I happen to have Marshall McLuhan right here....

Complete this sentence: "If I was a six foot tall white male in a suit...people would believe me when I talk...or...I would be trusted to know what I actually know." The way of corporate America, still today in 2009! I recently hired my social media expert daughter, who happens to be 4'11" and is 23 but looks 14, to work on our social media strategic plan with us. She knows far more than the rest of us 40 and 50-somethings about google adwords, organic positioning, blogging, and social networking. She has been blogging consistently since she was about 15, and ghostwrites blogs for other professionals, as well as advising on social media, inquiries and web hits. She is also very well spoken. You get the picture.

In a meeting the other day, Jess was indirectly dissed by one of "us". When I asked her to explain her expertise, I was reminded of that scene in Annie Hall, when Woody Allen's and Diane Keaton's characters are standing behind a local Columbia University Professor who is pontificating about Marshall McLuhan. When Woody's character can't stand it anymore, he brings Marshall McLuhan from behind a column in the movie theater line. McLuhan then lambastes the prof for his lack of knowledge and puts him in his place, speechless - one of my favorite scenes of all time. This was the emotion I felt when Jessica gave her very brief, demure yet powerful explanation of her expertise.

Ah, proud mama!

Here's hoping for more of those Marshall McLuhan moments for all of us.

Sugar Blues

When people visit my hypnotherapy practice because they want to lose weight, one of the first things I ask them is, how much sugar do you eat? We talk a bit about our relationships with food, especially sugar. I suggest they read the book Sugar Blues, which was written by author William Dufty in the mid 1970's and is still in print.

Sugar, specifically table sugar or sucrose, is found in so very many items. Also, corn syrup, another sugar, is found in so very many things. (Check out Jess Del Balzo's blog; http://jess-keepingitrealfood.blogspot.com/ for more info.) Fruit sugar, fructose, is another sugar that pops up very often.

Dufty talks about our relationship with sugar, the sugar industry, how sugar affects our bodies, and how we can change our relationship with sugar for benefits. He discusses the difference between refined and natural sugars. (Kind of the difference between Pop-Rocks and an apple.)

We will always find sugar in the things we ingest, but mindfulness helps us be aware of when and how we choose to ingest it.

Sugar Blues refers to the downward physical spiral that occurs after we ingest sugar. The body uses its energy to digest and process the sugar, leaving less energy for other activities like exercises, work, focus. It also refers to the emotional down that sugar can create.

I am not a nutritionist nor a doctor. I am not suggesting that you "give up" sugar. Just become aware of what you eat. This suggestion is not for everyone, just for people who cannot quite figure out why they drag after they eat Funny Bones, or puzzle as to why their coffee with a couple of teaspoons of sugar doesn't give them the boost they were hoping for, or for folks who crave sugar. Dufty's book is in paperback at Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Sugar-Blues-William-Dufty/dp/0446343129/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242475344&sr=8-1

Check it out.