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Excess sugar consumption

Obesity Is An Addiction Not A Lifestyle

February 19, 2016

Why Obesity Is An Addiction Not A Lifestyle

Obesity is rapidly becoming the single biggest health risk in the world. There are over one billion obese adults worldwide, and this number is growing daily. The United States has the highest obesity rates out of all the developed countries surveyed. Estimates claim that nearly a third of all adults over the age of twenty in the U.S. are obese.

food addictionObesity can lead to many metabolic disorders, including diabetes, high blood pressure or hypertension, cholesterol-related diseases, heart disease, and osteoarthritis. The risk of cancer arising in organs such as the kidneys, gallbladder, prostrate, and breasts also increases exponentially with increased body weight.

A person is judged to be obese if their BMI (Body Mass Index) exceeds 30. The calculation for BMI is kg/m2, or weight in kilograms divided the square of the height in meters.

To many observers, obesity is an indication of laziness or lack of personal care. A Recent study into this subject has shown that many factors are responsible for the meteoric rise in obesity rates over recent years. Possible causes include sedentary lifestyles, the prevalence and convenience of fast food, and highly processed meals containing high levels of fats and sugars. Also, overweight people tend to marry other overweight people and pass the genes that predispose them to gain weight on to the next generation. The poor eating habits of the parents are also passed on to the children through imitation and observation.

There are also heightened stress levels experienced by many people in today’s society, and the response to this stress is often over indulgence in “comfort foods”.

There is now also evidence that supports the theory that obesity is an addiction. Studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) show that obese people experience the same chemical response to eating as drug addicts do to narcotics. There is also evidence that dopamine levels are increased by eating, inducing a feeling of euphoria and well-being that can only be replicated by eating more.

In The Canadian Medical Association Journal, researcher Dr. Valerie Taylor writes: “The concept of addiction is complex, and the delineation of its defining characteristics has fostered considerable debate. Despite a lack of consensus, researchers nevertheless agree that the process involves a compulsive pattern of use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences.”

It used to be believed that behavioral addictions such eating, sex, and gambling were not true addictions, because the need for these behaviors was psychological rather than physiological, as in the case of narcotics and alcohol which perceptibly alter and affect the brain chemistry. However, it has come to be proven that these behaviors cause the same chemical changes in the brain as substances such as drugs.

As with other addictions, the user becomes accustomed to the addicting substance, in this case, food, with the result that ever-increasing quantities are required to elicit the same response. And as with other addictions, food addicts can suffer withdrawal symptoms when the food is restricted, as when dieting.

There are other parallels in patterns of behavior between overeaters and substance abusers. They will attempt, unsuccessfully, to “quit” the addiction, and their eating habits can affect their social interactions and other activities. As with drug and alcohol addicts, overeaters continue the pattern of socially and self-destructive behavior despite knowing the effects of such behavior on their bodies and the lives of those around them. Substance abusers and overeaters also share some psychological traits, and some studies have shown that food addicts also have other dependencies.

One obstacle in the treatment of food addiction is that food is necessary to sustain life. It is impossible to go “cold turkey”, for simple reasons of survival.

Addiction therapies such as twelve step programs and pharmacological treatments can be applied to overeating in the same way that they are to alcohol and drug abuse, and have shown to yield good results.

Preventing food addiction in children is easier than curing it in adults. Educating children in healthy eating habits and the benefits of a healthy meal plan can help to prevent the occurrence of overeating in later life.

Check out our Integrative Addiction Conference 2016 being held in Austin, Texas

 

Viewing obesity as an addiction and applying similar treatment methods can improve results in those individuals where previous weight-loss efforts yielded no result. It has been found that the traditional weight loss methods of improved diet and exercise will not solve the problem if the underlying issue is a psychological one. While they may show initial improvements, most obese people will not maintain weight loss unless a holistic treatment is implemented to address the addictive behavior.

At the Integrated Addiction Conference to be held later this year, the relationship of obesity to addiction will be explored in greater detail by expert speakers. Register now at http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/ for access to the conference and to learn more about the program and other topics that will come under discussion.

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losing-weight

Eating disorders problems and food addiction

February 18, 2016

Eating disorders problems that is associated with food addiction: Overeating to the point of obesity

Eating disorders problems

Eating disorders problems are conditions that may be associated with food addiction and needs to be addressed before the problem escalates to serious complications

Eating disorders problems is becoming a serious concern to many people across the globe and while food is a basic need, when it is abused it brings with it weight related health complications which can be very chronic in nature. As things stand now, there are several types of eating disorders problems many families are struggling with including compulsive eating, anorexia nervosa and bulimia. In our previous article we dealt with compulsive eating and you can make reference to that on this link. However for the purpose of this article, we want to concentrate on anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Talking of weight related complications it is amazing how people respond to this situation. Available statistics indicate that people do overeat and this often escalates to the point of obesity, others ingest large quantities of food and then avoid its integration by vomiting and still others chose to go starve themselves in order to lose weight. All of these practices are considered to be addictive behaviors with no clear etiology.

Eating disorders problems that is associated with food addiction: Anorexia Nervosa

Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center says that this addictive behavior (anorexia nervosa), causes people to start believing that they are too fat, even when they are of normal weight for their age and height. Under these circumstances, the individual feels that they must always be on diet and occasionally starve themselves to be slim and remain composed and beautiful. The implication of this practice is that once in it becomes so addictive that getting out becomes very difficult. Doctor Akoury reiterates that persons struggling with anorexia (Anorexics) will be emotionally disturbed and a lot of energy thinking of ways of avoid food and also to cover up their lack of eating. The cost of hiding some of this practice can be very disturbing thereby causing the victim even to wear bulky clothing, throw food away secretly and also engages in frequent exercises away from the view of people including in the middle of the night all in an attempt to burning up calories.

While the desire of the victim may be genuine the consequences may be very wanting because lack of eating and extreme diets. This then causes anorexics to be malnourished and also exhibit signs and symptoms of starvation. Other symptoms of anorexia may include cessation of menstruation, extreme thinness, edema (swelling in various parts of the body from electrolyte imbalance), thinning or falling hair, tooth decay, and dry skin from dehydration. Even with these symptoms they continue to compulsively lose weight to the point of emaciation and sometimes death. Along with losing weight, they are often obsessed with obtaining extremely low body fat composition. Even when they have lost weight to the point of emaciation, they view themselves as being fat.

Statistics indicate that most anorexics are of the female gender from white upper-middle-class families. They tend to be high achievers and to be compulsive in other aspects of their life such as schoolwork. As an example, they become extremely depressed if they do poorly on an exam. They have low self-esteem usually they often deny of not having a problem and are often depressed.

The problem of addiction is one which can be a serious thorn in people’s flesh. A lot is being done to contain the general problems of various types of addiction and doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is not left out. And in her effort to making a positive difference in people’s lives AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is organizing their 2nd Annual Integrative Addiction Conference Workshops that adopt partnership and dialog among integrative Medical experts in a nurturing, empowering, motivating, cozy atmosphere. This conference venue will be at Austin Texas: Doubletree by Hilton Austin and it will be very helpful for you and your career; you’re free to register your attendance for the full-day workshops which will offer information personalized for your interest and are designed to ease you towards transformational growth. For further enquiries you can get in touch with us at 6505 Interstate Highway-35 North Austin, TX 78752 and out Phone contact is: 512-454-3737 Fax: 512-419-0102. You are most welcome to this year conference schedule for June this year.

Eating disorders problems that is associated with food addiction: Bulimia

The person who overeats or binges on food and then prevents absorption by purging (laxatives, vomiting, water pills, enemas etc.) is considered to have bulimia. In this obsessive behavior the person feels driven to consume food as well as to purge him/herself of it to prevent gaining weight. It is often associated with anorexia. Bulimia can occur with individuals who are of normal weight or even overweight. The bulimic person often plans and organizes the consumption of a large amount of food. The planning is often ritualistic and secretive. So great an amount of time and energy is spent thinking of food that it often interferes with an individual’s ability to function.

This behavior is usually cyclic in nature, with the person binging due to loneliness, depression, or boredom and then purging due to feelings of guilt about binging. Symptoms of bulimia include tooth decay, dehydration, constipation, weakness, lightheadedness, low blood potassium, cardiac arrhythmias, kidney damage, swelling of salivary glands, and irritated esophagus. The blood chemical imbalance can lead to heart attack. The individual is usually secretive about the behavior and may make numerous trips to the bathroom as the result of laxative abuse or desire to vomit.

Finally, just like it is with anorexics, bulimics is also common with white upper-middle-class females. Their involvement is always in line with cheerleading, performing arts, or gymnastics. This causes them to have low self-esteem and rely on the opinions of others to validate their self-worth. As things stand now, what causes bulimia is not known, however various theories, including emotional stress, need for relief from anger and depression, and pre-occupation with body size, have been suggested as possible causes. And just like with anorexia, bulimia may be related to a malfunctioning hypothalamus or a need to be in control of one’s environment.

Eating disorders problems that is associated with food addiction: Overeating to the point of obesity

 

 

 

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Nutrition benefits

Compulsive Overeating and food Addiction

February 17, 2016

Food Addiction and the consequences attached: The compulsive overeating

Compulsive overeating

The compulsive overeating, excessive craving for and consumption of specific foods are way of life in this order

Even as we look at food addiction and the consequences attached to it, it is important to appreciate that food addiction is a term that is used to describe a pathological disorder; which may include, the compulsive overeating, excessive craving for and consumption of specific foods. Similarly to binge eating disorder, this condition is characterized by an abnormally large intake of food that can be very harmful to the individual consumer and this can result in compulsive overeating. We will look into details what it entails to have this behavior of compulsive overeating as we progress into the discussion. In the meantime, the concept of food addiction has long been for a long time been a subject of doubt with the main stream medical establishment. However, with the new developments and various researches being conducted, facts are coming out and for sure it has been established that the neurological similarities between food addiction and drug dependence is real. And besides that many experts are in agreement that food addiction is a major culprit behind binge eating disorder (BED).

As it is commonly known (compulsive overeating), food addiction like BED is grounded on an obsessive-compulsive relationship to food. According to the experts at Yale University, there research findings concluded that BED shares majority of its characteristics with addictive behaviors, including inability to take full control and consistent usage irrespective of knowledge of all the negative consequences attached to this behavior. Apart from that other experts have also noted some similarities between the effects of certain foods and narcotics. Like for instance over the years doctor Dalal Akoury who is the MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center has been concentrating on the comparison of fructose corn syrup to both heroin and cocaine because all these have been processed primarily to make them more potent concentrated substances capable of generating intense pleasure. Further still and according to other studies, it has actually been established that people who consume purified carbohydrates in the form of refined flours and simple sugars become habituated to their intense stimulation”. Doctor Akoury and other addiction experts assert that other concentrated foods, such as refined foods that contain white flour, have this same effect during their calorie-dense intensity.

Food Addiction and the consequences attached: The actual Compulsive consumer

Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center alludes that just like it is with other addictive behavior, the compulsive eater will be obsessed with the object of the compulsion, like food for instance. Under these circumstances, the individual will develop a compulsive urge or craving to have a bite and will most of the time eat irrespective of whether they are hungry or not. This will often cause the victim to binge in secret, away from others for fear of being ridicule. And in the process they lose control over how much quantity of food they feed on progressively. Just for a better understanding, lest consider this illustration, under normal circumstances, a compulsive eater for example may consume a whole box of cookies when he/she intended to have just appease. Loneliness, anger, depression, insecurity, boredom and anxiety are considered the biggest triggers to this behavior. And though this behavior will be very evident, the victims will always find it more convenient to deny any act of overindulgent to eating.

Food Addiction and the consequences attached: Where obesity comes in

Compulsive overeating usually results in obesity. Nevertheless, experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are registering that under normal circumstances the compulsive eater may not necessarily identifiable by their body size because as it is, there are many women who eat compulsively and at the same time they are also compulsive dieters. Meaning that, there is a clear distinction between being overweight and being obese. And that is to say that overweight is weighing more than one should for his or her body structure, height, and sex. But in all this, it is very important to note that, there is great possibility of someone being overweight and still be in good health. Take for example the athletes weight lifters and others who do muscle-producing exercise, they are often overweight but have a very low proportion of body fat. Individuals who are obese, however, are more than 30 percent over their ideal weight and have a high body fat content.

Obesity being a health condition, it can lead to serious health complications if medical remedies are not taken in good time. Like for instance, excessive body fat is associated with diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. It is also linked to varicose veins, problems in pregnancy, digestive disorders, arthritis, and respiratory disorders. And when the compulsive eater is a female and of course many are females. They will have very low self-image, a preoccupation with body size, feels a lack of control over her environment, feels depressed, and tends to turn anger inward. And as we had mentioned earlier, overeating is a way to alleviate boredom, stifle negative emotional feelings, calm down, relax, and feel comforted.

Though most obesity is considered to result from overeating due to psychological causes, some people are thought to have a physiological basis for their problem. One theory, the set point theory, suggests that people are born with different natural set points for a particular body weight in response to weight changes, metabolic or physical reactions occur to maintain the weight at which the body is “set.” This may in turn cause the person to eat more to maintain his/her set weight. If the person has a high set point, he/she will tend to be overweight or obese.

Finally the fat cell theory posits out that adipose tissue also known as fat cells can affect body weight by increasing either in number or size. It is thought that in childhood a greater number of fat cells than normal are produced because of overfeeding. In dieting, the fat cells become smaller but are not eliminated. The person appears to be of average weight. However, when the person does not diet but eats a normal amount of food, the many fat cells enlarge, thus causing them to again and eventually become overweight. Therefore if this concerns you and you want to get professional solutions, then take that phone and schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today and your life will never be the same again.

Food Addiction and the consequences attached: The compulsive overeating

 

 

 

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Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation

September 25, 2015

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Don’t bring back extra pounds as your token

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation

Healthy living will go along way in keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation and after. We must all embrace changes in our lifestyle if this is to be achieved.

The time to leave behind alarm buzzers, nagging bosses and household chores is here with us and all the plans have been concluded to set off. Unfortunately, one thing just won’t go away that is your worry of packing on some weight in your let lose moments. Doctor Akoury gives a very sincerely comment that “traveling can be very synonymous with ditching your diet willpower and the motivation to exercise, causing you to bring back some unwanted weight gain along with that tan.” This is everyone’s concern during such times and it is what we want to focus on even as we take some time to discuss the essential of keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation. Professionally doctor Dalal Akoury makes emphasis that it is not always a must that when you leave on vacations, then you will be careless to drop all your previous efforts of losing weight progressively. That is not the case because you can actually make this your vacation to be the best and perfect time to keep lean and healthy. Take a moment and reason with yourself comparing this time and other busy times while at work. You will realize that during vacations you are more relaxed, you sleep well and because of being free, you have adequate time to move around exploring your new environment. If you have not noticed then we want to let you know that the additional walk time, comfort sleep and relaxation are very good tools of keeping fit and healthy. In other words you can keep the fire of losing weight burning even during vacation. All you need to do according to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is to balance your usual healthy habits with a bit of extra indulgence. Therefore to keep you on the move, our team of top nutrition and fitness experts shares with you some of the best and most realistic ways to enjoy your getaway without totally wrecking your diet.

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Packing with you healthy snacks

To avoid wasting calories on hotel vending machine food or unhealthy airport fare, bring your own nutritious snacks to keep on hand and only chose hotels where fitness expert and trainer are experienced enough to help you continue with your exercise even when away from your home town. Being smart in this area would mean keeping a stash of protein bars in your luggage so that you can resist the temptation of potato chips at the airport snack shops. By bringing food stuff that’s non-perishable like little baggies of nuts and dried fruit or fruit that can last a few days out of the fridge like the bananas and apples you will be ensuring that you are keeping distance with all temptations that may compel you into unhealthy feeding. It is important that you keep such food items within reach like for instance you could stuff them in your bag when you’re at the beach or sightseeing this way you can eat every few hours if not, you’ll wind up starving and may overdo it at your next meal. Another good tip is to stock up only healthy snacks for the day, like a box of whole-grain cereal or fresh fruit, from your hotel breakfast buffet.

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Work out at the Airport

Normally you realize that your airline will indicate about 90 minutes before departure time and I want to ask, if you were discipline and followed the directions and got to the airport 90 minutes before your flight what do you do with that free time at the airport? This is a very good opportunity for you to do some mini exercise. Like for instance instead of burying your head on a novel seated in those unhealthy seats, you could use the long hallways to your advantage to speed-walk back and forth around the terminal. While doing this remember the safety of your luggage which you could entrust in the care of your family, and take turns stretching your legs. This may look waste of time but the benefits far-outweigh the inconveniences you may be thinking of. As you continue engaging in the work take a look around the place and if you spot any set of stairs whose destination is not restricted, waste no second, climb those to add some intensity to your mini-workout. The power walk will also help you avoid pigging out on airport snacks and give you an energy boost to start your vacation on a healthy note.

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Bring your workout with you

You don’t need to spend hours a day working out, but squeezing in some form of daily exercise gives you a cushion to enjoy that extra appetizer or beachside cocktail. If your vacation spot lacks a good hotel gym or places to get in exercise outdoors, plan ahead and pack equipment you can use in the comfort of your hotel room before you head out for the day or during the downtime between your daily activities and dinner. A jump rope can fit into any suitcase and provides a great power workout for you wherever you will go. Incorporate it as part of the following circuit workout: Alternate a minute of jumping rope after a minute each of crunches, push-ups, and lunges. Repeat a few times for a travel-ready express workout. Exercises DVD’s that can be played on a laptop in your room are another great way to squeeze in a workout whiles you are away.

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Take advantage of the hotel’s facilities

When making you hotel bookings it is important that you make enquiries about their gym facilities. It will not be advisable to assume that the hotel gym is going to be inadequate because you may be pleasantly surprised to find state-of-the-art equipment and televisions to help pass the time. Remember that these days most gyms facilities have extended hours and some are even open 24 hours daily meaning that you can work out when it’s most convenient for you. Besides that, doctor Dalal Akoury further recommends calling the hotel before you arrive to see if they have partnerships with local gyms (a great way to experiment with new classes) or can recommend other nearby opportunities, like yoga or Pilate’s studios or hiking or biking paths. There’s also the hotel pool and it is always advisable to do this first thing in the morning before the pool is open for kids. With all these guidelines taken up you are likely to keep healthy, lean and well balanced weight during your vocations.

Keeping healthy and lean weight during vacation: Don’t bring back extra pounds as your token

 

 

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Childhood food addiction prevention techniques

September 24, 2015

Childhood food addiction prevention techniques : The best feeding habits for kids

Childhood food addiction

Techniques for preventing childhood food addiction involves incorporating the children in decision making on what they want to eat ant to what quantity.

We are all concern in seeing how our children are being brought up in all dimensions. In our quest of bringing them up, we sometime do certain things ignorantly that impacts quit negatively in the development of our children. We spoke with experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility that was established by a veteran addiction expert primarily to make a difference in people’s lives. In her over two decades of working experience doctor Akoury has really made immense contributions in transforming peoples’ lives from all walks of life across the globe. We are therefore privilege to have such brains to help us understand some of the childhood food addiction prevention techniques  even as we progress into this discussion. Doctor Akoury is very categorical that children can eat and enjoy a wide variety of foods and textures and will not complain much as we do. It is therefore very important that all parents and guardians to taking opportunity when the children are still young to encourage them to enjoy family meals and even go beyond the family means by trying a wide range of other foods, tastes, flavors and textures.

Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center have established that toddlers and young children have a natural ability to sense when they are hungry and when they are full a function that most of us adult may not have. Ordinarily children will learn to eat what the family eats and that will only be possible if they are offered the same food and encouraged to try it. Low-fat or restricted diets are not always recommended for toddlers primarily because this may result in poor growth and development. Nonetheless we all ore our children the duty of care to ensure that as we feed them they do not engage in feeding habit that can have serious addiction impact in their lives in the future. In that regard, let us take some time to briefly highlight some of the concerns parents may have in bringing up their children to be free from the temptation of being addicted to food.

Childhood food addiction prevention techniques: Common parental concerns

In the process of feeding kids we must all appreciate that quit often selective way of eating will be a common occurrence in toddlers. This selectiveness is not just with the children but take a keen look at the kind of lifestyle we live today. For sure we can all attest that the world has become an exciting place and ironically food may be less important when there are many other things to do. In that breath the following are some of the reasons why children’s eating patterns may change:
Slower growth – ordinarily children’s growth often slows down in their second year. This means at this point of time they will often have smaller appetites and consequently need less food. That also means that the quantity of food eaten from day to day can change dramatically. It is however important to note that even though sometimes parents get worried of these changes, they actually normal and doesn’t mean that your child is being difficult or is unwell.
Eating and snacking – children rarely follow our triangular traditional meal pattern of breakfast lunch and dinner instead they tend to feed on smaller and regular snacks. This satisfies their small tummy sizes and provides them with adequate energy to keep moving all day. The amount eaten at mealtimes, and more so in the evening meal may be smaller than parents would like. However, children can balance the amount of food eaten with exactly how much they need if they are given the opportunity to enjoy good foods and are not forced to overeat or finish all the food on the plate. This means that healthy snacks are important to help provide the energy and nutrition your child needs during the day.
Fussy eating – showing independence is part of normal children development and this often includes refusing to eat foods that you offer. Remember that by rejecting any given food does not necessarily mean the child doesn’t like it therefore next time if you offer it on another day they are likely to enjoy it. Other common children eating behavior may include:
• Meal-time irritabilities and food refusal
• Delay in self-feeding
• Preference for pureed foods or difficulty with chewing
• Overeating
• Reduced intake of food or reliance on drinks.

Childhood food addiction prevention techniques: Empower the children to make decision

Your role as parent to your child is to decide what food and when to offer it, but the child decides whether or not to eat and to what quantity they’ll eat. Remember that children eat when they’re hungry. They have a natural ability to sense when they are hungry and when they are full. Therefore insisting that your child eats more than they choose to is not advisable because doing so is likely to encourage them to overeat in the future and probably become addicted to certain foods particularly those that you are forcing on them. Professionally doctor Akoury recommends that it is you let your children decide whether they will eat and how much they will eat. This may not sound reasonable for you but remember it is one of the best techniques for preventing childhood food addiction.

Childhood food addiction prevention techniques: Mealtime suggestions for parents
As a parent you need to be on top of everything and the following are some suggestions you could adopt:
• Be a positive role model by eating a healthy, balanced and varied diet together as a family.
• Serve the same foods as the family eats.
• Remember that children need smaller meals and regular snacks.
• Don’t worry too much, a child’s appetite and food intake can vary daily.
• Offer small serves and give more if needed.
• Let them tell you they’re full and don’t force a child to finish all food on their plate.

Finally it is always said that teach a child the way to go and when they grow up they will not depart from it. This is often taken for granted but if we want to bring up healthy children who will be lean and free from food addiction, we must chose to lay good foundation from the beginning. Therefore if you are not so sure on how to go about it, then you may want to schedule an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for more professional advice.
Childhood food addiction prevention techniques: The best feeding habits for kids

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