17
Feb
Food addiction is similar to any other addiction. It affects the brain, making it hard for the person to avoid certain foods. That is why food addiction is listed as a health disorder. Junk food is the biggest cause of addiction. Its highly palatable nature makes it is easy for anyone to get hooked.
Addiction to unhealthy food can lead to serious health complications such as obesity, diabetes and many other chronic diseases. That is how it becomes a threat to your health. But what are the signs you are addicted, and how can you overcome it? This guide has everything you need to:
Here are 10 major symptoms of junk food addiction and how to overcome them
1. Eating Excess Amounts Of Junk Food
One of the most evident symptoms that one is addicted to junk food is the consumption of excessive amounts of certain unhealthy food. For instance, a person can eat many cookies than usual, taking a full loaf bread than the standard number of slices or even more pieces of meat than the usual amount of food. For a person to be healthier and they should stick to a strict amount of food by buying only enough food for a particular meal.
2. Having Headaches Many Times In A Week
Another apparent symptom of food addiction is when an individual experience headache frequently in a week. Usually, when a person consumes sugary, fatty foods, it interferes with the body system. The body develops the habit of craving for more unhealthy contents of food, making the brain to send signals that trigger headaches. To overcome the resulting headache, an individual should avoid junk food and only take small amounts if necessary. Again, one should seek medical help when the condition worsens.
3. Craving For More Food On A Full Stomach
Sometimes, a person develops the urge to eat more food, even taking a completely satisfying meal. For instance, an individual may feel like consuming ice creams, or yogurt after taking vegetables and potatoes. It triggered by the feel-good hormone in the brain. Sometimes it is not even the need for more nutrients but just a craving by the body. When this happens, it can be an indication of food addiction. To be able to prevent this symptom, an individual should avoid taking any more food after the stomach is full.
4. Inability To Quit Eating Even When Obese
There instances that someone suffers from obesity, Alzheimer’s Disease, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes takes more junk food instead of minimizing the habit. Since these conditions are life-threatening, a person who continues to consume more food even with such diseases could be addicted. Such people can be assisted by nutritionists who will advise them on the best types of foods to take so that their health conditions can improve. Close family members to these individuals can then monitor if they strictly follow the advice from the nutritionist.
5. Repeating An Eating Disorder Habit Despite Feeling Guilty
It is normal to feel guilty when one notices that they are overeating. The feeling should then trigger the individual to embrace good eating habits. However, it is unfortunate that some people fail to stop overeating even when they know it is wrong. They find that they have no control over this habit. They go against their inner voice, continually reminding them to stop overeating. Such individuals should seek help from nutrition clinics and have their eating habits monitored by a health specialist.
6. Eating In Places That No One Can Monitor
Sometimes people who overeat hide so that nobody can notice them. Some people prefer to eat in the car or when nobody is around or within the vicinity. When they are alone, they tend to consume excessive amounts of food that can be detrimental to their health. The human mind is a way such that people are always at liberty of doing a bad thing when no one is watching them. People suffering from this problem embrace interacting with many people and be social to avoid eating excess food.
7. Inability To Follow Diet Rules
Some people frequently find themselves in circumstances that make them unable to follow strict meal timetables. They consume junk food such as sugary or fatty foods even when they are full. The inability to follow the rules increases the possibilities of these people getting many complications, such as obesity. People who are unable to follow eating rules should go for advice from skilled people like nutritionists. They can also strive hard to play by the right eating schedules and choose healthy meals for their benefits.
8. Consuming Food To The Extent Of Feeling Like Vomiting
When consuming food, some people typically find themselves eating to the level of puking. The primary cause of such a condition can be mixing different junk food, which is that they can interfere with the digestive system. It can be a result of a disorder in the brain or depression that makes individuals have an urge to consume more food. This condition can be a result of traumatic experiences, such as sexual abuse. This symptom is preventable by seeking professional treatment to address the causes.
9. Craving For Sweet Or Salty Foods When Hungry
Situations arise where individuals cannot consume food without sugar. Medical research shows that such a condition is as by stress, lack of sleep, boredom, excessive sweating, or Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For instance, women experience the craving for sweet and salty food because of hormonal imbalance. To recover from this symptom, they should consume supplements having Calcium and vitamin B-6, apply acupuncture and herb as well as using oral contraceptives that work according to research studies.
10. Craving For Junk Food In The Morning
Feeling hungry in the morning is healthy for everyone. If you wake up and the first thing in your mind is eating junk food, then that’s unusual. It is medically advisable to take a balanced diet for a good start of the day. Studies show that craving for junk food in the morning arises from a lack of sufficient sleep triggering the release of leptin hormone that makes one have the urge to consume fatty food. Having enough sleep causes this condition to stop.
If you notice any of these symptoms, know that you are already hooked to junk food. The good news is that there are ways to get out of this addiction. However, you must remain committed to the course and stick to a healthy diet. Otherwise, you might be among the group that keeps sliding back into eating junk food.