Confessions of a bread addict

For years I was unable to eliminate the one food I suspected contributed greatly to my face rash (rosacea), seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), and low back pain: bread and wheat-based foods. Whenever I would open the fridge or cupboard, there it would be calling me: breads, crackers, cookies, cold cereals, and pastas. Seems I simply could not live without it, despite its negative effects on me.

However, I recently just decided that even the occasional bit of “bread” was no good, and I would follow my own advice to a tee. For the past 4 weeks I let my existing bread get moldy and simply stopped buying more. I do eat oatmeal or buckwheat cereal or make smoothies for breakfast. But instead of sandwiches with bread for lunch, I eat meat with cheese, nuts, and fruit. My dinners include croutons in my salad, but no large breads as before.

How do you think I feel?

Incredibly, I get just as satisfied from meals, but now have notably less bloating, gas and post-meal fatigue. My face rash has dramatically improved. My low back feels great.

I have to now admit that I’ve been addicted to bread for years… and suffered for it. I now look at bread with no hard feelings — and with absolutely no craving for it. This power over bread occurred slowly but surely, one week at a time.

Volumes have been written on the psychology and strategies to break free from unhealthy food addiction.

Bread may not be your addiction or problem food, but chances are there is something you’re eating that is negatively impacting your health. The Standard American Diet is full of refined carbs, added sugars and food additives we’d all be better off going without.

Break the habit

So if you’re ready to let go of your problem food, here are some tips that may work for you (they worked for me!):

• In order to shift your established brain chemistry of junk food addiction (that’s not just candy, but all processed wheat, and foods with added salt, sugar, and fat), you must to do the following for 4 weeks: eliminate those addictive foods and replace them with a diet of fresh fruits (smoothies if you like) and vegetables (salads, cooked veggies), protein foods (meats and/or nuts and avocados, with olive oil), and specifically consume no food additives.

• Decide if you truly love yourself enough to begin a journey of healing from unhealthy food addiction. In coaching individuals over the years, shame, guilt, despair and feeling unloved are co-contributors to feeling weak when choosing oral pleasure foods over fulfilling healthy foods. Seek medical help if needed.

• Make exercise part of your healing process. Have healthy foods prepared for afterwards so that when you feel weak and hungry your choices become easy.

• Build in social support from family and close friends who can prevent you from purchasing, preparing, and consuming your junk foods of choice. Simply find creative replacements for these and stick to it for 4 weeks. Then you will see from a completely new perspective when you are free from the addiction.