Unchaining Yourself from an Unhealthy Food Addiction
Protica Research

The cry of I have no willpower! often emerges from the consumers who jokingly surrender to their lack of will when it comes to eating something clearly unhealthy. However, scientific nutritional research has identified that something much more serious much more dangerous is often at work here. For many people, what they perceive as a harmless lack of willpower is actually an addiction an addiction to chemicals that the brain secretes in response to stimulation by certain foods, such as chocolate or cheese[i].

As dangerous as this addiction is, however, recent studies suggest that it is actually much more frightening than it first seems. According to one notable study, the human brain can release dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter linked with feelings enjoyment, when a person merely sees or smells certain foods[ii]. As such, people who may be sensibly avoiding foods that release serotonin and other chemicals (such as chocolate) may still be susceptible to a sight and smell-based addiction to unhealthy food.

Understanding this complex problem begins with understanding the word addiction. Defining a clear-cut definition of addiction is in itself a challenge and a rather hotly debated pursuit at the moment. Still, there is enough unity among credible social and biological scientists to say that a person who is powerless to stop an action is addicted[iii]. When applying this rather grave concept to eating, it becomes starkly clear that choosing an extra slice of pizza or bar of chocolate may be the expression of a very serious addiction to unhealthy food.

Remarkably, unlike how addictions to things like alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity viewed biological and psychological illnesses, addiction to eating is often ignored or, at the very least, diminished to be something that is based on willpower. The insulting advice of just dont eat it if you dont want to get fat! that some obese people actually hear from their doctors, relatives, or colleagues is one of the most common manifestations of this often well-meaning, but potentially harmful, ignorance.

The bottom line fact and one that more medical professionals are accepting based on scientific evidence is that obesity and related eating disorders are often the results of an addiction they are a serious health condition that must be approached methodologically like other diseases[iv].

Understanding that food addiction is indeed a problem a severe disease, in fact is a fundamental key in addressing this unique health challenge. At the same time, the notion of willpower should be removed, in most cases, from the eating disorder vocabulary, and replaced with the word addiction. This will make that extra piece of pizza or that third slice of chocolate cake be seen for what they often are: the means to satisfy a bonafide addiction.

Once the eating disorder as an addiction paradigm is in place, then and only then can both unhealthy eaters and those supporting them take steps to solve the problem. While there are no overnight solutions, there are paths that eaters can take that head in the right direction: freedom from eating addiction. The first step on this path is to eat a complete and balanced source of nutrition.

Taking this first step, like so much else associated with the addiction to unhealthy food, is easier said than done. Eating sensibly is unusually difficult in a time-starved culture and even more difficult when there are arrays of self-described nutritious dietary sources to choose from. Whether it is energy bars or fad diets, finding a simple, convenient, and practical source of balanced nutrition is hard to find.

However, some exceptional products are garnering serious positive attention from scientific community. These products deliver complete protein in a vitamin enriched formula. Furthermore and of critical value is that these products contain no carbohydrates, no unsaturated fat, and few calories none of which are from fat. These products are helping people unchain themselves from food addictions, and reflect a trend towards nutritious and ethical nutritional supplement manufacturing.

Of ultimate importance, however, is that these products return eating choice control back to where it must always remain: with conscious and empowered consumers, and not to some hidden and potentially destructive addiction.

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. Information on Protica is available at www.protica.com

You can also learn about Profect at www.profect.com

References

[i] Source: Thats Why We Call it Junk Food. MSNBC. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3606198/

[ii] Source: Food on the Brain. Forbes.com. http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/free_forbes/2005/0110/063.html

[iii] Source: Addiction. eHealth Connection. http://www.ehealthconnection.com/regions/ehealth/health_information/ 00036220.asp

[iv] Source: Obesity as a Disease. MPR News. http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2004/03/29_bensonl_desease/

Copyright 2004 – Protica Research – http://www.protica.com

About the Author

About Protica

Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm with offices in Lafayette Hill and Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Protica manufactures capsulized foods, including Profect, a compact, hypoallergenic, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates and zero fat. You can learn more about Protica at www.protica.com — Information on Profect is available at www.profect.com

Copyright 2004 – Protica Research

Tags: Alcohol Drugs, Author, Biological Scientists, capsulized foods, Cheese, chemicals;, Chocolate, Conshohocken, Consumers, disease, Diseases, Dopamine, Eating Disorder, Energy Bars, Expression, Extra, Feelings, Food Addiction, food addictions, Forbes.com., head, Human Brain, Lafayette Hill, Msnbc, Neurotransmitter, nutritious and ethical nutritional supplement manufacturing, obesity;, overnight solutions, Pennsylvania, Protica Inc., Psychological Illnesses, ready-to-drink protein beverage containing zero carbohydrates, related eating disorders, Serotonin, severe disease, Sexual Activity, Slice Of Pizza, Unhealthy Food, Unity, Willpower, www.profect.com, www.protica.com —

Ultra Pure Drinking Water -Is it healthy ?
Pauline Robinson

Over the past decade, the popularity of bottled water has increased substantially in North America(1). Sales of bottled waters have increased by 400%, and 1 in 5 households now use bottled drinking water (2). Annual per capita consumption has risen from less than 8 gallons in 1991 (1,2) to 12.7 gallons in 1997 (Arthur von Wiesenberger, personal communication). Since bottled water is beginning to assume a prominent place in the North American diet, its health effects require evaluation.
It is more important to remove any harmful pollutants from your water than to save beneficial minerals in it.

Drinking water produced by distillation alone is not free of all potential pollutants, regardless of the brand of distiller; drinking water produced by the combination of any distiller plus an adequate filter will insure the purest drinking water but without minerals. Also because of the lack of minerals the pH of this water will drop and become more acidic on standing.

Ultra Pure water produced by Reverse osmosis sytems that have a UV light added are good and have a few electrolites in it. The pH will drop as this water has no buffering capacity also.

The drinking water most conducive to good health is that which contains a moderate to high mineral content.

The acidic Distilled water and Ultra Pure Reverse Osmosis can leach pollutants from its containers, so the choice of storage containers is important. Glass is best and seamless stainless steel and inert plastics are next best. Don’t store distilled or ultra pure reverse osmosis water in soft plastic bottles.

When your water has a pH below 6.5 it is considered acidic. When this occurs, water can actually start to eat away at pipes and stain silverware, imagine what happens elsewhere. Since this is happening, you will need to neutralize your water.

Where distilled water or reverse osmosis water is the drinking water of choice, the consumer should pay attention to insuring a plentiful source of minerals from food and/or supplements.

With the CRL-pH+ remineralization filter developed at HealthSmart Nutrition placed after the RO system or distiller this problem with the pH drop is lessened. The water is adjusted to a mild alkaline pH for a smoother taste and a healthier water.

About the Author

Pauline Robinson is the Health Consultant
for HealthSmart Nutrition http://www.air-water-nutrition-healthsmart.com
to learn more about why minerals are so necessary http://www.air-water-nutrition-healthsmart.com/coral-cal-min/why_minerals.htm
more information about the CRL-pH+ filter see http://www.air-water-nutrition-healthsmart.com/mineral-filter.htm

Tags: American Diet, Author, Bottled Water, Bottled Waters, Buffering Capacity, Distilled Water, Distiller, Drinking Water, Electrolites, food;, Good Health, Harmful Pollutants, Health Consultant, Health Effects, inert plastics, Leach, Mineral Content, North America, Pauline Robinson, Personal Communication, Plastic Bottles, Reverse Osmosis Water, Seamless Stainless Steel, stainless steel, Storage Containers, Uv Light, Water Distillation —

Tips to Healthy Eating and Dieting
Mike Herman

The entire country seems to be fighting the ever present “battle
of the bulge.”

With an ever expanding population that is beginning to suffer
from a variety of diseases and conditions directly related to
obesity, consider adopting an alternative lifestyle that
includes healthy eating and dieting.

Instead of trying to lose weight with potentially harmful pills
or medications, consider changing your way of thinking about
food.

Also, avoid popular fad diets that may take the weight off
initially, but usually allow you to regain all the weight (and
maybe even more) as soon as the diet ends.

Instead, look for measures of healthy eating and dieting that
will work as a lifestyle change by allowing you to lose the
weight and keep it off, in addition to gaining a better sense of
your overall health.

Instead of looking to diets that require you to purchase budget
breaking foods that are packed with preservatives, added colors,
and chemicals, change your way of thinking about losing weight
and gaining health!

This tip is the key to healthy eating and dieting. Look for
fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats for your diet and avoid
anything boxed, canned, or frozen–with the exception of frozen
vegetables.

These processed foods, in addition to prepared foods, include a
phenomenal amount of preservatives and are often high in sugars
and fats, while being low in anything of nutritional value.

Also, check the dietary information on any items you purchase so
that you can be sure the food is a good choice for your new,
healthy lifestyle.

Also, look to the Food and Drug Administration for their dietary
requirements for individuals of all different ages and health.

This guideline will allow you to choose the foods that are most
beneficial for consumption.

Usually, these guidelines encourage you to avoid sugars and
fats, usually the main causes of poor health and weight gain.

Also, the FDA will be able to provide you with nutritional
information on a variety of items, including fresh fruits and
vegetables, whose information may be a bit difficult to find.

Using this information, begin to plan you weekly meals.

About the author:

How Can Nutrients and Good, Healthy Foods and Supplements
Improve Your Life and the Way Your Take Part in Life? Get More
Informative Tips and Advice from How Is Your
Nutrition and optimum nutrition products

Tags: Alternative Lifestyle, Author, Battle Of The Bulge, Better Sense, chemicals;, Dietary Information, Dietary Requirements, Dieting Tips, Diseases, Diseases And Conditions, Food And Drug Administration, food;, Fresh Fruits Vegetables, Frozen Vegetables, Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyle, Lifestyle Change, Losing Weight, Mike Herman, Nutritional Value, obesity;, optimum nutrition products, Poor Health, Popular Fad Diets, Prepared Foods, Weight Gain —

The Solution to Healthy Weight Loss
Marilyn Pokorney

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————————————————————

The overweight and obesity epidemic is a worldwide problem.
There are no official statistics for spending on diet
products, but estimates vary from $40 to $100 billion in the
US alone, much of that on scams and fad diets that promise
the impossible.

Research shows that 95% of people who have lost weight find
that they regain it back when they return to their normal
eating habits.

According to the Center for Disease Control’s Chronic
Disease Center, in 1991 in the United States, only four
states had an obesity prevalence of 15 percent to 19
percent. In 2003, 15 states had an obesity prevalence of
15 to 19 percent, 31 states had an obesity prevalence of 20
to 24 percent, and four states had a prevalence of 25
percent or more.

Major medical problems associated with obesity include
gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, high blood
cholesterol, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.

If that isn’t incentive enough to lose that excess weight
statistics show that overweight people are usually given
lower paying jobs, get lower salaries, receive little in
raises, and are, as a whole, looked down upon by 40 percent
of fellow employees and employers.

In 2002 The American Heart Association reported that more
than 10 percent of US children ages 2 to 5 are overweight.
That is up from 7 percent in 1994. The situation is
probably even worse now, said Dr. Robert H. Eckel,
president-elect of the heart association and professor of
medicine at the University of Colorado.

The obesity problem among children has increased with
school-age children as well. Four million children ages 6
to 11 and 5.3 million in age group 12 to 19 have increased
by 75 percent from 1991.

Food habits adopted in childhood can be hard to change. As
a result hypertension and high cholesterol leading to heart
disease, strokes, and diabetes are going to become the
nations top health problem with people of all ages within 10
to 30 years. These are ailments that usually afflict the
middle age to elderly population. More than a million new
cases of diabetes are already being diagnosed each year,
says the American Diabetic Association.

Nearly 30 percent of American adults are overweight and
another 30 percent are obese, according to University of
Minnesota researchers. Obesity is usually described as a
weight 20 percent greater than the persons desirable weight.

A study by the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at the
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle revealed
that 60% of overweight women, and 70% of obese women, are
likely to become pregnant while taking the pill. The
researchers suggest that a higher metabolism is the reason,
causing the medication to be effective for a shorter length
of time. Or, that the drug interacts with the body’s
hormones in a way that the drug becomes trapped in the body
fat instead of circulating in the bloodstream.

Studies with obese pregnant women show they are 50% more
likely to die during pregnancy than those of normal weight.
Complications such as miscarriage, gestational diabetes,
hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, and stillbirth
are also more common. Preliminary evidence shows that
babies are also adversely affected, and are more likely to
be obese themselves in later life.

Fast foods: Studies show that people who frequent fast food
outlets twice a week or more gained 36 pounds over the
course of 15 years compared to 26 pounds for those that
frequented them once a week or less.

A major factor for the obesity crisis is a sedentary
lifestyle, not enough exercise, and the eating of high
calorie fast foods in place of nutritious natural food
products.

Fast food is designed to promote consumption of the maximum
number of calories in the minimum amount of time. This
upsets the body’s normal metabolism. One solution is to eat
smaller, more nutritious, meals more frequently throughout
the day.

Physical activity reduces the effects of being overweight,
but healthy eating habits have to be followed to prevent
disease associated with poor nutrition according to an
expert of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School
of Public Health.

The new diet guidelines set by the Health and Human Services
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is basically a
balanced diet and good old fashioned exercise. They stress
more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and limit fats, sugar,
alcohol, and salt.

Many supermarkets are open 24 hours a day making a choice of
healthy food available at all times.

For more tips on how to lose weight safely see The Secret to
Weight Loss at:
http://www.apluswriting.net/diettips/diettips.htm

*****************************************
Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net
*****************************************

About the Author

Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

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