Thursday, May 27, 2010

3 Steps to Fight Food Addiction

Do you feel like chocolate or cookies are calling your name, and once you start eating them, you just can't stop? It may not be a matter of self-control—you really may be addicted to certain foods.

 A new study by the Scripps Research Institute published in the journal Nature Neuroscience found that eating too many high-calorie foods triggered addiction-like responses and led to compulsive overeating—in rats, though theoretically this behavior could also be attributed to humans.

What can you do if you fear you're addicted to junk food? Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., CMS, suggests these steps to help manage your food cravings:

1. Identify the problem foods.

2. Determine whether portion control or substitution with another food will be enough to satisfy you without triggering overeating.

3. Eliminate specific foods that trigger rather than satisfy.

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