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Potatoes Not Prozac
An addictive nurtrition expert suggests that cravings for fattening foods can be due to a body chemistry that triggers sugar cravings and provides an effective nutrition program that helps readers break out of that chemical cycle and improve their health. 60,000 first printing. Tour.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
October 30, 2010
This book is about how to improve your mood and life (and lose weight) if you have a ravenous sweet tooth. So what do you do? You eat a lot less sugar. Problem solved.
Admittedly, there’s more to the book than that. In fact, it’s a detailed, seven step program for overcoming sugar addiction. The first several chapters describe how some people are more “sugar sensitive” than others, how sugar works as a kind of drug for these people, how this is genetic and not your fault, and how all this is presumably evidenced by experimentation on mice and other such research. It details the hypothetical link between alcoholism and sugar addiction (the author worked in recovery for many years and is now a nutritionist). It offers a checklist you can use to self-diagnosis yourself with sugar sensitivity. “Did you check more than three items on this list? If so, you might be a human being.” No, sorry – “If so, you might be sugar sensitive.” Well, I checked six items, and I don’t doubt that I’m “sugar sensitive,” but I didn’t fit the personality profile she described of a sugar sensitive person (wild mood swings, sudden unexplained bursts of anger, and a tendency to forget to pay the bills…). Nevertheless, I do tend to keep sweets from the house because I’m the sort of person who will eat the entire bag of Oreos. So I thought I’d keep reading.
“Because I am not giving you sheets and sheets of instructions to follow,” writes Dr. DesMaisons, “you may decide this plan isn’t really right for you.” She says this after spending over 100 pages instructing you to eat a breakfast every morning within one hour of waking up that includes a number of grams of protein equal to a mathematical formula involving your body weight and one serving of complex carbs, to write down every minute detail of what and when you eat and how it makes you feel, to eat precisely three meals a day with a specific amount of formula-dependent protein at each meal, to eat one potato (absolutely without any protein this time!) three hours after dinner and just before bed, to replace white breads and grains with brown ones, and to gradually eliminate all sugars not stemming from complex carbohydrates, including (and especially) alcohol. There ARE reasons I think this plan isn’t really right for me, but the lack of sheets and sheets of instructions isn’t one of them. The inability to stop to write in my food journal because I have to dislodge my son’s head from the banister and then stop my daughter from attempting to scramble eggs in a colander on the stove, as well as the prospect of not being able to unwind with a glass of wine after the kid’s are in bed, are more likely reasons I will find this plan not to my liking.
Her basic recommendation of a low carb diet is of course sound. The low carb diet, in all of its varied forms (Atkin’s, South Beach, Primal, Paleo,) has been the reigning nutritional orthodoxy for the past several years. It not only will make you lose weight (which I have experienced, when I manage to stick to a low carb diet), but many claim it will also give you energy and stabilize and enhance your mood (something I have not experienced). Excuse me a moment. I misspoke. It’s not a diet. Like all diet books, “Prozac Not Potatoes” offers not a diet but “a way of life.” Food is the new religion.
I’d rather go back on the Primal Blueprint (on which I lost about five pounds in two weeks) than try this "plan". Limiting as the Primal Blueprint was, it at least required no journaling and no regulated mealtimes and even gave me license for my nightly glass of red wine (if not for the Woodchuck hard cider I’m drinking at the present moment). My problem, apparently, is that I’m addicted to sugar, and, oh yeah, I don’t much like fish or fowl or pork, so I just can’t stand to stick to a protein-heavy diet for more than two weeks at a time. But if this is the best sugar detox plan available to me…I think sugar is the one addiction to which I’m simply going to have to resign myself.
A final note. I was skeptical of a number of things she said, but there’s one I am absolutely prepared to call b.s. on. “People who are sugar sensitive can eat as little as 800 calories a day, but if those calories are from carbohydrates, they will still gain wait.” I’m sorry, but that’s simply not biologically or mathematically possible. If you eat only 800 calories a day every day, even if all 800 of your calories come from pixie sticks, you will lose weight - unless you weigh less than 80 pounds to begin with, in which case you seriously need to stop counting calories and start eating Ben & Jerry’s.
Admittedly, there’s more to the book than that. In fact, it’s a detailed, seven step program for overcoming sugar addiction. The first several chapters describe how some people are more “sugar sensitive” than others, how sugar works as a kind of drug for these people, how this is genetic and not your fault, and how all this is presumably evidenced by experimentation on mice and other such research. It details the hypothetical link between alcoholism and sugar addiction (the author worked in recovery for many years and is now a nutritionist). It offers a checklist you can use to self-diagnosis yourself with sugar sensitivity. “Did you check more than three items on this list? If so, you might be a human being.” No, sorry – “If so, you might be sugar sensitive.” Well, I checked six items, and I don’t doubt that I’m “sugar sensitive,” but I didn’t fit the personality profile she described of a sugar sensitive person (wild mood swings, sudden unexplained bursts of anger, and a tendency to forget to pay the bills…). Nevertheless, I do tend to keep sweets from the house because I’m the sort of person who will eat the entire bag of Oreos. So I thought I’d keep reading.
“Because I am not giving you sheets and sheets of instructions to follow,” writes Dr. DesMaisons, “you may decide this plan isn’t really right for you.” She says this after spending over 100 pages instructing you to eat a breakfast every morning within one hour of waking up that includes a number of grams of protein equal to a mathematical formula involving your body weight and one serving of complex carbs, to write down every minute detail of what and when you eat and how it makes you feel, to eat precisely three meals a day with a specific amount of formula-dependent protein at each meal, to eat one potato (absolutely without any protein this time!) three hours after dinner and just before bed, to replace white breads and grains with brown ones, and to gradually eliminate all sugars not stemming from complex carbohydrates, including (and especially) alcohol. There ARE reasons I think this plan isn’t really right for me, but the lack of sheets and sheets of instructions isn’t one of them. The inability to stop to write in my food journal because I have to dislodge my son’s head from the banister and then stop my daughter from attempting to scramble eggs in a colander on the stove, as well as the prospect of not being able to unwind with a glass of wine after the kid’s are in bed, are more likely reasons I will find this plan not to my liking.
Her basic recommendation of a low carb diet is of course sound. The low carb diet, in all of its varied forms (Atkin’s, South Beach, Primal, Paleo,) has been the reigning nutritional orthodoxy for the past several years. It not only will make you lose weight (which I have experienced, when I manage to stick to a low carb diet), but many claim it will also give you energy and stabilize and enhance your mood (something I have not experienced). Excuse me a moment. I misspoke. It’s not a diet. Like all diet books, “Prozac Not Potatoes” offers not a diet but “a way of life.” Food is the new religion.
I’d rather go back on the Primal Blueprint (on which I lost about five pounds in two weeks) than try this "plan". Limiting as the Primal Blueprint was, it at least required no journaling and no regulated mealtimes and even gave me license for my nightly glass of red wine (if not for the Woodchuck hard cider I’m drinking at the present moment). My problem, apparently, is that I’m addicted to sugar, and, oh yeah, I don’t much like fish or fowl or pork, so I just can’t stand to stick to a protein-heavy diet for more than two weeks at a time. But if this is the best sugar detox plan available to me…I think sugar is the one addiction to which I’m simply going to have to resign myself.
A final note. I was skeptical of a number of things she said, but there’s one I am absolutely prepared to call b.s. on. “People who are sugar sensitive can eat as little as 800 calories a day, but if those calories are from carbohydrates, they will still gain wait.” I’m sorry, but that’s simply not biologically or mathematically possible. If you eat only 800 calories a day every day, even if all 800 of your calories come from pixie sticks, you will lose weight - unless you weigh less than 80 pounds to begin with, in which case you seriously need to stop counting calories and start eating Ben & Jerry’s.
June 24, 2008
I followed the steps in this book and have been sugar-free since 2005. This book did for me exactly what it sets out to do: taught me how to keep my blood sugar steady, eliminate my cravings, lose weight, and recognize how foods affect how I feel. As a bonus, I also dropped my cholesterol by 20 points. It was a relief to me to learn how to eat to control my blood sugar; I was always terrified of my blood sugar dropping and, as a result, I snacked constantly to keep it from happening. It feels very freeing to know how to eat right to keep a crash from happening.
When I first read it, the idea of following the seven steps seemed overwhelming, especially giving up sugar. But I decided not to worry about that and just tried it. I was amazed at how much better I felt and how quickly. I did the first four steps and then stopped for quite a while; I thought I would be happy and content to stay at step four the rest of my life. But I eventually realized that although I felt a lot better than I used to, there were still good days and bad days, so I ventured onto the fifth step and kept going.
I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles to control their blood sugar or feels a little obsessive about when and where their next sugar fix is coming.
When I first read it, the idea of following the seven steps seemed overwhelming, especially giving up sugar. But I decided not to worry about that and just tried it. I was amazed at how much better I felt and how quickly. I did the first four steps and then stopped for quite a while; I thought I would be happy and content to stay at step four the rest of my life. But I eventually realized that although I felt a lot better than I used to, there were still good days and bad days, so I ventured onto the fifth step and kept going.
I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles to control their blood sugar or feels a little obsessive about when and where their next sugar fix is coming.
November 4, 2020
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I loved learning the science behind addiction and brain chemistry. I am for sure a sugar sensitive person to a certain extent. As a kid I ate candy constantly and loved going to the gas station to buy it. Lucky for me candy was cheaper back then. If I had $5 I spent it on candy. As an adult I am much more aware and don’t Eat it as much. However reading this was very insightful for me about my own sugar sensitivities.
I come from an alcoholic home that had its own form of dysfunction. This statement below could have been written about me.
“My history has shaped me deeply. Because of my fathers alcoholic behavior I learned to pay close attention to interpersonal dynamics around me. I learned to immediately read the emotional temperature of almost any situation. I learned to grow up early.”
Fascinating the connection to sugar sensitivity and your family environment. Whoa...if we knew this stuff back then.
I didn’t realize my candy connection as a kid wasn’t just because sugar is yummy but because of my environment and brain chemistry because of that environment. Candy was comfort!
I come from an alcoholic home that had its own form of dysfunction. This statement below could have been written about me.
“My history has shaped me deeply. Because of my fathers alcoholic behavior I learned to pay close attention to interpersonal dynamics around me. I learned to immediately read the emotional temperature of almost any situation. I learned to grow up early.”
Fascinating the connection to sugar sensitivity and your family environment. Whoa...if we knew this stuff back then.
I didn’t realize my candy connection as a kid wasn’t just because sugar is yummy but because of my environment and brain chemistry because of that environment. Candy was comfort!
September 17, 2020
Wow. This hit really close to home. I might try her plan. Who knew that even though I've never touched drugs or alcohol, I'm probably an addict of that sort. I love how she explained all the biological science behind addiction. It was fascinating to learn about the brain chemistry that goes on with sugar consumption. I also like how she has a logical, doable plan that does NOT start out with cutting out all sugar. The plan focuses on adding in all the good, healing foods and practices first, then gradually, as the body and psyche heal, the addiction (sugar or whatever) falls away more naturally and results in lasting change. Even if a person isn't a sugar addict, this book would benefit those who are close to someone who struggles with it. It explains the exasperating behaviors and validates the struggle - not as moral shortcomings or character flaws, but as biological, chemical imbalances that actually can be healed without drugs.
November 29, 2008
I wanted to find out more about the connection between carbs and depression, so I checked this book out from the library. It advocates seven steps to balancing the body's chemistry and overcoming sugar addiction. These steps are:
1. Keep a food journal
2. Eat three meals a day at regular intervals
3. Take vitamins as recommended
4. Eat the recommended amount of protein at each meal
5. Adjust carbs to include more complex foods
6. Reduce or eliminate sugars
7. create a plan for maintenance
1. Keep a food journal
2. Eat three meals a day at regular intervals
3. Take vitamins as recommended
4. Eat the recommended amount of protein at each meal
5. Adjust carbs to include more complex foods
6. Reduce or eliminate sugars
7. create a plan for maintenance
March 10, 2012
This book is a life-changer. Just eating breakfast with a sufficient amount of protein has stabilized my mood swings and energy level throughout the day. I don't crave sugar like I used to. It's hard to believe because it's so simple, but I swear that IT WORKS.
June 23, 2019
This book helped me along in my journey that eventually led me to discover my allergy to wheat and high sensitivity to sugar.
August 12, 2012
I really liked this book. Aside from the fact that anything that tells me I'm not lazy or self-indulgent or totally lacking in discipline is, of course, what I want to hear, the 'science bit' seems completely logical. DesMaisons theory, and it is just a theory, is that some of us are 'sugar sensitive': our biochemistry is different to those who are not, and our behaviours - the craving sweets/chocolate, sweet foods and white flour based carbs; the mood swings,; the low self-esteem; poor reactions to stress; depression; and even being over weight - are all biochemically based. DesMaisons' work with alcoholics in recovery, and her own experience of 'food abuse' as a compulsive eater led her to hypothesise that there might be a link between the two. Her conclusion was that both are 'sugar sensitive'. From that, she has developed a seven step plan to recovery from sugar addiction: eat breakfast with protein; journal what you eat daily; eat three meals a day with protein; take specified vitamins daily and a potato before bed time (yes, really!!; move from white to brown carbs; reduce or eliminate sugars; get your life back!
Well, the proof of the pudding, so to speak, is in the eating. I've started step one. It's much harder than it might seem. You have to eat a specific amount of protein proportional to your body weight which, at breakfast time, I'm finding quite difficult. I'm not managing quite the right amount for me yet, but I'm almost there most days. I've had no sugar cravings, no desire to snack between meals even on fruit, and my mood seems at least stable. The only day I haven't had protein at breakfast time my mood dipped and by mid-afternoon I'd hit the chocolate - only to feel ten times worse for the rest of the day.
This is not a quick fix. DesMaisons recommends giving oneself at least a month to complete each stage, more if you need it, and to take one step at a time, not try to rush ahead or swap steps around. It is a simple programme, but not necessarily an easy one. However, if it delivers the results then it has to be worth it and I have to say that, for me, the initial results are really encouraging.
Well, the proof of the pudding, so to speak, is in the eating. I've started step one. It's much harder than it might seem. You have to eat a specific amount of protein proportional to your body weight which, at breakfast time, I'm finding quite difficult. I'm not managing quite the right amount for me yet, but I'm almost there most days. I've had no sugar cravings, no desire to snack between meals even on fruit, and my mood seems at least stable. The only day I haven't had protein at breakfast time my mood dipped and by mid-afternoon I'd hit the chocolate - only to feel ten times worse for the rest of the day.
This is not a quick fix. DesMaisons recommends giving oneself at least a month to complete each stage, more if you need it, and to take one step at a time, not try to rush ahead or swap steps around. It is a simple programme, but not necessarily an easy one. However, if it delivers the results then it has to be worth it and I have to say that, for me, the initial results are really encouraging.
January 11, 2021
I like the idea of using food to help heal your body. I definitely notice a difference in how I feel based on what I eat. The plan laid out in this book seems possible and doable for life. I do want to get my eating habits cleaned up because there are several illnesses in my family history that can be prevented or improved with good food choices. I figure taking care of my diet before it becomes absolutely necessary is a good proactive step. Everything I have tried to this point is much to strict to maintain over more than a few months. I think I will give this plan a try and see how it works out.
October 10, 2019
I have read each of Kathleen DesMaisons works (including her dissertation), and with each reading (and re-read), I have laughed, smiled and felt inspiration, gratitude and wonder.
I read the Revised and Updated edition of Potatoes Not Prozac within a few days, even having read the previous editions I didn't want to put this down.
Wow, and thank you.
I read the Revised and Updated edition of Potatoes Not Prozac within a few days, even having read the previous editions I didn't want to put this down.
Wow, and thank you.
February 28, 2020
I’m on Prozac. Take your Prozac. You’ll be much happier for it than following this looney advice. Exercise, engage in intellectual stimulation, eat healthier but don’t think that carbs are the root cause of depression, that’s silly.
July 31, 2010
Interesting ideas in this book. It was great learning about brain chemistry and the balance of certain chemicals and how the food you consume effects such. I've never been a candy-craving, soda-guzzling sugar-junkie, but I recognize that I was a sugar junkie in another way... i.e. french bread, simple carbs, etc. Over the past few years of my life I have developed a penchant for chocolate as well. So this was a wonderful insight into why a person craves these foods, what they do to the body on a chemical level, why they make us feel good - and bad, and how to help ourselves feel better without relying on them. One of the most important things I learned was getting an adequate intake of protein - something I KNOW I have not been good with my whole life. Half your body weight in grams. Then split it up between the three meals you have each day. So I'm shooting for 20g of protein at each meal. In addition, the obvious: complex carbs, brown things and not white things, and avoid sugars. Common sense, but like many things, easier said than done. This was a good refresher and motivator in eating right. This book will remind you how vital a good diet is as it impacts how you feel and the quality of your life.
September 4, 2014
Despite the impressive bibliography (18 pages long!) this book is not as scientifically based as I'd hoped it would be. She presents an interesting hypothesis that sugar-sensitive people are prone to true addictions of sugar/alcohol/drugs because of their inherited biochemistry, but at the time of this printing (1998) she admits there's very little research to prove it. Her "proof" comes from comparing exaggerated, dissimilar cases: Normal Mary eats a hearty breakfast of healthy stuff, while sugar sensitive Susie skips breakfast and has 2 coffees, 3 donuts and a bag of candy on her way to work. Now look at their blood sugar levels....It also was very repetitive and read like a self help book with sentences like, "It's not your fault!" and "You are a bright, sensitive, and awesome person."
While I don't recommend this book, it was not entirely a waste of time. I was primarily interested in the basic biochemistry of sugar highs and lows and she does take a bit of the book to discuss neurotransmitters and how they affect energy levels.
While I don't recommend this book, it was not entirely a waste of time. I was primarily interested in the basic biochemistry of sugar highs and lows and she does take a bit of the book to discuss neurotransmitters and how they affect energy levels.
July 29, 2012
This book is the work of angels. It is a guide for building a healthy, loving and communicative relationship with your body. The results being emotional health and weight loss and It teaches one to understand what your body needs hormonally, chemically and nutritionally and it tells you those needs are discovered through the quality of the relationship you create with yourself. All my life I have been negatively judged because of my body size and through that judgement and mistreatment believed that my body betrayed me and therefore I hated and betrayed my body. With this book I am learning to love, listen and enjoy all that my body is and my body is talking to me and loving me back. We are starting a wonderful and long lasting relationship. Many thanks to Kathleen DesMaisons.
October 30, 2013
(Some scattered thoughts)
This book presents some interesting concepts.
The three factors of mood regulation definitely thought provoking.
Sugar addiction is real. She does an excellent job of presenting this. I've only heard mention of sugar addiction in passing before this book.
The "diet plan" is miles better than anything that has a person counting calories or highly restricting food choices. It's more of a framework, but it's where I'll send people for a start to diet remediation.
It has a short but insightful bit about nicotine addiction at the end.
I think this is a valuable compliment to general diet-health readings. Of course, it fits my worldview. I'd like to hear if anyone thinks this information isn't right.
Love y'all ;)
This book presents some interesting concepts.
The three factors of mood regulation definitely thought provoking.
Sugar addiction is real. She does an excellent job of presenting this. I've only heard mention of sugar addiction in passing before this book.
The "diet plan" is miles better than anything that has a person counting calories or highly restricting food choices. It's more of a framework, but it's where I'll send people for a start to diet remediation.
It has a short but insightful bit about nicotine addiction at the end.
I think this is a valuable compliment to general diet-health readings. Of course, it fits my worldview. I'd like to hear if anyone thinks this information isn't right.
Love y'all ;)
September 1, 2014
I found this in a local charity shop and took a punt without any prior knowledge of the book or author. I found it VERY interesting and found that I have the same tendencies towards sugar that she regards in her book as sugar sensitivity. Kathleen DesMaisons goes in to depth about the science behind how the body uses carbohydrates (simple and complex), converting all to glucose but the more simple the carb the quicker the body converts to glucose and the more of a sugar hit you get, something I knew very little about and I feel now that I have learnt so much that will help me plan my diet better in the future and be more mindful of the sugary foods I eat and how they affect my moods. Well worth reading.
January 16, 2012
If you've ever gone on a low calorie diet and gained weight, then this book explains a lot. If not, lucky you and there's no need to check out this book (unless you know you have other sugar issues). I had figured out some of my sugar-sensitivities, and this book gave me additional tools for figuring out what is happening to my body and some solutions. I'm not sure that I will become a fan of journaling or eating a potato as a bedtime snack. However, I have used the book to consciously experiment with sugar (chocolate!) and objectivelg identify the negative consequences. This book helped open my eyes a little more.
September 17, 2017
As someone who is a big supporter of Intuitive Eating and the Health at Every Size Movement, my feelings about this book are somewhat torn. On the one hand, what the author says sounds intelligent and emotionally resonates with me. On the other hand, there have been other intelligent sounding things that emotionally resonate that are boohockey.
Both this book and the IE/HAES movements have sound bases of their efficacy of functioning in science, so I'm thinking that objective reality has room for both.
Wisdom can be found in many places, as long as you don't get wound up in and brainwashed by diet culture....
Both this book and the IE/HAES movements have sound bases of their efficacy of functioning in science, so I'm thinking that objective reality has room for both.
Wisdom can be found in many places, as long as you don't get wound up in and brainwashed by diet culture....
July 13, 2012
This book is about sugar sensitivity. I bought this book years ago, and it still makes so much sense to me. I think it will be on my book shelf forever. I read it about every 2 years, and say " That's me! That's me !!!", but have yet to do anything about it. It explains how white sugar is man-made, and how we were not meant to consume this chemical that has become such a staple in our lives......It is definitely worth the read. What do you think?
October 8, 2012
Of all the diet books I have ever read, this one is the best! This author has done her research and knows what she is talking about. The book is interesting and easy to read, I really learned a lot but best of all the diet worked and I was in the best mood ever while losing weight. This book uses ground-breaking research to put you in your happy place everyday and helps you to successfully lose weight at the same time!
January 5, 2008
I have read the first version; now I'm working on this one. Simply put, this book and all of DesMaisons' books changed my life. I now understand myself. :) If you have an irresistible attraction to sugar and white carbs, then this is the book for you. Yes, sugar is addictive, and some of us are born with the biochemistry for sugar sensitivity and addiction. This is the way out.
August 16, 2019
I've been following this plan to varying degrees since 2000. Still love it in 2019. Changed my life. Currently 3 years sugar free, no cravings, no fuss.
March 19, 2023
I picked up the book based on the premise that it helps readers dealing with sugar sensitivities. Quite regularly throughout the book, DesMaisons would include commentary from patients. As each patient was named (first names only), I kept asking myself "where are the men?" Why doesn't she have many examples from men. This continued until deep into the book--one of the final chapters, the author makes commentary that made me conclude the book and the studies are meant more to help women than men because women are far more susceptible to sugar sensitivities. Why didn't she state this early in the book? Did I miss it?
Also, I checked out the audio book to listen to while at the gym. Big mistake. This author goes through many lists that just aren't engaging nor of value in an audiobook format. Stick to the print version for Potatoes Not Prozac.
Also, I checked out the audio book to listen to while at the gym. Big mistake. This author goes through many lists that just aren't engaging nor of value in an audiobook format. Stick to the print version for Potatoes Not Prozac.
October 29, 2017
This can be summed up into 7 steps.
1) Eat breakfast that includes protein and a complex carbohydrate within an hour of waking up every day
2) Keep a food journal that includes the date and time, what you ate and drank, how you feel both physically and emotionally to aid in determining how food impacts you feel
3) Eat three meals a day at regular intervals that provide an adequate amount of protein
4) Increase serotonin naturally by taking recommended vitamins and eating a potato before bed
5) Shift from eating white foods like white flour products, rice and pasta to whole grain or brown foods such as whole grains, beans and root foods
6) Reduce or eliminate sugars
7) come alive by finding a place of calm where you no longer have to live in drama and learn new skills.
1) Eat breakfast that includes protein and a complex carbohydrate within an hour of waking up every day
2) Keep a food journal that includes the date and time, what you ate and drank, how you feel both physically and emotionally to aid in determining how food impacts you feel
3) Eat three meals a day at regular intervals that provide an adequate amount of protein
4) Increase serotonin naturally by taking recommended vitamins and eating a potato before bed
5) Shift from eating white foods like white flour products, rice and pasta to whole grain or brown foods such as whole grains, beans and root foods
6) Reduce or eliminate sugars
7) come alive by finding a place of calm where you no longer have to live in drama and learn new skills.
June 8, 2021
I wanted to love this book, but I wanted something that this just wasn't. I LOVED approximately the first third of the book, where it talked about sugar sensitivity and how balancing your blood sugar can affect hormones that in turn impact brain function. Anyone who knows me well knows how I get "hangry" when I have low blood sugar, and it was validating and informative to read about what physical response is actually taking place in the body when that is happening (in very reader-friendly terms.) But then the rest of the book was just a specific and detailed diet plan that called itself "not a diet", which irks me to no end.
TL;DR: I didn't attempt the 7-Step diet plan outlined in detail in the book, but I still learned something from reading the science behind it.
TL;DR: I didn't attempt the 7-Step diet plan outlined in detail in the book, but I still learned something from reading the science behind it.
March 13, 2025
A friend gave me a loan of this book to read due to my interest in health and wellbeing processes. I help to run a Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group and have trained as a Group Leader in order to do this with the organisation called Kintsugi Hope. I read this book and found it really good in its explanation relative to the neurosciences and serotonin and endorphins relative to diet and wellbeing. This area is well explained and informative. I started to get into the types of diet useful in order to establish wellbeing. However this area did not interest me. I would say though that this area would be good for people needing to adjust their day to day diet……however for me….I eat healthily in any case and did not want to embark on a full adjustment day to day. Overall….a good book.
May 13, 2022
Not exactly revolutionary advice... It perpetuates the "sugar is addictive" idea and recommends getting enough protein at each meal, especially breakfast, and not grazing all day. That's been pretty standard diet advice for a while, so it felt like a repetitive read for me. But I also noticed this book was published in 1998. It may have been new advice at the time. I did NOT know that eating a potato before bed could be beneficial for serotonin. That was an interesting tidbit. It also contradicted all of the get-enough-protein-and-don't-snack advice though.
June 14, 2023
An important read for those who either struggle with alcohol addiction or are the children of alcohol abuse.
The ultimate message of the book is simple: some people are overly sensitive to sugar. Thus they need to pay attention to diet - in particular sugar intake (alcohol included). But if we can learn to monitor our food intake, paying attention to simple aspects of our diet, we will see manifold changes.
Worth a read, even if you don't struggle with sugar addiction / alcohol addiction, though not groundbreaking.
The ultimate message of the book is simple: some people are overly sensitive to sugar. Thus they need to pay attention to diet - in particular sugar intake (alcohol included). But if we can learn to monitor our food intake, paying attention to simple aspects of our diet, we will see manifold changes.
Worth a read, even if you don't struggle with sugar addiction / alcohol addiction, though not groundbreaking.
September 5, 2018
I came upon this book at the library hoping to learn more about how health lifestyle can help with mood.. while it did have some useful information, I wasn’t super impressed. What I found was another step by step guide to living a low carb, no sugar diet. It was a little bit preachy, and nothing ground breaking that I haven’t heard before
April 9, 2019
Overall, I find that this book has a LOT of worthwhile information in it to mull over, if not also apply to one's diet ("diet" as in simply what one eats, not a fad type). And for me personally, several parts of it also make sense; I'll be trying even harder to listen to/notice my mood's and body's reactions to various food.
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