Eating Disorders, Addictions and Substance Use Disorders: Research, Clinical and Treatment Perspectives

Dr. Timothy Brewerton and Dr. Amy Baker Dennis have published an academic textbook "Eating Disorders, Addictions and Substance Use Disorders: Research, Clinical and Treatment Perspectives" and David A. Wiss, MS, RDN, CPT has contributed two chapters.

Find out more about the book and how to order it HERE

Nutrition Therapy for Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, and Addictions

David A. Wiss, MS, RDN, CPT, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, owner of Nutrition In Recovery will discuss the importance of nutrition in addiction recovery with Dr. Ranae Norton on Wednesday, January 15 at 4:30pm PST.

For more information, click HERE

What is Nutrition In Recovery's Nutritional Approach to Binge Eating Disorder?

Binge Eating Disorder is now officially recognized as an eating disorder. More and more people are seeking treatment for this condition, which has been linked to Food Addiction.

Nutrition In Recovery owner David A. Wiss, MS, RDN, CPT specializes in the treatment of Binge Eating Disorder and Food Addiction. Find out more about his approach by clicking HERE

What Foods Have Addictive Potential?

Food in it's natural/unadulterated state is not addicting, while processed foods seem to cause problems for many people. Foods that have the most addictive potential include the following:

Refined grains

Added sugars

Artificial sweeteners

Added salts

Added fats (including refined oils)

Caffeine

Treatment for any addiction should involve abstinence for a period of time. While not possible to abstain from food, it is possible to abstain from highly concentrated by-products of food that are characterized by the aforementioned additives. Traditional eating disorder treatment typically ignores the impact of processed foods on the human brain, over-emphasizing the behavioral component of eating and the underlying issues, yet failing to address the importance of the substances ("food") that enter the human body. As the concept of food addiction gains popularity, I see a trend in people being willing to pay more for less ingredients. While this trend is not new, highly palatable foods will continue to be linked with dysfunctional eating behavior stemming from neural dysregulation. The transition towards abstinence from addictive food substances is best executed gradually as opposed to immediately. Once the brain is normalized ("recovery"), some foods with addictive potential can be handled by some individuals, in small doses. With respect to food addiction, the dose makes the poison. Meanwhile, failure to therapeutically address the underlying issues during treatment can lead to relapse into addictive eating, as is the case with any addiction. In conclusion, the food matters more than the food industry wants us to believe. We must identify and eliminate profitable and toxic substances that are masquerading as food.  

To learn more about Food Addiction, click HERE

What is Nutrition In Recovery's Position on Food Addiction?

Food Addiction is real. Brain imaging studies have discovered that compulsive overeaters share many of the same characteristics of drug addicts. Many individuals are willing to go great lengths to obtain food to satisfy their cravings, also known as "food motivation." Dopaminergic brain pathways have been implicated in connection with binge eating disorder. Additionally, many individuals develop tolerance and withdrawal from by-products of food such as refined grains, and added sugars, salts, and fats. Furthermore, many people continue to consume harmful food products despite negative consequences such as the threat of amputation secondary to type-2 diabetes and congestive heart failure related to high sodium intake.

To read more about Food Addiction and the solution that is available, please click HERE

Binge Eating Disorder

The obesity problem in the United States has reached epic proportions creating a tremendous healthcare and economic burden on society. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers are frantically scrambling to find solutions to this burgeoning problem. One aspect of the obesity epidemic is Binge Eating Disorder (BED), which is increasing in prevalence and contributes to what physicians call the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by a cluster of risk factors such as abdominal obesity, diabetes/prediabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure, all of which are strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease. In the new DSM-V, BED has been recognized as a distinct clinical entity with it's own classification. In recent years, BED has been linked to Food Addiction, which has created much debate in academic communities.