A new study published in the peer-reviewed JAMA Network Open suggests that Americans may have gained 20 pounds over the course of the last year.

Notably, the study was very small and not extremely diverse. Only about 300 people participated in the study with the majority of the participants being white. The average age of the study was 51 and was almost evenly split between men and women.

Researchers analyzed data from participants in 37 states, and the District of Columbia taken over the course of February 1st, 2020 to June 1st, 2020. Data was collected from Bluetooth connected smart scales and researchers collected 7,444 weight measurements over the course of the study, around 28 measurements per person.

We know that weight gain is a public health problem in the U.S. already, so anything making it worse is definitely concerning, and shelter-in-place orders are so ubiquitous that the sheer number of people affected by this makes it extremely relevant.

How Much Weight Did We Gain During Lockdowns? 2 Pounds a Month, Study Hints

Obesity has been linked to a greater risk of Covid-19. Forty-two percent of Americans over the age of 20 have obesity, and an additional 32% of Americans are overweight.

In today’s society, it’s proven to be much harder for the younger generation to accomplish things the older generation seemed to have an easy time with. Buying a house, finding a job, and now, staying skinny, are all significantly harder than they were in decades past.

A study done in 2016 by the Obesity Research and Clinical Practice journal shows that adults today have to work out more and eat less than adults 20-30 years ago to maintain the same weight. The study examined the diets of 36,400 Americans from 1971 to 2008 and the physical activity of 14,419 Americans between 1988 and 2006. The data showed that people in 2006 taking in the same number of calories and the same nutrients, as well as working out the same amount as someone in 1988 would have a BMI that was around 2.33 points higher.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

While the data shows that people today are heavier, it also shows that there are environmental changes that make it much harder to maintain the same weight as someone in decades past.

Unfortunately, while the mainstream media appears to be catching up to us, they’re not there yet. The study and another article that covered the study pointed towards numerous possibilities for our newfound weight gain but neglected to mention some of the more important ones.

Just what those other changes might be, though, are still a matter of hypothesis. In an interview, Kuk proffered three different factors that might be making it harder for adults today to stay thin.

Why It Was Easier to Be Skinny in the 1980s

First, the article points to chemicals that people are more regularly exposed to than they were in decades past. People are more widely exposed to pesticides, flame retardants, food packaging, and other chemicals that could be altering our hormonal process and the way we gain and maintain weight. While this is true, they don’t go into many of the more important toxins and chemicals that are causing weight gain, like vaccines. Data has shown a direct correlation between increases in vaccination and and weight gain.

Additionally, the study points to the use of prescription drugs which has rapidly increased since the ’70s. Prozac, the first blockbuster SSRI, came out in 1988. Antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed drugs today and are frequently linked to weight gain.

Lastly, the article talks about an increase in meat consumption as a cause of weight gain. Americans consume more meat than they did in the ’80s, and meat is more commonly treated with growth hormones and antibiotics. The article neglects to mention that most meat that comes from factory farms is raised on corn as opposed to grasses and other healthier alternatives.

While the article links antibiotics in animals to weight gain, it does not link an increase in human antibiotics to weight gain. Antibiotics destroy important gut bacteria that make it harder to maintain a healthy weight. The article suggests that our gut microbiome has “somehow changed” between the 1980s, and now without pointing out what might cause changes in gut health. Additionally, the article does not point to a rise in refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or glyphosate as reasons for our weight gain.

Related: How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials

U.S. consumption of artificial sweeteners has risen substantially in the last 20 years. Soda likely comes to mind, but aspartame and sucralose are being put into more and more products from bread to toothpaste. As more studies are being done, artificial sweeteners seem to be connected to more and more negative health consequences. That’s probably because they’re poison.

Artificial Sweeteners May Harm Gut Bacteria

Ariel Kushmaro is a professor of microbial biotechnology at Ben-Gurion University. He told Business Insider, “My recommendation is to not use artificial sweeteners.” Kushmaro and his team performed a study with common artificial sweeteners and E. coli bacteria. Don’t confuse this bacteria with the kind that makes us sick; E. coli is a beneficial bacteria in healthy human intestines.

Factory farming is how we get the “superbug” variety of E. coli. The “superbug” variety of E. Coli can happen when a cow is fed a very acidic, glyphosate-heavy grain diet while being pumped full of antibiotics. Whatever doesn’t kill you…

Researchers exposed the E. coli to six artificial sweeteners including aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), sucralose (Splenda), and saccharin (Sweet’N Low). They also subjected the bacteria to various protein powders and flavoring packets that use artificial sweeteners.

After dosing the E. coli bacteria with artificial sweeteners ‘hundreds of times,’ Kushmaro concluded the sweeteners had a toxic, stressing effect, making it difficult for gut microbes to grow and reproduce. The researchers think that a couple of artificially sweetened sodas or coffees a day could be enough to have an influence on gut health —and could even make it tougher for the body to process regular sugar and other carbohydrates.” – Business Insider

Obviously, we need more testing. Fortunately, Kushmaro plans to run more of these kinds of experiments to see how artificial sweeteners alter the human gut microbiome.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Artificial Sweeteners Won’t Reduce Appetite, or Satisfy Sugar Cravings

Sugar-sweetened foods trigger hormones throughout the body and chemicals in the brain that leaves us feeling satisfied after eating. The phenomenon, how it works, is similar to what happens with addiction to drugs. The satisfaction is short-lived, but it’s there. But artificial sweeteners don’t provide the sugar, or any calories for that matter, so scientists say the “food reward” system is never activated. This is probably why artificial sweeteners are shown to increase appetite, and sugar cravings as well.

Some researchers believe that artificial sweeteners do not satisfy our biological sugar cravings in the same manner as sugar, and could therefore lead to increased food intake. However, the evidence is mixed.” – Healthline

Related: Healthy Sugar Alternative and More

Artificial Sweeteners May Promote Obesity

In addition to promoting overeating, there are other mechanisms with which artificial sweeteners may promote weight gain. Sweet taste receptors are found not just in the mouth, but also in the bladder, the lungs, and our bones. Recent research looked at how artificial sweeteners affect our cells that make up our fat stores.

The new research, results of which were presented at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, looks at the effect that artificial sweeteners have on the cells that make up our fat stores. These cells have a glucose transporter (a protein that helps glucose get into a cell) called GLUT4 on their surface and, when we eat more sugar, the cells take up more glucose, accumulate more fat and become larger. The researchers in this latest study found that the artificial sweetener, sucralose, commonly found in diet foods and drinks, increases GLUT4 in these cells and promotes the accumulation of fat. These changes are associated with an increased risk of becoming obese.” – The Conversation

Artificial Sweeteners May Lead To Diabetes

Dr. Brian Hoffman, George Ronan, and Dhanush Haspula are the authors of a new study that found a link between consuming artificial sweeteners and changes in the blood that increases the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that acesulfame potassium, a sugar substitute, accumulated in the blood of rats tested. This accumulation of potassium harmed the cells that line blood vessels. The study indicates that artificial sweeteners can alter how the body processes fat and how we use energy at a cellular level. According to the authors, this vascular impairment may lead to diabetes (and obesity).

Gut ecology plays a huge role in disease, including diabetes, and medical science is at the forefront of realizing this. A potential new treatment hailed to be a likely medical breakthrough removed the mucous membrane of the small intestine to cure type 2 diabetes. The treatment inserts a balloon into the small intestine and inflates the balloon with hot water, hot enough to kill the gut’s mucous membrane. Within two weeks, if the patients eat well enough, a healthier membrane develops.

By destroying the mucous membrane in the small intestine and causing a new one to develop, scientists stabilized the blood sugar levels of people with type 2 diabetes. The results have been described as ‘spectacular’ – albeit unexpected – by the chief researchers involved. In the hourlong procedure, trialled on 50 patients in Amsterdam, a tube with a small balloon in its end is inserted through the mouth of the patient down to the small intestine.

“Even a year after the treatment, the disease was found to be stable in 90% of those treated. It is believed there is a link between nutrient absorption by the mucous membrane in the small intestine and the development of insulin resistance among people with type 2 diabetes.” – The Guardian

It stands to reason that if foods and chemicals like artificial sweeteners negatively influence our gut ecosystem, this damage may promote diabetes, as well as a host of other chronic illness.

Related: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Artificial Sweeteners May Contribute to Cardiovascular Disease and More

Researchers from the University of Manitoba’s George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation reviewed 37 trials that followed a total of more than 400,000 people for an average of 10 years. The study showed a link between artificial sweetener consumption and increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and other health issues.

Artificial Sweeteners Are Likely To Promote Candida

Modern health loves to compartmentalize everything. Natural health practitioners generally have a more holistic outlook. Our belief is and has been, that toxic chemicals do damage to the body in a myriad of ways, including damage to the gut microbiome. Damaging the gut’s ecosystem has long-lasting, far-reaching consequences to virtually every facet of health.

Damage feeds candida and other pathogens. Cells in the body are made up of sugars and starches. When these cells are damaged they can feed pathogens. A healthy gut feeds the body with healthy, beneficial bacteria (it’s a misnomer that all bacteria is supposed to stay in the gut). An unhealthy gut with pathogens feeds the whole body pathogens.

Toxic chemicals damage the gut’s ecosystem and they also do damage all over the body in various ways. This promotes pathogenic proliferation. Candida is a normal part of a healthy gut colony, but if beneficial bacteria is damaged enough candida is very likely to take over. If not candida, other another fungus is likely there ready and waiting. It’s nearly impossible to kill fungal spores. Once they proliferate it’s a challenge to get them under control, especially with our modern sugar and toxin-laden diets.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Half of all active-duty male army soldiers are overweight, and one in five are obese. Obese soldiers cost the army much more in medical expenses, using nearly double the medical resources compared to those within a healthy weight. Obese soldiers were less likely to be seen medically for multiple trauma, but this may suggest that obese soldiers are not being deployed in combat as often, which is when such a medical emergency would be most likely.

An army doctor, Maj. Brian Shiozawa has been analyzing the height and weight data for 429,793 active male soldiers and cross-referencing those records with the soldiers’ medical visits and treatments. Shiozawa recently presented his research at the Obesity Medicine Association’s fall summit in Washington, D.C. He found that obese male soldiers sought medical treatment an average of 13 times a year in 2015 while normal-weight soldiers went an average of seven times a year.

“Are we employing them to go to the doctor, or are they fit to fight the nation’s wars? At what point do we say to service members, ‘You may be costing us more [than you provide to the military?]’ Maybe we need a BMI ceiling. We are spending three to four times as much to maintain you than what we get from you.” – Dr. Shiozawa

In recent years, scientists have learned more about the microbes residing in the human gut and how they affect health and wellbeing. We have learned that microbes outnumber human cells in the body – roughly 90% microbes to 10% human cells. We know the microbes in our gut help digest our food and in the process help create vitamins, neurotransmitters, and hormones. We know 80% of our immunity begins in the gut. We are beginning to understand the link between the gut, autoimmune diseases, and neurological syndromes.

Earlier studies confirmed that bacteria in the gut of obese people is different than normal intestinal flora. Thin people have a diverse and plentiful microbial ecosystem in their gut, whereas obese individuals do not. Some particular strains in obese people even differ from those who are lean. Transplanting these microbes can cause obesity in mice studies. Further studies will tell us if the reverse is true, if transplanting healthy microbes can reverse obesity.

Next, we learned that maternal obesity was associated with alterations in the gut microbiome of their babies. Then scientists performed statistical studies that revealed children born to obese mothers showed an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Then the question arose – Does the intestinal microbiota and what has been known as the gut brain axis play a part in neurodevelopmental disorders? Could altered gut microbiota induce autistic behaviors?

The answer is a resounding yes. A new study clearly showed that mice born to obese mothers were missing several strains of bacteria in their guts. Behavior equivalent to autism in humans become prevalent in this group. When given the missing bacterial species, oxytocin levels and synaptic dysfunction were corrected and social deficit behaviors were reversed, but not all symptoms were eliminated.

This fascinating study clearly linked gut health and autism, and opened the door to further research as well as prevention and treatment options for obesity and autism.

This is not the first time that gastrointestinal disease has been associated with autism. An earlier investigation into the connection between gut health and autism began 20 years ago. Unfortunately, the causal factor for that study was not maternal obesity. Instead, the MMR vaccine appeared to be the common cause of the intestinal disease in most of the children, but like the recent study, the intestinal disease was clearly tied to the autism.

A Fresh Look at Dr. Andrew Wakefield

It all began on May 17^th, 1995, when Dr. Andrew Wakefield received a call from a mother who told him that her child was developing normally before receiving an MMR vaccination. After the vaccine, her child regressed into autism and began suffering from terrible gastrointestinal problems. She told him there were other children she knew of with the same story.

In February 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, Prof. John Walker Smith, Dr. Simon Murch, and 10 other co-authors published a case study of 12 children in the Lancet, a British Medical Journal. The case study of these 12 autistic children with gastrointestinal disease stated the following:

“Findings: Onset of behavioral symptoms was associated, by the parents, with measles, mumps, rubella vaccination in 8 of the 12 children.” Lancet 1998

The researchers were correctly reporting information as collected, as they would in any case study. But Wakefield went on to publicly bring attention to the possibility that the MMR vaccine might be a causal factor in autism, and he recommended that parents choose the individual measles, mumps, and rubella shots (spaced out over time) rather than the MMR combination vaccine.

The individual shots, which were available in both the UK and the USA at the time of Wakefield’s recommendation, were soon discontinued (within 6 months in the UK). The publication, the publicity, and the controversy caused an uproar. Dr. Wakefield was blamed for a sharp decline in vaccine compliance in the UK and to some extent in the U.S.A.

Dr. Wakefield contends that the decline in the MMR was matched by an uptake of the individual shots before they were discontinued, that vaccine compliance was not actually affected until the individual shots were discontinued. He believes the blame for the decline in the vaccination rate should rest with those who chose to discontinue the individual vaccines.

The controversy Dr. Wakefield stirred was probably enough to make him a target, but he increased his risk by agreeing to serve as an expert witness for parents of autistic children who were entering litigation.

Then the United Kingdom General Medical Council regulatory board (GMC), the licensing board for physicians in England, ruled that the study and the published paper were fraudulent. Ten of the authors signed a letter retracting the claim that the MMR vaccine caused autism, even though the paper stated no such conclusion. Wakefield, Smith, and Murch refused to sign the paper and were brought up before the GMC on misconduct charges.

In an interview, Andy Wakefield said,

At the GMC, there were 3 defendants: Professor Walker Smith, who was at the time the world’s leading pediatric gastroenterologist, a very senior man with an impeccable record, an unimpeachable career, one of his juniors, Dr. Simon Murch, and… and myself. All three of us were found guilty.

“Simon Murch did not lose his license, but Walker Smith and I lost our license. He was then funded to appeal in the English high court. I did appeal but I … for financial reasons… it was impossible for me to pursue that. And it was not a primary objective after that to restore my license. There were more import things to do.

“But Professor Walker Smith did appeal and at that appeal, the first time this case had ever come before a proper judiciary…a proper judge… and the judge destroyed the General Medical Council’s decision.

“He said effectively they were incompetent. They were not in a position to judge the evidence. That they made mistakes; they got the facts wrong. They misrepresented the evidence. And worse of all, they were biased. They had made up their minds from the outset that we were guilty. And he completely overturned their decision and said in effect this must never happen again.

“Walker Smith was completely reinstated and all charges against him utterly dismissed. Ninety percent of the charges against Walker Smith were the same charges as those against me. The paper should have been reinstated and yet the Lancet editor refused to do that in order to protect his reputation and his job.”

It was 2012 when Professor Smith won his appeal against the GMC and his license to practice medicine was restored. The story, according to Wakefield, was published in one newspaper. How many children have been sacrificed to protect the pharmaceutical industry in the last 20 years?

Andy Wakefield continues to defend the paper he and his co-authors published, and he continues to state the need for the MMR vaccine to be discontinued and individual shots to be manufactured and distributed in its place. He recently came back into the news as the director of the film Vaxxed: From Cover Up to Catastrophe, a film about the CDC whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson who revealed data was removed from a study that confirmed a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.

Though Andrew Wakefield is alive and well, when Del Bigtree, the producer of Vaxxed, discussed Wakefield’s past, the loss of his license, position, and influence in this critical area of research, he sounds like he is delivering a eulogy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR4br7WrkqA

The world lost one of the greatest scientific minds of our times when Andy Wakefield was taken from us. This was a man who was doing studies that were going to lead to healthier vaccines and better ways to take care of the health of our children. That, unfortunately, was going to cost a lot of money for the vaccine industry, and they cared a lot more about their industry and their money than they did the health of children. And so I can confidently say, that I am proud to be working on this picture about the CDC whistleblower with Andy Wakefield.”  – Del Bigtree interview for ABC World News Tonight 3/26/16

Conclusion

Clearly, evidence that our health is dependent on our gut microbiome keeps growing. Leaky gut syndrome leads to a host of illnesses including autoimmune diseases. The microbiome is linked to mental illness, obesity, and immunity. And now, we once again are seeing a clear link with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders on the autism spectrum.

Whether adult or child, a healthy gut is fundamental to a healthy life. And gut health begins with diet. A prebiotic diet with 80% fresh, raw, organic produce helps establish and maintain a healthy microbiome. We need to avoid antibiotics along with artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Eliminate MSG and GMOs. Limit or eliminate processed sugar and gluten. Eat real food, not nutrient stripped processed food. Avoid pesticides.

We can rebuild a healthy gut through diet as we detox from heavy metals and the chemicals that disrupt and kill healthy bacteria in our gut. We can kill off the overgrowth of Candida that causes us to have a permeable gut. We can choose to live a healthy lifestyle and we can help our children live a healthy lifestyle. Some of those choices will be hard. Do we continue to eat the standard American diet? Do we keep poisoning our food and our bodies with glyphosate and GMOs? Do we use conventional soaps and shampoos filled with chemicals? Do we follow the current vaccine schedule? With the looming prediction that 1 of every 2 children will have autism if we continue on this path, we need to make the right decisions now.

Further Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Sources:

• How Gut Bacteria Help Make Us Fat and Thin – Scientific American
• Microbial Reconstitution Reverses Maternal Diet-Induced Social and Synaptic Deficits in Offspring – Cell
• Dr. Andrew Wakefield Deals With Allegations – You Tube

You have probably heard the good, old mantra – it is not food that is making you fat, it is the chronic lack of physical activity. In some cases, the adage is true: you cannot expect to lose weight unless you get up and start working out. Unfortunately, tough trainings alone will not get you far on your slimming path because excess weight and obesity cannot be always pegged on sedentary lifestyle alone. Hormones, diet, gender, age, genes, and certain medical conditions also play an important role when it comes to the figures on the scale, and there are numerous science-based facts to support this.

Health Issues and Medications Can Trigger Obesity

Although scientists have not yet figured out all of the complex connections between body mass and hormones, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was found to be a factor in obesity and chronic weight issues. Around 50% of women diagnosed with PCOS are either overweight or obese, and some studies show that 70% of them suffer from insulin resistance, a condition that also contributes to weight gain. Other health issues hiding behind the obesity label include Cushing’s disease (a condition characterized by the excess production of cortisol in the adrenal glands) and hypothyroidism (an insufficient production of the thyroid hormone by the thyroid glands). Depression and disruption of sleep cycles can also fuel an existing weight problem, but medications used to remedy them do not always promise hope. In fact, some drugs can even trigger weight gain.

Certain Medications Can Contribute to Weight Gain

The list of medications linked to unwarranted weight gain and obesity includes certain antidepressants, anticonvulsants, antihistamines, oral contraceptives, a few diabetes and high blood pressure medications, and most corticosteroids. This is bad news for both patients with chronic disorders and the pharmaceutical industry, but it is true: treating one problem can impact the development of another health issue, especially in terms of body mass. In these cases, physical activity can promote weight loss, but trainings alone will not be an effective remedy for obese and overweight persons whose primary cause of body mass problems is concealed behind pharmaceutical products and not just a sedentary lifestyle and an improper diet.

No Amount of Physical Activity Can Burn Thousands of Calories

We all know that habitual consumption of starchy foods, sweets, and too much trans fat inevitably shows in the belly area – but workouts are not a sufficient lifestyle change to reduce waistline inches. Do not fool yourself. According to the simple laws of physics, the more empty calories you eat, the chunkier you will be, and no amount of training will produce a visible effect without long-term dietary adjustments. Our bodies are intelligent mechanisms; they use fuel obtained through food for everyday activities, and store extra calories as fat for a rainy (i.e. foodless) day. This means that overweight and obese people (those of us with more than 20% weight than is considered ideal for our build, age, and gender) have surplus energy accumulated as fat, and they need to burn it off. Admittedly, you cannot starve for days and weeks on end so that your body could shed all the built-up fat – but what you can do is watch your daily calorie intake and swap foods that promote weight gain for figure-friendly alternatives. Of course, an odd cheat day is okay as it can help keep leptin levels and your dieting motivation in check, but bear in mind that cheat days occur usually once a week, not every time you feel sad, lonely, or bored.

Heredity Is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Some people use genetics as an excuse to justify their extra pounds, but heredity is not just a phrase to be thrown around lightly. Although their share in the total obesity count is relatively limited, certain hereditary conditions such as Prader-Willi syndrome can in fact be a major stumbling block on the quest for a lean figure. Certain studies note that heritability estimates for corpulence are surprisingly high (typically >0.70), as four genes in the human DNA (MC4R, PCSK1, POMC and BDNF) are responsible for monogenic and polygenic obesity. In addition to that, defects in eight genes have been linked to appetite regulation disorders, and there are also scientific studies that argue weight and body shape can be influenced by as many as 97 different gene variants. Although training can help with the fat-to-muscle ratio, certain genetic factors can get in the way of weight loss success and cause persistent chubbiness in spite of everyday workouts and an active lifestyle.

Although exercising is inextricable from increased muscle mass, weight loss, and a slender shape, it will produce little or no results unless other long-term factors that contribute to your weight problems are tackled as well. This means that you should run medical tests and establish the real reason behind your chubby looks, such as a lack of hormonal balance, insulin resistance, heredity, or simply one too many trips to the cookie jar.

Recommended Reading:

• How I Lost Over 150 Pounds, and How My Life Changed
• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• Is Your Gut Health Making You Fat?
• Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• After taking antibiotics, this is what you need to do to restore healthy intestinal flora

Sources:

• Obesity and the polycystic ovary syndrome – NCBI
• Sleep and obesity – NCBI
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Weight Gain – Web MD
• Screening for Cushing’s Syndrome in Obese Patients – NCBI
• Thyroid and Obesity: An Intriguing Relationship – Endocrine Society
• Depression and Obesity – Everyday Health
• Is Your Medicine Cabinet Making You Fat? – Medicine Net
• Are Your Meds Making You Gain Weight? – Web MD
• The truth about fats: the good, the bad, and the in-between – Harvard Health Publications
• The Truth About Cheat Days – Symmetry Gym
• Need to know Nutrition for children withPrader Willi Syndrom; A Guide for Parents and Carers – Prader Willi Syndrome Association
• ‘Obesity genes’ help determine size and shape, studies find
• Genetics of obesity and the prediction of risk for health

I know most of my posts have to do with emotional health and feeling good. This week I wanted to share with you a secret (I’ve been writing a book!) and offer you a sneak peek. One of the things I have been writing about is food. We all need it for energy; the brain the body need fuel to function. Simple enough, right? Sure, but if we know food is about function, why is there is so much food addiction?

For those of us who work with food and wellness, it’s no surprise our society is more overweight than ever before (I’ll be writing more about this soon). Even though we have more information and knowledge than ever before, food allergies and sensitivities, and emotional disorders ranging from depression to ADD are on the rise. What gives?

We are hungry for and actually starving for a nutrient dense diet.

Some many clients that would be considered obese laugh when they hear they are actually starving. How is that possible? Think about this scenario. A person who is always hungry, looking for something – even after they eat. The question is, what are they eating? The state of our food is embarrassing. The nutrient load is incredibly low, our grocery aisles are stacked with GMOs (mostly in packaged foods), and hybridization has left us with strange fruits and veggies. Who needs an orange the size of a head? And then there are the chemicals in and on our food. All of these things together don’t allow for the brilliance of our inner systems to actually absorb food. Instead they respond as if the food we eat is foreign and potentially harmful.

Many people say, “I can’t afford to eat organic” or “I don’t have time.” Well, I agree, it’s challenging at times, but can we really afford not to? After an incident with a walnut ladden russian tea cake over the holidays, my niece recently discovered she is highly allergic to tree nuts. Overloaded and overstressed, her little system started to shut down and go into shock. Real food does not do this. Our body is looking for the real deal. Nutrient rich, whole, natural foods click into our cells’ receptors like a lock and key, nourishing us on a deep level. At the very least, buy organic fruits and veggies on the dirty dozen list. You can download an app to help you remember which ones to avoid. For more insights on eating a nutrient rich diet, follow Chris Kressor. His weekly emails are full of insights and new science on eating for health.

We Are Hungry For Connection

So lets’ say you are eating right and you are still hungry. You buy all the right foods, you eat well, and are taking care of yourself, and still you find yourself plowing through nuts or a bag of pita chips when you know there isn’t any way you could need more food. It’s all about connection, baby. Food is one of our very first comforts. Think of a nursing babe. Not only is feeding one of the first things we do, but it’s one of our first ways of communicating. Early on, we form a strong association between physical and emotional nourishment. Food is delicious, delightful, and we need it. And, food can also be soothing when we would rather not face a situation or feel an emotion. Food is an effective distraction. But, using it as a crutch just leaves us empty.

I found that when I really understood what was motivating me to eat, I was no longer inexplicably hungry all the time. Explore your own relationship with food and emotion with Karen Koenig’s the Food Feeling Workbook.

So, next time you go for a second helping or midnight snack when you know you don’t need it, ask yourself, “What is it that I really want?” It could be touch, or a good chat with a friend, or even confronting something you’ve been avoiding. Feed yourself with the love that you need and deserve.

We Are Hungry For Happiness

You’ve got a gut feeling, turns out that’s not just a phrase, there’s a real gut-brain connection. Scientist are now confirming that our brains are more influenced by our bodies than we had thought. There was a misconception for years that our brain’s emotional chemistry–the happy hormones like dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin–was made in our brain (because that’s where it is found), but it turns out this is untrue. These hormones are born and bred in our tummy, well, our intestines, actually.

There’s a lot going on in our gut. If we don’t have the healthy bugs (you know, probiotics) in our gut we not only can’t digest and absorb the nutrients from our food, but our bodies also can’t create those happy hormones for good emotional health. So if the environment in your gut (your gut’s microbiome) is not a friendly place for the good stuff to grow, you may suffer from mood swings or even weight gain.

Taking a daily probiotic is one step toward good gut health. Eating a nutrient rich, low carb diet, like a paleo diet, is another way. Robb Wolf came up with the paleo diet after a number of near death health issues. He found that what he was eating was actually killing him.

Think you might have gut issues and want to explore more? Find a functional medicine doctor in your area or follow Robb Wolf who co-founeded the paleo movement with Mark Sission, biochemist and biologist.

We Are Hungry For Safety

When we have fear in our bodies, our sympathetic nervous system has two options: fight or flight. If we cannot escape the situation, we have to fight, or so our body thinks. Of course, this reaction is instinctual. We don’t actually know this is happening; it’s hardwired into our bodies. So, when we feel afraid, we seek protection. Sometimes we arm up by getting the hockey stick out; other times we do it with food. Taking on weight creates a layer of “Don’t look at me,” or “I can’t feel what you said,” or “I don’t need that kind of attention.” It’s your bodies way of trying to help. Sometimes help is not helpful. In reality, the weight gain causes a loop of self loathing and frustration, not to mention health issues. If you don’t feel safe, rather than run, call up a good therapist and start sharing. If you don’t feel that brave yet, start with a friend or a journal. Let it out before it eats your aliveness.

We Are Hungry For Satisfaction/Reward

Weight is also wait. When we are overweight, we are actually putting something off. What do you want that you are afraid of stepping into? Don’t delay. Do the thing you are denying yourself – right now. It’s amazing how we can sabotage ourselves from getting the exact thing we desire. Just decide to stop waiting and start living now. You don’t have to do everything at once, but take just a small step. Send one email, spend five minutes on the treadmill, skip dessert. You get the picture. This is your life. Start living it fully.

You don’t need to radically change your diet or lifestyle overnight, but you deserve to know that you can set yourself free. Here are a few places to start:

• DO: Shop from the perimeter of your grocery store – where the real food lives
• DO: Eat less processed, boxed, or packaged foods
• DO: Eat up your connection to friends, family, and fun daily
• DON’T: Skip a daily dose of healthy probiotic with bifidus on an empty stomach.
• DON’T: Stuff your underlying issues around body image, safety, and old tapes of fear.
• DON’T: Waste one more day weighting/waiting…

This is your life, my friend. Go live it.