Did you know that food has become one of the most powerful addictions in America today? And even if it is not an "addiction" for you, more people than ever before are: overeating, under eating, dieting, emotional eating, purging, pill popping, obsessing, over exercising, and getting sick as a result of their relationship with food.

 In fact it is estimated that 75% of women report disordered eating of some kind (Bulik & Jordan, 2008) and that at least one million men have sought professional help for this as well. We all know that childhood obesity has skyrocketed and that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death. Health risks beyond this are just too numerous to mention here.

 But it is no wonder Americans are struggling so much with how they use food, because for most of us, food has been the center of so many things. Food has been present for joyous times, sad times, stressful times, and momentous times. When you think back, you may realize that food has been present for just about everything! And while there are many benefits to having this experience- like the opportunity of living in an abundant nation- the danger is that food has become strongly attached to your emotions. And when your emotions are high, the chances of misusing or abusing food goes up dramatically.

 To have a healthy relationship with food means that you are able to eat for the reasons of physiological rather than emotional hunger and to stop eating at a point when the body and mind are truly satisfied. In order to do this though, you must be tuned in to the difference between these sensations, and truthfully- most people don't slow down long enough to tell. It can be surprising and sometimes frightening for people to get real about what they are really hungry for- but this is the key to developing a healthy relationship with food. In the beginning, I often ask my clients to journal about what they are feeling before eating, during eating, and after, as this will begin the process of connecting what it is that they really want in their lives instead of food.

 What many people find throughout this process is that they are using food to cover up their emotions. They may have never learned how to handle their emotions effectively, and the use (or misuse) of food became their one and only coping tool.  But most human being don't just want to stuff themselves or starve themselves- what we want is human contact, love, acceptance, and understanding. Sadly, these basic human needs can become really complicated for people- where love may not feel safe, anger feels unacceptable, or acceptance- a distant desire. Therapy, or some other form of personal development, can be especially useful for this aspect of healing.

 People who have a healthy relationship with food and with themselves:

-eat mindfully and moderately
-listen to what their body needs and then honor it
-often spend quality time with themselves and others
-make a point to sit quietly and think honestly about the events in their life
-reflect on how they are doing and ask trusted friends for their feedback too
-practice healthy and empowering conversations in their minds
-participate in personal development to learn a variety of coping tools

 What people really get to know is that they are capable of living fully and yes, there are many tools to handle the challenges of life besides food. Make a commitment to slow yourself down and get real about what it is that you are really hungry for.

 *Dr. Stephanie May is a licensed psychologist who has been working with people in the area of health and wellness for the last ten years. While she does work with a variety of issues, she specializes in teen and adult women, self esteem concerns, and disordered eating. Dr. May also hosts a weekend workshop for women called the Radiant Woman Training which is dedicated to promoting healthy body image and confidence in women today.