Many folks are overweight, especially in the United States, and yet most of these folks do not realize that being overweight is most often not caused by laziness or genetic predisposition … Most of them do not realize that it is food itself that is the challenge, that new discoveries in neuroscience and biochemistry are finding that food affects brain chemistry in ways that often lead to addiction; that the brain chemistry of people who are overweight is very similar to that of a person addicted to drugs … that it is not their “lack of discipline” or “bad luck” (or “bad genes”) that have led to those excess pounds, but that it is the EATING itself that IS ADDICTIVE.

In fact, even if you are not overweight, chances are you too are eating far too much food for your own Good (or anyone else’s) … chances are that you too are addicted.

FACT #01 – THE HUMAN BODY IS PROGRAMMED TO OVER-EAT …

Research has consistently shown that people are unable to resist temptations and inducements to eat. When presented with delectable foods at times when we are not hungry, we usually eat them. When served larger portions than we need to satisfy our appetite, we usually clear our plate anyway. And commercial advertising that tries to make us crave junk food usually succeeds. There is a long line of studies that show that we are essentially puppets when it comes to eating, and that environmental food cues are our puppeteers.

Wansink’s “self-refilling soup bowls” study is a great example. In this social experiment, 54 subjects were invited to enjoy a bowl of soup, eating as much or as little as they liked. Half of the bowls were outfitted with a device that slowly and imperceptibly refilled them with soup as the subjects ate. On average, the subjects eating from the self-refilling bowls ate 73 PERCENT more soup than the others without realizing it and without feeling any more full afterward.

In our distant past, food was scarce and it made sense to gorge on food whenever we could find it. Today, we have outgrown this mental program … For most of us, food is everywhere to be had, and yet even though we are in no danger of starving, we are still obeying that age-old instinct that has us eating far too much whenever we have the chance.

FACT #02 – HUMAN BODIES GET ADDICTED TO OVER-EATING …

Many doctors today describe carbohydrate cravings and food-addiction as a matter of biology, not one of will-power. High-sugar, refined starch, convenience and comfort foods feed the eating addiction like a drug. They produce correspondingly high blood sugar and insulin levels, which leads to even more cravings in the near-future.

Not only are we bombarded with social, environmental, and emotional cues to overeat, but our basic biology can work against us as well. Research has proven that many foods produce “feel good” chemicals like serotonin and endorphins in our brains that can literally be addictive.

Foods high in refined carbs cause an increase of serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin provides us with feelings of sedation and calmness. Unfortunately, these “quick fixes” are as illusory as they are brief, and over time, just like with any other addiction, we end up requiring more and more of the “substance” (high sugar/fat foods) to produce the desired effect.

Foods with high sugar & fat combinations boost endorphin-production in the brain. Endorphins are our body’s natural pain killers; they produce a feeling of relaxation and even euphoria — feelings to which we become easily addicted.

And even if we don’t ingest many of these “sweet killers”, eating too much of anything stretches the stomach past the point of comfort, which also causes the release of endorphins. The “food coma” that you associate with being “well-fed” or having “eaten well” is actually your body’s response to you having eaten far too much – and it is also a warning sign that you too are addicted to food.

FACT #03 – OVER-EATING IS AN EMOTIONAL ESCAPE …

“Gluttony is an emotional escape; It is a sign that something is eating us.” ~ Peter De Vries

It has been shown that Fear, Anger, Tension and Shame (“FATS”) are emotions that often trigger overeating (though the latter three are actually all extensions of the first – Fear).

As such, even if you address the content of your diet (your physical addictions to certain foods), if your emotional issues remain unaddressed, your food addiction will continue.

The one constant in all addictions is an underlying psychological (a.k.a. “spiritual”) issue that is calling to be resolved. Deep inside, many of us intuitively feel that something truly important is missing in our lives.

Maybe you are “walking on eggshells” around your boss, maybe you feel generally insecure about your appearance … maybe you are afraid to “end up alone” (and thus crave “love” and companionship) … maybe for you life feels meaningless (and thus you regularly seek out hollow “pleasures” and superficial “fun”) … maybe you feel betrayed by another (or are even angry at life for being so “unfair”) … or maybe you are simply feeling “down”.

Yet regardless of the negative emotion you might be experiencing, eating food for comfort is a common, readily available, short-term “fix”.

Of course, the more we gloss over these emotional-spiritual issues, the stronger they get … The more we cover them up with our eating habits, the stronger our addiction to food becomes.

FACT #04 – THE CONSEQUENCES OF FOOD ADDICTION ARE SEVERE …

*OBESITY OF THE BODY — Over-eating causes the body to become over-weight, which has been clearly linked to all sorts of health traumas, including heart attack, heart disease, cancer and stroke.

And yet even though physical obesity is a serious detriment to your life, it is NOT the greatest detriment to your health. No, the greatest danger you face with over-eating is …

*OBESITY OF THE SOUL – Over-eating, whether you become physically over-weight or not, causes “fat” to build up around your Spirit … Over-eating is a self-centered response to pain – a fear-based escape from the life we have been given – a hiding out from the beauty that we can give to others if we choose to reach out instead of run away.

Every unnecessary mouthful smears another small dollop of “sludge” over the Kindness in our Hearts, making it that much more difficult to Care for others in the future.

… and THIS is the truest and most deadly form of Heart Dis-ease.

“Obesity: a condition which proves that the Lord does not help those who help themselves — and help themselves — and help themselves.” ~ inspired by Ambrose Bierce

FACT #05 – THERE IS GOOD NEWS …

While several practical tips for releasing yourself from the bondage of your food addiction will be offered in the next post, it is enough for you to know that your Freedom is not far away …

All addictions rely on denial and cowardice to survive. If you simply have the humility to SEE your addiction (i.e. the many ways you over-eat) and then have the courage to ACT differently – even for only one instant – your Freedom of True Self is assured.

*SEEING the Addiction … Overweight or not, almost every human I have ever met eats far more every day than they actually need to THRIVE (not merely to survive).

Most nutritionists recommend that adults ingest somewhere between 2500 & 3000 calories per day. Most of you are eating more than that as we speak, and yet even if you are not, this recommendation is FAR HIGHER than necessary for your health.

*ACTING differently … Every addiction is based in some form of fear; fear which inspires us to act selfishly; fear which causes us to strive to protect ourselves and our own “well-being” first & foremost; fear which yearns for us to behave in ways that are directly opposed to WHO WE TRULY ARE.

In reality, we are NOT selfish, cowering beings – we are selfless, courageous, Caring Beings.

And where Love is chosen, fear can no longer reside … This is not mere “moralistic foof” – this is a psychological fact.

Try it for yourself … The next time you are angry or sad or frightened, instead of reacting to those emotions by lashing out at their cause (or engaging in an addictive behavior to cover them up), simply pause for one second (the amount of time it takes to “turn on” your neo-cortex) and then go do something Kind for another being or do something nice for your neighborhood.

In the moments you do so, your pain and cravings will both completely disappear. Indeed, it is literally impossible to be angry or sad or afraid while actively Caring for another …

In such moments, only Peace can reside.

It is this Peace which will set you free …

It is this Peace that is your True Nourishment.

And so today, I heartily say to you all — Bon Appetite!