Copyright 1994,2001 "Media Free Times" "Media Anonymous (tm)"- "SUCROSE ADDICTS ANONYMOUS (t.m.)

VOL. 1 NO.1.ISSN 1195-759X "JUNK FOOD ANONYMOUS (t.m.)"

The following is a personal description of symptoms(~)
and testimony of recovery from anti-nutrient* addiction, by one
of the founding members of "Junk Food*" Anonymous:

My name is George K. and I am a recovering "Junk Food*" and
" Media Addict ".

At times I can identify with the lead caracter of the
George Lucas film entitled "THX1138", as he emerged into the sunset,
a survivor from a technological "Brave New World" (Orwell / Huxley)
type of society, not unlike our own.

Billions of advertising--or to be more correct-- "Propaganda"
dollars are spent every year,to convince us that
"..."IT*"s the real thing". To ensure that citizens are kept in a
constant state of cybernetic narcosis~ and the electro-chemical
bondage~ of perpetual consumtion, of the industrially synthesized
"Fiz Biz*" drinks and fluffy white "Twinkle Puff*" munchie cubes.
"Smile" anorexic~, while marching robot like through eternal underground
labyrinths of shopping complexes, with no beginning and no end.
I am one, I've been there. Today however thanx to my 12 step programs
"I am no longer alone " ..." I have a choice".

I can remember as a child sitting in my room suffering from
"Insulin Shock~" and not being able to identify the causes, realizing
there was something dreadfully wrong with the feelings of confusion
and utter chaos I felt after "snacking*".
FORTY hours per week of radiation from " The Tube" had already
conditioned me, to be in denial that there was any connection between
my body and mind. I did not realize it at the time, but I was receiving
my first lessons, in my eventual awareness, of the correlation between
media addiction and "junk food*" addiction. Media is the root addiction
of all of the other addictions.

I was, some fifteen years later, in early adulthood,already in the
throws of chronic alcoholism. my attempts to articulate "THIS~" feeling,
in a personal periodical small press publication, yeilded a kind of Dada
gibberish, posturing as poetics. I was on the track of what "IT*" was
but could not put it into focus, let alone describe "IT*".

Prolific reading did not help. In fact the more self-help psycology
and new-age metaphysical kitsch, I referenced and mixed with my daily
consumption of vaste quantities of industrial synthetics* the greater my
darkness became.

Ten years later, I finally arrived to "Hell~".
I was diagnosed with terminal liver damage~ by my physician,
who suggested that I take a vacation, because I would probably
be dead in three to six months~. In that state of alcoholic psychosis~
and intellectual pride, as a self willed "ethical nihilist"
--all of my anarcho-philosophical, pseudo-religious and
quasi-scientific inquiries into the nature of "THIS~"--
the sum total of all of my thinking on "IT*", came to "NADA".
Yet, bottle in hand*~, I was determined to figure "IT*" out.
Then my lights dimmed as I entered into a period of "post literacy",
of alcoholic amnesia~.

Thanks to one of the "old timers" in Alcoholics Anonymous,
who passed on to me, the keys to recovery, by suggesting that I
"get off the center of the universe", "turn my problem over"
and "stay away from the first drink, one day at a time",
"I came to believe in a power greater than myself " and the stories
of recovery in "Alcoholics Anonymous" will suffice to describe the
process of being reborn out of the darkness into the light of sobriety,
so there is no need to further elaborate here.

In recovery through the use of naturopathic medicine, macrobiotics,
and aseries of fasts my liver condition~ and a long list of other
symptoms~ disapeared within the first five years. But eventually I would
return to the "Junk food*" and in no time at all "THIS~" would come
back. By now it was becoming clear that "IT*" could possibly be that
white crysteline powder "stuff*", freely displayed on every restaurant
table. Eventhough I had read about my hypoglycemia~, in Adelle Davis
and other nutrition books, I still could not put two and two together.
Today there is a new conciousness and we hear people freely admit
"I'm a sugar addict". There was a time when to claim addiction~ to
this "energy food*" was to incure the suggestion that there is need
of "mental health" professionals~.

Not untill I read the landmark book by William Dufty : "SUGAR BLUES",
did I really get to see what "IT*" is all about.
A milestone for free speech and free thought.
I was finally able to identify "THIS~".

"I am a Sucrose Addict" I wrote in my journal, but comming to realize
the full significance of that statement and out of denial took another
seven years of "half measures" and "social eating". Some half dozen
painfull slips later, I realized that I was "powerless~".
The revelation then came to try, "working the 12 steps". "Intuition"
told me that if it worked with my alcoholism it would work with
"THIS~". In '89 in Hawaii after "sharing" with another " junk food*
addict" like myself, I repaired to request permission to use an
adaptation of the 12 steps, for "Sucrose* Addicts Anonymous",
from A.A. Some time later the need to address other anti-nutrients* like caffine,
industrial salt, refined flour, synthetic sweeteners etc.
lead to use of the akronym from the vernacular,
"Junk Food* Anonymous".

Despite the dross of advertizing verbiage for "IT*", there is a
durse of terms to describe a person who addictivly uses
anti-nutrients*, perhaps the term "nutritional anorexic" may suffice.

By miraculous grace I was informed of the existence of
"Overeaters Anonymous". When, one night I found myself binging on so
called "health food*" I called in to report that I was "...powerless
over food*". My O.A. contact encouraged me that I might also find other
members to bond with who also shared my experiences with regards to
the "IT*". I joined O.A. and put "IT*" on my bottom line as "trigger
food*",but was frustrated by the "no reference to specific foods"
clause. I wanted to scream "IT*" did "THIS~" to me,
especially, on those occassiones when, some newcommer, was drinking the
"stuff*" at a meeting. Nevertheless it was in O.A. that I got everything
I needed to "stay clean" for this last ten years.

Now, at times, I'm questioned as to the need for still another
12 step program. Surely, some say there is already a sufficient
plethora of them. I now belong to a dozen myself. I've never heard of
anyone dying from an overdose of meetings. In reality however, is there
not just as much a need to specialize in this specific area.
Especially since the mediation and disinformation is so intense.
To grow, Just as, to use another example, "Cocaine Addicts Annonymous"
proceeded from "Narcotics Anonymous".
William Dufty, has in his book, likened "IT*" to cocaine addiction.
In my experince it is as "cunning baffling and powerful " as my
addiction to alcohol. In fact alcohol*,pop* and cigarettes* is loaded
with "IT*".

The book, "The Hidden Addiction" by Phelps and Nourse, claims that
sucrose* is the root of almost all of the substance abuse addictions,
I have witnessed the progression, from caffeine to pharmaceuticals,
through the entire spectrum of anti-nutrient* inclusive.
I, however maintain, as I have expressed above that the root addiction
is media. Nevertheless they are inextricably entwined.
The "junk food" for the mind includes the "junk food*" for the body.
One sells the other. it's a symbiotic relationship.

Nevertheless the symptomatic dis-eases
attributable to sucrose*, ranging from heart disease, diabetes
and cancer, to tooth decay, chronic fatigue and candidas is long
and impressive enough, I think, to be given special attention.
Although, as I have mentioned before "Overeaters Anonymous"
to date, does the job by default.
In any case today we have a choice and to that end I remain your
"trusted servant" in recovery.

MEETINGS :

It only takes two to have a meeting.
Please send e-mail for meeting start-up kits.
Please submit any information of new meetings for posting in
the "J.F.A." newsletter.
Also we will post any stories of recovery.

Suggested Reading :

See also the Video " Sugar Trap " from " Image Associates :

P.O.B. 40106
352 Conejo Road
Santa Barbara, Ca 93103
Phone : (805)-962-6009
Copies also available for loan at the "Toronto Reference Library"

NB*: For "J.F.A.(tm)" program guidlines, see "The Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous" - "The Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous"

re. copyright restrictions :
(c)'99 "M.F.T.(tm)" all world rights reserved, MEMBERS ONLY :

Pls. feel free to download, copy and disseminated this newsletter,in the tradition of step 12, "for those out there who are still suffering". Thank you for sharing.

The Twelve Steps of Sucrose* Anonymous :

1. We admitted we were powerless over sucrose* (insert here other
problems related ie.: caffeine, salt, refined flour AKA:"junkfood*")
--- that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore
us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care
of God as we understood God.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God , to ourselves and to another human being the
exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of
character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove ourshortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing
to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except
when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong
promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our concious
contact with God, as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of
Gods will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these
steps, we tried to carry this message to others still suffering, and
to practice these principles in all our affairs.