Sugars and Flours: How They Make Us Crazy, Sick, and Fat and What to Do about It

This is a very eye-opening book! It show's what some of the "normal" things we eat are doing to us. It is written in very simple terms, not doctor "mumbo-jumbo." It has good shopping strategies and menu suggestions. I already feel 100% better and I'm only just starting to eliminate some of the "bad" foods. Great book!

I sat down to read Joan Ifland's book with a king-sized Snickers candy bar in my hand--I was that helpless where sugar and flour were concerned. But two chapters in, I knew that what I was reading was going to change my life forever. Joan provides a blueprint for living a life free of binges, uncontrollable cravings, and raging. This book is not a diet book, it is a simple, straight-forward guide for a lifetime of good health, and all the associated benefits--including better self-esteem and personal satisfaction. Since I have eliminated sugar and flour from my diet, I have lost more than 70 pounds. My sleep apnea symptoms have disappeared, and I no longer snore! My knees can support my body without pain, and I no longer have to climb the stairs one step at a time. I believe I may have avoided a collision course with diabetes. But the very best part of Joan's program for me is the inner calm I feel where sugars and flours are concerned. I no longer worry and wonder and obsess about where my next sugar "fix" is coming from, and I am able to make rational decisions about what I need to eat and when. If you ever find yourself eating food that your body doesn't need, you will understand what I mean about being set free. Please give Joan's book a try. Her words are simple, but profound, and they can change your life. May you discover a new, wonderful way of living.

In this book Ms. Ifland describes what I did not recognize as my addiction to carbohydrates. While addiction may seem a rather strong term to describe anyone's relationship with food, Ms Ifland does a good job of detailing, and documenting, the pattern of compulsive and irrational eating habits that can arise as a result of the way the body digests and processes simple and complex sugars. In the same way that booze can trigger excessive drinking in an alcoholic and a drug can lead to uncontrolled using by a drug addict it is shown that carbohydrate metabolism in many individuals can lead to irrational cravings and eating urges -- even if an individual is not, per se, hungry. I had always thought that I could control my eating and lose weight "if I put my mind to it." While a person must always be ready to employ mental tools to combat compulsive eating, the elimination of carbohydrates from my diet has eliminated the overwhelming physiological urges that were almost unbeatable by sheer willpower. This food program takes away the offending substances that drove me to the pantry or the refrigerator. In my compulsion to reestablish my sugar levels, I would cram anything into my mouth -- from bread to candy to fruit to nuts. Once I started on this binge I would not stop, even when feeling full or when the symptoms of hypoglycemia had abated. Later, when my blood sugar levels had come down, I would resume eating in an attempt to get another jolt of sugar, or to insure that they did not dip down to low levels again. I did not know that I was being driven by my bodily cravings, until I read this book. I must say that within the first three days of eliminating sugar, flour and wheat I saw a dramatic drop in my craving for excessive food intake. It was such a liberating experience! If you think you might fit the description of one who struggles with carbohydrate addiction, give this food program a try. It is not as hard to give up these offending substances up as it may first seem. And you will not be sorry with the results. I lost 30 pounds without effort over three and one half months.

Joan Ifland's book changed my life. I began implementing the recommendations within it four years ago, when the book was in an earlier incarnation. I lost 50 pounds effortlessly. I have been implementing the book's food plan ever since and have kept the weight off. Eliminating sugars and flours has made me feel better in so many ways. I recommend this book without reservation.

I was fortunate to hear Joan's "Flour and Sugar" presentation on the first Tuesday night in September. Before she was half way through, I knew her words were changing my life. I purchased the Sugars and Flours book that night. On Saturday morning, I began reading it aloud while my husband and I were driving to Austin for the weekend. That afternoon, we went to Whole Foods and purchased every grain listed in her book as well as other items to get us started. The following day, on Sunday, we had our first day of abstinence from sugar, flour and wheat.Both my husband and I now have 7 1/2 weeks of abstinence, and we are grateful every day. This is the most nurturing thing we have ever done for our bodies. My lifelong sleep disorder left me immediately. We have more constant energy and also our moods are very constant. My husband's snoring has almost completely stopped, and overall we feel our lives are richer. The weight for us is secondary, but additionally, my huband has lost 12 lbs and I have lost 4 lbs.We are extremely grateful to Joan for writing this book and highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in optimal health.