Gab With the Gurus Blog

Learn to be Happy With Gretchen Ruben on Wed., Jan. 6

The Gab With the Gurus Radio Show begins 2010 on a very happy note!

Our first guest of the year is Gretchen Ruben, who will give you valuable tips on how to become happy on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m..

Gretchen also will tell you all about The Happiness Project, which is also the name of her new book. (The subtitle is: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun.)

To get you in a cheerful mood, here are happiness some tips, which Gretchen kindly shared with you. 

She recommends the following:

• Remember your body. Get enough sleep, get some exercise and manage pain.
• Make keeping strong relationships with other people a priority. Strong bonds with others is the KEY to happiness. Show up, make plans, smile, help others and don't gossip.
• Clean up. For most people, outer order contributes to inner calm, so take the time to tackle the big piles in your house, car, and office, and try to follow little habits to keep the clutter under control.
• Make someone else happy. Volunteer, smile, be considerate, use good manners and go out of your way to do something that will help someone else.
• Take time for fun! Make sure you have time in your life for some things YOU find fun. Learn to do something new, have an adventure, make time for a hobby or join a group of people who are interested in something that interests you.

You can get more wonderful tips to become happy by listening live on Jan. 6 at 2 pm EST or later (below), at your convenience.

Love Your Body & Your Life With Sarah Maria on Dec. 15

Wouldn't it be nice to be at peace with your body? Join the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Tues., Dec. 15 at 2 pm to learn how to do that from body-image expert Sarah Maria, author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life. .

Sarah -- who spent years trying to live up to an unrealistic, unattainable standard of how she should look -- will help you to discover the beauty that is already inside of you now.

In addition, Sarah -- who has trained with such well-known teachers and physicians as Deepak Chopra, Dr. David Simon, Wayne Dyer and Jack Canfield -- will tell you how to pacify your heart, befriend your body and transform your life.

Sarah will also share thoughts about:

• Why 80 to 90 percent of women struggle with a negative body obsession.
• Where we learned to hate our bodies.
• How you can identify and detach from your negative thoughts.
• Why it's important to discover who you really are.
• Simple yet powerful practical psychological exercises to help defeat negative body obsession.
• Warning signs to watch out for in yourself, your teens or other loved ones before they take the dangerous path to dieting, binging and purging. 
• How to find your own truth and deal with the media onslaught to which we’re often subjected.

Listen to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show with Sarah Maria either live or later, at your convenience.

Heartfelt Holiday Gifts on Dec. 2 (Listen Live or Later)

Every holiday season, people get stumped as to what to get their loved ones.

We're here to help you give memorable gifts that will nurture and nourish your loved one.

You will learn learn How to Find Heartfelt Gifts from:

• Gift-giving guru Robyn Spizman and Giftionary.com founder, 
• Health gifts expert Randi Luckman,
• Relaxation/guided visualization expert/Love-Mind Guru Debra Berndt, (who will tell you about her amazing Complete Relaxation Set (9 MP3s) and Weight Loss Hypnosis Set (4 MP3s) and 
• Arielle Fierman, who creates amazing jewelry, especially the I Love You ring.
• Terry Walters, author of Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close tot he Source With More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You.

If you get any of our guests' amazing gifts, make sure to tell them that Connie Bennett sent you.

Join the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show (either live on Wed., Dec. 9 at 2 pm EST or later, at your convenience) to find out about Heartfelt Holiday Gifts.

Listen below at any time.

"Speed Shrinking" Author Susan Shapiro Joins Us Sept. 22

Join us on the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Sept. 22 at 2 pm EST, when I'll interview humorous author Susan Shapiro, who says therapy helped her quit all her addictive behavior -- smoking, drinking, pot, gum and sugar.

Sue will discuss how she was able to finally conquer her sugar habit. She'll also chat about her debut debut novel, Speed Shrinking, a humorous account about how a self-help guru goes on a shrink shopping spree, seeing 8 in 8 days to quickly find help after she relapses on cupcakes right before a major TV appearance. 

As mentioned on the Sugar Shock Blog here and then again here, Sue has been holding acclaimed, much-publicized "Speed Shrinking" events, in which people chat about their issues for 3 minutes with a variety of "Speed Shrinkers." (Sue was kind enough to invite me to be one of them.)

If you're struggling with a sugar addiction, I recommend that you listen to my upcoming Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Sept. 22 at 2 pm EST to get Sue's take on sugar addiction and more. (As usual, you can tune in live or later. See below.)

I also encourage you to get Sue's entertaining book, Speed Shrinking, which has been getting rave reviews.

For instance, Publisher's Weekly called it: " “…bubbly…an original voice and an energy that will resonate with anyone who’s ever stared down a Twinkie.”

And Guy Nicolucci, writer for Late Night with Conan O’Brien said: "Susan Shapiro does for therapy and food what Candace Bushnell did for sex and shoes.”

By the way, the plot of Sue's book strikes me as very funny. Speed Shrinking provides a humorous account about a self-help author, Julia Goodman, whose cupcake addiction gets triggered when her shrink, husband and best friend "abandon" her. The catch is: The heroine is allegedly a sugar addiction specialist, who will soon appear on the "Today Show" to promote her new book about how she conquered her sugar issues.

Rather than get "outed" for her weight gain and sugar challenges, Julia frantically sees eight shrinks in eight days to find a new one. Interestingly, all this shrink-hopping helped her lose weight.

Remember, you can get entertained, educated and inspired by listening live on Sept. 22 at 2 pm EST or later, when Sue appears on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show.

Sugar Expert Nancy Appleton Joins the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show

If you find it hard to say no to sugary foods, then you have to join us on the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 2 pm, when I interview the renowned sugar expert.

As always, you can listen live or later, on this Gab With the Gurus Blog, by clicking the player at the bottom of this post. Or you can listen directly at the BlogTalkRadio site.

The cheerful, dynamic, always-energetic Dr. Appleton -- who has just come out with a new book, Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction -- will share some startling information about this legal but dangerous, nearly ubiquitous, addictive white powder.

Nancy is one of the most prominent sugar experts. Back in the 1970s, Nancy -- who has a B.S. in clinical nutrition and a Ph.D. in health services -- was sharing little-known hazards about sweets.

Some of you have wondered why I'm promoting other sugar experts when I'm still spreading the word about my own book, SUGAR SHOCK!

Frankly, I believe that you can be inspired, educated and encouraged by all of us sugar authors. Besides, as my tormented, frustrated sugar-addicted clients often reveal, people long to get more motivated. Together, we sugar authors can help you to get that umph to kick your habit. (Of course, ultimately it's up to you.)

Furthermore, I'm tremendously grateful I am to Nancy.She bent over backwards on many occasions to help me for several years while I was writing SUGAR SHOCK! 

However, of all sugar experts (other than myself), Nancy is hands-down my favorite. She has been my sweet, kind mentor for years. I cannot rave enough about my idol, who I had the pleasure of finally meeting in late April at a Food Addiction: The Obesity Epidemic Connection conference at IslandWood on Bainbridge Island. (You can watch a video of me interviewing Jack LaLanne at the conference.).

Back to Nancy. When I was writing my book, Nancy has absolutely no way of knowing that SUGAR SHOCK! would sell well, and that years later I would finally be able to help her. 

So I encourage now, go out and buy Nancy's amazing new book, Suicide by Sugar: A Startling Look at Our #1 National Addiction.

Listen here to the the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show with Nancy either live on Oct. 20 at 2 pm EST -- or later, at your convenience, just click on the player below.

Lyme Disease: Everything You Always Wanted to Know But Were Too Confused to Ask

If you're an outdoors lover, you need to know about ticks -- those tiny, hard-to-see critters that can suck your blood and give you Lyme disease, a fast-growing infectious disease that can cause everything from horrific headaches to joint pains to cognitive confusion.

We're in the midst of tick season so you'll want to listen to my upcoming Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lyme Disease But Were Too Confused to Ask.

The show takes place join us live on Tues., Aug. 25 at 3 pm or you can listen later, at your convenience.

Guests include::

• Kenneth Liegner, M.D., who had treated many Lyme patients in his practice in Armonk, New York. He is co-author of Coping With Lyme: A Practical Guide to Dealing with Diagnosis and Treatment, and he has written about the subject for the Journal of American Medicine, the New England Journal of Medicine, and the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. He practices medicine in Armonk, New York.(See interesting New York Times article here in which he was quoted.)
• Ronald D. Whitmont, M.D., clinical Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine
  New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY 
  
• Lorrie Nadel, director of Advocacy and Patient Care at the Turn the Corner Foundation, which is dedicated to research, support, awareness and innovative treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne ailments.
• James Gormley, author of User's Guide to Treating Lyme Disease
• Victor Zeines, DDS, a dentist, who recently got Lyme disease himself.

FYI, you're also invited to listen now to the recent Gab With the Gurus Radio Show that I did with two insiders from the documentary, "Under Our Skin: The Untold Story of Lyme Disease."

And you're encouraged to check out last year's show after I got Lyme disease myself. My guests included:

• Science journalist Pamela Weintraub, author, Cure Unknown: Inside the Lyme Epidemic;
• Pat Smith, president of the Lyme Disease Association;
• Bernard D. Raxlen, M.D.;
• Steven J. Bock, M.D.;
• Dr. Qingcai Zhang;
• Rebecca Wells (author of "Ya-Ya" novels and long-time Lyme sufferer) and
• Kris Newby, senior producer of the documentary, “Under Our  Skin."

See you soon for the important important radio show, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lyme Disease But Were Too Confused to Ask.

Do You Spend Time Outdoors? Learn About Lyme Disease With "Under Our Skin" Creators

If you spend any time at all outdoors -- i.e., most Americans -- you MUST learn about the fast-growing infectious Lyme disease.

First, I urge you to to listen to last year's radio show, which featured Pamela Weintraub, author of the book, Cure Unkown; Pat Smith, president of the Lyme Disease Association; Dr. Bernard D. Raxlen; Dr. Steven J. Bock; Dr. Qingcai Zhang; author Rebecca Wells ("Ya-Ya" novels) and Kris Newby, senior producer of the “Under Our Skin: The Untold Story of Lyme Disease.”

Next, I encourage you to tune in July 14 at 3 pm EST to my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show for a special show about Lyme disease in which Andy Abrahams Wilson, director/producer of the poignant documentary, "Under Our Skin," and Kris Newby again will tell educate you. The film is now playing at selected movie theaters nationwide.

Together, Andy and Kris will open your eyes about the untruths and controversies surrounding this fast-growing, infectious disease.

Again, let me insist! All Americans need to know about tick-borne illnesses. You see, as many as 2 million to 3 million people around the country, according to some experts, have Lyme disease, but they and their doctors don't know it.

That's because people with Lyme disease are often misdiagnosed as having a variety of other illnesses such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, lupus, ALS, lupus, arthritis or even psychiatric disorders.

Read more about this incredible "Under Our Skin" documentary in this Vanity Fair article.

You can listen to this show (below) live Tues., July 14 at 3 pm EST or later, at your convenience.

Incidentally, because of my horrific experiences with Lyme disease, I've written an op-ed piece, "Bitten in the City: How a Tick Made a Mockery of My Memory," which will soon be published in a major newspapers. Details coming.

Plus, I'm now writing a book about Lyme disease. The  working title is: "Bitten in the City: Facts & Fallacies about Lyme Disease." Stay tuned for announcements about it.

Remember, on July 14, on the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, the creators of "Under Our Skin" will educate you about this horrifying, horribly misunderstood, controversial disease.

Lisa Rinna Shares Secrets to Get Your Best Life Ever & Karen Salmansohn Tells You How to Be Happy No Matter What

Ever wonder what smart habits glamorous, award-winning actress, host and dancer Lisa Rinna has that enables her to always look so amazing, have so much energy, have time for herself and even find balance her life?

On Tuesday, at 3 pm EST on my Gab With the Gurus Radio Show, the sexy, slim Lisa Rinna -- who has spent more than two decades in the public eye as an actress, TV host, businesswoman and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant -- will share some secrets so, you can get your best life ever.

For instance, Lisa -- author of the new book Rinnavation: Getting Your Best Life Ever -- will tell you:

- How to look and feel great
- How to lose weight fast -- without counting calories
- How to be "camera ready" in just minutes
- How to balance work, play and family while taking time for self care
- How to boost your self esteem and retain her sense of self
- How to build a solid spiritual anchor
- How to get healthy from the inside out and
- How to have having what she calls "kick-ass beauty." (Her words, not mine!)

Listen live or later to the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show with the sexy, slim Lisa Rinna.

Meanwhile, also appearing on the show with Lisa is the prolific speaker and bestselling author Karen Salmansohn, who will give you tips on how to stay cheerful no matter what is going on in your life and how to be emotionally resilient despite economic challenges.

Karen, author of numerous books, including How to Be Happy, Dammit and The Bounce Back Book: How to Thrive in the Face of Adversity, Setbacks and Losses, will also be joined by Todd Harrison, founder and CEO of minyanville.com, which provides financial information to help all kinds of investors.

I learned about Todd through Karen's fascinating piece on the Huffington Post, Laugh Your Way Through This Financial Crisis.

Check out some of the entertaining videos on minyanville, including this one about corporate feuds.

Listen live or later to the Gab With the Gurus Show with Lisa Rinna, Karen Salmansohn and Todd Harrison.

Stop Overeating With Former FDA Commissioner Dr. David Kessler, Low-Carb Expert Dr. Keith Berkowitz & Anti-Sugar Pioneer Dr. Nancy Appleton

Are you eager to escape from your runaway overeating? Tired of being enslaved by your love of sugary, fatty, salty processed foods?

Help is here.

Join us on Tuesday, June 23 at 3 pm EST when my guest on the Gab with the Gurus Radio Show is former FDA commissioner Dr. David Kessler, author of The End of Overeating.

You'll learn about his how he met with top scientists, physicians and food industry insiders to learn why we Americans have lost control over our eating habits.

He'll even tell us about his late-night forays into garbage dumpsters to retrieve the all-telling ingredient labels at various restaurants, which The Washington Post reveals.

You'll next hear from the acclaimed low-carb proponent, Dr. Keith Berkowitz, who will also help you to get rid of that stubborn fat.

Dr. Berkowitz is author of The Stubborn Fat Fix: Eat Right to Lose Weight and Cure Metabolic Burnout Without Hunger or Exercise.

• This exciting Gab With the Gurus episode will conclude with my mentor Dr. Nancy Appleton, author of Lick the Sugar Habit and the upcoming book, Suicide by Sugar, telling you about how people are trapped and consumed by their sugar addiction.

In particular, my friend Nancy will discuss some of the compelling people and comments that you'll find in her new video, Sweet Suicide.

Nancy -- who I've had the pleasure of interviewing several times  previously (most recently in January) on my Gab With the Gurus Radio segments -- is one of the original anti-sugar pioneers, whose book Lick the Sugar Habit, helped me kick the substance back in 1998.

The former sugaraholic, who, over the years, has accumulated the massive list, "146 Reasons Why Sugar is Ruining Your Health," will reveal eye-opening new things about sugar's deadly properties..

Remember, as usual, you can listen to this show live or later, at your convenience. Get details here about the show or listen below.

The Secret's Lisa Nichols Inspires You to Succeed "No Matter What"

Lisa Nichols, who you  may have seen in The Secret and/or on "Oprah" joins the Gab With the Gurus Radio Show on Tuesday, May 19.

The charismatic go-getter is now on the road promoting her new book, No Matter What, which tells you how to make your dreams a reality despite any challenges that may face you.

Listen here live at 3 pm EST or later, at your convenience.