About Us

Joan Ifland’s diverse background encompasses many of the areas of expertise useful in addressing the apparent epidemic of refined food addiction, including economics, politics, government, international relations, business, finance, corporate culture, entrepreneurship, writing, clinical consulting, education, nutrition, and research. Her broad experience helps support her efforts to establish the origins of, and treatment for refined food addiction.

Education

PhD (Pending), Union Institute and University, Cincinnati, OH. Specialization in addictive nutrition
Expected degree conferral in 2008

Doctoral Research Achievements:

• A tool to assess refined food addiction
  Achieved unusually good results in terms of instrument validity towards the goal of demonstrating the disease of   
  refined food addiction in humans. Demonstrated the disease of refined food addiction in dissertation, as well as its
  positive correlation with BMI, and its negative correlation with exercise.

• A method to determine the addictive properties of individual foods
  Collected data to demonstrate that refined foods are used more addictively than unrefined foods.

• Efficacy of a faith-based environment to sustain diet improvements
  Supporting an on-going education program at St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, Houston, Texas. This program has
  resulted in life-changing health benefits for an increasing segment of this small, elderly, and middle-class congregation.
  Benefits include remission of diabetes, remission of high blood pressure, remission of elevated serum cholesterol,
  significant weight loss, reduction in medications, improved energy and exercise, reduced swelling, reduced infections,
  remission of acid reflux, reduced joint pain, reduced cravings, and reduced depression, irritability and anxiety.

MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business
Honors work in international finance.

BA, Oberlin College 1974
Double degree in Economics and Political Science, emphasis on international studies President and chef of 80-member dining and residential student co-op.

Experience

Founder, Refined Food Addiction (ReFA) Research Foundation 2007-Present

•   Recruited highly accomplished scientific and professional board. Credentials of board members include faculty of  
    the Georgetown University Medical School, the Executive Board of the American Dietetic Association, the Board  
    of the American College of Nutrition (ACN), a Master of the ACN, past president of the ACN, and the faculty of
    the University of Texas School of Public Health Behavior and Prevention Division (highest ranked program of its
    kind) in exercise.

•  Recruited highly accomplished advisors to the Board from a retired Proctor & Gamble executive, PBS producer,
   and Foley & Lardner patent attorneys in the fields of commercial technology applications to the consumer market,
   patents, documentaries, publishing, popular writing, and grants-writing.

•  Filed for 50 patent claims based on doctoral research. Patent claims are for research methods, treatment, and  
   apparatus related to refined food addiction and epilepsy.

•  Received invitation from Wiley/Blackwell Synergy to edit a professional reference volume on refined food addiction.

•  Negotiated contract for a popular weight loss book based on original research with Carol Mann Literary Agency.

•  Developed strategic plans for research, funding, public awareness, and operations. This plan is based on careful
   research into the extensive parallels between refined foods and tobacco.

•  Developed fund-raising materials including a briefing book for individuals and a comprehensive proposal for
   foundations.

Founder, The Sugars and Flours Project. 1996-Present

• Author of popular books on refined carbohydrate addiction:
           o Sugars and Flours: How They Make Us Crazy, Sick, and Fat
           o Helping Children with Refined Carbohydrate Sensitivity
           o Recipes from the Sugars and Flours Cooking Classes
           o Insider Tips for Long-Term Recovery from Carbohydrate Sensitivity.

•  Established a personal consulting practice. Have direct experience with the recovery of several hundred food
   addicts.

• Developed workshops.
           o Obtained approval for continuing education credits from the Texas Nurses Association.
           o Instructor at the Licensed Chemical Dependency Training School, Austin, Texas and Houston, Texas.
              2001-2004
           o Presented to

                    The National Association of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors, Boston, Massachusetts
                    The State Conference of the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals, Decatur, Texas; and Corpus
                    Christi, Texas.
                    Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Beaumont, Texas
                    Texas Association of Federal Probation Officers, Houston, Texas
                    The Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse (regulatory board), Galveston, Texas and Corpus
                    Christi, Texas
                    The Texas Nurses Association, Houston, Texas
                    The Texas Association of Addiction Professionals-Spectrum Conference, Houston, Texas
                    Orthopedic Nurses National Convention, Houston, Texas
                    Memorial Hermann Health System, Houston, Texas Prevention and Recovery Center         

                    Houston Northwest Medical Center, Houston, Texas
                    Harris County Association of Operating Room Nurses, Houston, Texas
                    The Holistic Nurses Association, Houston, Texas
                    The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses, Houston, Texas
                    Professional Association of Therapists, Clearlake, Texas
                    The National Institute for Traffic Safety, Houston, Texas
                    Community College Health Care Technicians, Texarkana, Texas
                    The Houston Council for Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Houston, Texas
                    The Meadows Recovery Center Alumni, Houston, Texas and Dallas, Texas 
                    The Right Step Recovery Center, Houston, Texas
                    Sabine Valley Recovery Center, Tyler, Texas
                    Cheyenne House Recovery Center, Houston, Texas
                    The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Houston, Texas, Humble, Texas and Bayview, Texas
                    Co-dependent’s Anonymous State Assembly, Dallas, Texas

•  Developed public awareness campaign. Appeared on
              o Fox National Network News, National
              o The Houston Chronicle Lifestyle Section Cover
              o PBS Connections Show, Houston Texas
              o The Debra Duncan Show, Houston Texas
              o ABC Channel 13 Morning News, Houston, Texas
              o PBS Channel 8 Noontime Magazine Show, Houston Texas
              o Channel 2 Saturday Morning News, Houston Texas
              o Talk Radio Network (80 affiliates), National
              o Catholic Family Radio Network (8 affiliates), as well as numerous radio shows

•  Developed cooking classes at Whole Foods Market. Appeared at 16 locations nationally for classes and
    book-signings.

•  Developed website, www.sugarsandflours.com

The Continental Group, New York, New York and Stamford, Connecticut
1978-84

Held various corporate positions for this Fortune 200 Company

       • Director of Telecommunications 1982-4
       • Comptroller of Telecommunications 1981
       • Director of International Investments 1980
       • Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer 1979
       • Financial Analyst, Treasurer’s Department 1978

Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Wisconsin State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin,
1974-76

      • Fiscal Analyst: Developed legislative budget policy for The Department of Health and Social Science and the
        Department of Local Area Development.

Volunteering

Nutrition Ministry, St. Stephen Presbyterian Church, Houston, TX 2007-present
Volleyball Mom, 1994-2000
Treasurer, Poe Elementary School PTO, Houston, TX 1991-1995
Tutor, Poe Elementary School, Houston, TX 1991-1992
Teacher, Palmer Episcopal Church, 1991-1994
Senior Steward of the Junior Vestry, Christ Church of Rye, New York 1990-1991
President, Rye Art Center, Rye New York 1989-1990
Secretary, TWIG Funding-raising, Rye, New York 1984-1991

Personal

Raised children in a refined food-abstinent household from the ages of 11 and 12.
Married to investment banker, since 1978
Two children, 1983 and 1984
Fluent French, knowledge of Italian and German
Golf, travel, dogs.

Volunteer Opportunities

In my 12 years of helping people recover from refined food addiction, I have not seen anything that helps individuals maintain a good food plan more than volunteering. Helping others helps each of us help ourselves. These are projects that can be done from anywhere in the world. If you are interested in volunteering at The Sugars and Flours Project, please contact joan@sugarsandflours.com

I thank you, and those you help thank you too.
Joan Ifland

Media Relations

•  Media Monitoring
   Note stories that we should respond to. Send Joan an e-mail. Respond to the reporter. We also need a 
   coordinator for this function.

•  Media Outlets
    Identify TV shows, magazines, and reporters who might be interested in our topic.

•  Freelancer Relationships
   Look through issues of popular magazines and newspapers at the library. Note writers who might like to write about
   our topic. Find their contact information and send to joan@sugarsandflours.com. We need a coordinator for this
   project.

•  Article Writers
   Write articles for media outlets.

•  Spokespersons
   Appear at workshops and/or be videotaped to speak about your stories. Be interviewed by members of the press.

Outreach

• Workshop opportunities
  Find places where our speakers can give presentations.

•  Networking
   Distribute e-mail messages to your e-mail list.

Client Services
• Mentoring
   E-mail and telephone with newbies.

Administrative

•  Coordinate volunteers
   Collect information about skills and job preferences. Arrange for volunteers at events.

• Create database
   Volunteers, donors, members, etc.

• Research support
   Research the Internet for supplies for research projects. Appear at events to collect forms.

• Research sites
  Find locations that can host research projects such as schools, churches, and businesses.

• New product development
  Frozen meals, adjustable clothing, meditation tapes, exercise equipment, etc are all products that we could use.

Research the Internet for suppliers.
Contact us

The Sugars and Flours Project
5535 Memorial Drive #F-814
Houston, TX 77005
Tollfree 1-866-345-FOOD
joan@sugarsandflours.com