Ever had cupcake withdrawal? It’s a battlefield out there. Scripture says, “All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly” (Romans 14:20, MSG). It’s hard not to be addicted to something. The pull is powerful. Why does giving it up hurt so much? I’m not a scientist so I’ll give you the “Food Addiction for Dummies” version.
If you eat a hyperpalatable food —sugary, starchy, fatty or salty food, the brain releases a chemical called dopamine. Most people walk away satisfied. But for some the desire to repeat the pleasure is too strong to resist. Neurotransmitters are responsible for inducing euphoria. One of them is dopamine. This chemical fires up the brain when we do something exciting or rewarding. It produces a feeling of exhilaration or pleasure—the “I’ve got to have it” feeling. We get immediate gratification and find our favorite thing hard to give up, which is a good definition of addiction.
When God created the dopamine response it was for survival. Activities like eating, drinking, engaging in sex, and working, contribute to the survival of the human race. Therefore, our brains are programmed to encourage these behaviors by making them highly pleasurable (see Ecclesiastes 2:24-25). Is sugar as addictive as heroin or cocaine? Is a cupcake comparable to ‘crack’ to a susceptible brain?
According to scientific data food products can hijack the reward system in much the same way as drugs do. Dr. Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said, “When a person is addicted, they get conditioned like Pavlovian dogs.” Ninety percent of the dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of the brain become stimulated when we prepare to eat. The more dopamine released, the more the person wants the food. Addiction develops when dopamine continually floods the brain. Eventually, it takes more and more food to feel normal. This explains why it’s more difficult to stop after a couple bites.
Most people, however, don’t see food addiction akin to substance abuse. Not only do drugs and alcohol alter brain chemistry, but so do the wrong foods. Speaking about “cravings” Dr. Volkow claims that when people are exposed to their favorite foods but not allowed to eat them, a tidal wave of dopamine surges. They hungered for their food fixes, yet they weren’t hungry at all. This is similar to what occurs in the brains of drug abusers after they watch a video of people using cocaine.
Food can act on the brain as an addictive substance. Certain constituents of food, sugar in particular, may hijack the brain and override will, judgment and personal responsibility. Animal studies reveal that hyperpalatable diets, sweet ones in particular, are more rewarding—and potentially more addictive—than intravenous cocaine and heroin. Dr. Mark Gold, chief of addiction medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, stated, food addiction is “eating despite the consequences, being preoccupied with food, feeling guilty about your eating habits, and overeating in the face of various health concerns.”
Does this strike a nerve? How do you know if you’re addicted to food or something else? Do you feel out of control? If you try to stop what does it feel like? Hell? Withdrawing from sugar produces the same symptoms as withdrawing from a chemical. Behind every craving is a compelling urge to pursue pleasure—to feel terrific while avoiding pain, physically and emotionally. The problem isn’t with having cravings, but rather what we crave. What our souls really hunger for and craves is to know God and to become intimately connected to Him. He can help us break unhealthy eating patterns. God is in the business of changing lives. Turning to Him empowers healing and transformation!
For more-- listen to today's Every Body Matters episode on BlogTalkRadio "The Hunger Fix."
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