ADDICTS UNAWARE: AMERICAN ADDICTION TO LOW QUALITY FOODS
69AMERICANS EAT AS IF THEY ARE USING DRUGS
HOW ARE AMERICAN EATING HABITS LIKE DRUG ADDICTION
In addiction circles and drug recovery groups, addiction is defined as "continuing to use a substance in spite of negative consequences related to its use." In other words, the cocaine addict will continue to use cocaine, even when doing so has cost him his job, his marriage, and now means he is losing his home. People continue to smoke cigarettes in spite of numerous public messages that the habit is responsible for one third of cancers around the world, and causes health problems even for those who only breath the smoke produced by the habits of others. Similarly, Americans continue in their destructive eating habits in spite of numerous well published studies that link consumption of fast food, processed foods, high sugar intake, and obesity with deaths from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR
Most Americans will admit that they eat for pleasure, taste, and to satisfy cravings. while pleasure and taste are important aspects of the eating experience, they can be achieved through healthy and experimental eating practices. It is possible to experiment with healthy food recipes in order to discover some exceptional flavor enhancing combinations. Instead, Americans are eating out of the force of habit, doing what comes naturally and easy, at the expense of their health. This is similar to the crack addict who plans to stop using and attends rehab, but finds himself at the crack house again several days later.
DESENSITIZED TASTE BUDS
In addiction circles, we speak of tolerance, the process by which an addict begins to require more of the same substance in order to obtain the same level of satisfaction. Since 1940, American food has become increasingly richer and higher in calories, more loaded with sugar, more processed, less nutritious, more refined, and served in larger and larger portions. When taste buds are constantly bombarded with increasingly larger amounts of sugar, fats, and rich meats, they become desensitized to the tastes of whole fruits and vegetables, natural foods that our bodies were designed to consume. Most children today do not even consider blueberries sweet because their taste buds have been desensitized by unnatural and abundant sugars in ever larger proportions. The more we eat, the more we want, and much like the addict, too much is never enough. In spite of unsightly bodies and health problems, we cling to our eating habits. How does this differ from drug addiction, prey tell?
As an addiction professional, I have noted that the average person is much more comfortable talking about illegal drug addiction than alcohol addiction, and of course, no one is an alcoholic himself or herself, though far more alcoholics exist than do illegal drug addicts. Even fewer of us are comfortable talking about food addiction, an acceptable practice in most households, businesses, churches, and among those most judgmental of other addictive behavior. Is it any wonder that 15% of our youth meet the criteria of morbid obesity, while our incidence of many cancers continues to grow with the size of our bodies, as do the number of other obesity related deaths.
NEVER SAY ADDICTION
Recently, it was noted that during Eating Disorders Month, among the many articles related to eating disorders in which people do not eat enough, absolutely nothing was found related to obesity, or those who eat way too much. Why was this the case? In another publicized incident, the first lady was criticized for speaking out against obesity, due to fears that this might cause eating disorders among young women fearful of gaining weight. Ironically, most research has demonstrated that people who are underweight live longer, and while not eating at all is not an option, it is far less common than the compulsive habit of eating too much and too often. Why are we not just as concerned about obesity, and the tendency of Americans to overeat, as we are about the rare case of a person who starves due to not eating at all? It seems to be that according to cancer statistics, we should encourage more young people to fear gaining weight, and uphold the first lady's message to our youth.
FOOD ADDICTION HITS HOME
Most likely, food addiction is an unpopular subject because it hits home. Dealing with food addiction might mean that we need to change some important aspects of our own lives. It is easier to take vitamin supplements from a bottle than to change ones own eating habits, yet in most cases, supplements do little to improve the known health risks of eating habits that continue to cause a host of deadly, often fatal diseases. The only known cure for obesity is the intake of less calories, along with the burning of additional calories through physical exercise, preferably from five to six days per week. If this sounds distasteful to you, perhaps you should consider the possibility that you are addicted to unhealthy eating habits that may cause you to develop cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.
JEANS DON'T LIE
Scales, and last year's blue jeans do not lie, and remember that this is not just about the way you look. It is about how long you'd like to hang out on the planet earth, as opposed to being placed about 6 feet under it. Other addicts have had to take the plunge from denial to recovery. Perhaps you should not only say "addiction," but plan to do something about it.
CLICK BELOW FOR INFORMATION OF CANCER PREVENTION THROUGH DIET:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/PREVENT-CANCER-THROUGH-DIET
CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT AN EFFECTIVE EXERCISE PROGRAM:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/EFFECTIVE-WORKOUT-IN-LITTLE-TIME-AT-LITTLE-COST
CLICK BELOW TO LEARN ABOUT GREEN TEA FOR WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/GREEN-TEA-FOR-WEIGHT-LOSS-BENEFITS
CLICK BELOW TO DISCOVER IF VITAMIN AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS ARE YOUR FRIEND OR FOE:
OBESITY AS MUCH TO BLAME FOR CANCER STATISTICS AS SMOKING:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/OBESITY-AS-MUCH-TO-BLAME-FOR-CANCER-STATISTICS-AS-SMOKING
CLICK BELOW FOR TEN FOOL PROOF WAYS TO STAY FAT:
http://hubpages.com/_2pvzhao591xs4/hub/THE-FAT-TRAP-10-WAYS-TO-AVOID-LOSING-WEIGHT
Cheryl Pitts 2 years ago
Glad somebody said this.