If eating trash makes us sick, why do we keep eating it?
Options
Replies
-
http://www.kcet.org/living/food/food-rant/food-addiction-may-be-chemical.html
Just throwing this out there vs the blind "yes it is true". And " there is no such thing"
http://www.naturalnews.com/039600_junk_food_addiction_ingredients.html#
I can't find a really good and totally objective study so take it with a grain of salt. But I know if there is chips in the house I'll eat it. My choice. But if they aren't in the house, I don't tend to go to the store to get it.
The only thing that's interesting to me is the common ingredients in junk food. That seems to be the only fact about the discussion in then short time I researched.-1 -
LolBroScience wrote: »JessieLMay wrote: »So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.
Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.
People really love tossing the term addiction around.
Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.0 -
LolBroScience wrote: »JessieLMay wrote: »So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.
Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.
People really love tossing the term addiction around.
Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.
Isn't there more to it? If you have to avoid that particular food it doesn't seem worth a little sympathy.0 -
Not many who claim addiction over something so silly as food will "get clean". Or I'm just cynical. lol.LolBroScience wrote: »JessieLMay wrote: »So I have been having this thought quite frequently lately. I eat a bunch of junk (ie. fast food, candy, sweets, fried foods, etc.) and I feel really crappy afterwards. I feel sick to my stomach and lethargic and I swear that I will make sure that I don't feel this way ever again because it is so horrid. But then comes the next day and it's back to the desire of having all the junk again despite the knowledge of what the result will entail. So how does one break this cycle? I truly have a desire to live a healthy and active lifestyle but I feel like I am self sabotaging and trying to fulfill my subconscious self prophecy that I will fail. What are y'alls thoughts on this subject? If you have had any experiences dealing with this issue I'd love to hear about it.
Take it slow. Junk food, and sugar addictions are much like drug addictions. Most can't just quit cold turkey. Don't even try. It causes stronger addictions and binge eating. Slowly cut down what you're eating, until you're not eating it anymore. The less you eat of it, the less crappy you will feel. I actually feel better after eating that stuff, because it is a true addiction of mine that I need emotionally, but I don't eat it very often anymore. I can actually resist it. It takes a lot of time, and willpower. Good luck.
People really love tossing the term addiction around.
Because, if you're an "addict" you have a disease, and people should feel bad for you, and realize your lack of discipline is not your fault.
Isn't there more to it? If you have to avoid that particular food it doesn't seem worth a little sympathy.
0 -
I wrote and truly believe the following statement -
I believe we are on the brink of a revolution to change the way people think about food as, certainly here in Australia, people are looking more and more at the types of food they eat and are starting to turn their backs on processed food because they are concerned about the additives and chemicals that are in that food.paperpudding wrote: »
really?
I havent noticed people in Australia doing that.
Yes paperpudding, things are changing and I am surprised you haven't noticed because it is all around us.
Currently, in Australia there is a petition to the Heart Foundation to revise their method of using and distributing the once highly respected "tick."
It is now felt the "tick of approval" is given to the company with the most money regardless of whether their product is deemed by current changing views as to what is healthy. People are becoming more aware of what is a healthy product and what is not. Thus the petition "To Flick the Tick" Processed foods and additives are not deemed healthy - just profit making.
Restaurants are having to make adjustments to their menus to accommodate the changing tastes of customers and the trend toward gluten free and healthy. Paleo inspired restaurants are opening around the country.
One of the chef's from the highest rating cooking show on Australia TV has a Facebook following of nearly 400,000 people all learning about eating as close to nature as possible. His cookbooks are selling in massive numbers as are the following trends in cookbooks for 2014 -
1. Stovetop Travel.
2. Live-Fire Cooking.
3. Farm to Fork.
4. Healthy, Healthy, Healthy.
5. Gluten-Free Living.
6. Eat Your Veggies.
7&8. Wine Inspired cookbooks. (Oops how did they hit the list!!)
Fruits and vegetables shops are becoming highly successful and in the case of our small local shop, I counted 60 plus people in there when I passed yesterday.
My own friends are changing their eating habits and turning their backs on processed food & sugar and are reading labels and wanting to know where their food comes from and what is in it.
These are just my personal observations and there are many, many more.
Yes things are changing and I think for the better.
0 -
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/
Seeing as ischemic heart disease (heart attack) is directly related to diet the majority of the time, I would say so.
That's interesting, let's look at the risk factors. Risk factors (dietary) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and or triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. That's interesting because it's the obesity that is most directly related to high blood pressure. May or may not be related to cholesterol. Definetely related to diabetes. Food in and of itself does not make us obese though, over-eaitng and sedentary lifestyle (no exercise) make us obese.
Other risk factors: tobacco use, age, family history, lack of physical activity, stress, illegal drug use, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. None related to diet...
So I would say heart attack is not directly related to diet at all...
Then you're fooling yourself.
In the majority of cases, no. Diet is not related directly to heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle and overeating any type of food at all, regardless of type, leading to obesity, will cause a major increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Genetics alone can cause an increase in the risk of higher cholesterol. You cannot blame any specific food group or diet on a higher level of cholesterol or risk of heart attack in the general population. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women because there is an obesity epidemic happening not only in our own country but in almost all first-world countries.0 -
It contains chemicals that overload our brains and triggers our bodies to crave it, like a drug. Like someone else said- it's a cyclical. Once you stop eating it - ANY of it - for awhile, it won't even taste the same to you. In fact, I felt that quitting smoking (after 12 years of it) and kicking junk food were eerily similar experiences.
Seriously, what are you talking about? So all "junk" foods, as you term them, contain these same chemicals that cause addiction in the brain? That is ridiculous. One person is addicted to pizza, another to cake, another to chips, another to burgers..... what is the mystery substance that is being added to all these foods to 'addict' people to them?
It's a copout excuse used by people who don't want to stop overeating foods of which they like the taste.0 -
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/
Seeing as ischemic heart disease (heart attack) is directly related to diet the majority of the time, I would say so.
That's interesting, let's look at the risk factors. Risk factors (dietary) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and or triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. That's interesting because it's the obesity that is most directly related to high blood pressure. May or may not be related to cholesterol. Definetely related to diabetes. Food in and of itself does not make us obese though, over-eaitng and sedentary lifestyle (no exercise) make us obese.
Other risk factors: tobacco use, age, family history, lack of physical activity, stress, illegal drug use, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. None related to diet...
So I would say heart attack is not directly related to diet at all...
Then you're fooling yourself.
In the majority of cases, no. Diet is not related directly to heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle and overeating any type of food at all, regardless of type, leading to obesity, will cause a major increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Genetics alone can cause an increase in the risk of higher cholesterol. You cannot blame any specific food group or diet on a higher level of cholesterol or risk of heart attack in the general population. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women because there is an obesity epidemic happening not only in our own country but in almost all first-world countries.
Right, and diet=how much, as well as, what, you eat.
0 -
It contains chemicals that overload our brains and triggers our bodies to crave it, like a drug. Like someone else said- it's a cyclical. Once you stop eating it - ANY of it - for awhile, it won't even taste the same to you. In fact, I felt that quitting smoking (after 12 years of it) and kicking junk food were eerily similar experiences.
Seriously, what are you talking about? So all "junk" foods, as you term them, contain these same chemicals that cause addiction in the brain? That is ridiculous. One person is addicted to pizza, another to cake, another to chips, another to burgers..... what is the mystery substance that is being added to all these foods to 'addict' people to them?
It's a copout excuse used by people who don't want to stop overeating foods of which they like the taste.
0 -
So you're saying it's absolutely not about having the willpower or accepting personal responsibility and it's all the foods fault?
No one said anything about absolutely this or absolutely that. Many people overeat junk food, apply some limits, and are just fine.
For some people, food triggers them to eat more, the way a peanut may trigger you to break out in hives. Is breaking out in hives a lack of willpower?
I really don't understand why, whenever the topic of food + addiction comes up, some people freak out and insist that it's not real. I don't see how your experience with food somehow trumps my experience with food.
"The world is bigger than you, and you are not me." -- REM-1 -
It's about dopamine. You get hormone rushes in your brain that make you feel good when you eat sugar and fat, but you also get insulin rushes with the candy/carbs, that bring you down. It's a vicious cycle.... but no food is terrible, it's all just macros (carb/protein/fat) and you are less hungry if you eat fats and protein. And drink enough water, that tends to stave off the cravings. Just take it one day at a time.1
-
DeirdreWoodwardSanders wrote: »
So you're saying it's absolutely not about having the willpower or accepting personal responsibility and it's all the foods fault?
No one said anything about absolutely this or absolutely that. Many people overeat junk food, apply some limits, and are just fine.
For some people, food triggers them to eat more, the way a peanut may trigger you to break out in hives. Is breaking out in hives a lack of willpower?
I really don't understand why, whenever the topic of food + addiction comes up, some people freak out and insist that it's not real. I don't see how your experience with food somehow trumps my experience with food.
"The world is bigger than you, and you are not me." -- REM
It's not that we don't believe that someone is addicted to a certain food, but when posters start comparing sugar to crack, that's when people get militant. Someone then posts a link showing the dopamine release from sugar is more significant than hard drugs, and those that don't fight the cravings for candy are suddenly off the hook for binging. Then the claims that food manufacturers are manipulating their product to intentionally keep customers coming back arise.
So yes, I believe it is absolutely a matter of willpower. You can choose to eat candy or not. I would also agree that it may be more difficult for others for a number of reasons, but that does not make it any less of a choice.
0 -
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/
Seeing as ischemic heart disease (heart attack) is directly related to diet the majority of the time, I would say so.
That's interesting, let's look at the risk factors. Risk factors (dietary) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and or triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. That's interesting because it's the obesity that is most directly related to high blood pressure. May or may not be related to cholesterol. Definetely related to diabetes. Food in and of itself does not make us obese though, over-eaitng and sedentary lifestyle (no exercise) make us obese.
Other risk factors: tobacco use, age, family history, lack of physical activity, stress, illegal drug use, preeclampsia, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. None related to diet...
So I would say heart attack is not directly related to diet at all...
Then you're fooling yourself.
In the majority of cases, no. Diet is not related directly to heart attack. A sedentary lifestyle and overeating any type of food at all, regardless of type, leading to obesity, will cause a major increase in the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer. Genetics alone can cause an increase in the risk of higher cholesterol. You cannot blame any specific food group or diet on a higher level of cholesterol or risk of heart attack in the general population. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women because there is an obesity epidemic happening not only in our own country but in almost all first-world countries.
And the obesity epidemic is related to an excess of food consumed ie diet.
I don't think anyone said any specific food group was responsible fir obesity but an excess intake of calories certainly is - hence diet, ie eating excess amounts, is related to heart attacks ( not the only factor, nobody is saying that either - but a very significant factor )
0 -
I wrote and truly believe the following statement -
I believe we are on the brink of a revolution to change the way people think about food as, certainly here in Australia, people are looking more and more at the types of food they eat and are starting to turn their backs on processed food because they are concerned about the additives and chemicals that are in that food.paperpudding wrote: »
really?
I havent noticed people in Australia doing that.
Yes paperpudding, things are changing and I am surprised you haven't noticed because it is all around us.
Currently, in Australia there is a petition to the Heart Foundation to revise their method of using and distributing the once highly respected "tick."
It is now felt the "tick of approval" is given to the company with the most money regardless of whether their product is deemed by current changing views as to what is healthy. People are becoming more aware of what is a healthy product and what is not. Thus the petition "To Flick the Tick" Processed foods and additives are not deemed healthy - just profit making.
Restaurants are having to make adjustments to their menus to accommodate the changing tastes of customers and the trend toward gluten free and healthy. Paleo inspired restaurants are opening around the country.
One of the chef's from the highest rating cooking show on Australia TV has a Facebook following of nearly 400,000 people all learning about eating as close to nature as possible. His cookbooks are selling in massive numbers as are the following trends in cookbooks for 2014 -
1. Stovetop Travel.
2. Live-Fire Cooking.
3. Farm to Fork.
4. Healthy, Healthy, Healthy.
5. Gluten-Free Living.
6. Eat Your Veggies.
7&8. Wine Inspired cookbooks. (Oops how did they hit the list!!)
Fruits and vegetables shops are becoming highly successful and in the case of our small local shop, I counted 60 plus people in there when I passed yesterday.
My own friends are changing their eating habits and turning their backs on processed food & sugar and are reading labels and wanting to know where their food comes from and what is in it.
These are just my personal observations and there are many, many more.
Yes things are changing and I think for the better.
Yes cook books sell well, cooking shows on TVs are popular, people like things on Facebook .nothing new there.
And yes, the Heart Foundation has been called to account for questionable ethics in sale of heart tick.
But I don t equate any of these to a revolution among the masses turning away from processed foods.
Which I don't see happening and neither does it need to. One can eat a balanced diet which includes processed foods and 'chemical additives'
And includes fruit and veg too - you know, balanced diet - so people can be seen in fruit and veg shops and also eat processed foods, it isn't one or the other.
0 -
DeirdreWoodwardSanders wrote: »
So you're saying it's absolutely not about having the willpower or accepting personal responsibility and it's all the foods fault?
No one said anything about absolutely this or absolutely that. Many people overeat junk food, apply some limits, and are just fine.
For some people, food triggers them to eat more, the way a peanut may trigger you to break out in hives. Is breaking out in hives a lack of willpower?
I really don't understand why, whenever the topic of food + addiction comes up, some people freak out and insist that it's not real. I don't see how your experience with food somehow trumps my experience with food.
"The world is bigger than you, and you are not me." -- REM
I think the question is whether that "trigger" is physical or emotional. In all cases I've seen or heard about, it's emotional. It is not an "addiction" in the way of, say, drugs or cigarettes.
Having been a smoker, I can tell you that there was a specific addictive substance in cigarettes, without which I would have a physical reaction. There was also an emotionally addictive aspect to the action and pleasure of smoking. Those were two separate things and had to be addressed separately.
What addictive substance are you suggesting is contained by these foods that people get addicted to?
0 -
What addictive substance are you suggesting is contained by these foods that people get addicted to?
Look, I'm no food scientist. But this is what I know: when I eat a plate of vegetables, chicken, and sweet potatoes, I'm full, I'm happy, and I'm done.
When I eat three chocolate chip cookies, I then have an overpowering urge to eat the rest of the cookies.
In my past, I've thrown cookies away and fished them back out of the garbage to eat them any way. I've stolen snacks from co-workers. I've stolen money to buy food from vending machines. I've driven to different grocery stores so the clerk won't see how much sweet food I'm buying. I haven't done that because I'm a criminal or starving. I've done it because of an overwhelming urge to eat more of that food. The urge is so overwhelming that it overpowers all my ethics and morals.
I've never once done any of that for chicken, or vegetables, or beans.
Some foods cause me to have an overwhelming urge to eat so much of it that I think my stomach will literally explode before the urge goes away. I've eaten some foods while crying and pleading with myself to stop eating it. If I combat the urge, it comes back stronger the next time, and the binge is longer. The only way I've ever won against the urge is to not eat the food AT ALL.
It's not a matter of will power. I don't binge on chicken and vegetable and green beans. I don't binge in applesauce or yogurt or Cheerios. I don't binge on sushi. I don't binge on pork loin, or salad, or any of a thousand other foods.
I binge on foods that are a combination of sugar + fat, and not necessarily just processed food. Certainly Oreos set me off, but so do my own homemade chocolate chip cookies. I'll eat the entire batch. There are some foods, like squash casserole, I will order in a restaurant, but I won't make at home because I'm concerned I'll eat the whole pan.
I really appreciate the fact that many people can eat all foods in moderation. Good luck and cheers to them. That's not who I am. Some foods I need to stay the hell away from all all times.
I don't know why this is, and I don't care. I just know it is, and I'm not going back the hell on earth that was my life when I was binging.
My personal responsibility isn't to eat those foods in moderation. My personal responsibility is to stay away from those foods altogether.0 -
I think more people need to realize this about themselves.DeirdreWoodwardSanders wrote: »Look, I'm no food scientist.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392K Introduce Yourself
- 43.6K Getting Started
- 259.8K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.7K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 401 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.8K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.4K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 996 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.4K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions