Psychology & Nutrition

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Permalink Reply by JulieK on January 26, 2008 at 8:26pm

Hi Maxine. I don't know of any courses, but have you read "The 12 Steps to Raw" by Victoria Boutenko? It directly addresses food as addiction, and how our eating habits and choices are deeply seeded on many levels from upbringing to culture and society.

<3 JMK

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Permalink Reply by Maxine on January 27, 2008 at 2:06am

Hi Julie, Thanks so much for your feedback - does the book give suggestions of how to work through these issues?

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Permalink Reply by RawHonesty on January 27, 2008 at 10:51am

Hope this helps, Maxine.

Book Description: In this revised edition of her highly praised book, "12 steps to Raw Foods," award-winning author Victoria Boutenko outlines the many advantages of eating fresh rather than cooked foods. Providing the most current scientific research, she guides readers out of “ cooked-food dependency” through the physical, psychological, and spiritual phases of the raw-foods lifestyle. Boutenko also covers practical aspects, offering helpful tips and coping strategies for forming and maintaining healthy new patterns. Boutenko’ s expert knowledge combined with her engaging style makes this book useful for seasoned raw-fooders as well as anyone interested in healthy living.

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Permalink Reply by Maxine on January 29, 2008 at 4:43am

hi - thanks so much for giving me the description of Victoria's book - it sounds like it could have answers to many of my questions!

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Permalink Reply by RawHonesty on January 29, 2008 at 10:05pm

Absolutely! We share the same challenges. We shall overcome : )

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Permalink Reply by Wendy May on May 30, 2008 at 9:53pm

Hi Maxine,
There is another book I hear is great ,it is" Raw Success, By Matt Monarch. You can find it at www.therawfoodworld.com. In Health! -Wendy

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Permalink Reply by Anja on January 27, 2008 at 10:27am

Hi Maxine, I am definitely in doubt about whether there are courses in food psychology available. I myself am taking a Master's in Psychology in Copenhagen (where I live), and I have always wondered why there aren't any courses that address these issues. As a result of this, I have looked into the issue myself. I can tell you that you get cravings because they serve a specific purpose, which is seeking out reward. I am not much of a behavioral psychologist but I DO think there's some sense to the madness that we experience when we have cravings (i.e. the compulsion to eat, intruding thoughts about food, etc.). When we seek out food because of experienced cravings, it's because the initial feeling we get from eating is pleasure - it feels good to eat! This is due to the increased circulation of the neural substance dopamine, which is also known as a pleasure/reward-neurotransmitter. The same experience occurs with the use of drugs and/or alcohol. If you think about it, eating can also calm anxiety, making it a highly addicitive behavior. Therefore, I encourage you to record how you feel the day that you feel like eating 'the wrong things', how you feel right before you do it, right after and a couple of hours later. Humans often learn based on the immediate consequences of exhibiting certain behaviours or responses. When you first eat, it feels good! It's not until later that you start feeling more guilty about your actions. That's why it's so difficult to resist the urge to eat when you get a craving. However, by focusing on how you may feel after, say, 1 hour (guilt, bloating, etc.), you can stop before you start, or make healthier food choices. I hope this provides you with some perspective on your issue. I wish you the best of luck!

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Permalink Reply by Maxine on January 29, 2008 at 4:53am

Hi Anja - it seems kind of strange that academic programmes haven't been set up for these specific issues. I'm off to Melbourne at the w/end - I'm going to check out a natural health college and hopefully a couple of universities to compare courses. When I get back, I will try following up your suggestions and see what is revealed! ( Is this an area that you're covering in your masters?)

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Permalink Reply by Charles on January 27, 2008 at 10:55am

This isn't so much about the psychological addictiveness of food, but it does discuss its physical addictiveness. I found the video really interesting when I first watched it. It discusses sugar, chocolate, meat, and dairy.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3214100593069532942&q=...

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Permalink Reply by Maxine on January 29, 2008 at 4:56am

Hi Charles - what a fantastic video; it really helps explain so much! Thanks so much for sharing the url (I'll be passing it on!)

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Permalink Reply by Candy (aka Kan-Dee) on January 29, 2008 at 11:30pm

Thank you Charles, for that video! It really is very informative. I'm going to forward it on to my mom and sister :-)

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Permalink Reply by Wendy May on May 30, 2008 at 10:40pm

Fabulous video!!!!!!!! Way to go!! : )) -Wendy

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