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no sugar or flour, food addiction?
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So much of Western medicine is so focused on prescriptions to alleviate patients problems and symptoms while not truly addressing the root cause. Which of course opened the door wide open for big pharma and the billions they make a year in medicines.neanderthin wrote: »Doctor: The MRI shows your brain has been hijacked by dopamine pirates.
Patient: Are you writing me a prescription Doc?
Doctor: No, I'm investing and buying stock in those companies. Drum roll, symbol.
I sometimes believe that people in the US really don't worry about health issues because in the back of their mind, they believe that there's a medicine or medical procedure that will take care of whatever health issue they run into down the line.
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So much of Western medicine is so focused on prescriptions to alleviate patients problems and symptoms while not truly addressing the root cause. Which of course opened the door wide open for big pharma and the billions they make a year in medicines.neanderthin wrote: »Doctor: The MRI shows your brain has been hijacked by dopamine pirates.
Patient: Are you writing me a prescription Doc?
Doctor: No, I'm investing and buying stock in those companies. Drum roll, symbol.
I sometimes believe that people in the US really don't worry about health issues because in the back of their mind, they believe that there's a medicine or medical procedure that will take care of whatever health issue they run into down the line.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
A few years ago, 2018 I believe the food industry grossed about 1.4 trillion with a profit of around 650 billion. Pharma made 254 billion on 1.8 trillion. Health care is about 3.2 trillion a year. Crazy numbers. Not sustainable and with diabetes being around 350 billion dollar burden alone, forget about the other metabolic diseases someone better figure out what's going on in the food supply because the Gov't has had 50 years to figure it out and they've come up with zilch.0 -
I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.4
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neanderthin wrote: »
So much of Western medicine is so focused on prescriptions to alleviate patients problems and symptoms while not truly addressing the root cause. Which of course opened the door wide open for big pharma and the billions they make a year in medicines.neanderthin wrote: »Doctor: The MRI shows your brain has been hijacked by dopamine pirates.
Patient: Are you writing me a prescription Doc?
Doctor: No, I'm investing and buying stock in those companies. Drum roll, symbol.
I sometimes believe that people in the US really don't worry about health issues because in the back of their mind, they believe that there's a medicine or medical procedure that will take care of whatever health issue they run into down the line.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
A few years ago, 2018 I believe the food industry grossed about 1.4 trillion with a profit of around 650 billion. Pharma made 254 billion on 1.8 trillion. Health care is about 3.2 trillion a year. Crazy numbers. Not sustainable and with diabetes being around 350 billion dollar burden alone, forget about the other metabolic diseases someone better figure out what's going on in the food supply because the Gov't has had 50 years to figure it out and they've come up with zilch.
Definitely agree. It's insanity. And the answer is in the food. And unfortunately big agra isn't going to give us the answer (too much money in the game) so unfortunately it's up to people to do as best they can.1 -
Oh it's NOT going to change at all if companies are making billions. They don't care about human health (with the exception of something flat out killing someone after ingestion). What matters is PROFIT. Capitalism rules in the USA regardless if big companies exploit Americans. As long as they can do it LEGALLY, they will.neanderthin wrote: »
So much of Western medicine is so focused on prescriptions to alleviate patients problems and symptoms while not truly addressing the root cause. Which of course opened the door wide open for big pharma and the billions they make a year in medicines.neanderthin wrote: »Doctor: The MRI shows your brain has been hijacked by dopamine pirates.
Patient: Are you writing me a prescription Doc?
Doctor: No, I'm investing and buying stock in those companies. Drum roll, symbol.
I sometimes believe that people in the US really don't worry about health issues because in the back of their mind, they believe that there's a medicine or medical procedure that will take care of whatever health issue they run into down the line.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
A few years ago, 2018 I believe the food industry grossed about 1.4 trillion with a profit of around 650 billion. Pharma made 254 billion on 1.8 trillion. Health care is about 3.2 trillion a year. Crazy numbers. Not sustainable and with diabetes being around 350 billion dollar burden alone, forget about the other metabolic diseases someone better figure out what's going on in the food supply because the Gov't has had 50 years to figure it out and they've come up with zilch.
So if you talk to people that are lean.............they don't blame the companies. They take it upon themselves to make the right choices for better health and nutrition.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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The food industry understands the science behind what drives behavior and they've been researching this for decades and I believe it's in their understanding of the two major reward centers in the brain, one being dopamine and the other serotonin. Which does differentiate between pleasure and happiness which are usually conflated by most people.
Pleasure is that dopamine hit and generally experienced alone and it's visceral, short lived and when it's achieved in excess it drives depression, suicide with an end game for addiction. Examples like drugs, shopping, gambling, drinking and sex and yes, eating.
Happiness on the other hand effects serotonin which is generally experienced with others like family and friends, it's ethereal and it's long lived and can't be achieved with substances and happiness is not addictive.
The food industry is well aware of these differences and the food industry commonly deflects overeating with lack of exercise with companies expressing core values virtue signaling health and wellbeing in their marketing and advertising, basically saying, hey, if your fat and obese you have to take it upon yourself and eat less and move more, and they get a pass because that opinion is a popular one and they know that.
The food industry right now are salivating at the thought that the message that animal products for example have been demonized and thought to be scourge of the planet because, well, since the 60's meat will kill us (yes sarcasm) and what are going to replace those calories, fruit and veg, nope, maybe a little, it will be a lot more powders with additives and formed into all sorts of new shapes with those tastes we've all learned to love with ringing health endorsements, right on those bright and beautifully packaged goodness sending the right message, well, at least the one people have fallen for over and over again, dopamine anyone. This is just my opinion and not a popular one because, it's all about calories. cheers
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Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.1 -
Hmmm good question. But according to this, the top 10 states aren't the most obese out of all the US.lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2021/04/30/this-state-smokes-the-most-pot-ranking-use-by-state/10/
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 2 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
Are lots of people using marijuana who didn't use it when it was illegal? I'm not sure. I don't know very many, but that's for sure a biased sample. Just from casual reading, looks like there's some research, but I think it's mostly survey research, so also potentially iffy; but seems to show only modest increases (in absolute terms, not "percentage increase") in some (not all) demographics. To the extent use has been correlated with BMI in such research, it isn't obvious that users are universally fatter (maybe even the reverse).0 -
Funny but almost all people I personally know that smoke are skinny or normal body weight.lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
Are lots of people using marijuana who didn't use it when it was illegal? I'm not sure. I don't know very many, but that's for sure a biased sample. Just from casual reading, looks like there's some research, but I think it's mostly survey research, so also potentially iffy; but seems to show only modest increases (in absolute terms, not "percentage increase") in some (not all) demographics. To the extent use has been correlated with BMI in such research, it isn't obvious that users are universally fatter (maybe even the reverse).
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Funny but almost all people I personally know that smoke are skinny or normal body weight.lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
Are lots of people using marijuana who didn't use it when it was illegal? I'm not sure. I don't know very many, but that's for sure a biased sample. Just from casual reading, looks like there's some research, but I think it's mostly survey research, so also potentially iffy; but seems to show only modest increases (in absolute terms, not "percentage increase") in some (not all) demographics. To the extent use has been correlated with BMI in such research, it isn't obvious that users are universally fatter (maybe even the reverse).
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Omg you’re right.0 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
Are lots of people using marijuana who didn't use it when it was illegal? I'm not sure. I don't know very many, but that's for sure a biased sample. Just from casual reading, looks like there's some research, but I think it's mostly survey research, so also potentially iffy; but seems to show only modest increases (in absolute terms, not "percentage increase") in some (not all) demographics. To the extent use has been correlated with BMI in such research, it isn't obvious that users are universally fatter (maybe even the reverse).
I think it would also matter, for the question of affecting obesity, whether people who used it when it was illegal are using it more now that it's legal -- assuming that more use means more munchies? Another possibility -- has legalization affected how much marijuana is used in the form of edibles (I don't know much about this, but it sounds like edibles are generally sugary treats, like baked goods -- no pun intended -- or gummies?).
Early days yet to know about the effect of legalization on rates of use, much less the secondary effect on obesity. Just something that occurred to me in reading the thread.
Also think maybe the pertinent comparison should not be between the BMI of users and the BMI of non-users, but rather between the % change in BMI over several years for users and nonusers.0 -
Good discussion. Helpful for me to think about this. I don't know if it is "addiction" (not sure how to define it). In 2019 I managed to stop eating sugar and flour for almost a year, and lost 30 lbs. It's easier and more successful in weight loss for me to completely abstain. I gained the weight back when I stopped abstaining. Now I'm down 16 lbs but on a plateau for months. I have been eating both sugar and flour in what seems extreme moderation but I wonder if my body just doesn't handle them well. I can try letting go of them again. I am wary of making a lifelong commitment to such a restricted diet, but it felt good to be honest, and it was pretty easy to accomplish -- but only as long as I just completely stopped.(I can make buckeyes, keto muffins, and ground sunflower seed crackers for treats.)1
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I can’t blame any of my weight gains on flour, sugar, the food industry, or anyone other than myself.
I was a child in the 70’s. My parents were young and money was tight. Restaurant meals, fast food, and “junk foods” like chips were rare. Both parents ran. My father was a long-distance runner who was, and still is, very particular about what he eats. We had healthy meals and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. We did a lot of walking, biking, and swimming. But I still gained weight because I love food and I love to eat.
I never ate to block out pain or trauma. If I’m upset or stressed, I don’t want to eat. It’s a happy thing. I like the taste of food and the act of eating. I never eat fast. I like to savor it. It’s not an addiction for me, as I can control myself. But there were, and are, times when I didn’t want to or didn’t care.
From pictures, I can see I was a normal weight until about 5 or 6. You don’t become obese overnight. It’s mathematics. Extra snacks plus extra portions equal excess calories. Excess calories add up to excess pounds. Excess pounds add up year after year.
I weighed 145 pounds when I was 13. I remember as that’s when I weighed more than either of my parents. They weren’t happy about my weight but it’s not hard to sneak food. And if you love all food, then anything is eligible to be a snack. We would buy glorious cheeses from the farmer’s market. I once ate 9 clementines in a row. Peanut butter is so easy to eat right out of the jar. My grandfather always had a ham cooked and sliced and no one would notice if you took just one more slice. Slice after slice. Pound after pound. Year after year.
I gained major weight in college. The dining halls were all you could eat and I could eat a lot. I was in the 260’s when I was 24 and decided to get serious about losing weight. Unsurprisingly, when I ate the proper portions, I lost weight.
You see, I used to blame being short or having a “slow metabolism” for being overweight. When I was a kid, I thought it wasn’t fair that my best friend ate French fries and was skinny when I didn’t eat fried foods yet I was the one who was fat. But when I finally took an honest look at what I ate on a daily basis, I knew that was the end of my denial. And it really was denial, as deep down I always knew I ate enough for several people.
You would think I now have a good understanding how overeating leads to weight gain and you’d be correct. I still gained 40 pounds during the pandemic. Being self-aware doesn’t mean that you no longer indulge in self-destructive behavior. Plus, I’m an excellent cook. And the farmer’s market still sells glorious cheeses.
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When you're honest with yourself, it's much easier to see the big picture and actually find the path to what makes it doable to control your weight.PeachHibiscus wrote: »I can’t blame any of my weight gains on flour, sugar, the food industry, or anyone other than myself.
I was a child in the 70’s. My parents were young and money was tight. Restaurant meals, fast food, and “junk foods” like chips were rare. Both parents ran. My father was a long-distance runner who was, and still is, very particular about what he eats. We had healthy meals and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. We did a lot of walking, biking, and swimming. But I still gained weight because I love food and I love to eat.
I never ate to block out pain or trauma. If I’m upset or stressed, I don’t want to eat. It’s a happy thing. I like the taste of food and the act of eating. I never eat fast. I like to savor it. It’s not an addiction for me, as I can control myself. But there were, and are, times when I didn’t want to or didn’t care.
From pictures, I can see I was a normal weight until about 5 or 6. You don’t become obese overnight. It’s mathematics. Extra snacks plus extra portions equal excess calories. Excess calories add up to excess pounds. Excess pounds add up year after year.
I weighed 145 pounds when I was 13. I remember as that’s when I weighed more than either of my parents. They weren’t happy about my weight but it’s not hard to sneak food. And if you love all food, then anything is eligible to be a snack. We would buy glorious cheeses from the farmer’s market. I once ate 9 clementines in a row. Peanut butter is so easy to eat right out of the jar. My grandfather always had a ham cooked and sliced and no one would notice if you took just one more slice. Slice after slice. Pound after pound. Year after year.
I gained major weight in college. The dining halls were all you could eat and I could eat a lot. I was in the 260’s when I was 24 and decided to get serious about losing weight. Unsurprisingly, when I ate the proper portions, I lost weight.
You see, I used to blame being short or having a “slow metabolism” for being overweight. When I was a kid, I thought it wasn’t fair that my best friend ate French fries and was skinny when I didn’t eat fried foods yet I was the one who was fat. But when I finally took an honest look at what I ate on a daily basis, I knew that was the end of my denial. And it really was denial, as deep down I always knew I ate enough for several people.
You would think I now have a good understanding how overeating leads to weight gain and you’d be correct. I still gained 40 pounds during the pandemic. Being self-aware doesn’t mean that you no longer indulge in self-destructive behavior. Plus, I’m an excellent cook. And the farmer’s market still sells glorious cheeses.
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I absolutely believe food addictions exist, it's pretty well known that processed food industries use techniques to make their products more addictive to drive up profits. We also know what carbs and sugar can do to our brain chemistry. Doesn't mean we're not ultimately responsible for what we choose to purchase and eat, but one issue doesn't rule out the other. Just like with drugs and alcohol and smoking, substances are addictive but you can't go around blaming the suppliers when you're one of the people demanding it. You have to work on your own problem.
I have serious food addictions. I learned from experience that I struggle with moderation when it comes to starchy/sugary foods. Even so-called "healhy" carbs like unsweetened oatmeal or good whole wheat breads or sweet potatoes or bananas and such --even if carefully balanced and portioned-- made it hard to stop eating, could jumpstarted unbearable cravings that would last for days on end and cause depression and anxiety, or could trigger binging.
Not to mention, a carb was a carb when it came to my blood sugar and inflammation-- I got sugar spikes after any meals with carbs, and inflammation caused issues, no matter what kind of carbs or how carefully balanced they were with protein.
Abstinence has been the best thing for me. Not saying everyone needs to resort to it, everyone has to find their own sweet spot. But the more I eliminated carbs from my diet, the better it got. I stopped eating anything with any kind of added sugar, I keep artificial sweeteners as a rare, limited treat, and I gave up all grains, starchy veggies, high-carb fruits, high-carb legumes and high-carb dairy, etc. I kept lowering carbs until I was under 20 grams per day. When I stopped being afraid of fat, all the pieces finally fell into place and I found my sweet spot.
I'm doing better than ever with my food addictions, I rarely get cravings anymore and even if so they are mild and manageable. And it's not just my mental health that has improved-- my blood pressure is better than when I was 20, my triglycerides are down, healthy cholesterol is up, diabetes is nearly reversed, I'm off 90% of the meds I used to take and expect to wean off the rest by the end of the year. And my auto-immune disease and hip arthritis and stuff don't flare up nearly as much as they used to, or nearly as badly when they do.
I know some consider it restrictive; for me it is freedom. I don't recommend it as a fix all diet for everyone, but I am convinced that most people who want to lose weight or who struggle with various health issues should give elimination diets a try, or play with their macro percentages for a while to see if they find their own sweet spot.7 -
MacLowCarbing wrote: »I absolutely believe food addictions exist, it's pretty well known that processed food industries use techniques to make their products more addictive to drive up profits. We also know what carbs and sugar can do to our brain chemistry. Doesn't mean we're not ultimately responsible for what we choose to purchase and eat, but one issue doesn't rule out the other. Just like with drugs and alcohol and smoking, substances are addictive but you can't go around blaming the suppliers when you're one of the people demanding it. You have to work on your own problem.
I have serious food addictions. I learned from experience that I struggle with moderation when it comes to starchy/sugary foods. Even so-called "healhy" carbs like unsweetened oatmeal or good whole wheat breads or sweet potatoes or bananas and such --even if carefully balanced and portioned-- made it hard to stop eating, could jumpstarted unbearable cravings that would last for days on end and cause depression and anxiety, or could trigger binging.
Not to mention, a carb was a carb when it came to my blood sugar and inflammation-- I got sugar spikes after any meals with carbs, and inflammation caused issues, no matter what kind of carbs or how carefully balanced they were with protein.
Abstinence has been the best thing for me. Not saying everyone needs to resort to it, everyone has to find their own sweet spot. But the more I eliminated carbs from my diet, the better it got. I stopped eating anything with any kind of added sugar, I keep artificial sweeteners as a rare, limited treat, and I gave up all grains, starchy veggies, high-carb fruits, high-carb legumes and high-carb dairy, etc. I kept lowering carbs until I was under 20 grams per day. When I stopped being afraid of fat, all the pieces finally fell into place and I found my sweet spot.
I'm doing better than ever with my food addictions, I rarely get cravings anymore and even if so they are mild and manageable. And it's not just my mental health that has improved-- my blood pressure is better than when I was 20, my triglycerides are down, healthy cholesterol is up, diabetes is nearly reversed, I'm off 90% of the meds I used to take and expect to wean off the rest by the end of the year. And my auto-immune disease and hip arthritis and stuff don't flare up nearly as much as they used to, or nearly as badly when they do.
I know some consider it restrictive; for me it is freedom. I don't recommend it as a fix all diet for everyone, but I am convinced that most people who want to lose weight or who struggle with various health issues should give elimination diets a try, or play with their macro percentages for a while to see if they find their own sweet spot.
This is an excellent comment ending with sage advise. Thank you. Your experience very closely mirrors my own when it comes to what consuming the usual carbohydrate amounts and types of carbohydrates recommended by almost all official dietary guidelines did to my health over the years. No one should expect the herd mentality of the medical profession to go against these guidelines - despite the harm it causes to the health of some of their patients. For 25 years my PCP and cardiologist lectured me that the way to lose weight was to eat less calories and to burn off more through exercise (C.I.C.O.). In my experience, that just isn't possible as long as my insulin resistance reacts to "normal" amounts of carbs like an addictive substance.
5 -
Hmmm good question. But according to this, the top 10 states aren't the most obese out of all the US.lynn_glenmont wrote: »
Chemical reaction is what drives the body. From hormones you generate normally, to chemicals taken. Lol, I had a client who kept telling me he just didn't feel hungry and why he's probably not gaining weight or muscle even though the workout program we were doing was set for that. So I told him to smoke weed. He was shocked. But he did try it and voila! Not only did he sleep better, but he was able to gain 30lbs easily cause marijuana made him hungry.I do believe it has to be related to the chemicals in the brain somehow. I’ve always been underweight and never craved food. Then when I had problems with my hormones I got cravings. The Dr put me on the birth control pill consecutively so I never get my period-don’t have cravings any more. Then about 5 years ago, I had a nerve injury in my knee and they gave me nerve medication-it caused me to crave sweets and foods I never I eat-I gained 20lbs in 2 months. So I went off of it-cravings went away and I instantly lost the weight and went back to normal. I think that’s why all these drugs like Ozempic work-it changes the foods you crave and your amount of hunger. So for the average person - the level of the hormones you have regulating your hunger such as leptin, etc can affect your weight. Drugs and hormones can affect this. People who psychologically eat -I am not sure what gets triggered there. That is a little more in depth.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Hadn't thought about this before, but I wonder if the legalization of marijuana in so many states will exacerbate the obesity problem in the U.S.
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2021/04/30/this-state-smokes-the-most-pot-ranking-use-by-state/10/
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Very interesting study. For many reasons. For one thing, the number of smokers for all states, legal or not was closer than I would have guessed.
Oklahoma is one of the recent states to legalize. I wonder how much difference there is in the number of smokers before and after legalization. There certainly is a LOT more in the news about crime concerning growers and sellers.
It seems like every time I see an article about health, our state is a little less healthy and a little more obese.0
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