# Halloween Candy Intervention needed



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

omg, I can't stop. This is the WORST week for Halloween to fall on (if you know what I mean). I have been consuming SCARY amounts of chocolate. It's all over the office. But worse than that people BRING me candy and will not take it back when I ask them to...

So, let's change the subject, maybe I'll feel better--what's for dinner tonight? I bring this up b/c I have a nice, HEALTHY & all organic pot of beef minestrone soup simmering in the crockpot at home. Choc full of veggies. Will serve with some warm French rolls.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Most candy contains either genetically modified sugar or high fructose corn syrup. That would be enough of a motivator for me to stay far away! :shocked:


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## Hunter's Mom (Dec 8, 2008)

I'm just as guilty as you. this week has been real tough and I have had my fair share of treats and sweets!


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## HaleysMom (Jun 4, 2009)

UGH.....same problem here! Its so bad I'm even eating candy corn :shocked: Now just waiting for the craving of salt to set in....hmm, where did I put the pumkin seeds? 

Edited to add....your soup sounds so yummy


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

I ate a bag of fun-sized Almond Joy, Reeses, and Hershys in less than a week. Yep three full bags of halloween candy. Last night at the store I grabbed a box of mini donuts and ate them all. :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag: 

Halloween will be over soon right????


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

QUOTE (WoofLife @ Oct 29 2009, 02:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845105


> I ate a bag of fun-sized Almond Joy, Reeses, and Hershys in less than a week. Yep three full bags of halloween candy. Last night at the store I grabbed a box of mini donuts and ate them all. :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag:
> 
> Halloween will be over soon right????[/B]



yeah, it will be followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Personally, I have not bought my candy yet because when I think of it all I see is me, EATING IT!!! :shocked: 

mary anna herk and theena


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (WoofLife @ Oct 29 2009, 02:43 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845105


> I ate a bag of fun-sized Almond Joy, Reeses, and Hershys in less than a week. Yep three full bags of halloween candy. Last night at the store I grabbed a box of mini donuts and ate them all. :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag: :brownbag:
> 
> Halloween will be over soon right????[/B]


omg that is too funny. I'm probably right in the running there with you. At home I just don't open the bags. Here at work I swear that's all they do is eat junk.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

For the most part I have will power, BUT and a big BUT if it's in front of me I can't control myself :smheat: So what I do is make (Thank God I only have one that still Trick Or Treats) Anthony hide it, but then I go crazy looking for it :w00t: . Usually I don't find it. Ok I do , but I just take one or two maybe three.
It's one day out of a year kick back relax and have fun. A good thing about me is if I eat to much chocolate I go like a race horse :two thumbs up:


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## KAG (Jun 1, 2006)

Please Pam. Save me some.
xoxoxo


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I don't eat candy, but I ate an entire bar of Green and Black dark chocolate with cherries the other day. It was sooo good. But it was too much at one time. I was soooooo sick! I won't be buying it again as it is pricey and too good! Too tempting, really.

If you are a cherry fanatic and like chocolate, get this bar, but eat slowly.

All I can say about Halloween candy is that it's only around for a short while....so, if you gotta indulge....


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

How about aero/kitkat/coffeecrisp/smarties, rockets candy and mini bags of Ruffles. I thought I was good buying only a week before.


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## beckinwolf (Sep 2, 2008)

QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Oct 29 2009, 03:28 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845154


> I don't eat candy, but I ate an entire bar of Green and Black dark chocolate with cherries the other day. It was sooo good. But it was too much at one time. I was soooooo sick! I won't be buying it again as it is pricey and too good! Too tempting, really.
> 
> If you are a cherry fanatic and like chocolate, get this bar, but eat slowly.
> 
> All I can say about Halloween candy is that it's only around for a short while....so, if you gotta indulge....[/B]



Green and Black's dark is soooo good. I usually keep a few squares in my fridge for the occasional chocolate indulgence. 

Can I pick your brain a bit? Do you ever pass out candy for Halloween, and if so, what? I can't imagine any non "bad" candy out there that kids would actually like. Something not genetically modified and organic, but prepackaged? What about organic fruit leather? I think that would be ok.


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

Someone asked Martha Stewart about healthy halloween treats last week. She basically said there is no such thing and if you try you'll find your lawn littered with them. She tried a few times and then gave up. :smrofl:


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Your dinner sounds like it will be delicious tonight! I love vegetables. Tonight, though, I'm afraid to say we're having PIZZA. LOL

I know exactly how you feel with the Halloween candy -- Just last week I bought a "super" bag of fun-size Snickers, and my husband and I ate them all throughout the week. Those tiny candy bars are horrible...you grab one here and there, and before you know it, you've eaten the equivalent of 2 candy bars in one day! :smilie_tischkante: 

We even decided not to give out candy to the trick-or-treaters this year (we have 100+ kids and it's just too hectic with the dogs & the doorbell ringing), yet we still buy candy...LOL


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

QUOTE (beckinwolf @ Oct 29 2009, 05:55 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845164


> QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Oct 29 2009, 03:28 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845154





> I don't eat candy, but I ate an entire bar of Green and Black dark chocolate with cherries the other day. It was sooo good. But it was too much at one time. I was soooooo sick! I won't be buying it again as it is pricey and too good! Too tempting, really.
> 
> If you are a cherry fanatic and like chocolate, get this bar, but eat slowly.
> 
> All I can say about Halloween candy is that it's only around for a short while....so, if you gotta indulge....[/B]



Green and Black's dark is soooo good. I usually keep a few squares in my fridge for the occasional chocolate indulgence. 

_Can I pick your brain a bit? Do you ever pass out candy for Halloween, and if so, what? I can't imagine any non "bad" candy out there that kids would actually like. Something not genetically modified and organic, but prepackaged? What about organic fruit leather? I think that would be ok._
[/B][/QUOTE]

I don't have kids, so I don't know much about healthy candy. I know that there are organic lolipops and fruit leather at Whole Foods. I think that they get in Halloween candy too, for a couple of weeks, but I'm the wrong one to ask. I don't pass out candy. I don't do Halloween at all.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

QUOTE (Maglily @ Oct 29 2009, 05:35 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845157


> How about aero/kitkat/coffeecrisp/smarties, rockets candy and mini bags of Ruffles. I thought I was good buying only a week before.[/B]


Oh, I used to love having an Aero and the Maltesers, and the Flake candy once in a while. My Whole Foods carries them. I really miss those. But sadly I'm not doing sugar or gluten or dairy anymore, except for the occasional lapse into Green and Black dark chocolate....


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## LitGal (May 15, 2007)

Yep, count me in on the intervention. I've been dipping into the Halloween candy, but I've moved my stash to a basement closet, where I won't run into it as often. Hopefully this helps.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

With a son who had dairy and nut allergies we used to get the huge canisters of mini bags of pretzels ( I think Utz) from Costco and give them out for Halloween. The kids had already gotten so much candy that they were happy to get something different. It's got to be healthier than all the other stuff and allergy-wise I didn't want my son to feel left out. We used to also have him do UNICEF and later a food allergy box from FAAN and collect money for good causes which made us all feel a whole lot better about this holiday.
I personally am a dark chocolaholic -- especially Lindt truffle balls, but I can eat one or two and stop...thank goodness.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Actually, what's kind of "in" right now is passing out little toys to Trick or Treaters--like little party-favor type toys. Last year we passed out mini candies and little cans of Play-Doh. This year we have the mini candy and tiny decks of playing cards, games like old maid, go fish, etc.

I love seeing all the stuff that the kids bring home--it's lots of fun for them. I live in an historic neighborhood and all the houses are tiny, right on the street, and all super close together. Everyone REALLY gets into it. Actually, people come from all over just to come to our neighborhood to Trick or Treat. We literally get hundreds of kids. I never had so much fun on Halloween since I lived here


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

I live in a townhome complex where there are not very many kids so I usually get exactly one trick or treater - the little boy next door - but I still buy a big bag of candy "just in case." LOL

This year I should have 3 little kids stopping by - the little guy next door and another neighbor's nephews are are just old enough to start trick or treating! Whoo hoo - a 300% increase in one year!


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

QUOTE (camfan @ Oct 30 2009, 10:02 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845252


> Actually, what's kind of "in" right now is passing out little toys to Trick or Treaters--like little party-favor type toys. Last year we passed out mini candies and little cans of Play-Doh. This year we have the mini candy and tiny decks of playing cards, games like old maid, go fish, etc.[/B]


oh- that's really cool! I would have been thrilled with those things as a kid. I remember some people giving out rolled up pennies when I was little too. I was only happy about that after all my candy was gone.

Personally I can't resist halloween candy either (although Easter candy is my biggest temptation) but there isn't any of that here, so I'm saved or rather my waistline is saved.


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

I hand out tooth-brushes. Yep, the ones with a little tube of toothpaste ~ lol

True story. That's what I hand out. The, few, kids who knock on my door, love it.

I don't get many trick-or-treaters, so do not buy candy. Thought I would save their teeth, though. :chili:


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## iheartbisou (Feb 13, 2007)

QUOTE (3Maltmom @ Oct 30 2009, 01:39 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845300


> I hand out tooth-brushes. Yep, the ones with a little tube of toothpaste ~ lol
> 
> True story. That's what I hand out. The, few, kids who knock on my door, love it.
> 
> I don't get many trick-or-treaters, so do not buy candy. Thought I would save their teeth, though. :chili:[/B]


LOL! I love it!!! And I bet all the parents love it too. That's a great idea and funny too.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

How to survive the Halloween Candy Monster, from Organic Thrifty Blog:


http://www.organicthrifty.com/2009/10/30/h...-to-survive-it/


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Oct 30 2009, 08:22 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845358


> How to survive the Halloween Candy Monster, from Organic Thrifty Blog:
> 
> 
> http://www.organicthrifty.com/2009/10/30/h...-to-survive-it/[/B]


ack--can't access that link from here....


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

QUOTE (camfan @ Oct 30 2009, 10:11 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845389


> QUOTE (Nikki's Mom @ Oct 30 2009, 08:22 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=845358





> How to survive the Halloween Candy Monster, from Organic Thrifty Blog:
> 
> 
> http://www.organicthrifty.com/2009/10/30/h...-to-survive-it/[/B]


ack--can't access that link from here....
[/B][/QUOTE]

I'll paste the text. The website is www.organicthrifty.com


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Text of Organic Thrifty link:


*Halloween: There’s a Monster at the End of this Month (and a few tips for how to survive it)*
*Posted on* | October 30, 2009 | No Comments

















Seriously. I feel like Grover in the book “There’s a Monster at the End of This Book”. I feverishly want to scream at every parent; “Don’t turn the page! Don’t come to the end of the month! Don’t add an hour to your clock! Put your kids to bed at 5 pm, tell them that Halloween isn’t happening this year due to budget cuts, and wake up on November 1st happy and NOT in a sugar coma.

Sometimes I think I beat this whole sugar thing like a dead horse, but there is really no other time I feel like ranting and screaming then when it comes to Halloween: The Great Feast of Sugar. I know, it’s fun for the kids. It’s only once a year. You mostly throw all of the candy away anyway; they don’t eat all of it.

I guess I’m just more sensitive to the insidious nature of giving copious amounts of candy to children because I recognize what a stronghold sugar had over me for most of my adlescent and young adult life, and how difficult it was (but OH SO REWARDING!) to give it up for good. 

Now studying nutrition, I see the unequivocable facts about the physiological consequenses that refined sugars have on our health; including cancers, diabetes, oestoperosis, heart disease, and tooth decay (not to mention the common cold and the flu). And to think of the TRILLIONS of dollars that are spent in health care on the aforementioned ailments which could SO EASILY be prevented through a diet free of refined garbage. But tell that to the American people who are eating, on average, 170 lbs of refined sugar per year, per person! That’s not to mention refined wheat and grain products, whose ultimate fate in our digestive system is their conversion into glucose.

*But what is really so bad about glucuse, don’t we need it for our cellular energy? (Warning: About to Nerd Out on Biology Here)*

Sure, our cells can produce ATP from glucose, but the transfer of glucose into our cells requires insulin. Our cells can also produce ATP from fatty acids, which freely pass (by “simple diffusion”) right through the cell membrane into the mitochondra, where they can be used very efficiently to make energy. By the looks of the basic anatomy of a cell, it seems very clear that our cells *were made* to run on fat. 

_







It’s hard to see in the picture, but the diagram is of a cell membrane. The orange circles which comprise the outer layer and the inner layer of the membrane are made of fatty acid cells known as the “lipid bilayer”. Fat cells readily pass right through the cell membrane without any special “transporter” into the mitochondra. (Picture source)._

Glucose, on the other hand, is a secondary form of fuel. I believe it was intended to be used for emergencies when fat supplies were exhausted. The reason why glucose is such an inefficient form of fuel, compared to fat, is for the following reasons:

1) First off all, the cells need fat. Fat is a fuel as well as a building block for the structural integrity of the cell.

2) Insulin is required to transport glucose into the cell. The problem with insulin is that it is a hormone that signals our body to store fat This makes sense, because if we are in an emergency situation of starvation and we need to be fueled by glucose, then our body would need to respond by storing as much fat as possible so that eventually it can covert back to running on fat, which it prefers.

*What’s wrong with insulin? Isn’t it supposed to help lower our blood sugar?*

Yes, but that is not the primary role of insulin. That’s a side effect of it, since it’s primary role is to transport glucose into the cells! Insulin is the only hormone that our body produces to lower blood sugar. Never before in the history of mankind have we had a need to lower our blood sugar, until the modern advent of refined carbohydrates. We have 3 hormones in our bodies that work to raise blood sugar, which is a survival mechanism as well. Glucagon is the main hormone that raises blood sugar when we are low. 

The basic, in-a-nutshell problem with insulin is that every time it “fires”, so do our adrenal glands, which contain all of our stress hormones. When insulin fires, it’s a signal to our adrenals that we are under stress (because we are suddenly needing glucose rather than fat, so we must be in an emergency!). Often insulin must work hard to bring down our blood sugar because in the Standard American Diet we typically eat an abundance of high-glycemic foods which spike our blood sugar very quickly, and the insulin has to act fast to process it out of the blood. Our blood really can only handle about 4/5 tsp of sugar _at any given time_. If you want to fancy math to prove it, check out Dr. Michael Eades blog post here.

OK, so back to Halloween. So according to Dr. Eades calculations, you get 1 piece of candy before your body starts going all insulin crazy on you, activating your adrenals, suppressing your immune system (which is really a convenient thing to have happen right smack in the middle of Swine Flu season. Ever wonder why “flu season” is the highest during the “holidays”?), and depleting your chromium, zinc, and B6.

Not to mention the fact that sugar is just plain addictive.

So, is it possible to go through all of the festivities of Halloween, be it harvest parties, mall trick-or-treating, or braving the elements in the neighborhood, and eat just one piece of candy?

Maybe, and hopefully if you’re involved in candy-pushing, er I mean Halloween, in any way this year you’ll keep some of these points in mind.

*So what can we do to curb the effects of a Halloween Binge?*

So if you are set on indulging _just this once_, okay, I still like you and am not judging you! But beware that if there are children in your life with compromised immune systems, _this is not a good idea, given the immune-suppressing effects of the overtaxed adrenal response to insulin._

*Here are a few tips for indulging responsibly (if you must) on Halloween:*

1) On the day of Halloween, feed your kids healthy meals throughout the day (fill your kids up on veggies, wholesome meats and eggs, and good fats such as coconut oil and grassfed butter). Absolutely NO refined carbs. You are saving your “allowance” for later.

2) Drink Kombucha, which is a cultured beverage that actually feeds on white sugar and turns it into beneficial vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It’s also full of beneficial probiotics, essential for gut health! If you must eat candy, chase it down with some kombucha (with my kids, I make it a rule. If you eat something sweet, you must have a shot of kombucha to chase it down).

3) Drink coconut water kefir (you can make your own or if you are local to Portland, you can buy a great product locally at Whole Foods and People’s called CultureBiota. It has many of the same positive effects of kombucha mentioned above, with a different taste and nutrient profile.

4) If you have time, prepare your own nutrient-dense treats and celebrate the season’s Harvest and talk about the ill effects of refined junk food. Serve locally-grown Honey Crisp apples with cinnamon and almond butter. Make date-nut balls, snack on cacao nibs or dried fruit, or dark chocolate. All of these foods are pretty self-limiting because they contain a lot of fiber, unrefined sweets, vitamins and minerals, and healthy fats. I plan on making some simple, delicious pralines out of pecans, raw honey, and grassfed butter.

5) Ration the candy and keep Dr. Eades’ reccommendations in mind. Limit to one piece per day AFTER a healthy meal is consumed. If the healthy stuff outweighs the junk, chances are the body will prefer the healthy food over the junk.

6) Use the candy collected from trick-or-treating as “money” . My neighbors give their kids cash for each piece of candy they collect, and they donate the candy to a food bank (or toss it?) and the kids get to go purchase a treat for themselves that won’t rot their teeth. Pretty cool idea!

7) Drink plenty of pure water with the candy to dilute the sugar’s potency and to help the body detoxify.

Overall, be aware that *sugar suppresses the immune system* and with swine flu floating around out there, an onslaught of candy might be all your body needs to tip the scales and fall prey to swine flu. Please eat candy responsibly, and at your own risk!

But whatever you do, DON’T ……….TURN……….THE………PAGE!!!!!

_This post is my attempt to encourage the world to become a Food Renegade and ditch the sugar!_ 


*Here are some (automatically generated) related posts:*

Nutritional Support for Eczema
Transitioning a Child to a Gluten Free/Sugar Free Diet
Matsoni: The Counterculteral Yogurt
Thrifty, Real Food Breakfasts for Busy Moms 
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*Category:* Food & Farm Politics, Kid-tested, tips
*Tags:* Halloween > insulin resistance > sugar free > tips


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## makettle29 (Nov 12, 2005)

I've been giving out small bottled water for years. Kids are so hot and thirsty here, Florida! I also give a treat, still haven't figured out what to give.

mary anna herk and theena


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Good article! Thanks for posting it!

As far as my kiddos go, they don't even care about candy all that much. They'll eat it (in rations from mom) for a few days and then they're done with it. This year we are donating extra non-chocolate candy to kids in Iraq/Afghanistan.

As for me, well....PMS and Halloween just don't mix, evidentially!! :biggrin: Once I get through those "few days" it's like a switch turns off and I'm in full control again. Bad timing this year! Ugh. I feel like crap today!!


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I can't imagine life without a little chocolate once in a while. Or Coconut Bliss cherry amaretto flavor and dark chocolate flavor coconut milk ice cream! Talk about yummy!

Boy do I have to stay away from that stuff. Yeah, it's low glycemic and has great ingredients, but still........ :eusa_hand:


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## misti9er (Mar 24, 2009)

Im so glad Im not the only one!! Ive been eating and eating and waking up in the middle of the night eating candy!! ugh I can feel my fingers swelling and so so bloated!!! blah lol but hey its once a year... Ill have to get the excess weight off before Thanksgiving, then Ill regain what I lost and then Ill need to get that Turkey week weight off before Christmas ... ahh its never ending this time of the year!!! But I love the fall and winter holidays!!


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Another link about a healthy Halloween:

http://nourishedkitchen.com/better-hallowee/


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## beckybc03 (Jul 6, 2006)

We have this pumpkin full of candy right near me at work. I find that if I eat one piece that sets it off and I won't be able to stop. I actually made it through this ENTIRE week without eating one piece of candy and I am so proud of myself for just saying no!


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## =supermanskivvies= (Aug 7, 2008)

I ate a bit of Halloween candy and now I'm craving chocolate like crazy. I'm powerless against anything with dark chocolate, coconut, or caramel.


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