If you're going to get handle on weight, belly fat, inflammatory foods, and other factors that influence joint health, you may have to deal with one of the driving forces of your choices: That is, craving and binging on foods that do not serve your long term health.  Some of these cravings can even take the form of addiction.

 

Chemicals in our brains and our eating habits. The human brain is highly sensitive to food stimuli. There is growing evidence that some people may be prone to having an addictive relationship with food, much like drug addiction. Some research has shown that obese individuals have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain.⁵ This lack of dopamine receptors in overweight individuals could exacerbate the drive to use food more frequently for satisfaction, as dopamine levels rise with overeating.

 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that enables us to manage feelings of satisfaction and pleasure, as well as motivating us to repeat meaningful behaviors such as eating, engaging in sexual activity, avoiding pain, caring for children, participating in hobbies and more. Dopamine blocks the reuptake of endorphins, meaning that more endorphins are available to be used by the body to reduce the sensation of pain.

 

The problem with the dopamine circuit is that it can be usurped by drugs, alcohol and food. This means that our brains can be “wired” to perceive food as the most meaningful thing in our lives! For those of us whose dopamine circuits are overpoweringly triggered by food, we hope to help replace that addiction to eating by focusing on other, creative, more meaningful activities such as exercise, hobbies and cultivating interpersonal relationships. One way to start is by asking yourself before you eat: “Am I eating for nourishment, for emotional reasons, or to feed my addiction?”

 

Individuals who carry excess weight have more brain activity in the regions of the brain associated with sensory input from the mouth, lips and tongue than people of normal weight.⁶ Moreover, extremely overweight people have different responses to glucose (sugar) intake than non-obese people which allows them to eat for longer periods of time before their brains signal satiation (fullness).⁷

Food as an addiction. Because of the similarities between drug and alcohol addiction and food addiction, some scientists are suggesting a treatment model for obesity that is similar to that for substance abuse addictions.⁸ It is not helpful to blame a person with an addiction for his or her situation. It is more productive to understand the history of the addiction and the circumstances surrounding its development. Furthermore, the punitivemanagement of addictions does not work as well as a rewardsystem. We urge you to be kind to yourself as you shift your lifestyle to incorporate the healthy changes you read about in this guide. The Insulite System helps to wean you off of carbohydrates and simple sugars by gradually reducing your intake in order to minimize withdrawal symptoms and maximize your success.

 

The Insulite Nutrition Plan is structured for you to eat three meals per day, plus snacks. We strongly advise against skipping meals, since this affects the metabolic and endocrine mediators which signal that you are satiated. If you get hungry between meals, have a snack. However, when you feel hungry, think back to what you had for the previous meal or snack. Was it a highly refined carbohydrate? If so, that is probably why you’re hungry. Try having a protein snack, or a snack containing fat and protein (such as cottage cheese or nuts). These foods can curb your hunger! (Read on for more suggestions about high protein and “good fat” snacks.)