avatarJoan Kent, PhD

Summary

Dr. Joan Kent shares personal insights on overcoming family-instilled critical behavior and sugar addiction, detailing the transformative impact on her life and the benefits of nutritional changes for overall well-being.

Abstract

In a reflective article, Dr. Joan Kent recounts her journey of transcending the critical and judgmental attitudes she inherited from her mother and grandmother. She describes the defensive mechanisms she developed in response to their behavior and how she found inner peace by changing her internal dialogue. Additionally, Dr. Kent discusses her triumph over sugar addiction, outlining ten key lessons she learned that led to improved mood, energy, and health. She emphasizes the importance of discipline in food choices, the recognition of sugar's control over her life, and the physical and emotional benefits of a sugar-free lifestyle. Dr. Kent now leverages her experiences to help clients transform their health through nutrition, offering a free Empower Me Consult through her website, LastResortNutrition.com.

Opinions

  • The author believes that overcoming the defensive behavior learned from her family was crucial for personal growth and likability.
  • Dr. Kent holds a strong opinion that discipline, not casualness, is essential in managing one's diet and overcoming sugar addiction.
  • She expresses that honesty with oneself about the effects of sugar, even in its "fancier" forms, is a pivotal step in recovery.
  • The author emphasizes that even small amounts of sugar can perpetuate cravings and hinder progress in breaking free from addiction.
  • Dr. Kent has developed compassion for those struggling with sugar addiction, suggesting a deep understanding of the challenge.
  • She is confident in the transformative power of proper nutrition on health, energy levels, and mood, and she is passionate about sharing this with her clients.
  • The author suggests that her personal experiences with sugar addiction and behavior change have equipped her to effectively guide others to better health.

Lessons Learned from Mom, Grandma — and Sugar

I made myself stronger than the behavior I learned from my family, and stronger than my sugar addiction.

My mother was critical and judgmental. My grandmother was even more so, and probably where my mother learned to be that way. They turned that stuff on me, sometimes individually, sometimes together.

Out of survival, I learned 2 things.

• A good offense is the best defense.

• How to dish it back worse than they ever dreamed of dishing it out to me.

It got them off my back, but I was not at peace. And I wasn’t very likable, either.

In time, I learned that my inner power didn’t lie in that behavior, that I didn’t have to live there.

Changing my “inside” felt comfortable and really good. I felt at peace.

People I tell this to can’t see that old trait in me, so it seems to be gone. Yay!

And Then There Was Sugar

If you’ve read my books or read my posts, you know I’m the World’s Foremost Recovered Sugar Addict.

The 10 lessons I learned from quitting sugar were:

1. To be disciplined, not casual, about food.

2. How food was controlling my life: what I could or couldn’t eat each day, constant cravings and the constant desire for sugar.

3. To face sugars — even fancy ones — and not lie to myself about them: agave, manuka honey, coconut sugar, maple syrup, fruit juice.

4. To stop buying the wrong foods, not just tell myself I wouldn’t eat them.

5. How keeping sugar in my life — small tastes and treats — just kept me wanting it and craving it.

6. What it feels like to be calm, without constant mood swings or depression.

7. Compassion for those struggling with sugar addiction.

8. What true energy feels like.

9. How great it feels to wake up without a sugar hangover.

10. How great it feels not to catch every cold that’s going around.

Not Everyone Needs to Give up Sugar!

I made myself stronger than the behavior I learned from my family and stronger than my sugar addiction. But not everyone’s addicted to sugar.

I love helping my clients — and have decided I should start telling folks exactly how much they’ll benefit inside as they change their eating for the sake of their health, their weight, their moods, and so on. I love seeing clients transform as they improve what they eat. If you’d like to boost your health and energy AND experience the best side of yourself, perfect! That’s what I do.

Just visit LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empower Me Consult. Find out how easy it is to make great health, high energy, and good moods happen.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.

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