Recently in Eating and Hunger Category

http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_specter_the_danger_of_science_denial.html

I figured I would make my last post from ted.com, since I have really come to enjoy this site over the course of this semester. This video is of Michael Specter discussing the recent denial of scientific advances. Michael briefly discusses the progression of lifespans in his family from generation to generation. He mentioned that each generation has lived a decade longer than the last, and he plans to live till 90. Through the course of this video he discusses the ways in which we are able to engineer foods to make them more nutritious. We, as a community, have decided that foods that are not 100% natural should be shunned from our diet. However, we are willing to take pill after pill in hopes that it will help us feel better. We have virtually wiped out the threat of small pox in our country, so we no longer get the vaccine. What if small pox is reintroduced? We will all be susceptible once again. The discussion of what problems vaccines can cause has been brought down to the ground by science every time that it is brought up. Yet, people still believe that they are doing their children a favor by neglecting to give them their vaccinations. However, if an unvaccinated individual travels the world and contracts a disease outside of the protective bubble of the United States, not only would they run into a problem for themselves, but they could bring a problem for the rest of us.

What is it that motivates people to take such risky behaviors, but claim them to be safer? Is it the need for power? Reeve describes this as the need to be in control of situations. Could it be that people feel as though they have more control over situations if they eat food that is not genetically engineered or if they avoid vaccinations?

How did this video make you feel? Personally, it really got me thinking about what I felt to be health conscious. I always believed that vaccinations were necessary, and that it was rather ignorant to over look the research that has been done to prove it. This video just reiterated that point for me.

http://health.yahoo.com/featured/94/eating-the-wrong-kind-of-carbohydrates-increases-heart-disease-risk/
I found this article one day while surfing on yahoo looking at the news articles.  It really separates good vs. bad carbs.  I hope I'm not the only one but I find all the health stuff kind of confusing.  One minute it's bad the next someone says it's good for you.  Slowing down the digestive process so that your cells aren't wrecked and so carbs are not stored as fat is the key.  One major reason why people don't succeed with their diet is because they don't take serving sizes into account.  Americans often have very large proportions.  The following are the five ideas the article said for switching to good carbs:
1.  Switch to darker breads
2.  Choose high bran or whole grain cereals
3.  Choose pasta over rice
4.  Swap for better snacks
5.  Embrace fruits and vegetables with a few exceptions
What have you heard about good and bad carbs and what is your opinion? 

This is an incredible article about anorexia. One of the best I've read to really get a sense of the struggle and motivation behind extremely controlled eating.

http://ehgazette.blogs.brynmawr.edu/2010/01/15/learning-to-live-with-anorexia/

Main Article:  

 

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Depression/feel-eat/story?id=4387456

 

          One reason I found this article very interesting is because I believe that each of us, including myself, do not often think about the effect that our diet has on our emotions and mood. The researchers in this study came to the conclusion that "Food really does have a lot of power." By properly maintaining a well-balanced diet we can significantly improve our mood. This article analyzes several different foods and provides the possible effects each one can have on a person's health.

 

     An important point here is that mood can affect your eating choices, and what you have eaten can subsequently affect your mood. In some ways, this can be a cyclical process. People who eat harmful foods may sometimes feel bad as a result of their nutritional effects and continue consuming the harmful food to (temporarily) get rid of the negative feelings. In psychological terms, there is negative reinforcement.

 

    This is a very important topic today, and I think each of us should take time to consider this study. As these researchers report, " the average consumer isn't eating a healthy enough diet, let alone a diet that will put them in a good mood." As of today, over a third of adults are obese - not just overweight, but obese. As they say in the article, "Though no studies show that mood disorders and increased obesity are directly related, many agree that there is some correlation."

      As I mentioned in my last article, the prevalence of fast food should be of great concern to us, and I say this for a few reasons. Fast food restaurants, such as McDonalds, often use addictive ingredients within their products that may taste very good and increase short-term feelings of happiness, but these artificial chemicals increase the motivation to eat more through grossly unnatural means. When I suggest that we may need to have higher standards on our food (fast food, grocery store products, etc.), I realize some of the criticisms that may arise. Some people would say that consumers could just make these foods in their own home, or people would just find ways around the standards. There are many European restaurants, however, that do have higher standards on fast food than we do. The food may not taste as good in the moment it is consumed, but it is much healthier for one's physical and mental health over the long term.

      There are a few psychological concepts at play here. To avoid the tastier, yet unhealthier foods a person must possess effective gratification delay strategies. Another important point here is that many people are not at a "natural" homeostasis level as determined by their DNA and genetic predisposition. I believe the problem here is largely cultural. Also, this is not just an obesity problem or mood problem - there are many factors at work here, and it may take a bit of critical thinking to get a grasp on what is actually going on. As these researchers reported, "(The) rising rates of depression and other mood disorders (parallel) the rise of obesity in the U.S... It is hard to establish cause and effect, but it's not by chance that stress has been going up and depression has been going up and obesity is going up." There is a very big difference between psychological disorders that require medication and mild mood impairments, but the effects of dietary behavior are a critical part of the equation. Some individuals with anxiety problems have shown significant improvement by simply eating a healthier diet. The effects of this problem are very widespread, long lasting, and have proven devastating to the lives of many people.  

      I would also like to focus on a few of the findings of this study as they relate to happiness in terms of neurotransmitters and overall mood. It mentions all of these foods in depth on the website, but I will try to summarize their information here. 

   Fast Food is known to be a "mood downer." These are the main points about them the article mentions...

 

- Unequivocally, fast foods are mood downers. While it may be cheap, fast, or just easy to reach for a donut, a bag of chips, or a hamburger, eventually, your mood will pay the price.

 

- The immediate effects of a high-fat or sugary snack can be misleading. Often, they give a quick burst of energy and may reduce tension. But these effects run in reverse rapidly. They shift to increase tension and reduce energy.

 

- Fast food and junk food are usually the most processed foods, where the nutrients are refined to the point where they are absorbed immediately or not at all, leaving no long-term sustenance for the body to feed off of. It is addictive to eat that sort of lipid-laden diet.

 

- Besides the poor nutrient content, fast food often contains many additives and preservatives that can affect mood negatively. Food colorings and preservatives, like benzoate, and added flavorings like monosodium glutamate (MSG), can cause anxiety, according to Scott.

 

-  Studies have shown that the omega-6 fatty acids often found in these foods, can compete with omega-3 fatty acids and an imbalance between the two can lead to obesity and depression. Since Americans often don't get enough omega-3s in their diets, consuming too many fast food items puts them at risk for mood problems.

 

   Luckily, we have a great variety of other choices, which include...

 

Salmon -  Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to improve one's mood, one's heart, and possibly even one's mind. Omega-3 fatty acids are used for building neurotransmitters like serotonin in the brain, and some studies have shown that eating plenty of these fats has depression-preventing qualities. Other foods with these acids include flaxseeds and walnuts.

In fact, countries where oily fish are a part of the diet, such as Japan, have lower rates of depression than other countries. These countries often have a healthier diet and lifestyle overall, but their omega-3 intake is higher as well.

 

Milk

- rich in calcium and the amino acid tryptophan

- bone-building properties

- calcium is known to calm nerves when feeling stressed or anxious

-  tryptophan is important for producing serotonin, which elevates mood.

 

Chocolate

- rich in a variety of mood-lifting ingredients (most concentrated in dark chocolate)

- dark chocolate is high in polyphenols, which are shown to improve cognitive function

- chocolate also contains phenylethylamines, a neurotransmitter that, in low levels, is associated with depression and in high levels can be associated with schizophrenia

- phenylethylamines work by releasing endorphins in the brain and promote feelings of attraction and giddiness.

- "Both sex and dark chocolate activate the same parts of the brain"

 

(additional foods are analyzed in the main article)

After watching The Hours, and learning about autonomy and how everyone needs to have that kind of support in their lives, people have the need to be in control of their lives.  Where in the movie, all the women thought that suicide was the one thing that they could control in their lives, that was the thing that their husbands and responsibilities couldn't control.  When learning about this extreme sense to gain control, I thought of girls and boys who have eating disorders.  Where psychologically, they can feel so out of control with their lives, that they try and control what they put, or don't put, into their bodies.  Although, there are other ideas that go into Eating Disorders, I thought that autonomy was greatly related. 

I found an article that hypothesized that disturbances in the development of autonomy are a central psychological feature in anorexia nervosa. Specifically, that both restrictive and bulimic anorexics would evidence greater problems with autonomy than would controls and, further, that the three groups would show differential patterns of response on these measures.  The study proved to show that this was a true hypothesis.  The study states that autonomy isn't the single factor for certain eating disorders, but can be useful in the treatment of some eating disorders. 

http://psycnet.apa.org.proxy.lib.uni.edu/journals/abn/96/3/254.pdf

I believe that having control over one's own life is a huge motivating factor for how we choose to live our lives, and we want to be able to control certain things.  For eating disorders, their reinforce is the way that they feel about themselves when they lose the weight, but the idea that they will never be their 'perfect' size shows that persistence and need to be what their idea of perfect is.

Here is an article from the Associated Press about a journal article to be published this April. The subject is how boredom affects our health. Researchers have found that people are more likely to participate in unhealthy behaviors when bored, especially if the boredom is chronic. These behaviors will then lead to other health complications and an earlier death. So, basically it's alright to be bored occasionally but if it's all the time...Get out of the funk and find something that engages your brain.

February 10, 2010 (LONDON) -- Can you really be bored to death?

In a commentary to be published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in April, experts say there's a possibility that the more bored you are, the more likely you are to die early.

Annie Britton and Martin Shipley of University College London caution that boredom alone isn't likely to kill you -- but it could be a symptom of other risky behavior like drinking, smoking, taking drugs or having a psychological problem.

The researchers analyzed questionnaires completed between 1985 and 1988 by more than 7,500 London civil servants ages 35 to 55. The civil servants were asked if they had felt bored at work during the previous month.

Britton and Shipley then tracked down how many of the participants had died by April 2009. Those who reported they had been very bored were two and a half times more likely to die of a heart problem than those who hadn't reported being bored.

But when the authors made a statistical adjustment for other potential risk factors, like physical activity levels and employment grade, the effect was reduced.

Other experts said while the research was preliminary, the link between boredom and increased heart problems was possible -- if not direct.

"Someone who is bored may not be motivated to eat well, exercise, and have a heart-healthy lifestyle. That may make them more likely to have a cardiovascular event," said Dr. Christopher Cannon, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and spokesman for the American College of Cardiology.

He also said if people's boredom was ultimately linked to depression, it wouldn't be surprising if they were more susceptible to heart attacks; depression has long been recognized as a risk factor for heart disease. Cannon also said it was possible that when people are bored, dangerous hormones are released in the body that stress the heart.

Britton and Shipley said boredom was probably not in itself that deadly. "The state of boredom is almost certainly a proxy for other risk factors," they wrote. "It is likely that those who were bored were also in poor health."

Others said boredom was potentially as dangerous as stress.

"Boredom is not innocuous," said Sandi Mann, a senior lecturer in occupational psychology at the University of Central Lancashire who studies boredom.

She said boredom is linked to anger suppression, which can raise blood pressure and suppress the body's natural immunity. "People who are bored also tend to eat and drink more, and they're probably not eating carrots and celery sticks," she said.

Still, Mann said it was only people who were chronically bored who should be worried.

"Everybody is bored from time to time," she said.

I figured there is no time better than the present to touch of the drive and story of an Olympic athlete. I think we all know by now, being an Olympian takes much more than an occasional practice. Being an Olympian takes commitment, determination, drive, and natural ability. These athletes practice for hours on end. Then, when they are done, they go to sleep and wake up to do it all over again. Training is nothing less that extreme. Anything other than being the best is not acceptable, because no one goes to the Olympic games with out the desire to bring home gold. Every athlete dreams of being an Olympian, and every Olympian dreams of being recognized as the best... to be positively reinforces with a gold circle draped from their neck. 

http://www.wisegeek.com/can-drinking-too-much-water-be-unhealthy-or-even-dangerous.htm

 

        In the Understanding Motivation and Emotion textbook, on page 86 there is a discussion about the dangers of drinking flavored water and how drinking too much water can be downright dangerous. Specifically, the book says, "When factors such as a sweet taste offer a high incentive value for drinking, human beings drink excessively and sometimes consume dangerously high amounts ... Both alcohol and caffeine (introduce biological processes) that motivate people to drink in excess."

 

I have to admit, I was very surprised by this finding. I did not think that mere flavoring in water could cause people to drink dangerous levels of water. The book also mentions that the "Drink 8 glasses of water per day" rule has absolutely no scientific basis. Of course most of us know about the dangers involved with alcohol, and the nutritional deficiencies that can arise from excessive amounts of alcohol, but I think most people are not aware that drinking too much water can kill you. When I was little I actually remember hearing about a girl who drank too much water and died because of it, but my mother assured me that she must have drank an extremely excessive amount for it to be a problem. I do not think the amount need be so excessive to prove fatal.

 

 This article mentioned that the 6-8 glasses of water per day probably does not do any harm because it still falls within the normal range, but it mentions that sometimes dieters and athletes try to get an "extra edge" by drinking more. One of the major problems is that "too much water can quickly deplete electrolytes like sodium compounds" and "(This sodium depletion) can rupture cells" either from the inside or outside of the cells. The symptoms arise quickly.

 

In hindsight, perhaps I should not be too surprised that I did not know this information. I have not yet taken Personal Wellness or been active in any sports programs. This may be common knowledge among certain groups, but I for one did not know any of this. I had assumed that the thirst satiety response cycle would be exactly the same for both flavored and regular water.

 

 Another question arose in my mind as I read about this problem among athletes. If drinking dangerous amounts of water can sometimes give an athlete an edge, it is probable that some people will continue to partake in excessive drinking even after learning about the dangers. In some ways this directly relates to the debate over steroid use. What motivates athletes to use steroids when some of the side effects can be very serious?

 

 I think it is important to note that we must never allow ourselves to become too comfortable with anything that could be dangerous. There is probably not a day in our lives when we have gone without water. We often think of it as completely harmless, but in reality in sufficient quantities there are a great many things that can kill a person. I think there is also a desensitization problem with dangerous machinery. I used to do occasionally work on projects in woodworking and had a couple close calls, which I think I can attribute to my lack of attention because after so many uneventful encounters with the dangerous machinery my fear response seemed to decline substantially.  

 

While the problem of drinking too much water is by no means an epidemic, I think it is a potential problem we need to be aware of, especially as energy drinks and flavored water drinks are becoming more common. There are serious dangers to even moderate amounts of certain energy drinks.

 

Another related topic I wanted to briefly bring up here is the food sold in fast food restaurants, the cigarettes sold in stores, and the drugs (such as caffeine) put in energy drinks. I am curious as to what others think regarding possible regulation for fast food restaurants, cigarette companies, and energy drink companies. If some of their products are found to be extremely harmful and found to contain addictive ingredients that encourage addiction and excess, should the public be simply warned through information campaigns or should the government set regulations that prevent certain unsafe products from being sold? One might argue that a black market of sorts would arise and people would just have to find ways around the regulations, but do we have a moral obligation to take greater action against these problems? There is a great deal more about the fast food restaurants and smoking companies using that could be said in this discussion, but I suppose that would be best left for another time.

 

The main reason why I believe this discussion is relevant and applicable to our class is because these chemicals and ingredients in these products directly influence the behavior of consumers and sometimes motivate them to do things against their best interests. I believe people are generally smart enough to make decisions on their own and excessive regulations can become ridiculous, but it is my opinion that a few extra standards may need to be implemented regarding these products.   

 

This is just a small excerpt from the main article I hyperlinked in case anyone would like to read the conclusion of the article without going to the hyperlink...

 

Generally too much water is defined as water consumed above what the kidneys can process in an hour. Extremely healthy kidneys would be able to process about 30 ounces of water in an hour. A person with kidney problems or with only one kidney should drink much less, as per doctor's instructions.

 

The person with healthy kidneys could develop water intoxication by drinking about 2 to 3 times what the kidneys can process. For a person with kidney problems or with one kidney, too much water might be defined as just an ounce or two over the recommended amounts.

 

For people with healthy kidneys it should be perfectly safe to drink two cups of water an hour, and for the dieter, even one cup an hour will fulfill requirements for getting plenty of water. However, drinking too much water in rapid succession can prove fatal and should definitely be avoided.

The last class that we had we discussed needs and the different types of needs that humans have to have to survive.  One type of need is physiological.  Needs that fit under this category would be things such as food, water, safety, and shelter.  Food, for example, is a need that everyone has and we need in order to have energy and to live.  Without food we woul die after a few weeks.  Although food is a need, it is also used as comfort, a way to escape boredom, a counselor for our emotions, and a way to socialize.  This for some can lead to problems, including obesity.  So how do we really know if we are hungry?

The website that I found gives tips on how to know when you're really hungry or just wanting to eat because of other reasons.  The website suggests that you allow yourself to actually feel what hunger feels like.  Try not eating until you actually feel the hunger pains in your stomach, or the dizziness that comes from lack of food.  This way you will actually know when your body needs food and when you're eating just to eat.  So many people eat for reason other that hunger.  With that comes extra body weight which releases hormones such as leptin, which actually makes you think that you're more hungry. Food can create a vicious cycle of wanting to eat and things such as causing health problems.

For more tips such as what to do if you're an emotional eater, or if you eat too much junk food, check out the website!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4878605_youre-really-hungry.html

In the article Addiction: Pay Attention, the author, Kathleen McGowan, introduces us to Nora Volkow. Volkow is currently one of the country's most well-known drug addiction researchers and discusses how and why she became interested in this area of research and where it has led her.

According to Volkow, her neurobiology is such that she has a natural protection against drugs. When she tried a cigarette for the first time to be glamorous, she felt rebelled to hate it. Even though she loves coffee, the effects on her body are too much for her. She is very lucky as not all individuals possess this trait. She holds many addiction theories, but most interestingly, her idea that addiction may be a malfunction of the normal human craving for stimulation seems to fit with the topic of discussion in Chapter 3.  She believes that drugs and other addictive behaviors tap into a deep place within us -"our lust for newness, our yearning for vitality, and the deep-thrill of being alive." We all want these things, and once we have had a taste of it, we want more. There is something very powerful about it.

Dopamine is being viewed differently in this part of the science world as what we believe to be the "pleasure switch" to the brain does not align well with addictions to drugs like cocaine and nicotine. Very few addicts will say that they want to be addicted, and Volkow was dissatisfied with the contradiction. Researchers are looking further into what dopamine actually does--it makes us feel good but it also tells us what is salient. We need these moments to pick up additional cues or alerts that will continue our survival. The example given within the article is "if you are hungry and you get a whiff of a bacon cheeseburger your dopamine skyrockets. But the chemical will also surge if a lion leaps into your cubicle. Dopamine's role is to shout: "Hey! Pay attention to this!""

Perhaps addicts are not simply seeking a good time but have mistakenly learned that the most important thing to be aware of is drugs--just as important to their survival as food or sex.  If Volkow and her researchers are correct, the role of dopamine may be to unite us with the world and provide the will to remain alive. In an addict's brain, what is salient is the drug and nothing competes with that. The brain adapts to the flood of dopamine as time passes by dampening the system--in other words, what would highly stimulate us may not do much or anything at all for the addict.

The article also discusses obesity and how it malfunctions the dopamine system. The heaviest people in the study performed had fewer dopamine receptors than the lightest. "Like addicts, overeaters may be compensating for a sluggish dopamine system by turning to the one thing that gets their neurons pumping."

I would encourage you to read the article summarized above. The information is quite interesting and directly relates to our discussions related to dopamine and addictions in class.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200411/addiction-pay-attention

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/1008/565794_video.html?ref=newsstory 

This video illustrates how addiction to caffeine is a rising trend in today's culture. For a behavior modification class, I had to use this video and propose an intervention/behavior modification to combat a dysfunctional behavior. This topic has intrigued me outside of the class, so I continue to read articles about it on occasion.

Caffeine is a drug that can be found everywhere. It's not regulated and the government doesn't require the caffeine content to be listed in the ingredients, except with soda and energy drinks, but that was only a recent law. Caffeine is found in many different foods, as it's a cheap ingredient to add that foodmakers hope will add appeal and desire for the product from consumers. Even decaf coffee has caffeine in it! Not nearly as much as a regular coffee, but the belief that it doesn't have any isn't true!

I think caffeine is a reinforced substance because it causes generally pleasant sensations from the "caffeine high" as well as increased alertness. The alertness is especially reinforcing for college students staying up late to study or finish a paper!

What's your average daily caffeine intake? Do you have a coffee each morning or an afternoon energy drink often?

The hormone Dopamine is known for generating good feelings, and lets face it, who doesn't want to feel good? Dopamine is also known to activate voluntary goal-directed approach responses, like staying motivated to get through the spring semester. With all this in mind, I have come across an article which gives tips on how to naturally increase dopamine levels in the body. This article also states that dopamine enhances decision-making abilities, control cravings, and higher levels of dopamine could help develop social skills. So, if you can never make a decision, are always 'craving' (aka wanting) food, or feel that you lack in your social skills area, maybe you might want to try these natural ways to increase your dopamine levels in your body. 

1. Eat Ripe Bananas
2. Eat foods rich in antioxidants (Like pomegranates)
3. Eat less sugary and saturated foods. (No more cookies, or whole bag of chips for your midnight cravings)
4. Drink Decaf Coffee, and Drink less alcoholic beverages on a daily basis. (This includes on the weekends as well. Maybe its time to learn to love being the DD.)
5. Instead of candy eat almonds or sunflower seeds as a snack.(There are flavored sunflower seeds if you don't like the plain ones.)
6. Get a natural amino acid supplement.(Don't forget your vitamins as well!)

I'm not sure if this will be a quick fix, or even it if works, however it goes along the line with living a healthier life, so maybe it would be for the best. Does anyone think that this would actually work? Do you think that dopamine actually helps in decision-making, controlling cravings, and improving social skills?

For the article go to: How to Naturally Increase Dopamine Levels