Overeating and obesity are often blamed on things like lack of willpower, metabolism, or genetics. However, more and more studies (including those in animal research) are revealing that food addiction is real. You might wonder why more and more people seem to be addicted to food these days. Weight issues are on the rise and if we look closely we might be able to determine why. The answer might help us find solutions for ourselves. Since it can be tempting to focus more on the problem than on the solution I will offer a solution to each problem here.

PROBLEM ONE: FOOD ADDITIVES MAKE US FAT

Studies continue to reveal that additives in food make us fat. Certain foods, particularly fast foods, can be engineered to make us crave them. David Kessler's book, The End of Overeating, shows us how we can become hardwired to eat large quantities of foods that are dangerous to our health. The lure of these types of food has us getting up in our pajamas to go to our nearest drive-thru. In other words, we have become more and more physically addicted to food, the same way we could become addicted to nicotine or drugs.

SOLUTION

Cravings are almost never for broiled chicken, steamed broccoli, or slices of fresh peaches. It's not that those foods can't be delicious but cravings are usually for things like cookies, doughnuts, baked goods, chips, etc. Clear your diet of unhealthy foods. The closer a food is to its natural source the less likely you'll be to crave that food in an unnatural way.

PROBLEM TWO: LIFE IS MORE STRESSFUL

The faster pace of life these days affects our weight. For one, when we're stressed and rushed we're more likely to grab unhealthy foods on the go. Secondly, constantly being overstimulated keeps our nervous systems in an activated state. By not letting our bodies shut down and relax our cortisol levels (cortisol is a hormone produced by our adrenal glands) get heightened. Elevated cortisol levels make it difficult to take off extra weight, especially around one's belly. Food, especially carbohydrates and sweets, can give us a little dose of calm that our adrenal glands no longer know how to create. Therefore, we become physically dependent on the calm that food can provide.

SOLUTION

In simple terms, relax. Shut off the TV, the computer, and the radio. Allow yourself a little bit of quiet everyday. Breathe deeply. You'd be amazed how many people simply forget to breathe. A friend of mine told me that she takes three deep breaths every time she goes to the bathroom. This allows her at least a certain amount of deep breaths per day. Adopt a meditation practice. Meditation has been shown to lower elevated cortisol levels. If you want a simple way to shut down your body, close your eyes and notice if your eyes are still moving beneath your lids. Follow the movements until they slow down. As you do, a feeling of calm will wash over you.

PROBLEM THREE: TALKING DOESN'T TEACH US ANYTHING

In modern times it's easy to believe that we are more emotionally open and mature. But just because we talk openly about almost anything on talk shows and blogs it's not necessarily the case. However, the truth is that talking about things doesn't necessarily teach us how to deal with them. For the most part, we are just as confused as ever about how to handle our feelings. This leads us to looking towards food for comfort more and more frequently. We soothe and nurture ourselves by eating. This is why we are emotionally addicted to food.

SOLUTION:

The best thing you can do to avoid eating is to understand your feelings. Feelings are like weather - they happen and then they pass. But the problem is that we take our feelings very seriously and that's when they get overwhelming. This sends us searching for the comfort of food. Simply learn what you need when you feel angry, sad, lonely, frustrated, or anxious. Then, you'll be better equipped to face almost anything without food. Just as knowing the right hat and shoes to wear in a snowstorm can make it so much more bearable, learning how to deal with your feelings will enable you to turn to food less frequently. Remember, feelings aren't facts. They don't last that long.

There are so many comforting components to eating that it's understandable that we'd become addicted to that kind of comfort. Food is so accessible these days. It's everywhere and there is a heightened focus on food. But if you focus on the solution more than the problem you'll find yourself recovering your power and becoming the master of what and when you eat.