Dietary Addictions
--Paraphrased from an Oct.15, 2013 paper by Alan Goldhamer, D.C.
It is widely understood that drugs including
nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and cocaine are addictive.
Repeated exposure to these
substances can result in physical addiction and the
the consequences can be devastating.
Escaping the pleasure trap is difficult.
Most treatment programs fail for most addicts.
For example, the most effective treatment programs
for alcoholism involve 30 days of intensive
inpatient care followed by outpatient support
often involving 90 visits in 90 days to a
12-step program. Yet, even the most highly
motivated addicts who complete the program fail.
The failure rate is typically 69% or higher.
Unlike drugs whose use is voluntary, food is
essential for life. Some foods, particularly highly
processed foods, elicit responses similar to addiction.
Not all people respond to the addictive nature of
highly processed foods, and those who do may not
respond in the same way.
Flour
The dietary pleasure trap is often hidden and
difficult to escape. A common result is obesity.
The medical management of obesity has a lower cure
rate than the treatment of many cancers.
Recidivism exceeds 90% in most studies. [cit. needed]
The key to understanding food addiction is
to understand the effects of highly processed
foods.
Natural foods contain carbohydrates, protein,
and fat, but they also contain fiber and water.
When foods are highly processed, the fiber and water
is usually removed. Grains are ground into powder.
This makes the carbohydrates in the grain more
available to the body.
Other processed foods
Another technique for processing food is to isolate
and concentrate one of its components as in the
production of oil or sugar. When the desired
component is separated from the
fiber, water, and other nutrients,
it is much easier to overeat.
This effect is increased by by the concentration
flavor of the isolated substance that then has
an enhanced appeal to our taste buds. [cit. needed]
When we eat concentrated, processed foods
including oils, sugars, and flour products,
they stimulate dopamine secretion in our brains.
Dopamine is the neurochemical most closely
associated with pleasure.
The more highly concentrated the food (measured
in calories per pound), the more dopamine is
secreted. [cit. needed]
The food tastes better, making the pleasure
trap stronger.
The pleasure trap
Further, artificially concentrated foods have
had their whole food components -- especially
fiber -- removed and thus are less effective
at triggering the brain's satiety mechanisms
that would otherwise give sensations of fullness
and regulate calorie intake. When satiation is
not triggered, overeating occurs and obesity
follows. When someone says, "Betcha can't eat
just one," they're not kidding!
Over
two-thirds of adults in the United States are now overweight
or obese. This epidemic
is the result of the dietary pleasure trap
and the overeating it produces.
Pleasure trap is a term
coined
by Drs. Lisle and Goldhamer in their book, The Pleasure Trap.
Moderation?
One reason it is so difficult
for people to escape the dietary pleasure trap
is a belief in the concept of moderation.
This belief is that, in moderation, everything is
healthful.
Some people can can eat processed foods in
moderation but if you are struggling with your weight
you are not one of them.
To addiction, moderation is not the answer.
We do not advise alcoholics to drink moderately.
We do not tell them to put their alcohol in a
smaller cup to reduce consumption.
We do not tell them to put their drink down
between sips.
We do not tell them to drink only beer and wine.
We do not tell them to count the ounces they drink.
Most alcoholics believe they can continue to drink
moderately but experience disproves this.
We do not advise alcoholics to drink moderately
because it does not work! [cit. needed]
Similarly, people caught in the dietary pleasure
trap are told that they just need discipline,
put their fork down between bites, etc.
They are told to eat in moderation.
This strategy fails for dietary addicts
the same way it fails for alcoholics.
The solution
The most effective treatment for alcoholism
is to eliminate alcohol.
The most effective treatment for dietary
addiction is to eliminate highly processed foods.
Replace them with abundant natural starches
(beans, potatoes), whole grains (brown rice,
millet, quinoa, etc., but not flour products),
fresh fruits, vegetables, and limited amounts
of raw seeds and nuts.
For health reasons (not the pleasure trap) also
eliminate all animal products including dairy. [cit. needed]
A health-promoting diet along with good sleep
and exercise will normalize weight.
Overweight people who adopt this eating plan
lose 1-2 pounds per week until they reach
more ideal weights. [cit. needed]
If you follow a strictly vegan diet,
supplement it with vitamin B12. [cit. needed]
Also, get some direct sunshine daily
for your vitamin D. [cit. needed]
For alcoholics, "Just quit drinking" is not easy.
For overweight people, establishing a health-promoting
diet is similarly a struggle.
Addicts of all kinds often find benefit in
taking a "time out" in a health-promoting environment
free of the distractions and temptations of modern life.
Fasting
A period of medically-supervised water-only fasting
can be an effective adjunct.
Fasting clears the palate and "resets"
appestatic mechanisms.
Many find fasting to be most effective following
a prolonged period of dietary compliance.
The longer you eat a good diet before fasting,
the more effective fasting will be in returning you
to optimum health.
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