Comments on: Oprah says she weighs 200 pounds and I couldn’t be happier

By: Jim Labadie

Jim Labadie — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:37:00 +0000

All emotions are essentially chemicals, right?

By: Selene Vega

Selene Vega — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:14:26 +0000

Jim, you asked about food addiction. I’ve taught a course for Bastyr University’s naturopathic physician training program on Addictions that included eating disorders (including binge eating disorder, anorexia, and bulimia, but I also included general compulsive overeating). I want to point out that when we say it’s “just” emotional it’s important to realize that emotions are extremely tied to physiology. Food addiction may not include withdrawal symptoms per se, but there are some brain chemistry issues involved, in particular the neuropeptide and monoamine (especial 5-HT) systems, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Even behavioral addictions like gambling and shopping have associated brain chemistry elements involved.

By: Cassie

Cassie — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:37:42 +0000

Anytime I eat a lot of sugary foods, like chocolate, I notice stronger and stronger cravings. If I keep going, eating a lot of these foods for a long period of time I do reach a point where it is like an addiction and I have a lot of difficulty stopping. I actually have to put myself through a withdrawl, suffering headaches, etc. It only lasts a few days so I wouldn’t equate it to a drug or alcohol addiction, but in my experience, I would definitely say that there is a reaction that takes place that mimics an addictive reaction.

By: Jayson

Jayson — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:10:52 +0000

Jan you bring up a good point that I want to elaborate on. You mention eating the healthy whole grain carbs instead of the sugary more processed carbs.

Eating the healthier carbs makes a big difference because you don’t get the insulin spikes and crashes that you typically do when you eat heavily processed carbs.

Whole grain carbs give you protein and fiber which helps you control those roller coaster rides with your blood sugar. You can feel physical symptoms when your blood sugars are jumping all around like that. That isn’t an addiction though, but rather an imbalance of the nutrients you consume.

When you adjust the types of calories you eat such as replacing the refined sugars/carbs with whole-grain carbs, vegetables, etc you don’t have those blood sugars roller coaster rides and you don’t feel as hungry as you mentioned above.

Eating lean protein will also help you control those blood sugar rides and keep your body feeling fuller for a longer period of time without the energy crashes that too much sugar causes.

Jayson Hunter RD, CSCS

By: Jan Grant

Jan Grant — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:03:19 +0000

My very limited understanding of food addicition is from personal reference. When I began the Carb Rotation Diet a couple of months ago, even though I reduced the amount and types of carbs I consumed for two days before going “no carb” on the third day, I still went through what I can only call withdrawals. No, I wasn’t shaking or going through drug addiction symptoms, but I was definitely not myself. I was tired, I was cranky, I generally did not feel well physcially. I had a bad headache, which I virtually never have. For me, getting off the sugar/starch carbs is truly a withdrawal process. And once I’m off those and on a healthy program with the whole grain bread or pasta as my carbs, I not only feel better, I don’t get hungry nearly as often. For me, I seem to crave food – and bad carbs, at that! – when I’m off the wagon, so to speak. So, to that end, I do think there are physical symptoms that cause me to feel “addiction prone” when it comes to some foods.

With that said, it’s appropriate for me to examine why, in the past, knowing that information I continued to eat those less than healthy foods. I’m delighted Oprah has come clean with her perception of what’s realistic for her based on some life-changing paradigm shifts. Hopefully, this will bring about even more dialogue and support for others.

By: Jayson

Jayson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:15:34 +0000

There have been some attempts to study this, but to my knowledge there has been nothing significant to say that food addiction is a physical problem such as a heroin or cocaine habit.

When you don’t constantly eat food you don’t go into the shakes or have physical withdrawals like you would with certain drug addictions or substance addictions.

With that being said food is an emotional comfort and not a physical addiction.

Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS

By: Jim Labadie

Jim Labadie — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:29:02 +0000

Jayson,

What are your thoughts about food addiction? Is there any research on it? Is it purely emotional?

Jim Labadie
http://GetPrograde.com/blog

By: Sallie

Sallie — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:10:44 +0000

Once a person decides that they are just going to stop with all the negativity and put their mind to becoming healthy and fit, then in my opinion that is half the battle..it worked for me. I researched articles about foods, about exercises. I had a plan and just did it, I changed the way I ate, joined a gym and realized the seriousness of the situation before me. At the age of 52 I am in way better shape than I have ever been, I find peace in working out..and feel better about myself, not only because I have lost weight and inches, but my mindset is different. While not ever having an addiction to food, I may have an addiction to exercising, I love it!