"But Doc, I Love Food!"

I hear this phrase a lot. I'm never sure how to respond to it, because I don't think there is a person in the world who ‘hates' food! In fact, I love food too, as much as anybody else. However, perhaps the real question should be: "How much food do I need to fulfill this love?”

Eating is pleasurable, social, relaxing; it's also a distraction as it sooths our emotions. So, my dilemma is, as it is for everyone; how do I help people minimize that pleasurable habit? I've never smoked, but to a smoker I'm sure they would describe a cigarette as pleasurable. To an alcoholic, wine or beer or spirits are all pleasurable. Cocaine I suspect may be pleasurable also. However, these last few things we know are damaging to our health so hopefully the danger to our health outweighs the temporary pleasure of the habit.

Food, however, is socially acceptable. In point of fact, all of us are guilty of bringing out lots of food for our guests so they recognize us as good hosts. Food is also necessary for life. As well, in the past few decades companies entice us to buy their products through an incredible amount of advertising.

The irony here is that too much food may lead to too much accumulation of body fat which is very, very damaging to our health both physically and psychologically. Thus, we all face the fact that every day of our lives we are exposed to an inordinate amount of food and somehow we have to make a conscious effort to decline too much of this pleasurable product.

I suspect in the next decade, enough information about how bioactive fat cells are, and how they cause hypertension, diabetes, coronary disease, strokes, cancer, arthritis and a host of other ailments, will help our society to look at food differently. Yes, we can love food, but can we learn to love it in smaller quantities with better qualities?

As I'm on the topic of loving food, I would wish that people would love it more at breakfast and lunch, and less at supper and while watching TV (or computer) at night. Most of us have grown up with supper as our main meal, but 40 years ago the plates were much smaller and we rarely had snacks after dinner.

We are ‘chemically' wired to store fat. Gut hormones, brain hormones, and hormones on the fat cell are all there to help us store fat presumably for a possible famine. Thousands of years ago these hormones kept us alive. Now, with the availability of so much food (especially foods that are high-starch and high-sugar), we store too much body fat as a consequence.

So, I would ask all of us a few simple questions: Can we eat more slowly so that we feel satiety sooner? Can we eat smaller amounts and yet not feel deprived? (Deprivation is a relative term, since no one is really deprived of food in our society; it's more learning how to be emotionally satisfied with less.) Can we actually watch T.V. or a movie without snacking? Can we go to a party, a BBQ, or a buffet and still be aware that it's important to choose wisely, eat smaller amounts and not be sabotaged to eat more than our bodies need?

It's not easy in our society. Become aware of how much you are eating and the types of foods you choose. This is especially important with snacks. Ideally we wouldn't have chips, popcorn, cookies or ice cream in the house, but they tend to show up...so, be careful what you bring home. When it's there, we're more likely to eat it.

Food is indeed pleasurable, but too much may lead to illness. Keep pushing ahead with your health & wellness goals, and don't ever give up!

Dr. Doug