Confessions of a Sugar Addict in a Sugar-Laden World | Laura Marquis | TEDxLoyolaMarymountU

For the first time, in her incredibly vulnerable talk, Laura tells her sobering story of becoming a sugar addict and what it took to reverse that trend and help others do the same.

For nearly a decade, Laura Marquis was inexplicably sick. Motivated to find answers, Laura embarked on a journey of self-discovery, finding that the food we eat directly impacts our health and wellness. Armed with a degree in Applied Body Science, a passion for health, and a thirst for answers, Laura became a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, and later opened her own fitness studio in 2009. Today, she is drawn to the kitchen by a passion to educate herself and others on the sugar epidemic, launching the very first refined-sugar-free dessert cookbook.

Laura's TEDx talk will expose her personal journey as a sugar addict, reveal why the average healthy American, regardless of their measurements, really isn't healthy; and examine why, despite modern medicine, obesity and disease still prevail at a rapid rate.

[tumourfreetim]

To fight stage 4 lung cancer I made 39 diet and lifestyle changes. No refined sugar was 1st change. Given 3 months to live in feb 2017. Today happily tumourfreetim

[weelynn]

it's not just about the sugar, it's the mental part of it also - escaping from your problems and turning to food for comfort.

[deeghali]

gosh. tearing up as i watch this video. the poor body works SO hard to constantly fight off all the junk we force into it, never getting a break. It just destroys me thinking about what I've been doing.

[alicec.]

It took me 45 days to feel good when I eliminated sugar. But life is not easy and people laugh if you say you are addicted to sugar. One day I started eating again, in a "social pressure" and all came back.

[CrossfitCarlos]

I lost 100 pounds giving up food addiction, i still struggle with it but at 165 pounds for 8 years I can say it's a winnable struggle.

[waahpollodehule]

I think it is SICK that WE have to learn HOW to read a label, instead of COMPANIES being OBLIGATED to have TRUE and HONEST labeling. It is crazy how money is on top of everything, even above our health

[bamagrl]

This is so real and so many people struggle with sugar addiction without even knowing it. AND, it's not just overweight people. I've been thin my whole life and so thought it was okay to eat this way...UNTIL I started having issues - gut health, skin and eventually autoimmune condition like psoriasis. Once I started researching, I discovered the truth of what sugar does to your health, I couldn't ignore it anymore. No matter your weight or size you can get diabetes. It is not a weight problem it's a health problem that can affect anyone.

[kkfz]

Watching this because I'm an eighteen year old working at a bakery and going through the exact same thing. I thought I was the only one dealing with this situation, thanks so much for sharing!

[oscarhenry]

The hardest bit about being a sugar addict is the self denial because sugar is such a widely consumed and accessible item. Unlike other drugs it can be found literally everywhere and only costs pennies. It makes you feel sluggish, disrupts your appetite and can also make you feel generally ill.

[pandaei.]

Thank you so much.
It is not a cute thing, it is not a joke.
This is all I can say.
Sugar addiction is not a joke.

[erics]

I appreciate you giving this talk. As a physician I also struggle with this as well. It's embarrassing to admit, but admitting it is the first step...

[katexy]

It really isn't a joke... Sugar is VERY addictive. I watched a documentary and it was a wake up call. Then I started checking labels of containers and labels... EVERYTHING had sugar. My favorite cereal that I added sugar to, had sugar already? The so called healthy granola bars, protein bars, protein powder, regular milk, some meat and cheese kinds, mayo, KETCHUP (I was wtf here) and it got me so surprised. I realized EVERYTHING I was eating had sugar. Suddenly I also realized that sugar triggers my cravings even more so after my cereal with milk and sugar (with both having TONS of sugar even without me adding it) I would want to have snacks so i would eat icecream out of the box and would never be satisfied with one serving size. I could it a whole box of Ben&Jerrys in one go... And the rest of my day would be accompanied by occasional sweet treats and meals that still contained TONS of sugar. My diet was pretty much just sugar. After the documentary I switched my cereal to whole grain oats with no added sugars, started checking thoroughly for milk with no sugar, ate fruits instead of ice cream, and pretty much said GOODBYE to ketchup, mayo, many dairy products, crisps and so on. I still have my sweet treats but more mindfully than before and I eat veggies for all my meals. But I still sometimes feel it on the days when I eat no sweets, sugar withdrawal.. It's really horrible and worse than coffee withdrawal.. I have no energy, I'm down the entire day... But when I don't consume it for longer, I'm thriving.

[seshramdass]

Its also because of emotions. We reach for sugar because of the way we feel. When we feel sad and depressed we want to reach for comfort and we find it in sugar . Stress is a very big factor in everything. It feels like sugar is taking the pain away but its not. Its causing more pain which we dont see immediately.

[evergreentree]

As a sugar addict, I totally relate to her. I've also hidden food wrappers and thrown out food to stop eating it and then take it from the bin and eat it. Now I'm counting calories and watching my sugar intake. But when I go shopping and I walk past the sweets, before I know what's happening the chocolate or the cake is in my basket and I'm waiting at the checkout. I tell myself I'll only have a little bit, but every time it's the same story, I end up eating all of it before I even get home.

[michaeljohnson]

Sugar gives the illusion of comfort so people eat it thinking they are escaping stress but it’s sugar that causes it. This is the vicious circle of emotional eating, the illusion of the solution is actually the problem.

In other words, the second you finish eating something sugary it’s a count down to the next sugar “fix”. Then you feel relieved (illusion) then it’s a count

Realize deeply there’s no comfort in sugar then quitting doesn’t require willpower which comes and goes. Education and understanding is the key to quitting.

You see, it’s a illusion your quitting sugar. That’s not what’s happening. When you stop sugar you gain, you become whole, you become complete. There’s nothing to quit. There’s no void, when you stop eating sugar it’s 100% upside.

Good luck! Love you all!

[paulaaquino]

I saw myself in her speech.... both in crisis and in recovery...

[mario]

I totally relate to her about being able to throw something away and still be able to want to reach for it... So much respect to her for saying something.

[trinarichardson]

A young girl at work the others day was coughing, when we suggest cold meds she was all snippy "I DONT TAKE DRUGS😑".. but every day she eattin' donuts and drinking sodas. I told her 1 cold tablet will cause less harm than that sugar addition I dont even know I have.😶

[shambam]

I can't say I'm completely over my sugar addiction but my progress is improving. This woman shows that there are Americans who won't accept sugar as the social norm. It can take over your life. A candy bar determined my happiness.

[wadisanaa]

sugar, the sweetest poison slow death