he pulls out a little mini Snickers bar and says you sure , I mean it's horrid , it's just horrible that you know , I mean that's you and I get that . Look , sometimes , you know , at certain doctor's offices like really , you did , you know .

But you see , in the medical industry I mean I'm healthier than you know most nurses and doctor's offices that I go into if I have to get something done or get some labs done . But yes , I think in the general , in the community that we're amongst you know doctors like yourself who are the cutting edge and who are looking beyond .

You know Western medicine or prescribing Ozempic . You know that they're definitely welcoming and open to these conversations and can see and saying to me you know more power to you . You know if you can get your message out there and help people , it doesn't matter how . And I don't claim to be a doctor , I'm not a doctor , I'm not .

You know , I have no degree in any of that .

You know , yes , I went to my love for the body , human body and anatomy started in massage school some 20 , I don't know five years ago , 24 years ago I friended a doctor in the clinic who was a naturopathic doctor , who taught at the school there big naturopathic school in Phoenix , tempe and he welcomed me in under his wing to like the cadaver labs and a

bunch of his extra higher advanced physiology biology classes and I just like , oh my God , you know , seeing inside the human body was like wow , you know , just amazing to me . And I just , I just can't get enough of this stuff . And I tell women though , like this is , I have no credentials .

You should do your own , because that is going to just keep reinforcing even more . You will learn more , you will read more , you will write more , you will understand more and that will ingrain and build that foundation . So I was raised to question authority and that's what I try and teach my ladies .

When I go into doctor's appointments , like for family members , and I'm always there to sit and I ask the questions , Usually if the doctor doesn't know me , they're like Are you in the medical profession , Are you a doctor ? Like no .

But I , yeah , like I surprised them , I know my stuff and , like you've said , I'm not ashamed to say it I think I do know a lot more than most doctors , for sure .

You know nonprofits with a bunch of people at the top who have big salaries , and you know they're making a lot of money off of people's donations , not helping people . You go to their fun runs , their events , and what are they offering you ? Orange juice and bagels , you know , and muffins . It's really , it's criminal , frankly , it really is criminal .

And you know people put their trust in that . You know they believe that One of the little mini videos that I have my ladies watch is an expose in module six and it's with Michael Moss . I know , you know Michael Moss and uncovering the journalist with the expose on big food and they're just , they're angry . That's one of the things I want them to do .

I want them to get angry at what the food industry , what our government , what the FDA , our medical profession , is , is , and I don't want to say doing to us because no one can do anything to you . You know we have allowed it because they put their trust and faith in you know what's supposed to be protecting us and unfortunately it doesn't .

You know you have to be your own advocate and you are your own best advocate , and so my job is to empower women , and one of the ways of empowering women again is to get them to challenge themselves , challenge authority , starting with me , and think outside the box , for sure .

show them . I mean , we're starting with the basics here , right ? Basic step one learn how to read food labels . That's the first thing to empower and you and I might take it for granted because we've been doing it for so many years and we think everybody knows how to read a food label and they don't , and there's nothing to be ashamed about that .

So it's to learn that , to learn where the hidden ingredients are . You know 67 different names of sugar . There's even more now . I just learned from you know reading Wheat Belly . I mean all the different names of gluten and all the wheat products . You know we have to empower ourselves with that and so starting at that's a great starting point for them .

I also offer a free two hour workshop where I teach the three secrets to kick sugar .

They can either take that it comes with a workbook and do it on their own or , if they want that extra support and accountability , they can join the community and be a part of it and then meet me face to face , you know , monthly , on the live , monthly coaching calls which are so powerful .

Community is key and having that support system beyond even you know once you kicked it to have people in your corner because you become , you know , as a . Who said it ? I forgot who said it , the famous quote , you know you were the five people you hang around with the most .

So it's like if you don't have that in your family , in your life , in your circle of friends , they're all eating unhealthy , they're not moving their body and exercising and reading these books and listening to these podcasts . Join us , join , you know you so that they can have that community , because that is crucial and that makes the world of a difference .

For sure , and that's one of the reasons why I do what I do . You know this keeps it alive for me , so that I continue on that journey because I still need it . Then I meet someone like you and you know it just continues on , without doubt so crucial .