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Food Addictions and Additives

Mar18

They don’t make food like they used to. That’s because “they” didn’t make it. We did. Where were the food addictions when food came from a backyard garden or a local farm or meat locker?

Where did we turn when stress set in? There was a choice, and usually it was a physical activity like shooting hoops or taking a walk around the block.

No one went to their room and watched TV or turned up the music or video game. If that were to have happened, you’d get a different kind of exercise like running to escape a possible “whupping” as it was called in the old days.

No one thought of eating to combat stress.  What possible emotional relief could be gained from shoving a bunch of radishes or a couple of ears of corn in your face? Now, if there was ham in the smoke house, that was a different story.

The thing is, when we ate food when I was growing up, it was real food. And maybe that’s why we didn’t see so many food addictions and so much emotional eating. We had real stress but we also had real food.

Added sugars, fats, salt, corn syrup, and all kinds of dyes and preservatives change the nature of food. Those additives may have something to do with food addictions, just as additives in cigarettes have been proved to have addictive properties.

One of the best things a person can do to get off the treadmill of food addiction and emotional eating is to start cooking. Prepare meals that don’t come from a box, bag, or can. Use natural ingredients to concoct your own creative dinner.

In other words, know what is in the food you are eating. And what better way to know than to cook it yourself?

To some, that may sound drastic, and it does take a little more work, but it is definitely worth it. Make some homemade soup with a few chunks of lean beef, a couple of stalks of celery, a can of whole tomatoes–they tend to do well in soups–a couple of onions, a carrot or two chopped up to sweeten the pot, and one or two potatoes cut into chunks.

All you need to season soup is an herb salt like Herb-a-Mare, some fresh ground pepper, and a little Mrs. Dash seasoning. You can add a small amount of balsamic vinegar or wine to enhance the taste, if you like.

If you eat this healthy, delicious soup alternately with whatever else you eat, you will notice a difference in the way you feel.

So, today’s tip is know what’s in your food. Don’t allow someone else to make every food decision for you. When you eat only processed foods, candy, sweets, chips, and heat-and-eat meals, that’s what you’re doing.

Do what you can to cut down on the additives in your food. It may help you to get rid of your food addictions and it will certainly be better for your health.

The Stress Hormone and Obesity

Mar17

You may have heard about Cortisol, the hormone that is associated with the fight or flight response to stress. There are several weight management products that are specifically designed to deal with belly fat caused by Cortisol.

This video talks about a medical condition that causes obesity in some people, even when they have never had a weight problem in the past.

Diets and Weight Loss

Mar16

No matter the reason for those extra pounds, if you are an emotional eater or a food addict, the odds are that you are overweight.

No matter what the root cause of your emotional eating binges might be, you are probably more concerned with losing the weight than getting to the source of the problem.

We hear every day how “diets don’t work” but what does that really mean? Fad diets are just that–fads. They come and they go. We lose interest in the food or tire of the monotony, and just give up–until the next miracle diet comes along.

Changing your eating patterns radically for short periods of time can undermine your health, even when your intentions are good. And even if you drop a couple of pounds, if you don’t feel good, then what’s the point?

Most people who have found success with a weight loss program say the same thing: “I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life”. That should tell you something.

At various times in my life, I have had success with weight loss products and programs, as well as energizing supplements and foods that helped me achieve my weight management goals.

Some of these products are listed in the column on the right and, yes, I receive a small commission when someone buys them from my website. This doesn’t bother me because I know they work.

You shouldn’t have to change your life for any diet. A weight management program, and that includes any diet, should fit into your life in a way that promotes your good health.

The real challenge isn’t losing the weight. It’s finding a weight loss and management program that works for you. It may take a few tries but if you don’t give up, you will be successful. You will lose the weight.

Make it a goal to find something that works for you in the long run. Our bodies change so an eating plan that worked in the past may not have the same results now.

Don’t be afraid to try something new, but make sure you do your research. After all, no one knows your body like you do.

Check out Diet Magic and other great weight loss products, and start on your new road to health today. When you get to the website, click on Products and scroll down to Weight Management.

You are awesome!

Emotional Eating and Childhood Obesity

Mar13

I have begun to notice more often now how the habits of parents with food addictions and emotional eating problems pass their eating habits along to their children.

It isn’t just the number of obese children and the diseases like diabetes and other serious illnesses that should concern us.

Life can be so much more interesting, adventurous and just plain fun when we are healthy and fit. Here is a video that has important information about childhood obesity. I will be covering this subject often in upcoming blog posts.