Feeling Satisfied When Eating

Have you ever been hungry for a snack or meal and then just couldn't stop eating? You knew you were physically full and had enough nutritionally but you kept on eating.  It feels almost like an addiction when this happens. 

Some people eat for emotional reasons to soothe hurts or comfort negative feelings and situations. Changing this requires support from a health coach or other professional to change this behavior and reactive tendency. 

However, sometimes this addictive feel to eating can be triggered by the foods we eat.  Some foods create neurochemical, physiological and addictive bodily responses that are similar to drugs.  There are certain chemical food combinations that make you constantly feel hungry.  Food companies study these types of combinations and manufacture foods just to incite your appetite.  It is as though you lose your innate bodily sense of satiety.  You cannot feel when you are truly full. 

These foods are known as hyper-palatable foods that keep hooking you in bite after bite, never allowing you to feel satisfied.  To stop eating these foods after a reasonable serving takes tremendous will power. It is best to avoid these foods on a regular basis and save them for an occasional treat. 

Many people have a hard time losing weight because they eat these foods and cannot do proper portion control.  We can learn proper internal portion control if we avoid these packaged, commercial foods.  Eating real foods allows you to experience the feeling of satiety by your body.  The desire to overeat is greatly diminished.

Ayurveda recommends eating natural, unprocessed foods because they promote healthy digestion.  Food that is not digested or assimilated by the body creates imbalance and poor health.  Food is our fuel.  If the fuel cannot be received, the body cannot function well.  Hyper-palatable food is not natural as it is chemically engineered to create hunger, so the body cannot digest it as well.  Additionally, we overeat which further taxes the digestive system.  When food cannot be properly digested and processed, toxins (ama) are created.  This ama hangs around in our body causing weight gain and other problems.

Both science and Ayurveda show us a simple way to maintain a healthy weight; eat natural, unprocessed foods.  It may take time to enjoy them after consuming hyper-palatable foods, but eventually you will prefer these foods for the blissful feeling of knowing when to feel satisfied from a meal.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa