Food Can Be Addictive
You may know that scientists have found through various studies that sugar is even more addictive than cocaine! Sugar is a pervasive ingredient in much of the packaged and processed foods on the supermarket shelves these days.
It is no wonder it is not only possible, but also hard not to get addicted to food! Sugar gives us an initial rush of energy and helps us feel good in the short term, but then comes the inevitable crash as our energy levels plummet.
Our bodies are working hard to re-establish balance in our blood sugar levels. This causes us to feel very tired. Then we do what comes naturally: we eat more sugar as a quick fix, to help us feel better! And so the vicious cycle goes on.
Carbohydrates, such as wheat, refined wheat flour products, potatoes and other starchy foods, are quickly converted into sugar in the body, again giving the body a rush of energy, with the familiar crash, which follows.
Are You a Food Junkie?
If the following list of behavioral patterns sounds like you, don’t beat yourself up! With marketing and advertising putting pressure on us all to buy the most tempting but often unhealthy food choices, you are not alone in getting out of control when it comes to eating!
We are bombarded with marketing messages telling us what to buy. Often we are told it is good for us but you have to read the labels carefully.
Five Signs You Have Lost Control Over Eating
1. Next time you go shopping, notice at the checkout how much of what is in cart is in brightly colored, sealed plastic packaging. This is almost always going to be processed food and it most likely contains wheat and sugar. Try increasing the percentage of unprocessed, whole foods that you put in your shopping cart. These include vegetables, lean meats and fish, beans, lentils, and fresh fruits.
2. Do you have uncontrollable cravings for high sugar, high fat and high carb foods?
3. Do you notice that if you feel sad or unhappy, you reach for the cookie jar or the chip bag? Do you find it hard to stop eating once you start?
4. Do you hide your junk food consumption from others? For instance, do you keep your chocolate bars hidden in a drawer? Do you eat the junk food when no one else is looking?
5. After you have had a junk food binge, do you feel remorse, shame, and regret? Do you tell yourself that was the absolute last time, and yet next day you find yourself repeating the same old pattern all over again?
There is Hope!
If, since reading this article, you realize you might have the equivalent of a food addiction, don’t despair, there is still hope!
One of the main change motivators is education. When you realize sugar is comparable to a Class A drug like cocaine, it helps you to make the decision to cut it out entirely.
According to nutritionist Dr. Fuhrman, not only will doing so improve your overall energy levels, keep your blood sugar levels stable, but also your mood will improve, your mood swings will diminish and you will lose inches from your waistline.
Simply by eating more of the healthy stuff, that is, more green vegetables, some fruits, especially berries and other low glycemic vegetables, you can feel much better and eliminate those annoying cravings.
