Food Addiction, the Problem and the Solution

Dr. Bonnie Nolan holds a PhD in neuroscience and is a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. With expertise in both neuroscience and psychotherapy, she works on the front lines of opioid addiction, understanding the brain's dopamine response to addictive substances. She also recognizes how genetics, environment, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression contribute to addiction. Having struggled with alcohol addiction herself, Dr. Nolan has been in recovery for years, seeing addiction’s prevalence in her large family. Her experience at the The INFACT School [https://infactschool.com/] (https://infactschool.com/) led her to identify as a food addict, a diagnosis confirmed by the Yale Food Addiction Scale [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_Food_Addiction_Scale] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_Food_Addiction_Scale). She believes ultra-processed foods should be included in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-V)of the American Psychiatric Association as a substance use disorder. Dr. Nolan’s work focuses on the link between childhood trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and addiction, with many clients unaware of or minimizing past traumas. She leads group recovery courses, including one for women with food addiction, where she helps them process trauma and gain control over what they can change. Dr. Nolan has witnessed the brain’s ability to reset and the potential to reverse the dopamine response to addictive substances through recovery practices.  Dr. Nolan has witnessed firsthand the possibility of reversing the dopamine response to ingesting substances through recovery practices.  This podcast episode is excellent and delves into Dr. Nolan’s unique blend of education, professional expertise, and personal experience in addiction and treatment.

The INFACT School (https://infactschool.com/) is the only school in the world that teaches students about the science of food addiction and how to treat it.  Graduates receive a Certified Food Addiction Professional (CFAP) which is recognized in Europe and the U.S.  This seven-month virtual training program involves speakers and many top professionals who study the disease of food addiction. Students are taught screening, assessments and intake technique processes involving looking at behaviors and addiction genealogy. They are trained in counseling and treatment for abstinence and the reversal of personality changes that happen as a person becomes addicted to a substance.  The guest is the podcast owner and highly respected pioneer and school’s founder, Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir, a recovered food addict who released 130 lbs. to achieve a healthy weight through abstinence and working a 12-step food addiction recovery program.  She then knew what her life’s mission would be: help other food addicts by opening a treatment center in Iceland and beginning the INFACT School.  Over 130 students have graduated from the school, with new classes offered in March and September each year.   We discuss the science behind food addiction, which is just like the addiction to alcohol and drugs: a dopamine response, and over time, experiencing higher tolerance, using more of the substance despite negative consequences. Late-stage food addicts are often obese with obesity-related health issues and cannot stop on their own from eating the offending foods, and once they start, they have difficulty stopping.   37 clinicians, researchers, and academics throughout the world have reached an agreement that food addiction, specifically ultra-processed food addiction, is a substance use disorder.  The International Food Addiction Consensus (IFAC) (https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a00ee3aa6c.html) met in London, U.K. in May 2024, and a conference is planned in Mexico City in September 2025 as the application is being submitted to the World Health Organization (WHO) to be placed in the International Classification of Disease, (ICD) to place ultra-processed food addiction as a substance use disorder, in the ICD. Esther believes in complete abstinence from sugar and addictive foods, along with treatment and recovery programs to recover from food addiction. Her work and that of the school have been impactful and revolutionary.  Listen to this wonderful interview with Esther Helga Gudmundsdottir. Yale Food Addiction Scale https://infactschool.com/yale-food-addiction-survey/

Christine G. was raised in an alcoholic home and was often compared by her parents to a sibling and was expected to be different. As a child, she began using food to cope with this treatment and she reached her highest body weight of 229.  Her lowest weight was 95 pounds as she suffered many years with bulimia and food addiction. At the age of 13, Christine experienced a traumatic personal violation and didn’t tell anyone for many years. In her addiction, she used food and bulimic behaviors to deal with feelings.   To the people in her life, she appeared to have it all together yet became masterful in secretly using food and vomiting daily. It was not until she became honest by facing reality in a residential treatment program for food addiction, SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn, (SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn [https://foodaddiction.com/] // https://foodaddiction.com/) Here she spoke the truth about her bulimia and began to take action and recover.    Today Christine is open and honest about her food use and bulimic tendencies as she works a food program recovery program (Food Recovery Programs [https://infactschool.com/groups/] // https://infactschool.com/groups/). Christine lives a simpler, quieter life and has learned to love herself as she lives in the present moment at peace with no more secrets.

Large food companies, previously owned by tobacco companies, know that we are addicted to sugar and ultra-processed foods.  These companies are making large profits using the same tobacco addiction model with items they are selling us to eat. Food companies add sugars to food items, like high fructose corn syrup, and 250 other sugars to the engineered items they call food.  Meanwhile, the U.S. population is over 50 percent obese with many health problems and our children are becoming addicted to sugar and these chemically-altered items. We are made to feel like it is our fault as food addicts, by these food companies and by medical professionals, that we just need to eat less and exercise more to lose weight and become healthy. Sugar and highly processed foods cause a dopamine release in our brains identical to other addictive substances like alcohol and drugs causing us to become addicted.  Dr. Nicole Avena and Dr. Erica LaFata, are two professionals who have made it their life’s work to raise awareness about our sugar and ultra-processed food addiction. Dr. Avena’s book Sugarless, Book, Dr. Nicole Avena [https://www.amazon.com/Sugarless-Uncover-Cravings-Conquer-Addiction/dp/1454947802/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2L0P0763W41C8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fbc83Zo0-EqFyDmDVCdGYSzP-Xn8J12CSi1B14rpuQrxQgZ0sq71BIsTo3Mkiqbxu5MEKMBVVJffY5abA3T-edY79zqeKVgndANs9TuqccTEKn6wG0bqM4j7hxNWvxQajQqvI6HwOCN2sCbqaH3rqWsWvlqjxNj1jQkjZ6cxeJZrGqwgZnX9s0mMleSUP7RpP7ECLCpdN8UdRZdD2O6VPd1jfuuNkd_whpZVJwEQTHs.Nfhv5ejqaHtvcHf141PQw6740Zg9l5lPTueUI8w_TLs&dib_tag=se&keywords=sugarless&qid=1723541527&s=books&sprefix=sugarless%2Cstripbooks%2C91&sr=1-2], and Dr. Erica LaFata’s research using the Yale Food Addiction Scale [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26866783/]  have helped progress our understanding of what is actually going on.  Dr. Avena and Dr. LaFata presented their findings at the International Food Addiction Consensus Conference (IFAC) [https://heyzine.com/flip-book/a00ee3aa6c.html#page/16] held in London, May, 2024.  Professionals gathered at this conference and reached a consensus: Ultra-processed foods should be recognized in the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD) and the APA’s (DSM), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a substance-use disorder, identical to alcohol and drugs.  The only question now is:  As a society, how long will it take for us to see the truth?  That we are ADDICTED:  to sugar and ultra-processed foods …..and they are killing us.  And how many millions must die as our country spends billions on obesity-related illnesses for us to recognize that we are addicted to sugar and ultra-processed foods? It is not our fault.  There is a problem and there is a solution.

Doris R. grew up in an alcoholic household and as the oldest of five children had a lot of responsibility early in her life. She was responsible for taking care of her younger siblings while her mother worked. Her father was an alcoholic, and her mother was obese and used food. Her first diet was in the 4th grade. A recovered alcoholic, after Doris became sober and her food use increased.  She realized that she needed to eliminate addictive foods from her diet and has since reached and maintained a healthy weight by realizing that abstinence from sugar and highly processed foods was necessary yet was just the start. She learned she also needed to recover from her food addiction as she entered the treatment program SHiFT, Recovery by Acorn (foodaddiction.com [http://foodaddiction.com/]). She has experienced a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual transformation and recovery.  As a recovered food addict, rather than using food to deal with emotions she feels the emotions and uses her recovery program to handle life situations.  Listen to this great episode!