This is the time of year we are all trying to keep our New Year's resolutions in check. Healthy eating habits are easy to maintain for the first couple weeks, but temptations creep up on us. Like a lot of people out there, you probably get frustrated that you're unable to focus on a steadily healthy diet.
In this article, I would like to explain a possible cause for any slips in your diet. There is an up-and-coming term called "food addiction" that may explain dieting difficulties.
The exact definition of "food addiction" is blurry. Can humans be addicted to all foods? Can humans be addicted to only one kind of food, such as meat? Or is it one part of a food that humans are addicted to, such as sugar?
Scientists are still hashing out those exact details. What they do know is that food addiction is a chemical dependency, like all other addictions.
Whichever part of the food we are addicted to causes chemical changes in our brain. Dopamine levels rise, which means we enjoy food and we want more of it. Our brains get a rush from the increased brain chemical and we want to keep it up so we eat more of what raises that level the most. This is how addictions form.
Sugar is a big cause of food addiction, seeing as it is 10 times more addictive than cocaine. In fact, certain foods are hyper-palatable, meaning they are loaded with fat, salt, and sugar so as to be extremely pleasing to the sense of taste. The more rewarding flavor we receive, the higher our dopamine level, and the more we want to eat.
To recognize if food is an addiction, you can point out a few key symptoms:
First, if you eat or snack non-stop all day, you may have a food addiction. This includes eating out of boredom or when you feel stressed.
Second, if you turn down food when offered in the presence of company but chow down once alone.
Third, if a particular food makes you sick but you eat it anyway knowing the consequences.
Fourth, if you feel distressed, restless, and unfocused when you intentionally or unintentionally go a longer duration without food.
Lastly, one possible cause of addiction could be brought about by a food restriction. If a doctor advises you to stop eating dairy (for example) as part of a dietary study (to test for lactose intolerance), you suddenly want to eat milk, cheese, and ice cream simply because someone told you not to. Or perhaps because you feel cutting out a particular food is unimportant, despite doctor's orders. It's not so much addiction as it is human nature, but it definitely follows similar traits.
In relation to dieting, food addiction could prevent you from eating healthy and losing weight because you might relapse into eating unhealthy. In one case, you may want to continue eating fat, salt, and sugar simply because you are no longer allowed to eat them.
In other cases, when you stop eating the bad foods, your body goes through withdraw. You become anxious, depressed, distressed, unfocused, and you cannot function. This mental state is nothing but anti-productive when trying to become a healthier person. Powering through the withdraw is largely a mental exercise in persistence.
A major method of beating a food addiction is to redirect your dependency toward a healthier action. For example, every time you feel the craving for salty foods, drink a large glass of cold water. With a steadfast repetition such as this, your brain will eventually replace salty cravings with the fulfillment of the water.
In another example, every time you want to gorge on food because you're stressed, go for a run or some form of exercise. Again, your brain will begin to associate stress relief with an exhilarating workout instead of comfort food.
Additionally, take note of your trigger foods to help you pinpoint your addiction. What foods do you eat when you are snacking, stress-eating, boredom-eating, craving, or just eating absentmindedly? Most often, these go-to foods are salty, sugary, or fatty. They could also be in the dairy, grain, or meat groups.
Keep a food journal to track what you crave and eat plus your emotions and environment at the time. In addition to mood, your physical surroundings can have an effect on what you eat. Being at a party or social situation can make you eat mindlessly. How many time have you gone to a party with refreshments and immediately filled a plate with cheese cubes, chips, and cookies?
Tracking everything you eat over time can help you pinpoint your addictions and replace them with healthier habits.
Once we fully understand the chemical reactions in our brain and how we can control them, we will be free from food cravings. So, as you're delving into your New Year's resolutions, keep these points in mind. If you find yourself struggling to focus on healthier eating habits, perhaps food addiction is to blame.
I hope you are able to work through your struggles and achieve a healthier you.