How to get your brain out of the binge mode. That's my question. Dr. David Kessler, former FDA commissioner says the real problem is that certain commercially made foods-the ones with tons of added sugar, salt, and fat-are so tasty and so stimulating that they actually overwhelm the brain's circuitry. When we eat them, the brain cranks out dopamine, a neurochemical associated with a reward that drives us to eat that food again....and again....and again. Eventually, just looking at the food can trigger a dopamine release. "We get stuck in a cycle," Dr. Kessler says. "We're constantly chasing that satisfaction." When we're eating a highly processed diet we might find it tough to stop. This helps explain why, when we know that eating healthy foods are better for us, we continue eating the crap that leads to increasing obesity and the health problems associated with it. It's somewhat reassuring to know there is a physiological reason behind the sometimes unexplainable binges.
He has some suggestions to thwart the constant cravings and I'll cover those in my next blog. Stay tuned.
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