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Archive for January, 2011

Food Addictions

January 10th, 2011

True addiction to food is probably one of the most prevalent addictions in our society today.  Truth be told, many, if not most of the general population has an addiction to at least some types of food.  Chocolate anyone?  Salty and crunchy?  Most of you know exactly what I am talking about.  Strangely, many of us with food addictions seem to think that the rules that apply to beating drug and alcohol addictions don’t apply to beating food addictions.  All addictions follow a fairly similar pattern.  Secrecy, bingeing, guilt, shame, loss of control, even in the presence of solid conviction.  It’s the same thing, different substance.  Even the detox is similar.  When we detox from bad eating habits, our bodies begin to dump all the built up toxins in our tissues and create a temporarily “toxic” body.  It isn’t fun.  I know this from personal experience.  The one place food addiction differs, is that we still need to consume food, whereas it is not essential that we consume alcohol, or drugs or cigarettes.  We need to eat.  But we do not NEED to eat chocolate.  We do not NEED to drink soda.  We do not NEED to consume 6 meals a day.  We do need healthy, nutrient rich food.  That’s ALL we need for food.  But we never hear about someone addicted to eating a fresh salad.  Or totally overdoing it on brown rice and beans.  Why?  Because truly healthy food is not addicting.  It does not cause a negative reaction in our lives.  It is what we were designed to consume to keep this wonderful machine of ours running optimally.

One of the reasons many of the popular national weight loss programs have such a dismal long-term success rate is that they are encouraging us to feed our addictions.  How many of them say, “Eat all the same foods you like” and still lose weight.  Let me tell you, eating all the same foods is probably what got you to need their services in the first place.  Eating a small, lower calorie version of chocolate cake is going to perpetuate anyone’s chocolate or sweets addiction.  Over and over I have heard clients say they need a “crutch” or some sweets, or snacks or small amount of (fill in the addictive food here) in their diet plan.  My straightforward answer to them is “No you don’t”.  Aside from losing a few clients, that simple statement has been successful in at least getting people to figure out their food addictions.  If you tell me you NEED a particular food or drink that is nutrient poor in your diet…..well that NEED has addiction written all over it.  As with all other addictions, if you have a trigger food, or a food that causes you to lose control over it’s consumption, that food needs to be completely avoided.  Not supplemented with a smaller version, not reduced, not replaced with a not-that-great-tasting  substitute, but GONE – completely removed from the diet.  Is this permanent?  Maybe, maybe not.  The long-term effects of eating nutrient rich, healthy foods really change a person’s taste buds.  You will likely no longer “crave” like before.  So down the road, chocolate or whatever you were previously addicted to will no longer give you the “high”.  You could take it or leave it.  Doesn’t that sound nice?

I am not trying to take the enjoyment out of eating.  But truth be told, I think that much of what we call “eating enjoyment” is actually “event enjoyment”.  Almost all our social events are centered around eating, friends and family.  Would that five star delicious meal taste as good sitting alone in your apartment?  Something to think about.  Food is fuel – plain and simple.  It is not entertainment, even though I stand in the minority when I say that.  It is a means of fueling our bodies to run properly.  I’m guessing that the entertainment value came in around 10,000 B.C. when Ugg the caveman killed a buffalo and all the other surrounding cave people joined him to eat it.  It was nice to be together and even better to be able to fill their empty bellies.  A good time all around.  That tradition has somehow evolved to “food is fun”!  Now I am not saying it isn’t or shouldn’t be.  But I do think we have gone overboard. Truly healthy eating can be enjoyed.  The added plus is that in addition to the enjoyment of the food, you get an energy and invigoration that is seriously lacking from today’s sugar, sodium, and preservative laden food.

Like I mentioned, this line of thinking with food addictions and eating for entertainment goes against the societal norm.  But I feel that people need to really think about this.  With obesity rates rising, what we are doing now is not working.

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