OVERCOME FOOD ADDICTION NATURALLY?

Many of us may have some kind of ‘addictions’, food addiction included. Although food addiction does not automatically lead to obesity, it is still one of our greatest threats for our health and life expectancy. Learn what exactly it is all about and how to handle it successfully in line with nature.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND

Cindy Montgomery from Ithaca, NY, asks:
 
I love my snacks and sweets all day long. Since this eating habit did not raise my body weight up to obesity, I am not concerned healthwise. Do you agree, Doc?   
 
Dr. Fritz:
 
Aren’t many of us ‘addicted’ in one or another way? Addicted to drugs, alcohol, love, work – or even food?
 
Basically, we know 2 categories of addiction: dependence on certain substances and/or certain behaviors. This refers also to food addiction which, in many cases, may be based on some kind of unhealthy nutrition, but may also be understood as a behavioral response to emotional issues such as stress, depression, sadness, or anger.
 
Although not all food addiction is leading to obesity, it still is very problematic for our health and life expectancy, and therefore needs to be tackled directly.

SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS

As a first step, you may look at the renowned Yale Food Addiction Scale, developed 2009 at Yale University, and scientifically validated at, inter alia, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. This survey has been developed to categorize your diet with special reference to following critical nutritional groups responsible for many food addictions:

• Sweets (chocolate, ice cream, candy, cake, etc.)
• Salty snacks (crackers, chips, pretzels, etc.)
• Fatty foods (bacon, steaks, hamburgers, French fries, etc.)
• Sugary drinks (soda pop, etc.)
• Starches (pasta, white bread, rolls, etc.)

 
These types of food may create certain physical, emotional or social symptoms such as, inter alia,

• Compulsive/uncontrollable eating as an emotional response; 
• Obsessive food cravings;
• Lost control over quality and quantity of eating;
• Eating up to the point of pain or other discomfort;
• Etc.

 
Leading to finally negative emotional reactions such as, inter alia,

• Guilt
• Shame
• Reduced self-worth
• Etc.

 
How to get a grip on this vicious cycle?

LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO OVERCOME FOOD ADDICTION
 

Besides of certain alternative therapies such as, e.g., nutritional counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy, you may basically focus on self-imposed physical, emotional and psychological lifestyle changes to crack down habits of chronic overeating and manage food addiction successfully.
 
These lifestyle changes may be, inter alia,

• Regular exercise;
• Dietary planning by sticking to healthy and balanced diet (with special reference to fresh  fruits and vegetables) instead of processed food;
  
• Getting sound and enough sleep;
• Relieving stress at work and home;
• Home cooking;
• Drinking plenty of water;
• Etc.       

QUESTIONS?

Contact
 
WWW.NEWMEDICALFRONTIERS.COM

DISCLAIMER

All information stated in this blog are for your personal education, and not to replace the advice of your healthcare provider.