Food Addiction

Recently, I’ve been working with some challengers who struggle with food addiction. I, myself, definitely struggle with an addiction to sugar, so immediately, my heart goes out to them. Food addiction is definitely REAL and is being recognized by the scientific community as a real addiction that needs treatment, in some cases. Many people who struggle with food addiction fall victim due to the sugar, salt, and fat in the foods they like to eat. Of course, this makes sense, since sugar, salt, and fat = taste! A WebMD article on “How to Break Food Addictions” explains why this addiction is real. "Barnard, the author of Breaking the Food Seduction and president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says that these foods contain chemical compounds that stimulate the brain's secretion of opiate-like, 'feel-good' chemicals like dopamine, which drive our cravings for them.” ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WebMD explains one way we can help ourselves if we are food-addicted: "How to break the cycle? First you have to pinpoint which feelings trigger overeating. To figure this out, create an 'emotional eating record,' suggests Edward Abramson, Ph.D., author of Body Intelligence. Take a three-by-five index card and write down four headings: TIME; LOCATION; FOOD; EMOTION OR THOUGHT. Put the card in your pocket so you can keep track of any unplanned snacks. After a few days, you'll be able to decipher which emotions and situations triggered eating binges.” <--of course, once you know this, it will make it easier for you to avoid the emotions/situations that trigger you! Don’t be fooled, either, by thinking it’s only when you are sad/depressed that you overeat. Many people overeat in happy situations or reward themselves with food (a very, very dangerous habit). ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Peeke explains in her article, “6 Ways to Beat Your Food Addiction,” that this is powerful stuff! "But wait, there’s more: At the same time your reward center is being hijacked, the brain’s CEO, the prefrontal cortex (tap your forehead and that’s where the PFC is located), is becoming damaged and impaired. The PFC can no longer help you rein in impulses or stay focused and vigilant. That’s why, when someone is in full-on addictive mode, moderation is a moot point. Revolutionary and groundbreaking new studies funded by the National Institutes of Health funded have shown that the brain scans of food addicts show the same changes and damage as those of a cocaine user. And, for your information, research also shows that table sugar (sucrose) is more addictive than cocaine.” See the full article HERE! She also explains ways to kick the addiction for good! It’s definitely worth the read. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Something else you can do if you also struggle? Find a community of others who feel the same way, and support each other. A challenge group can do that for you, or you can form your own Facebook group or find one to join. Whatever option you choose, make sure that your loved ones know about your efforts so that they can support you as well. Some of my other recommendations- in addition to what’s above- (I am not a doctor, this is just my personal opinion based on research I’ve done on my own: Replace your “bad” habits with good ones. Instead of rewarding yourself with food, reward yourself with a shopping spree or a date with a friend to go see a movie. If you need to talk, or want to know more about what I’ve researched, please don’t hesitate to ask. On my reading list this week: The Hunger Fix: The Three-Stage Detox and Recovery Plan for Overeating and Food Addiction, Breaking the Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings---And 7 Steps to End Them Naturally, and Food Addiction: A Proven Plan to Overcome Food Addiction for Life. I’m also going to be ordering Made to Crave and the workbook to go along with it. I will be starting an online book study (in a private Facebook group) for anyone that’s interested. Let me know!