[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”FOOD ADDICTION” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]It may seem very strange, but the idea that a person can even be addicted to food has recently received huge support from modern science. Research has shown that a rich and palatable diet of sugar, fat, and salt can trigger the brain centers like abused drugs. This trigger results in increased food intake, even if the person is not hungry. Food addiction is the same as addiction to drugs as food addiction will occur through the same neurotransmitters and pathways (Blumenthal & Gold, 2010).
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of food addiction include the following:
- You feel cravings for certain food items, even after having a full, healthy, and nutritious meal.
- When you start eating a meal, you often eat much more than you intend to eat.
- Often you find yourself eating a certain kind of food and then eating that same food again soon after.
- You make excuses to yourself and others about eating certain foods, but still continue to eat them.
- You have tried and planned many times to quit your habit of eating to excess, but you are still unsuccessful.
- You often try to hide your food consumption and lie in front of others about your food addiction.
- You feel helpless in the face of your addiction and know that it may harm your physical, mental and social life.
Food addiction is a very serious problem which can hasten your mood swings, and drastically affect your attitude and behavior (Gearhardt, Corbin, & Brownell, 2009). It can also affect your personality and consequently, your personal and social life (Rogers & Smit, 2000). By consuming a high number of calories, you will also gain weight, which in turn will affect your appearance, self-esteem, and personality. You will also increase your chances of obesity and its complications (Gearhardt et al., 2011). Food addiction can move from a mild to a moderate to a severe to a lethal condition. It can cause hypercholesterolemia, type II diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer and depression.
Try to overcome your issue as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could become much more severe and even too late to regain your health. Scientists are working to explore treatments for food addiction; it is more difficult to overcome food addiction than any other kind of addiction.
A dietician, nutritionist, psychologist, or any doctor who has a significant command of the problem can educate you on food addiction and can help you a lot. The doctor can guide you best and return you to a normal and healthy life.
There are many rehab centers, a huge number of seminars and books to educate people on appropriate and healthy diets, and many websites which can provide you with counselling and information to help you overcome your food addiction.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]
