Are You Addicted To Food?

Is obesity a disease or an addiction?

I have been pondering this one recently disease or an addiction. Obesity is now classed as a disease in the America. This has obviously raised a lot of questions on whether this is right. Do the people have no choice about their diet and what they eat?

I would agree that “traditional” approaches including diet and exercise have FAILED for so many obese people as the obesity figures across the western world are worrying to say the least. We need alternatives to the obesity problem and a "magic pill” would be welcomed by many.

After all, it would allow us to all carry on as we are, eating and drinking rubbish and still losing weight. I would like some myself. BUT a magic pill doesn’t really solve the problem.

I see it like this, pretty simplistic really, an addiction to food causes obesity.

Just like

- Alcoholism causes liver disease

And

-Smoking addiction causes lung disease

Then

- Food addictions must cause obesity and their related diseases.

Therefore the solution is not drugs and it isn't going on a diet or exercise. People being "addicted to food" is quite a new concept. So it needs a new approach, a tried and tested approach - therapy.

But people, men especially, are embarrassed to talk about this kind of stuff, this stuff still has a stigma in this country. People don’t wanna admit they have a problem or if they do, they don’t want to face up to it.

I know this because I have been there. (I have been addicted to a few things in my life, so I know what I'm talking about). I speak from personal experience.

I predict in the future, just like in the US, lots of British will also be happy to say they have a “therapist”. But for now some people are ignoring the elephant in the room, as they say.

People are exercising their hearts out and dieting, but not addressing the obvious problem – they seem to have no will power when it comes to food and just can’t stop themselves.

Let me tell you - its got nothing to do with will power. Like any addiction, people can't help themselves, its a physical addiction, its been proven additives preservatives fats, and SUGAR are addictive that's why it's so hard to say no to a sweet or a chocolate bar.

Back to the solution for all addictions.

Have you ever had a problem and just happened to have a chat with someone and just by talking , you felt better afterwards?

It is good to talk right?

It's only natural.

So what is there to be afraid of?

In times past it would of all happened within the community or family environment. Counselling and support on tap. These days things are not so close knit people don't talk as much as they used to. That’s why we need therapists and counsellors. A problem shared n all that. I call it personal training for the mind.

So to wrap things up, if you are obese have struggled to change your diet and just can’t stop eating - don’t sweat, lots of other people are going through it too.

I would 100% recommend seeing a food counsellor if you can see one.

Keep an eye out for that.

Rich Clarke