Food-addiction cravings can be similar to the effects a cocaine or heroin addict experiences. The main difference is that food is legal, socially acceptable and highly marketed.

The first crucial step toward breaking free from physiological food cravings is to stop eating addictive foods. Just as alcoholics must abstain from alcohol to maintain sobriety, those of us with food cravings must stop eating chemically addicting foods like sweeteners, flour and processed food. This is the only effective way to end the craving cycle.

The second and equally important step is to maintain nutritional balance by replacing addictive foods with wholesome, nourishing foods. Eating nutrient-dense food with balanced portions of protein, fats and carbohydrates, diminishes and eventually gets rid of physical food cravings. As we establish a healthy foods plan, healing begins and we rebalance our brain chemistry. Only after we have put cravings behind us can we start to address the emotional issues that also drive food addiction.