Food Glorious Food

It's kind of ironic this post should follow on from one on The Biggest Loser.

Dr. Deborah Serani wrote earlier this week about the role of the insula in addictions and cravings. Very interesting and oh so timely. If only Deborah had included instructions on how to turn the insula off. Mine appears to be in overdrive.

Friday, I started a full elimination diet. Five weeks of rice, pears, chicken, beef and not much else. Two days later, I have full on cravings, even for things I wouldn't normally give the time of day. That gluten free loaf that wouldn't be out of place on a building site? The black cherries that appear to have put on a fur coat in the cold of the fridge? Even the cat food smells delicious. According to my insula, it's open season on just about anything.

The goal of this radical diet (under medical supervision) is to explore food intolerances. Cravings can apparently play an interesting role in intolerances. Often the foods you crave the most are the very foods creating a problem. Intolerances differ from allergies. Normally you can return to a problem food in moderation, once individual thresholds for tolerance are established.

For cravings in general, which are usually related to a specific food, there are all kinds of theories. A common belief is that the particular craving represents a deficiency in the diet and the craving is the body's way of signalling it. If that were the case, wouldn't we all crave a nice head of broccoli? Or the much maligned brussel sprout? Most people crave sugary, fatty foods. Let's face it, they taste better.

Helpful hints to avoid cravings include eating a variety of foods (sigh), waiting 15 minutes before considering caving in and, the old reliable, distraction. Hmm. Something like blogging? Riiiiighht.

Maybe I'll just eat this blog instead?

Body image & ageing

When we think about eating disorders, we normally associate such problems with teenagers and young adult women. However, there is now evidence that these conditions are becoming increasingly common in a new age group, women aged over 4o.

Previously, this group made up less than 5 percent of patients seeking treatment for anorexia. Now, this figure is reported to have increased to over 10 percent. Why? Various reasons are put forward, including images of actresses who continue to remain thin even as they age, but also the stressors commonly faced by women as they attain middle age. These might include the death of a parent, relationship breakup and children leaving home.

In a recent survey of 2000 women by UK health magazine Top Sante, most women reported being unhappy with their bodies, with half either having had or considering cosmetic surgery to correct perceived flaws.

Of particular concern is that many women admitted to turning to inappropriate means of controlling their weight and body shape. While more than 70% of women had made serious attempts to diet, 58% admitted to following "disordered" eating patterns, as characterised by skipping breakfast, having a snack for lunch or having wine and chocolate instead of a proper dinner. Strategies which allowed the women to have 'treats' while remaining maintaining weight control. A third also reported having used slimming pills or laxatives and fasting to keep weight down.

"This research has concluded what we always

suspected - that people of all ages are concerned

about issues with weight and shape. It's vitally

important to follow an appropriate diet and

to take exercise. Abusing slimming pills and

laxatives can have a dramatic effect on your health.

Eating Disorders Association

Eating disorders. Could you be at risk?

Resources

Anorexia also strikes middle-aged women
Anorexia Nervosia and Related Eating Disorders (ANRED)
Women over 40 hate their bodies