Beyond MAY 2017 Issue - The Power Of Foods BEYOND_ThePowerOfFood issue_050417 | Page 7

M
any times we are being signaled to
eat because our brain is telling us it
wants more of a certain food. This
occurs because many of us are addicted to
food and having significant food cravings. that food we take in to get the same feel-good
mood-altering effect.
High-glycemic foods cause the release of
dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins. These
are called neurotransmitters and have a
direct effect on the brain and mood of the
individual. These chemicals make us feel
good, but also leave us wanting more. A
whole lot more. Food addiction and cravings are similar to
other addictions that you have to cut it out of
your life. Now this is more difficult because
I am talking about cutting out the certain
foods that affect you. It can be more hard
to cut out food because we have to eat. We
don’t have to gamble, or smoke, or take
recreational drugs. Many recovering from
these addictions will just cut them out cold
turkey. We can’t do this with food. We have
to eat, but we need to make sure that we are
eating the right foods for us.
This leaves us on a rollercoaster of food
addiction. Fast food banks on us getting
into this pattern. They make their food
A perfect example of this is sugar. Foods that highly addictive. Once you go Big Mac, you
are higher in sugar or have an effect on the
will want to keep going back! The food is
brain and body similar to sugar are known as meant to tap into this cycle, so they have a
high-glycemic foods.
customer for life.
Research with rats has shown that sugar is
more addicting than heroin.
Research has also shown that
overconsumption of sugar and processed
foods in the long run can lead to changes
in our brain chemistry and lead to cravings
and overeating. This addiction is similar
to any other addiction. Our bodies and
brains become programmed to use the
substance temporarily to eliminate anxiety,
irritability, depression, excitability, and other
uncomfortable feelings. However, shortly
after this feel good response, we “crash” and
are left wanting more. The longer we use the
substance, the more likely it is that we will
need to increase the amount of
7