| Binge eating is considered an eating disorder when you | | | | This is why some people talk about a genetic |
| can't stop yourself from eating a large amount of food | | | | tendency to become obese. This is really a tendency |
| in a short amount of time, even when you aren't | | | | to develop insulin resistance, which never happens to |
| hungry. | | | | people who don't eat refined carbohydrate foods. |
| Most people who have this problem feel very unhappy | | | | Unfortunately, the people who are most likely to have |
| with themselves after a binging episode, and many | | | | a sweet tooth, and who tend to have cravings for |
| binge eaters also suffer from depression. | | | | sugar, candies, cakes, breads and pastas, are the |
| Compulsive overeating is usually considered a | | | | same people who are most likely to develop insulin |
| psychological problem, so it's fairly common for | | | | resistance, the underlying cause of the metabolic |
| antidepressants to be prescribed. This eating disorder | | | | syndrome. |
| is thought to be caused by a combination of genetics, | | | | These cravings can often take the form of |
| social and family interaction and psychological factors. | | | | uncontrollable binge eating. The underlying cause of this |
| Oddly enough, nutrition and diet is not usually | | | | compulsive need to eat, even when you aren't hungry, |
| considered when binge eating is being treated, but | | | | may be an underlying metabolic disorder that locks up |
| perhaps it should be. | | | | many of the most important vitamins, minerals and fuel |
| Here's why: | | | | sources in the fat cells. |
| A number of chronic illnesses are clustered together | | | | When this happens, the other cells in the body are |
| under the term "metabolic syndrome", including obesity, | | | | starved of nutrients. Starvation causes food cravings |
| type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood | | | | and obsessions, even when a person is carrying |
| pressure, sleep apnea, and depression. | | | | excess fat on their body. People who overeat often |
| According to a scholarly paper published in the | | | | have the same psychological symptoms as people on |
| September 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical | | | | a low-calorie diet, which can include food obsessions, |
| Psychiatry, the metabolic syndrome "was associated | | | | binge eating, and mood swings. |
| with a current diagnosis of major depression and | | | | When you continue eating long after you're full, even |
| overeating." | | | | when you don't want to, the natural psychological |
| So, what is the metabolic syndrome all about? A | | | | response is to blame yourself for a lack of control, and |
| syndrome is defined as a A set of symptoms that | | | | this self-blaming response is even more probable since |
| often occur together, and which are believed to stem | | | | depression is one of the illnesses associated with the |
| from the same cause. | | | | metabolic syndrome. |
| In the case of the metabolic syndrome, the basic | | | | Although these illnesses often occur together, they are |
| cause is thought to be a disorder of carbohydrate | | | | usually treated separately by medical professionals |
| metabolism. | | | | and counselors who are not trained in nutrition. This is |
| In the past the connection between heart disease, | | | | especially true of the illnesses that are usually thought |
| obesity, and diabetes, among other illnesses, was | | | | to be "psychological" in nature - including depression |
| called "saccharine disease", "insulin resistance | | | | and binge eating. |
| syndrome", and "Syndrome X", but they're all talking | | | | However, more and more patients are taking steps to |
| about the same problem. | | | | learn more about their own illnesses, and one of the |
| In the past, all these illnesses were called "diseases of | | | | most important steps is to improve their diets in order |
| civilization", because they begin to appear in a | | | | to reverse the damage done by refined |
| population when Western-style refined foods become | | | | carbohydrates and the resulting insulin resistance. |
| available. | | | | It would never be advisable to stop taking medication |
| Before white sugar and white flour could be cheaply | | | | without consulting with your doctor, but eating a more |
| produced, diabetes, heart disease and depression | | | | nutritious and less dangerous diet could help improve |
| were almost completely unknown. | | | | your overall health, and may even reduce your food |
| It could be said that these illnesses are caused by a | | | | cravings. |
| change in the environment. One thing that has been | | | | Eating a healthy diet that is based on natural, unrefined |
| recently discovered is that some people are more | | | | foods can stop the metabolic damage caused by |
| likely than others to developing insulin resistance when | | | | refined carbohydrates. Many people have found that |
| they eat refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, flour | | | | their symptoms of high blood pressure, depression, |
| and high-fructose corn syrup. | | | | diabetes and even some kinds of arthritis are greatly |
| These folks, gain weight much faster on a diet based | | | | reduced on a natural diet. And eating disorders, like |
| on refined foods than people whose genetic makeup | | | | binge eating, either go away entirely or are much |
| makes them relatively immune to insulin resistance. | | | | easier to control. |