Bingeing Has Victims: Have You Been One? by Joan Kent, PhD

I’ve written a lot on binge eating. In fact, my doctoral dissertation researched how the foods we eat influence bingeing.

 

Something I’ve often said is, “Binge eating is not a victimless crime.”

 

Let’s look at that.

 

• Bingeing involves eating a larger quantity of food than most people would eat in the same time period. There’s more to it, of course: rapid eating; hiding the food; hiding the bingeing; shame; guilt; remorse.

 

• Obviously, bingeing is not a crime; nothing about it is illegal. Food is available virtually everywhere. Yet emotional reactions suggest that the binge eater feels as if she/he has done something wrong.

 

• Then there’s the word “victimless.” If it’s not a crime, who cares? So what if you inhale 3 pints of Ben & Jerry’s in a sitting?

 

But that view doesn’t account for all the folks affected by the bingeing.

 

Health

 

Bingers usually eat foods that are high in sugar and/or fat:  ice cream, cookies, chocolate, milkshakes, chips, pasta, bread with butter and jam.

 

Most of these foods promote high insulin secretion.

 

Over time, high insulin can cause health problems:  insulin resistance; high blood pressure; type-2 diabetes; high LDL (bad) cholesterol; low HDL (good) cholesterol; high triglycerides; heart disease; cancers; inflammation, and pain.

 

Obviously, these long-term health effects of binge eating may impact your attendance and productivity at work and multiply costs for companies that provide medical insurance.

 

Appetite

 

Sugary foods trigger endorphins (beta-endorphin). They increase appetite by blocking the satiety center of the brain.

 

Obesity is a likely result of this. The obesity epidemic was brought to us courtesy of the sneaky, underhanded dealings of the sugar industry that started in the 1970s (or before) and continued for decades.

 

Sugar also stimulates release of dopamine, a brain feel-good. Dopamine can prompt cravings for more sugar – later, the next day, and beyond.

 

Dopamine and endorphins change food preferences, making us want foods high in sugar, fat, or both. That further contributes to obesity and its health consequences.

 

Add sleep apnea, asthma, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, stroke, gout, depression and more to the list of health conditions above.

 

Moods and Behaviors

 

Bingeing on sugary foods can shift moods up and down – and include irritability.

 

It doesn’t benefit family life OR work relationships if you’re irritable and impatient.

 

My clients tell me they’ve snapped at coworkers, their kids, a spouse or a waiter. They say, “I promise myself I won’t do it, but then I do.”

 

And some clients promise themselves they’ll stay away from certain foods, only to end up eating them.

 

Anytime our behavior is a mystery to us, it always starts with brain chemistry. The foods people binge on are big brain-chem changers.

 

Finally, There’s You

 

The binge eater is the primary victim. Along with everything above, add in shame and guilt that damage self-esteem. Bingeing is typically done alone, and bingers worry about being caught.

 

Some binge eaters can’t stop bingeing because of cravings. I help you stop cravings, which can stop the bingeing, so you can lose weight and potentially reverse your health problems. To grab your free copy of “Stop Bingeing Now:  3 Simple Steps to Stop a Binge Once It Starts,” just visit LastResortNutrition. Discover how wonderful it feels to regain control, your health, and your self-esteem.

 

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar.