KICK Cravings and CONQUER Food Addiction

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted March 8, 2023

On Monday, I shared a startling statistic here in Living Well Daily.

It turns out one in eight adults 50 or older shows signs of battling food addiction.

Red flags can range from feeling you must have the food every day to thinking about it a lot.

And if you’re one of them, it could put you at a higher risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

If you missed that issue, click here to catch up.

If you’ve already tried to quit a specific food and failed, you may be convinced it’s impossible.

And I get it. Kicking any addiction is HARD work.

But overcoming a food addiction CAN be done when you know the RIGHT steps.

So let’s conquer those cravings with these six tips…

Our brains are basically hardwired to crave the ultra-processed junk foods we’re surrounded by. They are packed with the sugars and fats our brains crave.

You see, focusing on energizing sugars and body-fueling fats helped our ancestors survive during lean times. But today, those natural cravings can warp into an addiction.

Conquering any addiction takes time and dedication. But when it’s a food addiction, following these steps can help you kick your habit once and for all.

• Decide you WANT to change: This may sound obvious. But committing to change is a critical first step. Once you do, the rest is much easier.
• List your triggers: Figure out what causes you to want to eat the food you’re addicted to. Stress, emotional distress, physical exhaustion, and lack of sleep are all common triggers. When you know what causes your cravings to kick in, you can prepare for those feelings.
• Have a plan: Once you know your triggers prepare for them with a CLEAR plan. They might look something like this: “When I don’t get enough sleep, I will go for a walk instead of eating donuts.”
• Be strong at the store: It’s nearly impossible to break a food addiction if your focus food is right in front of you all the time. Imagine a smoker trying to quit but carrying a pack of cigarettes in their pocket. It doesn’t work. Be firm with yourself when shopping. Don’t bring the food you’re addicted to home, thinking you will be strong enough to avoid it. (Spoiler alert… you won’t.)
• Look for non-food rewards: Reward yourself for a job well done with other enjoyable activities like going to the movies, treating yourself to a new outfit, reading a book, or getting a massage.
• Focus on nutrition: We often crave bad foods because we’re not getting enough of the proper nutrients. Eat well, focusing on healthy fats and fresh vegetables, and take a multivitamin to ensure you cover all your bases.

Don’t let a food addiction take over your life. Squash those out-of-control cravings once and for all.

P.S. One way to stop cravings is to ensure your body’s basic nutritional needs are met. CLICK HERE to discover the seven most common deficiencies and what you can do about them.

Source:

“Addiction to Highly Processed Food Among Older Adults. University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.” January/February 2023. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.7302/6792

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND