By Dr. Frank Sabatino

When you consider the prevalence of heart, lung, liver and brain damage/disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes generated by the compulsive abuse of alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, meat, dairy, salt, sugar, processed oils and processed junk food , addiction is arguably the most significant cause of disability, disease and death. Having some understanding of the addictive process, and how our awareness and choices modify this process, can remarkably promote improved health and quality of life. 

To better understand the nature of addiction, I present the a simple definition that has emerged in the study of addictions, that clarifies the distinction between addiction, abuse, and compulsive behavior. Addiction is the continued or compulsive use of any mood altering substance or behavior without regard for negative consequences.(1) The outcome of negative consequences is denied by people with the dis-ease of addiction. The individual denies that their behavior is either causing them obvious personal harm or is hurting family members or other people and they continue to do it anyway. 

The blatant disregard, and denial of the dangers and consequences of compulsive/addictive behavior is typical for people with addictions. So for example, an obese or diabetic person that continues to eat junk food that is increasing their condition and risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, and cancer, and disregards/denies  the obvious harm of their overconsumption, would satisfy this definition of addiction. However, by this definition, the occasional use of  occasional excessive/unhealthy eating, without life threatening consequences, would be considered abuse rather than addiction. 

A model has emerged that is fundamental to our experience of pleasure and our understanding of addiction. It is called the Brain-Reward Cascade and describes the waterfall-like flow of chemistry (neurotransmitters and neuropeptides) in specific interactive pathways and locations in the brain (the limbic area), that is associated with our ability to experience pleasure, joy and reward from the simple acts of life like laughter, a walk in the park, intimacy with your mate, a good meal etc. (2)This ability and cascade especially evolved to reinforce our pleasure with food and sex that are critical for individual and species survival. So your feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and peace of mind are associated with a cascade of brain chemistry that culminates with the pleasure neurotransmitter dopamine, and provides the chemical environment and foundation for your experience of pleasure.

Unfortunately, a constellation of factors, including genetic modification, physical/emotional trauma, poor nutrition, chronic stress, and sleep deficiency, can disturb and/or deplete
the chemistry involved in brain reward, compromising your ability to experience joy and pleasure. This can lead to feelings of emptiness, need and craving that may ultimately manifest as loneliness, isolation, depression and anxiety. No one wants to feel like this. And if you can’t feel good from the routine experiences of your life, you’re going to seek out any substance or behavior that will stimulate and enhance the normal feel good pathways of brain-reward. This leads to self-medication with the five major forms of addiction: drugs/alcohol, food, sex, risk taking, and process addictions like shopping, internet, porn etc. 

Food addiction is a real and unique addiction because it is so directly involved with your survival needs. You don’t really need to shoot heroin, but you typically need to eat several times per day. So, you have to confront this food issue meal in and meal out. What makes this more difficult is that the processed and animal foods that make up the bulk of standard diets, contain addictive compounds like casomorphins in dairy products, and have also been engineered to artificially stimulate brain reward, and promote/reinforce  compulsive overeating and addiction for the sake of corporate greed and profit.  

Going back to 1960’s and 70’s, food conglomerates and food manufacturers in the food processing industry discovered how to manipulate normal brain reward to drive compulsive food use and food addiction. They started to push a food-as-drug agenda for profit while laying the foundation for devastating pandemics of obesity, addiction, and other chronic diseases. Working with scientists and market researchers, they discovered that adding excessive sugar, salt, oil, and crunchiness could produce a state of satiety and exaggerated dopamine-mediated pleasure. They coined the term “bliss point” for that point where saltiness, sweetness, and richness was deemed as “just right” by the greatest number of consumers. 

These are the same additives used by food manufacturers today, plus many more artificial colors and preservatives, to create the assortment of ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods that increase craving, and dysregulate the brain’s food reward system to increase dopamine, increase the addictive nature of these foods, and incarcerate people in a pleasure prison, making it so difficult to appreciate the taste and quality of an unprocessed whole plant diet.  (3)(4) 

This makes it truly necessary to adopt a plant-exclusive eating plan without added salt, sugar, and oil  to free yourself from the pleasure prison that has been etched into the consciousness and habits of our population. There is no doubt that many things like dairy products, refined carbs, and salty, oily processed foods all have an addictive quality that act like triggers to drive and reinforce your food addiction and should be avoided. Just keep in mind that  food craving is the symptom, addiction is the dis-ease. 

Eating is directly and intimately involved with nurturing ourselves on every level. From an awareness/cognitive standpoint it is essential to deeply understand and become more mindful and aware of the context of your food use as well as the content of what you’re eating. Growing up in an ethnic household the way I did,  I was urged from the earliest moments of my life to use food for comfort and distraction rather than deal with stressful events of my life in a more direct and resolute way. Therefore, it can be so important to address the questions; ‘What are you using food for?’ ‘What are you really hungry for?’ Are you attempting to satisfy all your physical, emotional and spiritual needs with food? As good as food can be, it was not designed for that purpose. What can you do individually, and perhaps even with counselingand group support, to become more aware of any deeper issues or traumas that may be driving your compulsive food use? How can you develop physical, emotional and spiritual tools to address and resolve these issues, create more balance in your life, and nurture yourself without compulsive, obsessive food use? As you do this much needed personal introspective work, you will understand the importance of your own mindfulness and the need for ongoing supportive lifestyle measures. 

It is imperative to understand what is at the heart, and core of your craving, need and desire. For some short period of time, keep a journal of the things that are going on when your craving is at its worst. Look more closely at the kinds of foods that are of greatest interest. Whenever you can, delay your responses and examine how the routine events of your life make you feel in the moments that you are experiencing them. Examine the pattern of your lifestyle activities; work, exercise, sleep, family and outside stress etc., around the time that youfind yourself losing your way and going off track. 

Keep in mind that attaining health and balance is not always comfortable. It is not a straight stairway to heaven, simply because the symptoms and actions of recovery can be downright painful. But it is just so rewarding when you get to the heart of your own desire, and experience the sublime freedom, autonomy and pleasure of recovery that comes from confronting and unraveling the drives, triggers and blockages that are promoting your repeated rounds of failure, dysfunction and addiction. 

No matter how many times you may have tried and failed, try again. Accept and love who you are, embracing all your light and accepting all of your perceived shadow and darkness. This is a huge piece of recovery. There are many lifestyle factors that help to promote the balance of brain chemistry and function necessary for healing addiction. Whole food plant-exclusive eating without the triggers of salt, oil and sugar, consistent activity, stress management including meditation and breathing techniques, and adequate sleep, will promote the health of the body in general, and the balance and function of the brain in particular. 

Just keep in mind that there is no quick fix for addiction. But there is every reason for hope. You can heal and resolve the dis-ease of food addiction. With patience, personal resolve and a more consistent commitment to SOS-free whole plant food and positive lifestyle choices, combined with emotional and spiritual support, you can free yourself from the shackles of addiction and regain the autonomy and health freedom that is your legacy. 

References

1. Holder JM. American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) Training Program, Module 1.

2. Blum K, and Kozlowski GP. Ethanaol and neuromodulator interactions: A Cascade Model of Reward (IN: Ollat H, Parvez S, Parvez H, Ed’s.) Alcohol and Behavior. Utrecht, Netherlands: VSP Press; 1990:131-149.

3. Rao P, et al. Addressing the sugar, salt, and fat issue the science of food way. NPJ Sci Food. 2018,  July 16;2:12.

4. Onaolopo AY and Onaolopo OJ. Food additives, food and the concept of ‘food addiction’: Is stimulation of brain reward circuitry by food sufficient to trigger addiction? Pathophysiology 2018;25(4):263-276.