By Joan Kent
The good news is things have moved forward with respect to food addictions. For one thing, food addictions are now acknowledged as real. (When I started doing this work, they were not — I remember how people would argue against the idea.) Now we know that food addictions are based in neurochemistry, making them physiologically real.
Those who claim they”™re something else tend to be unaware, either of the neurochemistry and physiology of addiction OR of the neurochemical effects of foods.
Sugar addiction is still the most common food addiction I see in my practice.
But other common addictive foods, such as saturated fats and processed white flour, are not always recognized as such.
Genetic factors may predispose someone to a given food addiction. These can include a family history of alcoholism, diabetes, hypoglycemia, hypertension, depression, and more. There are also non-genetic predisposing factors, including, but not limited to, post-traumatic stress disorder (which alters neurochemistry) and body type.
The brain response to sugar, saturated fats or other foods is often as genetic as eye color. We each got what we got. What”™s great is we can do something about it. Changes in diet can alter neurochemical levels and modify cravings, appetite, mood and food preferences in a beneficial way. My dissertation was on the treatment of women with binge-eating disorder. Eliminating sugar was found to bring a significant decrease in bingeing and craving.
It helps no one to ignore an addictive response to certain foods and treat it as if it were not an addiction. Treating an addictive response as an emotional problem misses the point. (Amazingly, there are still people in the weight-loss field who do that.) And it never gets to the underlying issue. Worst of all, it could very likely make the addicted individual feel like a failure if she or he couldn”™t control the addictive response to sugar emotionally. How unnerving, when the response is physiological.
In some ways, food addictions may actually be more difficult to conquer than other addictions. Obviously, abstinence is not an option. We can decide to give up alcohol or any other drug and only be the better for it, even if going through the rehabilitation is tough. But food is something we have to deal with several times a day, every day, for the rest of our lives, so the problem is insidious.
Virtually any food can result in addiction for people who are susceptible. That can occur due to various food sensitivities (sometimes called "allergies", a controversial term with respect to foods). The sensitivity may result in a neurochemical cascade that can trigger an addictive response. So, interestingly, some people with food sensitivities end up addicted to the very foods that make them feel worst.
Elimination diets are sometimes used in such cases. I have used that approach at times for suspected food sensitivities. Most food addictions, though, seem to hinge on general neurochemical responses (by all) that are problematic for some due to predisposing factors, based on family history. That can often be determined via questionnaire. If more specific information is necessary (by blood test, for example), I refer to an M.D.
The bad news in this situation is that food addictions, especially sugar addiction, are disturbingly common and are contributing profoundly to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cancer. But that”™s a post for another week.
Contact her at drjoan@foodaddictionsolutions.com
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Well good know Im addicted to something.
I was feeling left out This is good stuff Joan. Not something we instructors talk much about in our classes. I see this level of education as important for our readers (certainly me) as such nutritional insights will likely go far beyond the cycle studio.
Other may be keeping it real for 45 minutes or an hour but if we can bring such nutritional home runs to our classes we can help our riders the other 23 hours a day.
John what do you think?
Thanks, Chuck. I appreciate your comment. In some ways, it was a surprise. I guess I assumed — always a bad idea — that the ICI-PRO readership wouldn’t be interested in the topic, but I should have known better. I’ve presented information on fueling for racing, stage races, and/or training to cycling teams, and discovered the opposite. Why would indoor cyclists be completely different?
If this helps anyone, that’s beyond great. The take-away I’d hope for is that a food addiction can be the reason someone’s stuck, whether we’re talking about training issues, performance progress, weight loss, energy, or more.
Best,
Joan
Thank you for this Joan!
I think it’s very valuable and important.
I just had a food panel run via blood test.Our big box club is offering this test as a paid service now. It revealed a few interesting food sensitivities. Bakers yeast was at the very top of the list. Oranges and peanuts were a strong second- helping me to understand why I was suffering from migraines each Saturday. I would grab oranges and an apple with peanut butter, after teaching a couple classes and before heading to my second job all day. I simply could not figure out my migraine patterns! Thank goodness it’s not the red wine I love to drink!
Sugar is brutal- the side effects for me are joint pain and stiffness. I physically feel so much better when I don’t eat a lot of it.
How about the rest of you? Do you notice a difference when you eat various things?
Great information. I found the predispositions very interesting and plan to share this with my classes…not only spin.
Nutrition education is so important. My trainer said that 80% of how you look, is what you eat and working out cannot change that.
I am interested in information, as well, around coaching for those who not only workout inside but outside. This time of year, people are ramping up added workouts outside(riding, running, swimming) in addition to their regular routines. Most have no idea how to change up their eating to support those variations! Thank you
Thanks for your comment, Amy. Sugar and inflammation tend to go together. I’ve had clients who completely eliminated back pain when they stopped eating sugar. As you say, it’s important.
Thanks,
Joan
Jody, thanks for your comment. I agree that we need to make food changes with changes in workouts. It would be great to see some changes in the foods offered on organized rides. I remember forgetting my food on one ride, only to find that everything they offered at rest stops was loaded with sugar. It was a bad ride for me that day.
Best,
Joan