b'OVERCOMING FOOD ADDICTIONTh\x1e tabo\x1c of dysfunctiona\x1f eatingS ome *5% of the population have aThe undigested storyfood addiction - an urge, desire andSufferers often connect their self-worth to the number compulsion to eat for other reasonson the scales or external measures of success or than physical hunger.4.2% of womenachievement, yet they may be holding onto anger, have bulimia and 3.5% of women suffer withresentment and rage which has been eating them from BED (Binge Eating Disorder). the inside for decades.While those statistics sound small, consider this: 75% ofThey may feel unfulfilled due to circumstances and past UK women are currently on or are about to start a diet -decisions or have an inability to forgive either someone, and 91% of women say they do not like their bodies. something or themselves. Issues of abuse (which may or My story may not be in the open yet) can be present or they may My own dysfunctional relationship with food began athave experienced trauma that created pain which, in the age of 14. I wanted to lose a bit of weight, believingturn, created a need for protection. it would help me feel better about myself. I had no ideaMany women have used food as an emotional crux this would be a slippery slope into the world of foodfor years as it soothes, comforts, supports, numbs and obsession and compulsive behaviour around food thatsuppresses a wide range of feelings and emotionslasted over a decade. these are their undigested stories and these undigested I binged, purged, weighed, measured and trackedlife events can affect their relationship with food and everything I ate. Then after a traumatic relationshipwith themselves.break-up, I spiralled into social anxiety, depression andMany clients experience feeling abandoned whether food dysfunction. by friends, partners or parents. Those experiences can During this time, my life was on hold (it takes a lot ofremain active in their psyche and energy and can be time and emotional energy to maintaina disorderedre-activated and re-triggered with surprising ease. The relationship with food) but with the help of professionalresult being, every time they feel abandoned in any coaches and therapists over many months, I rebuilt myform, they have an urge to binge or misuse food to relationship with food, until it was no longer my focalcomfort and soothe. point and obsession holding me in a cycle of self- This is merely the symptom of the undigested story (not destruction. wanting to feel abandoned) which is true for all manner Its not about the food of addictions and compulsive behaviour.Conventional thinking around resolving addictive eatingBy getting beneath the triggers and starting to unravel issues can often focus on the food itself in the form ofthe emotions, a permanent solution can be found meal plans, nutritional plans and abstinence and/orthrough healing, coaching and therapy. elimination.Yet the truth is that food addiction is rarely about food.The Food Addiction Recovery Method is rooted in Thats just the symptom. therapeutic coaching, healing modalities, mindfulness Underneath the addiction are the common the driversand embodiment practices and, in using these, we get of pain and unresolved trauma and thats why mybeneath the triggers and start to unravel the emotions approach to addictive eating, food obsession andto find a permanent solution and, as a result of my own binge eating blends therapy, coaching and eatingpersonal experience and years as a professional, I psychology plus the Food Addiction Recovery Methodknow these three things to be true:framework Ive created after working in this area forYou can heal your wounds. You can change how almost 12 years. things feel and you can re-write your story.*Statistics derived from data published by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Beat and Anorexia & Bulimia Care)30'