Why You Can’t Stop Eating Sugar And Ultra Processed Foods with Dr Jen Unwin #652
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan ChatterjeeShow Notes
Ever wondered why you can’t stop at just one biscuit? Or why your efforts to eat better go so well for a few days, but you’re soon back where you started – frustrated, ashamed and wondering what’s wrong with you? This episode has the answers you need, along with a roadmap for regaining control.
I’m speaking with Dr Jen Unwin, a clinical psychologist who has struggled with and overcome food addiction. And if you’re thinking ‘I didn’t think that was a thing’ then stay tuned for the facts that will convince you otherwise.
Over decades trying to understand her own relationship with food, Jen discovered that for a significant number of people, a compulsive habit around sugar and ultra-processed foods is real and damaging. In this enlightening conversation, she explains how sugar lights up the same reward centres in the brain as nicotine and alcohol. And how our hunter-gatherer ancestors may not have needed an ‘off switch’ for eating, but our modern food industry makes it almost impossible for vulnerable people to say no.
The research is strong – and Jen is part of a charity campaigning to have food addiction formally recognised by the World Health Organization. That way millions of people would be able to get help from their doctors, in the same way as people with drug and alcohol misuse disorders – instead of being dismissed for a lack of discipline or willpower.
Many of us get cravings or have a fondness for sweet or ‘blissy’ foods. So when does that tip into addiction? Jen shares a clever, six-point, self-assessment tool called CRAVED, which you can use right now to understand whether your relationship with food might be problematic. And we get super practical, with advice on whether cutting down or going cold turkey is right for you, how to handle social situations when everyone around you is indulging, and how to set up your home environment for success.
Whether you score one or six on the CRAVED scale, I’m certain there’s something in this conversation for everyone. And if you’re someone who has been battling this quietly, perhaps feeling ashamed or hopeless, I honestly believe Jen’s message might mark a turning point for you – one that helps you see a way forward.
Fill out our audience survey via https://drchatterjee.com/survey
Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.
Thanks to our sponsors:
https://thesleepreset.com/podcast
https://boncharge.com/livemore
Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/652
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
More from Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
You probably already know that your diet can hugely influence how well you feel, but how much power do your food choices really have over your health?
What happens when the boundary between you and the world around you dissolves? It’s something I experienced myself recently, and this week I sat down with Zen Master Henry Shukman to try and make sense of it. What results is a conversation that moves from the practicalities of a sitting practice, to the outer edges of what meditation can reveal about who we really are.
Today’s guest brings warmth and wisdom to every conversation we have.
Twenty years ago, leading psychotherapist Esther Perel asked whether desire could survive marriage and children. Today, she highlights a new relationship threat: our frictionless, convenient lives – and offers a wealth of wisdom to keep love alive.
Most of us walk every day without really thinking about it – but this episode is guaranteed to change that. Because this simple, free, radical act is one of the most powerful things you can do for your body, your brain and your longevity.