How Have you Become Addicted to Processed Food?

According to Michael Moss’s book ‘Hooked’, scientists have proved that processed food is more addictive than drugs.  It is overwhelmingly unnatural and is harmful to the body, and can increase inflammation leading to serious illness over a period of time.  The food industry puts additives such as sugar, salt and fat into products that would otherwise be very bland or even disgusting, in order that we buy more.

Scientists have discovered that hunger actually starts in the brain not the gut.  If you’re feeling stressed with a lack of time to eat properly it’s likely you’ll grab something that you can eat quickly. This is because the brain wants something fast and convenient that acts as a reward and makes you feel better – at least for a short while.  The more you reward yourself the more you start to have cravings, so the “thinky” part of the brain has you running and grabbing something before you can stop yourself or even consider what you’re doing. 

Notice what time of day you are grabbing something without really thinking.  There will usually be some sort of ‘trigger’ that literally pops into your mind and you’ve indulged in something before you know it.  Food isn’t the only thing that we get addicted to, of course there is also alcohol.  It could be a certain time of day when that ‘trigger’ goes pop and you reach for a glass of wine.  If you are not being mindful, then all too soon that glass becomes the whole bottle and you’ve blown around 615 calories and consumed a whole lot of sugar.

Get ahead of your brain and plan to shop for healthy foods so you have something nutritious to eat that stops your ‘thinky’ brain hijacking you. Whole foods that are natural products will introduce you to a whole range of new tastes.  Focus on buying fresh products.  Talk to your family and reclaim dinner time by working out a menu for the week.  Plan your shopping list around the ingredients you’ll need.

It will take more than a few days or weeks to change the habits of a lifetime, but you can change your eating habits and choices of foods as a great starting point.