Addictions - Food

Most of us love to eat. Let's face it, some foodsstudies don't lie. In controlled tests of two groups,
taste really good and we all have our favorites. Butone group eating natural and healthy foods and the
most of us know when to stop, especially when weother group eating processed foods, the processed
feel a little full. Certainly those of us who want to fitfoods group showed more compulsive eating
into that skimpy bikini come summer don't want tobehavior than the natural foods group by a wide
put on too many pounds. Unfortunately, there aremargin. Food manufacturers claim these studies prove
those of us who don't have that kind of control. Yes,nothing.In the meantime, compulsive eaters are eating
food can be addictive and for reasons that youmore and more, getting heavier and heavier and
never imagined.Compulsive eating has been a problemsicker and sicker.But what exactly happens with a
since the beginning of time. But the real problemscompulsive eater?Every compulsive eater is slightly
didn't begin until the processed food era, though atdifferent, but in general they simply can't stop eating
the time nobody really understood what wasno matter how full they get. Many will have sweets
happening to us.Food manufacturers are not stupid.and snacks all over the house. When sitting watching
They are in the business of making money. The onlyTV they'll snack on chips. While talking on the phone
way to do that is to make foods that taste good.they could go through a whole bag of Oreo cookies.
But having a good tasting food is not enough if youEven driving in the car they have to bring something
want sales to go through the roof. It has beenwith them to chew on. When going to a movie, they
proven in studies that the additives in many foodshave to make sure they buy enough snacks at the
are indeed addictive. Caffeine in coffee and tea is aconcession stand to last throughout the whole movie.
prime example of this. But coffee and tea areMore or less, these people eat constantly and can't
common and well known foods for their addictivestop themselves.Fortunately, food addiction is
properties. What most people don't know is thatrecognized and there are support groups. Also,
many processed foods like TV dinners, cakes,medical science has developed hunger suppressant
cookies, pies and a host of other items are madedrugs that do help, though the underlying problem is
with certain chemical additives that have been provennot hunger but psychological.Food addiction is serious
to be addictive. That malomar fix that you have toand potentially life threatening, but there is hope for
have is not because of some marijuana induced high.sufferers. Many simply need encouragement, support
It is because of the ingredients in the malomarand to find another purpose in their lives other than
itself.Of course food manufacturers will deny this, butto simply stuff themselves.