The thing about addiction…
Have you seen the television commercial where Oprah is so happy because she found a diet that allows her to eat bread? I’m personally skeptical of most televisions ads but I don’t doubt that she and many others feel life would be less enjoyable without bread. To some it’s almost like an addiction.
Addiction may seem like too strong a word so let’s go with craving. I’m sure there are lots of folks who crave bread and I know there are lots more who crave sugar or chocolate. The truth is that sugar and chocolate and even bread produce dopamine which is the brain’s neurotransmitter responsible for the “high” feeling, which is the same feeling people get from drugs or other addictions.
Food cravings are real. Many people who suffer from food cravings know that eating unhealthy foods cause illness yet they are unable to stop. Even after repeated attempts to stop, they have been unsuccessful and jump from “diet” to “diet” looking for a solution.
Food addictions are similar to other addictions but there is one huge difference. A person addicted to alcohol or drugs can completely abstain from using but a person addicted to food must eat to survive. It’s easy to say “just eat healthy” but the simple act of eating can lead to giving in to their craving.
Even though a person understands that poor eating habits are unhealthy the idea of never having another piece of chocolate as long as they live is too scary to deal with. I worked with a woman who could eat just one M&M and be perfectly satisfied. Imagine, just one teeny tiny M&M. Wouldn’t it be nice if we all had that much self-control?
But it’s not simply a matter of “self control”. Cravings can be very powerful and without the right tools and frame of mind, it’s very easy to give in to them.
One thing people who have learned to control their cravings know is that once you start eating healthy the cravings do go away. I’ve found that I not only don’t crave chocolate, it’s gotten to the point that even if I do have a “taste” of a chocolate dessert, a taste is more than enough. And to be fair, I only give in when my hostess insists at least a couple of times that “just a little taste won’t hurt”. Little does she know that a “little taste” could hurt a great deal to certain people.
Learning how to deal with cravings successfully doesn’t happen overnight and I couldn’t have done it alone. I needed someone to teach me how to develop a healthy relationship with food which included how to avoid certain foods and eliminate them completely from my diet.
That’s way so many diet plans don’t work. You need to “eliminate” certain foods from your diet or the cravings will come back. The joy of experiencing good health needs to be stronger than the fear of giving up your craving or you will not succeed.
If you or someone you know wants to break away from their cravings and yoyo dieting, call the professionals at Alternative Health Inc where you can learn how to change your eating habits and experience the joy of good health.
Yours in good health,
John Hoime
