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11 Story Ideas (The Journalist’s Handy “Cheat
Sheet”)
We’re Killing Our Kids with Sweetness: Obesity is Only Part
of the Story. We already know that too many soft drinks,
sugary foods and inactivity have contributed to making some 25
million children overweight or obese. But sugary foods and
quickie carbs also can turn normally mild-mannered youngsters
into “Sugar Brats”—i.e., they become confused, anxious,
unfocused, hyperactive, and have tantrums or even develop ADHD.
(See Ch. 17, “For Parents: Help Your Young Sugar Brats End Their
Fits of Fury,” pp. 264-271, plus 94-97; 79-80; 171-172 and 154.)
Sugar Can Hook You Like Drugs, Alcohol or Nicotine.
Millions of Americans may be addicted to sweets as drug addicts,
alcoholics or smokers are to their substance of choice. Share
with your audience the scoop on sugar dependency and current
cutting-edge research. (See Ch. 9, “Proof Pours In: New Studies
Show That You Can Become Dependent on Sweets,” pp.129 to 149.)
You Might Not Be “Crazy”; You May Have Low Blood Sugar.
If you’re moody, anxious and depressed, you may not have a
mental illness; your low blood sugar and poor diet could be to
blame instead. Educate your readers about this much-ignored,
often-misdiagnosed, but pervasive medical condition that strikes
up to 174 million Americans. Learn why hypoglycemia gets no
respect—hint: it involves diet, not drugs. (See Ch. 13, pp.
191-213, “It Might Not Be `All In Your Head’: What Your Doctor
Doesn’t Know or Believe About Hypoglycemia” and p. 225.)
Is Big Sugar the Next Big Tobacco? In 2000, The Onion
joked about a fictional class-action lawsuit against “Big
Chocolate.” Today, lawsuits are filed or considered against food
companies for tactless marketing tactics, misleading labeling,
etc. Insiders say food company reps sound a lot like tobacco
CEOs. (See Ch. 7, “Is `Big Sugar’ The Next `Big Tobacco’?”,
pp.106-117.)
Hidden Sugars Are Out to Get Us. Consumers are being
duped into thinking that certain foods such as tomato sauce,
yogurt and breads are healthy. But they may be packed with
hidden sugars. Even “diet foods” may contain the same or more
sugar than their full-fat diet counterpart. (Ch. 20, “Top 10
Food-Label Misconceptions About Sweeteners,” pp. 284-289 & pp.
290 & 299.)
Is Sugar Stifling Your Sex Life? An expanded waistline
isn’t the only price to pay from Danish and donuts.
Over-consuming sweets and “culprit carbs” could trigger sexual
dysfunction and low libido. (See Ch. 12, “A Sweet Tooth Could
Trash Your Relationships and Sex Life,” pp. 179-187.)
Squash Your Sugar Cravings With Humor & Fun. Erase the
enticement of those tempting foods and achieve “sugar
liberation” with Connie’s “6 D’s” and other tips, tricks and
tactics. (See Ch. 22, “Connie’s Top 21 Sweet Sugar-Free Success
Secrets and Strategies on pp. 309 to 317.)
Low Sugar is the New Low Carb. Sugar watching is becoming
hot. (See pp. 68-69.)
Is He Not Into You Because You’re Too Into Sugar? Next
time you squabble with your loved one, think about what you ate
the night before. Quickie carbs may have hurled you into Sugar Shock. (See Ch.11, “Sweets Can Sour Your Moods,” pp. 160-175 and
pp. 176-179.)
Diet Drinks Can Make You Fat. And you thought those
sugar-free sodas would help you lose weight? Think again. Connie
shares the latest findings. (See pp. 300 to 301.)
It May Not Be Alzheimer’s Disease; It May Be Sugar Shock.
All those culprit carbs could trigger memory woes. (See Ch. 10,
“Sugary Snacks Can Minimize Your Memory, pp. 150-159.) |
