The most delicious thing I have ever ate.

Wow, there are so many foods that I have really loved over the years, so it is kind of tough to really put a finger on what has been the most delicious. I love BBQ, Pizza, spaghetti, and of course cookies, cakes, and pies.

But here lies the trouble with those delicious foods. They are like any other addiction, be it drugs, alcohol, gambling, and even shopping. Most of the delicious foods that I really tend to enjoy are not exactly the best choices which I could choose from. As with many people, the foods I mentioned as well as many others, are addictive in nature because of the added sugars, and simple carbohydrates combined with unhealthy fats that bring about a momentary release of feel good endorphins that cause us to crave even more.

Like a junkie injecting heroin into a vein in their arm, when the needle tears through the skin and enters the vein, this evil drug is pushed into the bloodstream which brings about a temporary high that only leaves the poor addict craving more dope a little while later. Junk foods are the same, they leave the addict wanting more. And when the cravings are not fulfilled, the junk food addict begins to get the cravings we often can hear referred to as being “hangry”.

Have you ever experienced being “hangry”?

You know, the kind of mood where you believe that you are hungry, but after eating a bucket full of salad you are still not satisfied until you get the food that will bring about a dopamine rush.

Like a dope fiend sneaking a quick fix to feel better, a junk food junkie will sneak around and attempt to hide how out of control their addiction to sugar and simple carbs has become, by sitting on the kitchen floor with a carton of ice cream and a spoon. Dragging that spoon around the outer edges of the ice cream until a frozen mound is left which must be leveled off so no one will know that they are hitting the sugar high once again.

Like an alcoholic who complains their mixed drink ordered from the bar was not strong enough, the food junky might sit out on the patio with a package of cookies, a jar of peanut butter, and a knife to spread the sticky, peanutty goodness in a well thought out, thick layer upon the cookies they hold in their hands.

Sane people know that the cookies by themselves should have been good enough, but the food junkie will always over indulge these sweet and delicious treats.

Have you ever eaten cake straight from the pan with a fork instead of just cutting yourself a slice and eating it off a plate as normal people do?

If so, you are not alone. The food junkie from the lines above are my personal story of being addicted to sugar and other simple carbohydrates that are high and calories while being low on nutritional qualities.

The take away is that while some of those highly palatable foods might be alright when consumed in moderation as with alcoholic drinks. The problem is that there are a great many people who lack self control over these types of food products and will continue to consume them even after they have caused the person illnesses from food related metabolic issues.

It is hard to consider that the treats Grandma has lovingly prepared for our visits over the years were actually bad for us, afterall, our grandmothers love us.  The problem lies in the fact that those foods which are high in calories and low in nutrition when not consumed in moderation  can cause you to develop metabolic illness over time.

Obesity, inflammation in the body, type 2 diabetes, poor cardiac health, fatty liver, and some cancers are all preventable diseases which are brought about by poor diets full of added sugar and unhealthy fats which make them highly palatable to the consumer. Just remember all of this the next time your blood sugar is sky high, or when your heart is not healthy.

Let your rounded belly be a reminder that you may be no different, nor better than the junkie down on the corner looking for his next fix. At the end of the day, your “hangry”  cravings are only different from the drug addict or alcoholic because of the substance you are abusing.

My name is David.

I am a recovering addict whose drug of choice was the foods which I consumed and that ultimately polluted my body. Today, I am healthy, fit and trim, and know that I can never indulge those treats ever again, lest I quit caring about my health and wellness.