Food Addiction, the Problem and the Solution

Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir
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Food Addiction, the Problem and the Solution

The International School For Food Addiction Counseling And Treatment (The INFACT School) brings you the podcast, Food Addiction: The Problem And The Solution which explores the ubiquitous problems of food addiction and presents the solution. The school, founded by director Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir MSc, is the world’s first and only sugar/food addiction counseling training with U.S. and European food addiction counselor certifications.  infactschool.com Host, Susan Branscome, a recovered food addict, interviews guests who are professionals and counselors focused on the disease of food addiction, as well as individuals who have successfully recovered from food addiction.   The podcast will resonate with food addicts, those dieting unsuccessfully, those desperate to learn more about food addiction and recover, as well as professionals treating and counseling clients with food addiction and medical practitioners treating patients suffering from obesity and obesity-related illnesses and issues. Subscribe to Food Addiction: The Problem and The Solution wherever you get your podcasts!

  1. SEP 17

    I Broke My Own Heart

    Christine G. was raised in an alcoholic home and was often compared by her parents to a sibling and was expected to be different. As a child, she began using food to cope with this treatment and she reached her highest body weight of 229.  Her lowest weight was 95 pounds as she suffered many years with bulimia and food addiction. At the age of 13, Christine experienced a traumatic personal violation and didn’t tell anyone for many years. In her addiction, she used food and bulimic behaviors to deal with feelings.   To the people in her life, she appeared to have it all together yet became masterful in secretly using food and vomiting daily. It was not until she became honest by facing reality in a residential treatment program for food addiction, SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn, (SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn // https://foodaddiction.com/) Here she spoke the truth about her bulimia and began to take action and recover.    Today Christine is open and honest about her food use and bulimic tendencies as she works a food program recovery program (Food Recovery Programs // https://infactschool.com/groups/). Christine lives a simpler, quieter life and has learned to love herself as she lives in the present moment at peace with no more secrets.

    59 min

  2. AUG 20

    Sugar and Ultra-Processed Foods Are Addictive

    Large food companies, previously owned by tobacco companies, know that we are addicted to sugar and ultra-processed foods.  These companies are making large profits using the same tobacco addiction model with items they are selling us to eat. Food companies add sugars to food items, like high fructose corn syrup, and 250 other sugars to the engineered items they call food.  Meanwhile, the U.S. population is over 50 percent obese with many health problems and our children are becoming addicted to sugar and these chemically-altered items. We are made to feel like it is our fault as food addicts, by these food companies and by medical professionals, that we just need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight and become healthy. Sugar and highly processed foods cause a dopamine release in our brains identical to other addictive substances like alcohol and drugs causing us to become addicted.  Dr. Nicole Avena and Dr. Erica LaFata, are two professionals who have made it their life’s work to raise awareness about our sugar and ultra-processed food addiction. Dr. Avena’s book Sugarless, Book, Dr. Nicole Avena, and Dr. Erica LaFata’s research using the Yale Food Addiction Scale  have helped progress our understanding of what is actually going on.  Dr. Avena and Dr. LaFata presented their findings at the International Food Addiction Consensus Conference (IFAC) held in London, May, 2024.  Professionals gathered at this conference and reached a consensus: Ultra-processed foods should be recognized in the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD) and the APA’s (DSM), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a substance-use disorder, identical to alcohol and drugs.  The only question now is:  As a society, how long will it take for us to see the truth?  That we are ADDICTED:  to sugar and ultra-processed foods …..and they are killing us.  And how many millions must die as our country spends billions on obesity-related illnesses for us to recognize that we are addicted to sugar and ultra-processed foods? It is not our fault.  There is a problem and there is a solution.

    59 min

  3. AUG 6

    I Had A Physical Reaction to Sugar, I Got High On It.

    Doris R. grew up in an alcoholic household and as the oldest of five children had a lot of responsibility early in her life. She was responsible for taking care of her younger siblings while her mother worked. Her father was an alcoholic, and her mother was obese and used food. Her first diet was in the 4th grade. A recovered alcoholic, after Doris became sober and her food use increased.  She realized that she needed to eliminate addictive foods from her diet and has since reached and maintained a healthy weight by realizing that abstinence from sugar and highly processed foods was necessary yet was just the start. She learned she also needed to recover from her food addiction as she entered the treatment program SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn (foodaddiction.com). She has experienced a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual transformation and recovery.  As a recovered food addict, rather than using food to deal with emotions she feels the emotions and uses her recovery program to handle life situations.  Listen to this great episode!

    53 min

  4. JUL 2

    Recovery From Food Addiction Led Me To Hope and Possibility

    Before recovery, Raena Z. weighed 315 pounds and today she is a recovered food addict which over a 100-lb weight release. As an overweight child, she recalls liking food more than others and using food to manage her emotions. In this episode, Raena shares an experience from high school that caused her incredible shame.  After she married and gave birth to her son, her weight continued to climb higher.   Eating in secrecy, she could not stop once she began and finally realized her powerlessness and how her compulsive food behaviors were affecting her life.  In November 2017 after surrendering to her powerlessness and escaping denial of her food addiction, Raena entered an intensive residential treatment program and began physical and emotional recovery. Today she lives freely of food obsession, compulsivity, and addiction as she has experienced recovery using a 12-step recovery program.   She cites all the support she uses to remain abstinent from overeating including fellowship with others. Listen in to this incredible story of addiction and recovery!

    56 min

  5. JUN 11

    It Is Scientifically Proven: 12-step Recovery Programs Work

    Do 12-step recovery programs work? Yes!  Dr. John Kelly of Harvard performed a comprehensive study which is one of the most widely disseminated research findings in the last five years and was reviewed by Cochrane. The Cochrane organization reviews research studies and is internationally recognized as the benchmark for high-quality information about the effectiveness of health care. Dr. John Kelly specializes in addiction recovery and has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and foreign governments. His research work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process.  This important study confirmed what many recovered addicts know, 12-step programs work. Dr. Kelly says the three areas in 12-step programs which were most important to successful recovery: attendance at meetings, having a sponsor, and sharing verbally at meetings. While some addicts participate in acute medical management including inpatient or rehabilitation treatment which can be helpful, working 12-step recovery programs allow addicts to maintain sobriety and abstinence from the substance or behavior over time. There is more to be done in our society in destigmatizing addiction and Dr. Kelly knows that addiction occurs in the brain where ingesting the offending substance sets up cravings and obsession and ultimately addiction. In terms of food addiction, Dr. John Kelly says he knows ultra-processed foods can be quite addictive as well and says there is more research to be done. The medical community has been trained to treat the symptoms of addiction, not the source of the addiction.  Abstinence in the case of food addiction, sobriety in the case of alcohol and drugs can be effective using 12-step recovery programs. There is an effort to have ultra-processed foods recognized as a substance use disorder, just like alcohol and drugs and an important consensus took place. (Link Below) Listen in to this incredible episode where Dr. Kelly, an accomplished research professional who has helped to prove through his work and research that 12-step recovery programs are very effective.    Cochrane Review 12-Step Study https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD012880.pub2/full#CD012880-abs-0002  Dr. John Kelly Harvard biography https://www.health.harvard.edu/authors/john-f-kelly-phd International Food Addiction Conference Consensus Statement https://the-chc.org/fas/conference

    1h 6m

  6. MAY 21

    Food Addiction Recovery is Available through 12-step Programs.

    Amy B.’s highest known weight was 265 as she used food for many years to deal with stress, anxiety and life challenges. While there is humor and a comedic lightness in this podcast episode discussion between two food-recovered food addicts, the messages are serious and important in talking about what it was like and recovery from food addiction. A recovered alcoholic, Amy used food in the same ways she used alcohol, addictively and to numb emotional pain.  Within the laughter, we talk about how we were numbing ourselves with food and alcohol and found that using a 12-step programs of recovery dealt with each addiction’s negative consequences including carrying excess body weight. As an only child, she was not taught that feeling emotions was OK and learned to escape them in self-destructive ways.  In recovery from food addiction, she learned that her emotions were not going to kill her as she processed them without using food.   We talked about how the transformation in recovery helped her deal with relationships and life stresses in a new way.    Amy learned that she needed to surrender her food addiction to a higher power and get to work on taking action in recovery.  Today she is free from food addiction as she eats no sugar with the use of a food plan which involves eating whole foods that her body needs to maintain a healthy body weight. Listen in to this inspiring story of recovery from food addiction!

    49 min

  7. APR 30

    Food Addiction Versus Eating Disorders, What Are the Differences?

    These three incredible professionals have not only personally experienced recovery from addiction, but they have made it their life’s work to help others recover from food addiction and eating disorders.  This podcast panel episode is comprised of three well-known experts in the treatment of food addiction and eating disorders, Dr. Marty Lerner, Amanda Leith, and Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir.  Dr. Marty Lerner is the founder and CEO of the Milestones in Recovery program (Milestones In Recovery website // https://www.milestonesprogram.org/) in southeast Florida Amanda Leith heads SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn ( SHiFT website // https://foodaddiction.com/), and Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir, owner of this podcast, leads the INFACT School (INFACT School website // https://www.infactschool.online/). These professionals agree that as we look at the differences and similarities between eating disorders and food addiction, it can be complicated. Yet one thing they all agree on, eating disorders almost always have some basis in an addictive bodily response, and or addictive and compulsive food behaviors.   The absolute importance of complete abstinence from addictive foods such as sugar, ultra-processed foods, flour, and other trigger foods, weighing and measuring portions can be critical to recovery.   Treatment programs for food addiction are quite valuable to help engage food addicts to begin recovery and food plans can vary by individual.   While there are many ways to look at the emotional and spiritual aspects of food addiction recovery, all agree that 12-step programs are important to long-term recovery. Our society focuses on quick fixes for weight control, restrictive diets, surgery, and drugs, yet the solution is getting to the nature of the addiction and the emotional work around food use and behaviors.  Listen to these experts talk about the disease of food addiction and eating disorders and learn how treatment can work, there is a solution to weight control and compulsive food behaviors.  International Food Addiction Consensus Conference, May 17, 2024 // https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-food-addiction-consensus-conference-ifacc-2024-registration-732854436347

    1h 6m

  8. APR 9

    My Food Use and Weight was Affecting Everything In My Life

    Lori P. is a recovered food addict who shares the challenges experienced in childhood, during a failed marriage, and after the death of her mother. An accomplished company executive, she had used food and many diets during her life attempting to manage her weight and food addiction. Lori had reached a bottom in her addiction and reached a point of desperation, so she began recovering in a 12-step program.  She surrendered control of food and weight through abstinence from offending foods as she physically recovered by releasing and maintaining a 55-pound weight loss.  Today Lori uses a spiritual solution to help her in daily recovery as she says God has shown her love and grace and she has learned to love herself. She left corporate life and realized that she was meant to give back to other professional women.  As she became clean from food use she began to tap into her gifts and purpose as she started her own company. What a story of inspiration and transformation to a life of purpose and joy and out of the food! https://www.infactschool.online/podcast

    47 min
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About

The International School For Food Addiction Counseling And Treatment (The INFACT School) brings you the podcast, Food Addiction: The Problem And The Solution which explores the ubiquitous problems of food addiction and presents the solution. The school, founded by director Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir MSc, is the world’s first and only sugar/food addiction counseling training with U.S. and European food addiction counselor certifications.  infactschool.com Host, Susan Branscome, a recovered food addict, interviews guests who are professionals and counselors focused on the disease of food addiction, as well as individuals who have successfully recovered from food addiction.   The podcast will resonate with food addicts, those dieting unsuccessfully, those desperate to learn more about food addiction and recover, as well as professionals treating and counseling clients with food addiction and medical practitioners treating patients suffering from obesity and obesity-related illnesses and issues. Subscribe to Food Addiction: The Problem and The Solution wherever you get your podcasts!

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