~ real food, balanced living ~
I’ve always been mystified by the characterization of weight management as a simple matter of ‘calories in vs. calories out’ – a reductionist approach that leaves plenty unsaid.
Our weight may be influenced by a myriad of factors including metabolism, hormones, medication, sleep patterns and stress. And while none of these factors absolve us of personal responsibility for our health, they may mean that the picture is more complicated than we are often led to believe….
If you’re coming out of the holiday season feeling like you need to take a little break from the sweet life but aren’t having the easiest time shaking it, you’re not alone.
Sugar has a very powerful effect on the reward center of our brain. There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the chemistry underlying sugar addiction is virtually identical to the chemistry underlying drug addiction in that both are driven by dopamine – the neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s pleasure reward circuit.
When we consume sugar it stimulates the release of dopamine and we experience a sensation of pleasure. We get cued by sights, sounds and smells that evoke powerful memories of pleasure and keep us coming back for more. Every time we succumb to addictive foods we reinforce the circuit of desire and reward further, making it harder for us to break the pleasure cycle. In short, the more we eat sugar the more we want to eat sugar, and vice versa. Some of us may have inherited a biochemistry that makes us especially vulnerable to this cycle. …