She picked up the cupcakes for her family after work, not intending to eat any of them. But the sight and smell
of the cupcakes lead her to eat one, then a second, third, and fourth until the cupcake box was empty.
Naturally, Julia was frustrated because she is always trying to watch
her weight, and cupcakes are not on her diet plan. During her radio show, she repeated over and over, “My brain
isn’t working today because of all the sugar I ate yesterday.” Lori the wise one said, “ Julia you
are either dieting or bingeing on sugar, and you keep repeating the same pattern.”
Can you relate to Julia’s “I can’t stop with one”
story? Maybe you have had a similar experience with brownies. You take one brownie out of the pan, although you
didn’t intend to take even one, and soon you have eaten the whole row. An hour later the entire pan of brownies is gone!
You hurry and make another pan of brownies because you don’t want anyone to know.
Clients often tell me that once they open a bag of chips they can’t
stop until all the chips are gone. Your “I can’t stop with one” food may be cereal, French fries,
crackers, ice cream or cookies. Do you ever wonder why this happens?
A recent Yale University study found that the smell, sight or taste of high-sugar, processed foods
activates the brains’s reward center for many people in much the same way the sight of a glass of wine does for an alcoholic.
This Yale study reported that women who scored high on a test for addictive-like eating behaviors had a stronger neurological
response to images of a milk shake than women who scored low on the test. Clinically, I have observed that many people
cannot maintain control once they take the first bite of sugary food, just like an alcoholic cannot take that first drink.
Interestingly, the Yale research found people that
are easily addicted to food or alcohol also have low levels of the brain chemicals that support inhibition and self control.
These people simply have less control over their consumption. The high sugar, high fat, cupcake-type foods hijack the brain
into the “I can’t stop with one” behavior.
Perhaps there is a simpler explanation for Julia’s cupcake escapade. Giant food companies have known
for years that they can increase consumption of their products by adding large quantities of sugar and salt. Food chemists
from these companies understand that eating refined foods causes cravings that lead people to want and eat more processed
foods. The bottom line for most food companies is measured in dollars and cents, not in the health of their customers.
However, clinical research clearly shows that when people eat real foods in balance they have less hunger and more control.
Real food to the rescue!
There also
may be a biochemical explanation of why the cupcakes called out to Julia, “Eat me; eat all of us.” Addiction
specialists have discovered that we produce opioids when we eat excess amounts of sugar and fats. What are opioids?
They are the same addictive chemicals found in heroin, cocaine and other narcotic drugs. Opioids give people the high
that keeps them coming back and wanting more of the drug. Opioids are actually a by-product of digestion when we eat
large amounts of sugar and fat. Julia’s cupcakes were broken down into opioids in her digestive tract, and the
opiods led her to eat not one cupcake, but many.
Still with me? Who would think that eating cupcakes could be so complex? No doubt you are starting to realize that
first, you are not alone, and second, there are multiple causes for overeating. No wonder so many people in the USA
have eating issues. “I can’t stop with one” behavior is not simply a lack of willpower. I applaud
Julia’s honesty and willingness to talk about her cupcake experience on air because my guess is most of us have had
a similar experience at some time in our lives. The good news is that after clients understand their reasons for overeating,
they are able to stop beating themselves up, let go of the guilt, and move forward with their lives.
As with
any addiction, people who are struggling with food issues need ongoing nutritional counseling and support to break the cycle
of dieting and bingeing. If food thoughts are consuming your energy and your life, it is time to look for a nutritional solution.
