When acting on cravings, the brain gets a reward — a feeling of pleasure associated with the release of dopamine. The reward is what cravings and food addiction are all about. Dopamine THE driving factor when it comes to ANY addiction addiction.

Not unlike the "common addict" going into extremes for his "fix".

People with food addiction get their “fix” by eating a particular food until their brain has received all of the dopamine it was missing.

The more often this cycle of craving and rewarding is repeated, the stronger it becomes and the greater the quantity of food that’s needed each time.

While four scoops of ice cream were enough 3 years ago, today it may take eight scoops to experience the same level of reward.

It can be almost impossible to eat in moderation when satisfying an addiction-driven craving.

That’s why it’s often impossible for people to just have a small slice of cake or a few M&M’s. It’s like telling a smoker to only smoke one-fourth of a cigarette to cut back. It simply does not work.

Cravings and food addiction can often lead to overeating, binging, and OBESITY.

Over time, food addiction can cause severe physical and psychological problems.

Many people who have been struggling with food addiction for a long time keep their eating habits a secret. They may also be living with depression or anxiety, which can contribute to addiction.

This is compounded by the fact that most people aren’t aware they’re experiencing food addiction. They may not realize they need help to overcome food addiction and that getting treatment for depression and anxiety can also help with addiction treatment.

People experiencing food addiction often hide their behavior from friends and family.  Depression and anxiety often play a role in addictive behaviors.

Therefor, optimal gut health, self-awareness and a optimal body-mind consciousness can play a key factor in overcoming addiction.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to addiction. There is no supplement, mental trick, or magical remedy.

For many, it may be best to avoid trigger foods completely. Food addiction may require professional help to overcome.

Professional help and/ or guidance can help. For professional guidance one can turn to their personal physician, personal trainers, nutritional experts, therapists for both physical as well as mental and emotional support.

There are also organizations like Overeaters Anonymous (OA), which anyone can join for free.

Binge eating disorder, which is associated with food addiction, is currently classified as a feeding and eating disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5), the official manual that mental health professionals use to define mental disorders.

If you want to make a lifestyle change, consider seeking help for food addiction. Try booking an appointment and find out first hand how YOU can overcome food addiction with the proper guidance, support and planning and start losing weight!

(Or try support groups like Overeaters Anonymous.)

You got this!

💪🏽🙏🏽💝