Why Do We Eat More Than We Need?

There are several reasons for overeating:

1. Consuming food that's reduced or devoid of essential nutrients like enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, which are often removed or destroyed during processing. This leads to a hunger for these essential components rather than for another spoonful of sugar or slice of bread. Eating fresh, whole foods – like fresh fruits, sprouts, whole grains, legumes, and vegetables – can reduce daily food consumption and lessen hunger.

2. Unhealthy, processed food is mouth-watering and delicious, prompting us to eat more.

3. Time-saving - unhealthy food is more accessible and quicker to prepare, leading to increased consumption. It's important to note that with proper management of healthy food, it becomes easy to handle.

4. Fear of hunger – when we feel hungry and experience an internal emptiness, it often masks an emotional lack that we've learned to compensate for with food since childhood. We fear the emotions that surface with hunger, and we immediately reach for food to avoid feeling them, even when not hungry, resulting in stored body fat. From infancy, a baby’s cries or distress typically prompt the giving of food or a pacifier (what about a hug, a caress, a song, or words instead?). The child learns that feelings are undesirable at the moment, and to keep quiet, something is shoved into their mouth (a pacifier, bottle, etc.). Correcting this overeating habit starts with stopping the fear of hunger. Learn to connect with it and not fear it. It’s like meeting a new person in your life. Get to know him, experience him, spend time with him… If you can make peace with it without fear, you've succeeded!

5. An additional emotional aspect - an addiction to eating serves as a distraction from emotional pain – emptiness, fear, anger, or loneliness. This diverts a person from looking inward for true needs and disconnects them from themselves.

In the last generation, before the coming of the redeemer, one of the significant challenges we face is the temptation to overeat, which began with the world's correction in the Garden of Eden with the sin of the first man. This reflects in the abundance of various food offerings in all flavors, colors, and tantalizing stimuli, leaving no room for peace. Everywhere you go, there are ads or stores with tasty food temptations. How do we stand up to all of this? Through awareness of healthy food, adopting new health habits with ongoing support and learning with a therapist or in a group, to experience the health that Hashem ingrained in your body from creation (in most cases). Those who were sick often choose healthy living over disease with ease (suffering leads to change). If you are healthy, it requires internal strength to choose such a life, and this strength is found in the soul if you connect internally.

For home group bookings with naturopath Ruth Liat Or-Paltz (at no cost), call 073-2221290