About.com Rating

Updated August 18, 2014.

The Bottom Line

Beat Sugar Addiction is an easy-to-read, clearly written book, formatted as a workbook. You take the helpful quizzes, identify which one of the four types of sugar addict you may be, and then follow the comprehensive, type-specific solutions, which include natural therapies, dietary recommendations, lifestyle changes, and mind-body approaches. The book also features the latest integrative approaches to resolve adrenal fatigue, candidiasis/yeast overgrowth, low energy, and hormone imbalance, which are issues that are common in people with thyroid and autoimmune disease.



Pros

• Quizzes can help pinpoint specifically the type of sugar addiction.
• Workbook format is practical and easy-to-follow, and helps you create your own plan.
• Talks about pros and cons of various supplements and prescription medications.

Cons

• May be challenging to find doctors who will help you take the proactive approach recommended.

Description

• Interesting safety comparison from Dr. Teitelbaum on Sweet n' Low (saccharin), Splenda (sucralose), and Equal (aspartame).
• Cutting-edge information on d-ribose, which may curb sugar cravings, add energy, lower blood sugar, and aid in weight loss.
• Relevant discussion of pros and cons Cortef/bioidentical cortisol for adrenal fatigue.
• Useful information on benefits and side effects of Glucophage (metformin) for blood sugar control.
• Surpring information on the role of parasites in sugar cravings and weight.

Guide Review - Beat Sugar Addiction Now! By Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

The average American eats 150 pounds of sugar each year. We now know that excessive sugar intake can contribute to a number of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, and may be a root cause of the inflammation that can be a factor in cancer, heart disease, and other health issues.

For several decades, integrative internist Jacob Teitelbaum, MD has worked with patients who have chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromaylgia, hypothyroidism, and hormonal imbalances. In his practice, he noticed that sugar addiction was frequently a contributing factor to illness, and helping patients resolve sugar issues and reduce sugar intake was an important component of recuperation and ongoing wellness. He has put together his recommended approach in his book Beat Sugar Addiction Now!: The Cutting-Edge Program That Cures Your Type of Sugar Addiction and Puts You on the Road to Feeling Great - and Losing Weight, co-written with Chrystle Fiedler.

In Beat Sugar Addiction Now, Dr. Teitelbaum provides quizzes to help readers identify the four key types of sugar addiction, which include:

• Type 1: Hooked on "Energy Loan Shark" Drinks -- where daily fatigue is causing sugar and caffeine cravings
• Type 2: Feed Me Now or I'll Kill You -- a type of sugar addiction common in thyroid patients, as it's triggered by adrenal fatigue and adrenal imbalance
• Type 3: The Happy Twinkie Hunter -- sugar cravers who have chronic nasal congestion, sinusitis, spastic colon, or irritable bowel syndrome, indicative of candida/yeast overgrowth
• Type 4: Depressed and Craving Carbs -- those who crave sugar around menstrual periods, menopause and andropause, and require hormone balance.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.