Thanks for dropping in. A brief but important message today for anyone struggling to stay on a carb restriction diet (like the Paleo one I recommend). There is a method to reward yourself with food in a way that does not fully derail your efforts or lose weight, or to reverse chronic inflammatory diseases.

Maintaining ideal body weight while avoiding the foods that cause chronic inflammatory diseases can be achieved with the same diet - one that restricts a host of starchy and sugary foods—all the ones we love… and sadly, the ones we are to varying degrees addicted to.

Food Addiction

FOOD ADDICTION is the worst of all addictions if we simply look at the sheer numbers of individuals who have some form of diet-related metabolic disorder or disease process. As you have heard me repeatedly say, our high consumption of starchy and sugary foods (these are the most addictive ones) cause or contribute to our epidemic of:

• obesity

• heart disease

• diabetes

• cancer

• auto-immune diseases (numerous)

Why are starchy and sugary foods addictive? That is a long dissertation that will be handled in greater detail in future editions, but for now, simply understand that substances in starchy and sugary foods (sweets, white potatoes, all grain based foods like bread, pasta, corn chips, cereal, etc.) will bind to the ‘feel good’ opioid receptors in our brains and guts the same way that alcohol, nicotine, and crack cocaine do. This is how we get hooked. This creates the monster inside us that craves the things that may eventually kill us.

When I ask patients how they are doing with completely cutting out all the grain, legumes, dairy, nightshade veggies, sugar, and junk food I often hear stuff like this:

“I’m just having one piece of toast at breakfast”

“I’m just eating a little rice instead of potatoes.”

“I’m just eating whole wheat bread. That’s okay…right?”

“But I thought dark chocolate is supposed to be good for you?”

Eating very small amounts of the wrong foods on a regular basis may still allow for some weight loss, but it ABSOLUTLEY WON’T allow you to reverse chronic inflammatory problems in our body.

Why?

Our immune systems react in an ‘all or nothing manner’. A little pinch of a substance entering your bloodstream from your diet that your immune system interprets as an invader will produce the same 3 alarm fire of inflammation as gorging yourself on the same substances. It’s for this reason that we have to be very strict if we want to experience all we can in the way of restoring our health through changing our diet.

For a refresher, here is the link to my essay on Chronic Inflammation:

Meanwhile….(Drum roll please)

There is a short reprieve you can have, if needed. Instead of eating a wee bit of the wrong stuff on a regular basis, you can feed the monster without destroying your progress by having an infrequent cheat day. Once or twice a month, tops. Eat whatever you wish on this day. Satisfy the nagging monster that has wanted a bagel with cream cheese for the past few weeks. Two good things can happen.

1. It will give the little monster inside you something to look forward to, so it may leave you alone in the interim.

2. You will feel like such crap the day after your cheat day that you will fully grasp how much better things are when you eat correctly.

On The Level

I am a recovering food addict. And just like all addictions, even though I’ve learned how to keep my monster in check, he will always be there—like with any other addiction recovery—staying on the path takes ongoing mindfulness and discipline.

Why do I keep pounding this drum?

A former pastor of mine who I truly admire once said it was his purpose to take any opportunity to do a salvation altar-call, even in the check-out line at the supermarket, because he did not want to have anyone’s ‘blood on his shoulders.’

Far too many of us are ‘digging our own early graves with our own mouths’ in the way we eat. So I persist.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!!!

Until next time,

Blessings to you!