Binge Eating: A Simpler Solution
A Harvard study came out this week showing that binge eating disorder is more common than either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.
Because of its direct link to severe obesity and other serious health effects, the study also calls binge eating disorder a “major public health burden.” (Binge Eating More Common Than Other Eating Disorders)
NPR mentioned this study on its newscasts and spoke to a therapist who said the solution was psychotherapy and antidepressants.
I say, not necessarily so. And I think experts in the field (Kathy Bowes, Kay Sheppherd) would agree.
It’s been my experience that binge eating is caused by an apparent bio-chemical situation I have going on, where certain foods trigger me to overeat—overeat in a big, big way. (Before finding my solution, 2-pounder bags of peanut M & Ms were my “food of choice” and consumed over several hours during a day.)
My trigger foods are sugar, wheat and aspartame. I gave them up three years ago and haven’t binged—as long as they aren’t in my system. And I live a calmer, lighter and more joy-filled life—without therapy or anti-depressants.
Now, I’m not going all “Tom Cruise” about this—I believe therapy and medications have their place. But to me, their addition seems like a more drastic one rather than the simple solution of eliminating the foods that trigger a binge.
What do you think?
Labels: binge eating, obesity, trigger foods
posted by Donna @ 7:27 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I beleive it! And that is one of the reasons I created this program. For some reason most hospital programs still treat those with bulimia or anorexia--but for the huge number of us who have a pattern of overeating--there is not the same treatment available.
Well...actually, now there is. :) It is known as "Living Happy, Joyous and Free on The Road Less Traveled with Food." Yipee! :)
Psychotherapy and antidepressants may be helpful at times--but neither stop what we put in our mouths-- and that is where we start to move out of our overeating cycle.
Most professionals "get it" with alcoholism--and they are not going to sit around and do heavy duty therapy with someone who is drunk and expect them to then magically get sober. The goal is to get them sober first and then after some time look at deeper issues.
Well, I think it works the same way with those of us who are addicted to certain substances found in food. It's best we get stop ingesting them--feel better as a result--and then look at what comes up naturally--while we are already creating happier lives for ourselves.
What I have found is that when we start to eat healthy, whole, delicious foods--that nourish our body, mind and spirit--and set other positive habits in motion in our lives--any depression we experienced while eating our triggers and overeating--lifts naturally and psychotherapy can then be helpful as we work things through so that we are better able to create lives we love today.
Yup! Isn't that interesting that for most of us who have overeaten--m&m's is a shared favorite. :) Man, they have tapped into some amazing recipe there.
Thank you so much, Donna, for sharing your experience and perspective. There is an easy, doable, natural and joyful way out of the overeating cycle and you are a shining example of this!
As Karen Drucker would say--you are a blessing to the world.
Love you, Kathy
I find it interesting that when there is a problem there is a tendency to add more of something to try to solve it, when sometimes what is really needed is to remove something.
Yesterday I was telling a friend why I don't eat sugar and wheat. "Aren't you sad that you don't eat birthday cake?" she asked. I told her that the brief moment of enjoyment that I get from eating the cake isn't worth the anxious, on-edge feeling that I have the next day (or days) after.
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