Institute for the Psychology of Eating

Navigating the field of nutrition and the world of food is challenging and it can be difficult for an individual to even know where to start.  There are an endless number of opposing opinions, schools of thought, and myths that muddy the waters and make things confusing for anyone trying to find their way in this vast world of information.  We all have relationships with food that started long before we can even remember and are more complex than we may have ever imagined.  Finding the right person to help make sense of each individual’s personal needs and help them to reach their goals can be difficult, but it is possible!  Our friends at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating have been helping people for over three decades and carry a wonderful message of recovery and hope.

A Sustainable Approach

As we all know, fad diets simply do not work in the long term.  While an individual may see some initial results with some of these diets, the truth is that they are not sustainable over a long period of time.  In most cases, a person will return to their previous ways, and any progress that was made will simply fade away.  The professionals at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating have a different way looking at a person’s relationship with food, and focus on a number of areas to help each client meet their goals.  The approach that they use is called Dynamic Eating Psychology, and recognizes that everyone’s experience with food is directly influenced by families, relationships, careers, and the search for fulfillment and happiness.

Dynamic Eating Psychology

The institute has had wonderful success with their approach to food and nutrition, and individuals have had great results in regard to weight loss by using their techniques.  Even more powerful than just changes in weight, their philosophies really help to heal people from a more personal standpoint as they assist in transforming beliefs about body image and food habits.  In addition, Dynamic Eating Psychology takes a look at how a person’s mental state can influence immunity, digestion, and possible food allergies.  Taking a look on this deeper level and helping individual’s to cultivate their own personal relationship with food can help to insure a longer lasting and more meaningful transformation.

Seeking Help

The current worldwide nutrition climate has changed and we are now living in a time with a food supply that is different that it has ever been.  Consumers are surrounded with and endless supply of highly processed foods, and now more than ever are eating less food in its natural state.  It is important that individuals start to make the necessary changes, before things start to get even more out of control.  The professionals at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating can assist with their approach that honors each person’s body, mind, heart, and soul.  They are available to help heal and transform the relationship with food and to unite the science of nutrition along with the psychology of eating.  Weight prejudice as well as body hate are old ways of thinking, and there is hope for every eating concern. 

If you or anyone you know is ready to make some changes and start a new life, please feel free to reach out to our colleagues at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating or to us here at Nutrition in Recovery.

http://psychologyofeating.com/

The Truth About Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have become hugely popular in today’s society as people look for quick fixes and ways to cut corners with their diet.  These products boast claims as having zero calories and that they are a safe alternative to sugar, but is it really that simple?  Are these artificial sweeteners safe to consume without having any effect on the human body?  There is new information emerging all of the time, and many studies are now showing that these sweeteners that were once deemed safe, may not be that harmless after all. 

Conditioning The Brain

One of the concerns with the use of artificial sweeteners in food and drinks is that they condition a person to think things need to taste sweet to be good.  Take for instance an individual that switches from a sugary soda to one that is sweetened artificially.  While they may be cutting out the empty calories and sugar, which is a good thing, they are still reinforcing their preference for items that taste sweet.  So what is wrong with having a preference for sweet things?  If a person has been conditioned to seek out sweet food and drinks, the probability is great that they won’t enjoy things that do not light up the sugar center in the brain.  Healthy food choices including vegetables, whole grains, and water are not sweet, and it is less likely that someone that consumes artificial sweeteners will seek these items out.

Link To Weight Gain

When a person decides to replace sugary food and drinks with items that are artificially sweetened, there may be an initial reduction in calorie intake.  However, it is believed that in most cases this is very short lived, and individuals simply make up for that caloric deficit by eating other processed foods throughout the day.  In short, a person really isn’t fixing the problem by switching to artificial sweeteners, but is simply masking it and compensating with other things. 

Aspartame in particular contains both aspartate and phenylalanine.  These chemicals can interfere with hunger hormones leptin and insulin, and influence fat storage and metabolism.  Consuming artificial sweeteners can increase a person’s appetite and keep them hungry by preventing them from knowing when they have eaten enough.

Gut Health

The connection between artificial sweeteners and the bacteria that lives in the human digestive tract is something that is to be considered, as it may have larger implications than once believed.  There are studies that show these types of sweeteners support the growth and health of a particular bacterial population that assists the body with the storage of fat as opposed to the breakdown of food for energy.  Furthermore, it is suggested that the body’s tissues have difficulty absorbing glucose from the blood, which can lead to glucose intolerance.  This condition can contribute to a higher risk of heart and liver disease, as well as diabetes.

How To Proceed

When making decisions on what food choices are right for you, it is important to consider that there are no “free calories”.  These artificial sweeteners may seem like a blessing, but every choice a person makes does have an impact, and everything you do does matter. 

If you are used to eating foods that are sweet, it will initially be a challenge to remove sweetened products from your diet.  The good news is, that if you stick with it, your tastes will actually change back and the drive to seek out overly sweet foods will lessen.

The most important thing is to get back to eating more food that grows from the ground or falls from a tree, and less food that is being designed by someone in a white lab coat.

Give it a try!  Believe it or not, the artificially sweetened foods that you once found to be deliciously irresistible will soon taste unnatural and too sweet. 

What have you got to lose?