Can Food Really Be Addictive?

Many of us know the feeling of "wanting something sweet after a meal," or "needing carbs to focus," and of course, not being able to start the day without coffee.

Some of us must have bread because, without it, there's no feeling of being full; soda and soft drinks, without which life seems incomplete; chocolate, as the driving force; snacks, and other foods that we develop an uncontrollable dependency on, due to both physical and emotional responses these foods trigger, which give a sense of pleasure or alertness.

Sometimes the urge to eat comes from a physical need. When the body truly demands something due to a lack of vitamins or minerals, it signals hunger or craving so we can fill that void. But instead of giving it nutritious food to rectify these deficiencies, we often indulge in comfort food that only temporarily satiates. The body doesn’t get what it truly needs, and so, it signals again.

Many times, unfortunately, the craving is emotional, mainly for comfort.

When eating for emotional reasons, food affects our energy, mood, and feelings just like drugs or medications.

Food products contain substances that act on the brain’s pleasure centers, thus causing dependence. We end up eating to cope with emotions and soothe ourselves.

Manufacturers in the industry have found that certain foods cause addiction, leading us to buy more and more. They discovered that foods high in sugar, salt, and fats cause loss of control and overeating. Therefore, almost all processed foods contain sugar, salt, and fat.

To overcome food addictions, we need to understand our state. Do we realize we are being controlled? There is something within us that manages us and is actually very harmful to our body and soul.

To overcome addictions, we first need the desire to quit.

After that, reducing acidic food and transitioning to alkaline food will cleanse the body. It’s advisable to add more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. When the body receives good nutrients, it will crave less bad.

It's recommended to eat every three hours to avoid sudden urges for forbidden foods.

Wheatgrass juice helps the body in the cleansing process and can aid in overcoming food addiction.

Physical activity, especially aerobic exercises, will prompt the brain to release happy and calming hormones which greatly assist in resisting cravings.

The goal of all of this is to create a genuine sense of calm without emotional dependency.

Zohara Sharvit is a naturopath N.D and an iris diagnosis expert, with many years of experience in treatment, counseling, and workshop facilitation. To book a free workshop, call 073-2221290