Irresistible craving for food: causes. Food addiction: how to get rid of it so that it is not excruciatingly painful

Why the passion for food triumphs over the minds of children and adults. How overeating manifests itself and how it can end. What to do after a plentiful feast and how to deal with uncontrolled appetite.

What are the reasons for overeating?

The cause of gluttony may be the most different factors- from a little stress to changes in the brain. It also depends on how firmly overeating enters a person’s life - from periodic loss of control during feasts to the daily need to eat more than the norm.

Reasons for overeating in adults

Physiological causes of overeating:

• "Late Ignition". Due to the peculiarities of the stomach to stretch, it does not immediately react to filling it with contents, so the feeling of satiety comes after the fact - 15-20 minutes after eating. The same mechanism also works when overeating, only after the same time we feel not a feeling of satiety, but a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach. Therefore, nutritionists often advise getting up from the table with a slight feeling of hunger.
• False feeling of hunger. It happens that under the feeling of hunger, the body masks thirst. That is why you can often hear such advice: if you want to eat, drink water. In the same way, a shortage signal can be given active substances(vitamins, micro and macro elements, amino acids, etc.), which are practically deprived of the modern leader of the food industry - fast food.
• Disruption of the glands internal secretion . Problems with the hypothalamus, which is responsible for appetite control, are disrupting the “full-hungry” alert system. Because of what a person eats and does not feel the logical completion of the meal process - a feeling of satiety. That is, he eats and cannot eat. A similar effect can be caused by low levels of the hormone serotonin in the body.
• food addiction. Recently, the theory that some types of foods (sweets, salty and fatty foods) are addictive by analogy with drugs is gaining popularity. But for now, it remains a theory.

1. Changing selection criteria. Modern man somewhat changed his position regarding food selectivity. Most often, unhealthy and nutritious products fall into the consumer basket. Preference is given to visual and taste characteristics(aroma, appearance, taste), availability (price, method and speed of preparation). An important role is played by the ubiquitous advertising.
2. food cult. Gluttony can be a family tradition where food is elevated to the rank of life values. In this case, the lover of hearty and a lot of food takes his habit out of the house, not embarrassed by such a “feature” either at a party or in a restaurant.
3. Internal settings. Forcing you to eat more than you need, or when you don’t feel like eating, may be the fear of offending the hospitable hostess or partner who invited you to a business lunch (or a romantic dinner). There are cases when eating everything to the last crumb spurs greed or “preparedness” for a feast, when glut contributes to strong feeling hunger.
4. Restrictions on the quantity or quality of food. People who, for certain reasons, were deprived of the opportunity to eat their favorite (full-fledged, tasty, nutritious, varied) food can “break loose” at the first opportunity. For example, after a diet or due to a financial situation.
5. Rhythm of life. The modern race for wealth and success is forcing many to violate the correct diet due to a banal lack of time. Therefore, eating snacks during the day with “compensatory” overeating in the evening is already becoming normal.

• Lack of self-esteem. Often people with low self-esteem, subjected to social pressure of conventional clichés (slim - beautiful, slender - successful), give up and, under the influence of guilt for their weakness, begin to eat even more. In psychology, there is even such a term - "seize" your problems.
• Dissatisfaction with your body. This reason may be related to the previous point, when the reflection in the mirror makes you not change something for the better, but finally give up - if everything is bad, then why limit yourself.
• Loneliness. Lack of self-fulfillment in a relationship can also push you to seek pleasure in food. It is not for nothing that the sensations of eating delicious food are second in terms of levels of pleasantness after sexual relaxation. So sex is replaced by food.
• depressive states. Depression involves fixating on your condition, as a result of which a person may not even notice that he overeats.
• negative emotions. The most common reason for overeating is to compensate for unpleasant emotions resulting from stress, anxiety, or fear. In this case, a person tries to “comfort” himself with delicious food.
• promotion. There is also a category of people who assign gratitude to themselves in the form of a hearty meal for something positive (work done, good deed, etc.).

Important! If the reason for overeating is psychological aspect It is useless to fight him without the help of a psychologist. The problem will be solved - the need to “jam” it will go away.

Reasons for overeating in children

Both those and others make a lot of efforts to ensure that the child eats well. Even when not at all hungry. And when the baby tries to convey to adults that he is already full or does not want to eat, all sorts of tricks are used - persuasion, threats, jokes, feeding in front of a TV or gadget.

An older child is motivated by more adult "bonuses" - gifts, indulgences and restrictions. Including the same food. Examples of such parental compromises can be: eat - you get a cake (you go for a walk, you can play computer games, watch cartoons), if you don’t eat, you won’t get (you won’t go, you won’t be able to, you won’t look).

The result of such excessive "care" can be stretching of the walls baby stomach, because of which the child is already forced to eat more than he needs. And the habit of snacking in front of the TV or at the computer leads to the fact that the growing body ceases to control the amount of food that comes "on the machine" while the brain is distracted by watching or playing. This is where childhood obesity comes in.

Important! A child's excessive love for food can also be a sign that he has serious psychological problems. For example, frequent criticism or domestic violence, peer problems, and sexual harassment.

Symptoms of overeating in humans

The concept of "overeating" can be considered in two projections: as a periodic one-time phenomenon and as a systematic intake of excessive amounts of food. In the first case, "bust" during holidays or feasts is felt almost immediately. In the second, gluttony becomes a daily ritual and is practically not accompanied by unpleasant sensations, but affects the appearance. Therefore, their manifestations are different.

Heaviness in the stomach when overeating

The mechanism for such unpleasant feeling simple: large volumes of food stretch the walls of the stomach to such an extent that they cannot fully participate in the digestion process. As a result, instead of moving forward, food lingers in the stomach, causing a feeling of heaviness. A full stomach can press on the lungs, making it feel like it's hard to breathe.

If the stomach still copes with the load, and the food, albeit slowly, but continues to move along digestive tract, then gradually the condition improves. If the walls of the stomach are not able to push the food bolus further, the stomach "stops" - nausea appears. In this case, he will have to be helped - either with medicines, or mechanically released (with the help of vomiting).

In addition, there are factors that can cause a feeling of heaviness even with a slight overeating. These include:

1. Long intervals between meals. In this case, it is difficult for the "hungry" stomach to digest the happiness that has fallen into it in the form of a large amount of food.
2. Wrong diet. The stomach is especially inclined to respond with heaviness to a hearty dinner, the owner (or hostess) of which is chosen for a meal later. Forced to work all night, this digestive organ responds to such a disrespectful attitude in the morning with heaviness and discomfort.
3. Diet changes. The stomach, unaccustomed to plentiful feasts, does not have sufficient resources (gastric acids and enzymes) to “process” such a quantity of dishes. The process of digestion slows down, food lingers in the stomach - there is a feeling of fullness, heaviness.
4. Heavy food. There are also foods and dishes that are difficult to digest even in small quantities. This is all that we know under the sign of "junk food": fast food, flour, sweets, smoked meats, fatty and fried foods, spicy and pickled foods. Legumes, eggs, potatoes, meat can cause heaviness in the stomach.
5. Beverages. Not the most in the best way peristalsis of the digestive organs is affected by carbonated drinks (especially sweet ones), energy drinks, alcohol (especially mixing different types of alcohol, including in the form of cocktails). Coffee, kvass, tea have a similar effect.
6. Smoking. Nicotine is also able to disrupt the uniformity and smoothness of the contraction of the walls of the stomach and intestines, causing a feeling of heaviness.

Pain after overeating

The following reasons can provoke pain after a hearty meal:

• Excessive stretching of the walls of the stomach with a large amount of food;
• Fast food intake, because of which it does not have time to chew well in the oral cavity and be processed by saliva;
• Reception a large number eating on an empty stomach after a long time without food or water;
• strong alcoholic drinks and smoking;
• Spicy, fatty, fried foods, snacks, sauces, smoked meats.

1. Cholecystitis. Inflammatory processes in the gallbladder are accompanied by pain in the right hypochondrium, which sometimes radiates to the right collarbone or right upper part chest. Pain is often aching, constant, occurs after eating or during eating. May be accompanied by nausea, belching, bitter taste in the mouth.
2. Pancreatitis. With inflammation of the pancreas, pain is more often cramping in nature, occurs some time after eating and is localized in the projection area of ​​​​the organ (in the left hypochondrium). Also, pain may occur in the upper abdomen or be girdle in nature, accompanied by nausea, and not relieved by a change in body position.
3. Gastritis. If inflammation of the walls of the stomach becomes the “culprit of the occasion”, then the pain manifests itself precisely in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits location and is dull, aching in nature. Nausea, heartburn, a feeling of fullness and bloating of the stomach, and increased salivation may also appear.
4. peptic ulcer. In this case, the epigastric region of the abdomen hurts. The intensity of pain is weak, constant. Of the accompanying symptoms, most patients note belching, rapid saturation with food, heaviness and fullness in the stomach, increased gas formation. Vomiting relieves the condition.

Important! If the pain does not go away with time or after taking medications that facilitate digestion, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Binge Eating Symptoms

It manifests itself with such symptoms:

• "Jamming" negative emotions- sadness, stressful situations, boredom, anger, loneliness, anxiety;
• Eating food even without feeling hungry;
• Short breaks between meals (less than two hours) while maintaining large amounts of food;
• Lack of control over the frequency and amount of food taken, the inability to stop while eating;
• Unsystematic nutrition during the day;
• Immoderation in food (eating to a feeling of heaviness and fullness in the stomach);
• An inner feeling of guilt for the fact that overeating began to control you, and not vice versa, depression, self-dislike;
• Weight gain or constant weight fluctuations;
• Sleep disturbance due to stomach overflow;
• Greed for food, desire to eat alone, furtively.

Important! Compulsive overeating is based on a psychological problem. Only by getting rid of it, you can normalize your eating behavior. And with it, your weight.

What to do when overeating

The choice of how to alleviate the condition with immoderate eating largely depends on how firmly overeating has entered your life. If it happens rarely, “disposable” improvised means will help, but if you are “in the system”, you can’t do without the help of a psychologist and a dietitian.

Psychotherapy in the treatment of overeating

The most effective psychogenic overeating methods of psychotherapy:

1. CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Such treatment is aimed at identifying the "flaws" in thinking that cause a person to overeat, and correct them. Moreover, the goal of CBT is to bring the patient to the fact that he himself is aware of his problem, its risks and ways to overcome it.
2. Interpersonal Therapy. The vector of such work with people suffering from psychological overeating is aimed at helping them to establish relationships with the people around them (relatives, relatives, friends, colleagues). A healthy relationship with the environment strengthens and creates the necessary emotional background that will help break the cycle of food addiction.
3. group therapy. This type of psychotherapy provides an opportunity to meet and communicate with people who are experiencing or have already coped with a similar food craving problem. The benefits of group therapy are that communication provides the kind of support and understanding that the addict needs. Here you can gain knowledge and experience that will help to cope with the problem.

Treatment of severity from overeating with medications

Popular drugs to relieve the feeling of heaviness when overeating:

• Activated charcoal and preparations based on it (Sorbex, Karbolen, Karbolong). A preparation of animal or vegetable origin, which, when exposed to a humid environment, has a high adsorbing capacity. That is, in the case of a plentiful feast, he will literally take on the main “blow” - gases, toxins, alcohol conversion products and foods that are difficult to digest. It is produced in tablets, capsules, powders and is taken taking into account body weight - no more than 100-200 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. Of course, it will be more effective to take the right dose of coal in advance, before the start of the feast. But you can use it after, already as an aid to alleviate the condition. It is not recommended to drink coal with peptic ulcer.
• Silicon-based sorbents (White coal, Polysorb, Atoxil, Enterosgel). Like preparations based on activated charcoal, they absorb everything that interferes with normal digestion and causes discomfort after overeating (alcohol, toxins, junk food, etc.). Also taken from the calculation of body weight ( daily dose: Atoxil - 150 mg / kg, Polysorb - 150-200 mg / kg, White coal - 100 mg / kg), except for Enterosgel (45 g per day).
• Enzyme preparations (Mezim, Festal, Panzinorm). Means containing pancreatic enzymes, thanks to this, they perfectly cope with cases of sporadic overeating, activating the digestive processes (absorption and breakdown nutrients). It is better to take tablets before or during meals according to the instructions (usually 1-2 tablets or dragees), without chewing. In case of overeating, you can drink a couple of tablets after a meal. You can not use such drugs in inflammatory processes in the pancreas, gallbladder and its ducts.

Important! Usually people who know their weakness in relation to overeating already have their own arsenal of dealing with its consequences (heaviness, flatulence, dyspepsia).

How to get rid of overeating folk remedies

The most effective folk remedies for overeating:

1. Herbal infusions (calamus, yarrow, calendula, mint, lemon balm, St. John's wort, chamomile, dill, fennel, cumin). Take a full teaspoon of the selected raw material and pour 200 ml of boiling water over it for 1 minute. Strain and drink warm. Mixtures can be made from the listed plants by combining the components in equal quantities.
2. Herbal decoctions (chamomile flowers, rose hips, blueberry fruits or leaves). Fill a glass of water with 1 tbsp. l. fruits or leaves of the selected plant, bring to a boil over low heat and boil for 5-10 minutes. You need to drink decoctions in a strained form, slightly chilled, in small sips.
3. Herbal tea (chamomile + yarrow). Make a mixture of 1 tsp. chamomile and the same amount of yarrow, additionally chop it and pour a glass of boiling water. When the tea is infused and cooled, you can drink it.
4. Cholagogue herbal tablet. Grind a mixture of tansy and chamomile in a coffee grinder, mix the resulting powder with honey and finely chopped wormwood herb. All ingredients are taken in equal amounts - 1 tbsp. l. Next, roll this honey-herbal mass into bread balls and dip again in honey. You can take such homemade pills both before and after the feast.

• If quantity food taken not so critical and still allows you to move, take a walk on fresh air or dance. General activity will help to activate the processes of digestion. If you don’t have the strength to get up because of a full stomach, take a little rest (preferably in horizontal position), and then try to move.
• Heat also helps to "start" the stomach. To do this, put a warm heating pad, a warm boiled egg or a bottle of warm water on the abdomen. Heat the stomach area in this way for 15-20 minutes.
• Refrain from further eating and drinking. Taboos include coffee and caffeinated drinks, alcohol and sodas, including mineral waters. It is better to give preference to non-carbonated water (possible with a slice of lemon or a mint leaf), weak green or chamomile tea, kefir. If you can’t completely refuse food, choose “light” vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, apples, citrus fruits).
• Chewing gum can also help speed up the digestion of food.

Important! To recover from a heavy feast, you need proper unloading - light soups, cereals, salads and plenty of fluids. Fasting after overeating will only increase the “stress” for the digestive organs.

Consequences of overeating

The consequences of overeating can be as follows:

1. Heart problems. Excess weight, which will invariably appear as a result of an irrepressible appetite, will require the heart to work in an enhanced mode in order to saturate the entire volume of organs and tissues with blood. The heart, working "for wear and tear", thickens, contracts at an accelerated pace, due to which the blood circulation in it is disturbed, heartbeat"limps". There is hypertension, risk of heart attack, cardiac asthma.
2. "Obesity" of the liver. Due to malnutrition, the liver is oversaturated with fats and begins to “distribute” them to its neighbors in the intestinal tract. Falls fats and heart with vessels. This contributes to the development of pathologies such as gastritis, cholecystitis, colitis, pancreatitis, atherosclerosis.
3. Hormonal disorders. Representatives of both sexes who prefer food pleasures run the risk of being infertile. So, in women it is violated menstrual cycle and men have erectile dysfunction.
4. Exchange disorders. The most common result of overeating is diabetes.
5. Sleep disturbance. Being overweight, along with the habit of eating a heavy dinner before bed, can cause insomnia, restless sleep, or sleep apnea(short-term cessation of breathing during sleep).
6. Joint overload. A large body weight puts a greater load on the bone and joint apparatus, as a result of which the joints wear out more, deform, and become inflamed.

Everyone has taste preferences, this is the norm. But if an irresistible desire to consume specific foods occurs frequently, you need to pay close attention to this. After all, attachment to certain foods can be a consequence hormonal disorders, lack or excess of trace elements.

The relationship between “health problems and a passion for food” is especially pronounced in women. It is the beautiful half of humanity that suffers most from stress, experiences depression and hormonal surges. In men, eating habits are usually not so pronounced. Scientists urge everyone, regardless of gender, to listen to the signals of the body and seek medical advice in a timely manner, and not solve all problems with your favorite food.

Morning without coffee can't be good for you? Don't feel energized if you haven't had a coffee drink? Are several cups of coffee throughout the day a common thing for you?

Conclusion:

1. Bad habit.

Often morning coffee is adjacent to a smoked cigarette. This combination simply means a bad habit. Often quitting smoking entails a change in food habits. Including former smokers stop experiencing pathological cravings for coffee.

1. Food ritual.

Creating household rituals - quite normal phenomenon. It gives a feeling of calmness, harmony, confidence in the future. But this feature is also characteristic of people with a sensitive nervous system. It all depends on your reaction.

If you didn’t drink your usual cup of coffee in the morning and don’t experience discomfort during the day because of this, then your nervous system is in order. If breaking your coffee drinking ritual is clearly affecting your mood, read below.

1. You are experiencing nervous tension.

A painful need for coffee can occur in people who are in a state of intense nervous tension. Trying to cope with stress, the brain can perform its usual functions with some deviations. This includes dysregulation of appetite. At the same time, some people experience an uncontrollable desire to constantly eat something, while others may even forget about meals during a period of stress. As a result, the little ones experience a breakdown. As a result, there is a need for caffeine, which creates the illusion of energy saturation.

• If for you coffee is inextricably linked with smoking, you need to fight the bad habit.

• If the cause of coffee addiction is stress, you should contact a neurologist or psychologist.

• Try not to drink more than three cups of coffee a day.

salty food

Is there always a salt shaker on your table? Do you add salt to food, even if it was already salted during cooking? Do you often use soy sauce, ketchups, do you like salted fish and chips? Are you ready to eat fast food every day - pizza or hamburgers?

Conclusion:

1. Sodium deficiency.

Lack of sodium in the body can occur due to strict or improper diets. In addition to the desire to eat salty foods, the following conditions can be observed:

• Very dry skin of the face, hands, body. Even the fattest nourishing creams unable to moisturize such skin to a normal, elastic state.

• Muscle weakness.

• Tachycardia.

• Problems with appetite, nausea.

1. Violations in the work of the genitourinary system.

In some cases, salty cravings may be the result of the following pathologies: cystitis, prostatitis, kidney disease, gynecological inflammatory processes.

1. You are stressed.

A state of nervous tension can lead to a weakening of the function of the adrenal glands. Normally, these organs help maintain a balance of sodium and potassium in the body. When the work of the adrenal glands is difficult, this is reflected in the balance of microelements, which is expressed in cravings for salty.

• Seek advice from medical specialists. Get an ultrasound internal organs, hand over general analysis blood, urine.

• Discuss your diet with a nutritionist. Perhaps you are limiting yourself in some way. Or maybe you just accelerated exchange substances.

• Enrich your menu with fat sea ​​fish(mackerel, salmon, etc.).

• Include nuts in your diet oatmeal, Bean Dishes.

If you are unable to cope with nervous strain, consult a neurologist. He'll probably set the course sedatives and/or appropriate physiotherapy.

Spicy and spicy food

Does regular food seem bland to you? Do you have a lot of spices in your kitchen that you use generously in the process of preparing any dishes?

Conclusion:

1. Your body is deficient in zinc.

This microelement is responsible for the proper functioning of taste and olfactory receptors. Zinc deficiency can manifest itself as a desire to eat foods with a brighter and richer taste.

1. You have a problem with the production of adrenaline.

Adrenaline is essential for normal functioning organism. concentration of this beneficial hormone increases under stress. But some have difficulty with it natural production. Therefore, such people often have an addiction to the use of hot spices. These additives severely injure the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat, thus stimulating an increase in adrenaline in the body.

1. You are often hot.

Some people unconsciously crave hot and spicy food when they are hot. This kind of food causes profuse sweating, and this saves our body from overheating.

• Many peoples from generation to generation eat spicy or spicy food. If such nutrition is a historical fact for your nationality, you do not need to change anything in your diet.

• If you have a healthy stomach and do not experience digestive problems, then you can continue to eat in the usual way.

• If you are found to be deficient in zinc, you can replenish it by eating seafood regularly. It is better to start the morning with whole grain porridge.

flour products

Can't imagine your life without baking? Do you feel an insatiable desire to eat bread or pasta, especially before bed?

Conclusion:

1. The stress probably depleted the body's serotonin stores.

Passion for flour is often manifested as a result of a small amount of serotonin, the so-called hormone of happiness, pleasure. It not only creates an optimistic mood, but also has a major impact on the functioning of the brain, the state of blood vessels, kidneys, etc. When a person is stressed or depressed, the level of serotonin decreases, and some functions of the body deteriorate accordingly.

You can suspect this not only in a bad mood. Serotonin deficiency can manifest itself in the form of a desire to eat flour products despite the fact that you are not at all hungry.

1. You often feel a strong feeling of hunger.

It is known that the use of starchy foods most quickly causes a feeling of satiety. Even nutritionists consider snacking on a piece of bread a better option than trying to quell hunger with fruit. Therefore, if you are very hungry and have an irresistible desire to eat flour, you should not worry - this is a natural desire.

• Observe the optimal break between meals - three hours.

• Increase the amount of protein in your diet (meat, fish, eggs, seafood, etc.).

• In addition to flour products, nuts and dried fruits perfectly cope with hunger.

Chocolate and chocolate products

You can eat every day whole tile chocolate? Is drinking tea without chocolates a boring pastime? Any chocolate product cheers you up?

Conclusion:

1. You are a woman.

According to nutritionists, an uncontrolled passion for this confectionery is an exclusively female weakness.

1. Premenstrual syndrome.

If a particular addiction to chocolate products occurs in women only in the last week of the monthly cycle, PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is most likely to blame.

1. Zinc deficiency.

A daily obsessive addiction to chocolate may indicate a deficiency of zinc in the body.

• If the reason for the love of chocolate is PMS, you should include sweet fruits, nuts, olive oil in your diet.

• With zinc deficiency, meat eaters are better off eating lean red meat - beef or lamb. Regular consumption of seafood will also help to fill the lack of zinc.

• Vegetarians will help solve the problem of zinc deficiency in the body by including nuts, whole grain bread and cereals in the menu.

We have listed possible reasons certain food habits. If you do not have serious disorders in the functioning of the body, the examinations did not reveal any pathologies, and your love for certain foods lasts for many years, this can be considered just a food habit.

Does life without salt fish or chocolate seem meaningless to you? Scientists believe that a strong craving for certain foods indicates a lack of vital substances in the body.

Of course, you can justify your unreasonable eating behavior with the statement “if the body wants it, then it needs it.” But this will not help solve the problem of lack of vitamins and minerals.

To get rid of "product addiction", review your daily diet and make it as diverse and useful as possible. After all, the deficiency of certain substances in the body, and hence the increased craving for a particular food, are the result of an unbalanced diet.

Passion salty, spicy or spicy

If you are drawn to a particular product, determine what attracts you to it. For example, when you feel an irresistible desire to eat a piece of salami or are ready to give your life for a bag of salted pistachios, this does not always mean that the body is in dire need of sausage or nuts. Most likely, he does not have enough salt.

If onions, garlic, spices and seasonings become an irresistible desire, as a rule, it can indicate problems with the respiratory system.

If you want sour, this may indicate a lack of magnesium. It is found in unroasted nuts and seeds, fruits, legumes and legumes. In addition, an acute need for spices, as a rule, is experienced by people who have problems with the respiratory system. If a person is drawn to garlic and onions and he smears bread with mustard instead of jam, perhaps there is some kind of respiratory disease. Apparently, in this way - with the help of phytoncides - the body tries to protect itself from infection.

Moderately salt your food and do not get carried away with salt-free diets. According to latest research, 1 gram of salt, if after dinner slowly dissolve it in the mouth, contributes to good digestion and absorption of products. Of course, this advice can only be used by those who do not have indications for salt restriction.

Passion chocolate-sweet

More often than others, caffeine lovers and those whose brains especially need glucose suffer from “chocolate addiction”. This also applies to other sweets. If you eat an unbalanced diet, your body will also need glucose as the fastest source of energy. Chocolate is the perfect way to do this.

But keep in mind that this product contains a lot of fat, the excess of which is dangerous for blood vessels and figures. In addition, if you want chocolate, then this may indicate a lack of magnesium. (try replacing it with unroasted nuts and seeds, fruits, legumes and legumes), chromium (broccoli, grapes, cheese, chicken, veal liver), carbon (fresh fruit), phosphorus (chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, legumes and legumes), sulfur (cranberries, horseradish, various types of cabbage), tryptophan - one of the essential amino acids (cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potatoes, spinach).

A special love for ice cream is experienced by people with disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, suffering from hypoglycemia or sick people. diabetes. Psychologists see the love of ice cream as a manifestation of longing for childhood.

Eat more vegetables and cereals - they are rich complex carbohydrates. And as a dessert, choose dried fruits or honey with a small amount nuts.

Cheese and milk passion

The cheese is spicy, salty, with and without spices... You can't live a day without it, its taste drives you crazy - you are ready to absorb it in kilograms (at least eat at least 100 g per day). Nutritionists claim that those who are in dire need of calcium and phosphorus adore cheese. Of course, cheese is the richest source of these much-needed and extremely beneficial to the body substances, but fats ...

Try replacing cheese with broccoli – it has a lot of calcium and phosphorus, and almost no calories. If the body perceives milk well, drink 1-2 glasses a day, and eat a little cheese (no more than 50 g per day) and with raw vegetables.

Fans of fermented milk products, especially cottage cheese, are most often people who need calcium. A sudden love for milk can also arise due to a lack of essential amino acids - tryptophan, lysine and leucine.

Passion sour-lemon

Perhaps your diet is dominated by hard-to-digest foods, and the body is trying to increase acidity to facilitate its work. gastric juice. Cravings for lemons, cranberries, etc. observed during colds when a weakened body experiences an increased need for vitamin C and potassium salts. Draws on sour and those who have problems with the liver and gallbladder.

Choose meals that are moderate in fat and don't mix too many foods in one sitting. Avoid fried, salted and overly spicy foods, as well as those that have been overcooked. If you notice digestive problems (especially from the liver and gallbladder), be sure to be examined by a gastroenterologist.

Passion smoked

Passion for smoked meats and similar delicacies usually overcomes those who are on too strict a diet. Long-term restriction in the diet of fat-containing foods leads to a decrease in the level of "good" cholesterol in the blood, and smoked meats contain an abundance of saturated fats.

Do not get carried away with low-fat food - choose one that still has a little fat. For example, buy yogurt, kefir or fermented baked milk with one or two percent fat. Eat at least a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of butter a day, even if you are on a strict diet. Scientists have experimentally proved that it is those who consume a sufficient amount of fat that lose weight faster.

Passion bread

May indicate a lack of nitrogen. Replenish it with high protein foods (fish, meat, nuts, beans).

Passion is fat

I want to fatty foods? Perhaps these are symptoms of calcium deficiency. Contained in broccoli, legumes and legumes, cheese, sesame.

Pulls on butter? Cravings for it are observed in vegetarians, whose diet is low in fat, and in the inhabitants of the North, who lack vitamin D.

Passion is icy

Want to chew on ice? Possible iron deficiency. Contained in meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, herbs, cherries.

Passion for tea and coffee

Can talk about a lack of phosphorus (try to fill it with foods that contain it: chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, legumes and legumes), sulfur (found in cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables) , sodium (found in sea salt, apple cider vinegar), iron (found in red meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, green vegetables, cherries).

Passion for burnt food

Carbon deficiency signal. Contained in fresh fruits.

Passion liquid

Do you crave liquid food? Most likely, you just do not have enough water. Do not forget to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day, you can add lemon or lime juice.

A passion for carbonated drinks speaks of a lack of calcium. Contained in broccoli, legumes and legumes, cheese, sesame.

Craving cold drinks? Maybe it's a lack of manganese. Contained in walnuts, almonds, pecans, blueberries.

Passion is solid

I want to solid food? You don't have enough water anyway! The body is so dehydrated that it has already lost the ability to feel thirst. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day, you can add lemon or lime juice.

Passion "exotic"

Paints, plaster, earth, chalk, clay, activated charcoal… and it happens! The desire to chew all this usually occurs in babies, adolescents and pregnant women. It indicates a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D, which occurs during a period of intensive growth in children and the formation skeletal system fetus during pregnancy.

Often such complaints are also characteristic of patients with anemia (anemia) caused by deficiency (lack of iron in the body). It is worth leaning on dairy products, eggs, butter and fish - this way you can easily correct the situation.

Now about individual "personal" thrusts:

Olives and olives. Such an addiction is possible with a disorder of the thyroid gland.

Bananas. If you lose your head at the smell of ripe bananas, pay attention to the state of your heart, then you need potassium. Banana lovers are usually found among those who take diuretics or cortisone preparations that “eat up” potassium. A banana contains about 600 mg of potassium, which is a quarter of the daily requirement of an adult. However, these fruits are very high in calories. If you are afraid of gaining weight, replace bananas with tomatoes, white beans, or figs.

Sunflower seeds. The desire to gnaw on seeds most often occurs in those who are in dire need of antioxidant vitamins. This means that there are many free radicals- the main provocateurs of premature aging.

Peanuts, peanut butter. Do you want peanuts all the time? This, according to the scholars, is inherent primarily to residents of megacities. If you have a craving for peanuts, as well as legumes, then your body is not getting enough B vitamins.

Melon. Melons contain a lot of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, as well as vitamins A and C. People with weak nervous and cardiovascular system. By the way, half of the average melon contains no more than 100 kcal, so you are not afraid of extra pounds.

Seafood. A constant craving for seafood, especially mussels and seaweed, is observed with iodine deficiency. such people need to buy iodized salt.

Zhor on the eve of critical days?

You most likely have a zinc deficiency. It is found in red meat (especially the meat of the internal organs), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables.

But if you were attacked by a common "invincible" zhor, you may have a lack of silicon (it is found in nuts, seeds; avoid refined starchy foods that bind silicon), tryptophan, the amino acid tyrosine (found in vitamin supplements with vitamin C or in orange, green and red fruits and vegetables).

If the appetite has disappeared completely, then this indicates a lack of vitamin B1 (found in nuts, seeds, legumes, liver and other internal organs of animals), vitamin B2 (found in tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds, legumes). and legumes), manganese (found in walnuts, almonds, pecans, blueberries).

Want to smoke?

1.Lack of silicon.

Contained in nuts, seeds; avoid refined starchy foods.

2. Lack of tyrosine (amino acid).

Found in vitamin C supplements or in orange, green, and red fruits and vegetables.

In addition, an irresistible craving for certain foods can be a signal of some kind of dysfunction of the body. So, if lately you have been drawn with terrible force to:

SWEET. Perhaps you are working to the point of exhaustion and have already irritated your nerves. Glucose is actively involved in the production of the stress hormone adrenaline. Therefore, with nervous and mental overstrain, sugar is consumed faster, and the body constantly requires more and more portions.

In such a situation, pampering yourself with sweets is not a sin. But it’s better not to gobble up pieces of rich cakes (they have a lot of heavy carbohydrates), but limit yourself to chocolate or marshmallow.

SALT. If you pounce on pickles, tomatoes and herring like a beast, if the food always seems undersalted, we can talk about an exacerbation of chronic inflammation or the appearance of a new focus of infection in the body. Practice shows that most often these problems are associated with the genitourinary system - cystitis, prostatitis, inflammation of the appendages, etc. Also, salty pulls with a decrease in immunity.

SOUR. Often this is a signal low acidity stomach. This happens with gastritis with insufficient secretory function, when little gastric juice is produced. You can check this with a gastroscopy. Also, food with a sour taste has cooling, astringent properties, helps to alleviate colds and fever, and stimulates appetite.

BITTER. Perhaps this is a signal of intoxication of the body after an untreated illness or slagging of the digestive system. If you often want something with a bitter taste, it makes sense to arrange fasting days, to do cleansing procedures.

BURNING. The dish seems bland until you tip half a pepper pot into it, and your feet lead you to a Mexican restaurant? This may mean that you have a "lazy" stomach, it slowly digests food, it needs a stimulus for this. BUT hot spices and spices just stimulate digestion.

Also, the need for spicy can signal a violation of lipid metabolism and an increase in the amount of "bad" cholesterol. Spicy food thins the blood, promotes the removal of fats, "cleans" the blood vessels. But at the same time, it irritates the mucous membrane. So don't jump on chili and salsa on an empty stomach.

Astringent. If you suddenly feel an unbearable desire to send a handful of bird cherry berries into your mouth or you can’t calmly pass by a persimmon, your defenses are weakening and urgently need to be recharged. Products with astringent taste contribute to the division of skin cells (help heal wounds), improve complexion. They help stop bleeding (for example, with fibroids), remove sputum in case of broncho-pulmonary problems. But astringent foods thicken the blood - this can be dangerous for people with increased blood clotting and a tendency to thrombosis (with varicose veins, hypertension, and some heart diseases).

FRESH. The need for such food often occurs with gastritis or stomach ulcers with high acidity, constipation, as well as problems with the liver and gallbladder. Fresh food weakens, helps relieve spastic pains, and soothes the stomach. But if all the food seems fresh, tasteless to you, then we can talk about a form of depression with a violation of taste perception. Sometimes a violation of the sense of taste occurs with disorders of the brain, when the taste nerve receptors are affected.

And here's what they say psychologists about an irresistible craving for products. In general, any taste preferences talk about the presence of special psychological needs. Craving for spicy food betrays a desire to add pepper to life, for hard foods - nuts, hard fruits - a desire to win. Psychologists know that the love of certain foods is rooted in childhood or any other. happy time when certain foods were associated with joy, reward, or a sense of security. Therefore, food addiction is based not so much on the physiological need for a particular food product, but on the desire to return the best moments of life.

A person's food habits affect his character - scientists have revealed a direct relationship between a person's food preferences and his mental state. In particular, it is argued that chocolate lovers experience an acute lack of love. Deep down, they feel lonely and unhappy, they lack pity and attention.

Nervous and aggressive people prefer meat, especially beef. On the contrary, people who prefer mainly fruits and vegetables have a calm and balanced character.

Animal products, of course, carry their own special "psychological charge". According to studies, diligent, diligent and obligatory people prefer sausage and boiled meat to other products. Love for fatty foods betrays a jealous nature. Passion for barbecue and smoked sausage speaks of romance, wild imagination and a thirst for travel. The love for seafood also speaks of the dreaminess of nature.

Addiction to dairy products betrays the need for care, because this food is associated with mother's milk, and therefore with a period of life when we were protected and surrounded by love.

Tomatoes in any form are preferred by generous and democratic people with a broad soul. Cucumbers are chosen by sensitive natures, and cabbage and beans are chosen by those who lack courage and determination. But individuals who eat exclusively vegetables, according to psychologists, are characterized by increased squeamishness, fear of difficulties, and compliance.

Psychologists consider lovers of carrots and apples to be the most healthy and mentally balanced, but scientists classify admirers of sour, salty and pickled as tyrants, although not always explicit.

By the way, it is known that Ivan the Terrible adored pickles and spoiled milk, Peter I preferred products with a sour taste, and Stalin could not live without young wine and lemons.

Psychologists believe that people with persistent problems most often they are not very picky about food and eat quite often. You can understand for yourself some personality traits by observing a person’s attitude to food. Gourmetism, as a manifestation of hedonism, speaks of love for life, the pursuit of happiness, the desire to live brightly. Therefore, gourmets rarely suffer from depression. But food asceticism indicates melancholy, depression and a certain apathy, because a person is not aimed at getting pleasure.

So sometimes it’s really worth considering when the hand involuntarily reaches out for the tenth time in a row to the same product!

Good luck and good health!

Natalya Inina- Lecturer, Faculty of Psychology, Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Orthodox Institute of St. John the Theologian, Russian Orthodox University.

In 2005 she graduated with honors from the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University. M.V. Lomonosov at the Department of Personality Psychology. Author of the courses "Psychology of Personality", "Psychology of Religion", "Psychology of Faith", " Psychological counseling" and etc. Reads a course of lectures on practical psychology at advanced training courses for clergy in Moscow at the Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy. Developed and hosted the author's program "Fulcrum" on the Spas TV channel (2007-2009). Author of several publications in scientific and popular publications. Sphere of interests - psychology of personality, psychology of religion, psychology of development, psychology of creativity.

Food as a marker of relationship with oneself

Natalia Vladimirovna, probably, there are no people who would not like to eat delicious food. Does this mean that each of us is subject to gluttony?

Not at all. Food is God's blessing and a natural human need. And the passion of gluttony arises only when concern for nutrition, for one's body becomes the center of life. For example, if a person carefully considers what he will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, mentally plays the details of the menu in his imagination, constantly goes shopping in search of some special products and seasonings, and this takes up the lion's share of his time, then he it is worth thinking seriously about gluttony, about why this passion seizes it. And if we eat to strengthen our body, replenish our strength, then this is a completely normal process that has nothing to do with gluttony.

Very often, the attitude to food is a kind of marker of my relationship with myself, with other people, with the world, as well as relationships with the body in general - an indicator of psychological health, how a person is in a harmonious state. Eating disorders in this sense often reflect a person's internal mental problems.

Take the well-known diseases - anorexia (when a person eats almost nothing and at the same time seems to be too fat) and bulimia (when a person eats everything indiscriminately and then experiences a state close to poisoning, as well as a terrifying feeling of guilt and self-loathing) .

In my practice, there was a case when a young girl’s anorexia was not at all a desire to look like slender models from the covers of glossy magazines, but a colossal distrust of the world and fear of people. Her mother was an extremely powerful and controlling woman. She constantly watched what she read, what she wore and with whom her daughter was friends. The girl reacted in a destructive way - she simply stopped eating (by the time the therapy began, she ate only seeds and candies). Obviously not healthy attitude to food was just a way to isolate oneself from the world, and the real cause of the girl's suffering was the most difficult state of mind, tension, anxiety, distrust of people and fear of life.

Another client of mine, who suffered from bulimia, in this way solved the problem of deep dissatisfaction with herself and the simultaneous desire to be in the center of events. She was a powerful and temperamental woman, manipulated all her loved ones, and she had a lot of them: parents, brother, sisters, husband, two children. And she tried to control everyone, demanded that everyone report to her, but at the same time she constantly complained about her loved ones, who, according to her, could not cope without her.

Unfortunately, a strong desire to rule and rule is common. In fact, this desire may be hiding a deep fear and anxiety that gives rise to such powerful controlling behavior.

Another distortion of the normal relationship to food is excessive obsession with one's health. Now, for example, a healthy lifestyle is in vogue. They talk a lot about him, write, hold various seminars, draw up programs that help to lose weight, supporters of a healthy lifestyle unite in clubs and support groups. And it all comes down to how much protein, fat, carbohydrates a person consumes, how it affects his physical well-being, his sugar level.

Taking care of one's health is natural, but if it is not about treating a serious illness, but about prevention, then it is unlikely that a person can take more than 10-15 percent of his time from all his worries. For example, I have very nice colleagues who, taking care of themselves, bring a box of buckwheat porridge with them to work and don’t go to the canteen at lunchtime, but eat their porridge, but the rest of the time they don’t even remember this box, but busy with business. Wonderful!

And if a person passionate about a healthy lifestyle, proper nutrition, there are serious unresolved internal problems, he gets hung up on this topic, begins to calculate calories, build schedules for every day and hour - he devotes himself to a healthy lifestyle. Everything is turned upside down: not a healthy lifestyle for a person, but a person for a healthy lifestyle, not the body serves me, but I serve the body. And this is precisely what pushes us to the passion of gluttony.

How can one find a way out of such states?

Since the real problem of a person in such a situation lies not in food as such, but in his state of mind, in a deep loss of connection with himself, with his life, very often in dislike of himself and fear of life, it makes sense not to fixate on the problem of food, but to solve deeper existential problems related to life, feelings, goals, meanings, experiences, to the difficulties that stand in the way. Then gradually the topic of food ceases to be significant - food begins to take the place that it should, and it should simply serve our body.

A good psychotherapist can help with this. This does not mean that he replaces the priest. The psychotherapist does not struggle with passions - he has a different task, a different language, a different terminology. It is designed to help a person clear "psychological blockages" so that they do not interfere spiritual development personality.

Spiritual efforts, the spiritual ascent of a person must be supported mental health. It happens that people for years in confession list the same sins that cannot be overcome by an effort of will, self-discipline or the inclusion of common sense. Of course, in this case, you need to understand the reasons, and it often happens that these reasons are just in the plane of psychology: for example, it can be anxiety, fear, lack of contact with oneself. Until we provide the conditions under which a person begins to become aware of himself, to hear himself, to be attentive to himself (in which the psychotherapist helps), it is useless to work with all the multitude of problems.

Passion Trigger

- Why was the passion of gluttony considered the first of the eight passions by the holy fathers?

The first does not mean the most important (the most important, as we remember, is pride). Gluttony is a kind of door for passions. When we open it, other passions enter the soul.

Let us remember that the first temptation of Christ, when he fasted in the desert for forty days, was connected with food. The devil offered Christ to turn stones into bread and eat them, satisfying his hunger, and we remember that Christ answers: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Moreover, the first temptation in Paradise was also associated with the eating of food. Sin entered man, into his nature, when Adam ate an apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is in the center of paradise. What is "evil" and what is "good" is determined by God, and a person accepts this knowledge given to him by the Lord in humility and obedience. It is not about submission, it is about trust, because only in mutual trust is true obedience possible. The obedience of Adam, who does not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is an act of trust and love for God, for his Creator.

However, if a person violates the unity of chastity, trust and love that permeated the relationship between the first man and his Creator before the fall, doubt arises in his soul, a crafty juggling takes place, in which the Forbidden fruit turns into a coveted blessing. The deception will be revealed, but it will be too late. The whole life of fallen humanity is an attempt to return to God, to overcome this terrible gap.

What happens immediately after the fall? Naturally, it turns out that there is no longed-for good that was so expected, a person fails, and this gives rise to fear, anxiety and flight. We can say that at this moment begins that very psychology - the psychology of fallen man - with which we, as psychologists, have to deal.

There is a fear of the future, doubts in oneself, in one's abilities, distrust of others, an attempt to replace faith with power, an attempt to replace love with wealth, and so on and so forth. Passion prevailed over man only because he did not resist lust, was not completely faithful to his Creator.

Food is the simplest, the most obvious, the most natural thing that is always in front of us. By itself, food, eating food is not yet a passion, but it can become one if we lose touch with God, lose fidelity to Him, succumb to false desires, mirages that promise us pleasure, but always lie. That is why the holy fathers say that gluttony is a trigger that triggers all other passions.

- And how does this trigger mechanism work?

- Take for example the passion inherent in many - vanity, arrogance. How is it related to gluttony? The child asks: “I want this crispy crust” or “I want this very fried chicken leg ...”. In general, a piece is tastier and more. Everyone knows the picture! Such a self-centered desire: the best is for me. In childhood, it is innocent, but often, having matured, a person treats himself, his beloved, the same way - me, me, me.

If gluttony has taken possession of us, if this first door into the human soul is open, then other passions will also enter - both stinginess, and love of money, and despondency. I would not dare to assert this with certainty (although I, as a psychologist, understand this), if I had not read this from many holy fathers of the Church. Yes and with psychological point this is absolutely true, because subordinating oneself to passion will inevitably lead to the loss of oneself, and therefore to anxiety that will make a person save money, save, even if this is not necessary, not share with others because of fear of tomorrow, to lack of faith, to fear of life, pushing into depression, despondency.

In general, I am convinced that behind any passion there is a deep fear, distrust, anxiety, a desire to stock up on something or to insure something else, and globally it is a loss of connection with existence, the ability to love and trust not only God and people, but also yourself. yourself.

What does a healthy relationship with food look like in everyday life?

- I would say that a healthy example of the attitude to food can be called a monastic meal: in monasteries they usually eat simple food in small portions, they get up from the table quickly.

I was told about a meal on Mount Athos. The time allotted for the meal is only enough to have time to eat what is served to the table. There is no way to talk to a neighbor or savor food. They quickly refreshed themselves and dispersed - each returned to his obedience. This is a normal attitude towards food: it strengthens the body, and does not subjugate a person to itself.

“But in monasteries on holidays there is plentiful and tasty food on the tables…

- True, but the festive meal is never about food. This is a joint existence in which we rejoice with each other. If this is breaking the fast, we rejoice in God, we eat food with gratitude, with love, reverently. At the same time, we see each other, we feel the joy of the other. And then the meal becomes a joy, a continuation of the Last Supper.

The same can be said about the tradition of hospitality and hospitality. Hospitality is a virtue because I treat the guest. I don’t bake pies for myself, but I try for a guest, I’m ready to give him the last piece. And that's when food turns from a curse into a boon.

However, when people gather at a common table not to see each other, enjoy the meeting, chat, but only to eat delicious food, enjoy culinary delights, then what happens next? Either quarrels, conflicts, fights, or indecent fantasies, flirting, fornication, it really depends on the degree of depravity. Man falls into his flesh, into lust, into instincts.

You can overcome lust only with faith and will, make a decision, show self-discipline, understand what consequences this will lead to if you do not stop yourself. To perform this act, to say “stop” to yourself, of course, does not help the body, but the mind.

"Anesthesia" of sex addiction

- Is fornication a passion of the same nature as gluttony, does it have a similar mechanism of development?

There is a difference, it is mainly in the consequences of passion. The glutton harms only himself. Gluttony is a relationship with oneself. And by fornication they harm not only themselves, but also others.

But let's take a closer look at the passion of fornication. Very often one problem actually has completely different roots. For example, parents complain about the child's bad behavior, but it turns out that they themselves do not let him take a step. A person complains about an unfair attitude towards himself, but it turns out that he himself treats others without due attention. And behind the passion of fornication, when practical work begins, other grounds, violations, and problems are often also found.

If we talk about sexual addiction, then it also has existential spiritual components, such as a deep unconscious fear of death, a repressed feeling of inner emptiness, deep loneliness. But there may be problems of a different kind - childhood trauma, sexual abuse experienced at a young age, destructive, pathological relationships in parental family. As a result, a person “throws” into sexual addiction in search of “anesthesia”, quasi-consolation, but, of course, he does not find any consolation, but falls into addiction deeper and deeper, losing healthy life guidelines.

The passion of fornication is a more fundamental problem than just sexual addiction, and it is to a great extent connected with the spiritual sphere of the individual. If we turn to etymology, then "fornication" and "wandering" are the same root words, and they are close in meaning. This is a kind of departure, sometimes a search, but a false goal. A person wanders in search of something, his soul is restless, looking, but looking not where something valuable, important lies.

This also applies to other passions. The task of passion is to captivate the whole person, all his levels: both bodily and spiritual, but above all - the spiritual level, because it determines the relationship of a person with God. Therefore, the fight against passion is not just a fight against a prodigal thought, which is usually what the philistine idea of ​​an ascetic usually boils down to. This is a struggle for a person, for the development of his personality, in the Christian sense - for his salvation.

Therefore, the task of a psychologist is not just to provide a means of confrontation, but to direct a person towards revealing the best properties of his soul, towards self-acceptance, so that as a result of this self-disclosure, the prodigal thought is also defeated.

In adolescence, a person experiences a hormonal explosion. How to help a teenager overcome prodigal desires? Is it worth discussing these sensitive topics frankly with him?

Yes, in adolescence, a child in a short time experiences what physiologists call a “hormonal storm”. The body is being rebuilt, the appearance is changing, new problems arise, often overwhelming the maturing child. He finds himself, according to Tolstoy, in the "desert of adolescence", when the former supports in the form of a family and school are being shaken, and new ones have not yet been formed, and at the same time he finds himself in a zone of dangers associated, among other things, with the sexual sphere.

But for outward signs As I said, there may be other problems. The main one is the gap, the internal conflict between “I want” and “must”, that is, between desires and reason. Behind this global discrepancy there is self-doubt, and fear, and loneliness, and many other typical teenage problems.

The task of both the psychologist and the parents is to help in the passage of this period. We still must not forget negative impact mass culture who turned vices into virtues. Therefore, parents need to be on the alert, try to become friends with their children and help them to pass over the abyss, not to fall into it.

I believe that there are no taboo topics in a conversation between parents and children - another matter how, with what intonation, what language speak. Let me remind you of the words of Marshak, who, when asked how to write books for children, answered: “Just like for adults, only much better!”.

Parents should take care, firstly, of building trust between them and the child, and secondly, of their readiness to talk with the child on any topic, including topics of loved ones, intimate relationships. It's no secret that many parents spend on communicating with their children. minimal amount time, and often reduce this communication to shouts, demands, reproaches.

I got one case. A young man of about sixteen came to me. In a conversation, he admitted: “I feel terrible, because I am the only virgin in our class!”. I learned that he could not talk about this with anyone in the family, because it was not customary to talk heart to heart there. And the guy was tormented by this question, he felt insecure, lonely, believed that he was an outcast. It was these things that worried him, not sexual experiences. He believed that if he was not like everyone else, then he was worse.

I told him: “I am very grateful to you that you decided to talk to me about this. I cannot require you to remain chaste. I can only say that I think about it, based on my life and professional experience. Of course, you are free to follow the example of your friends (by the way, it’s not a fact that they all lost their virginity, this may be bravado). But I know that if you do it just to keep up with your friends, then you will remember this first experience for the rest of your life as something very far from that beautiful thing that is called love. But when you meet a girl you fall in love with, and your love will be mutual, and you decide to get married, because you cannot live a single day without each other, then your intimacy will be part of that great love that will fill your hearts and bring you Both are truly happy!”

It so happened that a few years later we met again, and it turned out that he then managed to refrain from temptations. He really met his love, and they got married. I didn’t ask if my predictions came true, but looking at him, I understood that I was in front of a happy young man, loving and beloved.

Summarizing my thought, I would say that everything needs a measure and common sense. Any extreme is always bad. In my opinion, speaking with teenagers about sex freely and “in an adult way” is inadequacy, since this topic is also delicate for an adult, and a teenager is extremely vulnerable, his feelings are aggravated and vulnerable. Such conversations require respect, caution, sensitivity. But it's also wrong not to speak at all. This, as a rule, is associated with parental unwillingness to take on the burden of responsibility, to spend their mental strength.

Eros is the first step, and fornication is the first obstacle

Many unbelievers intuitively understand the sinfulness of theft or, for example, adultery, but the Church's attitude to sexual relations outside of marriage is incomprehensible. Why is fornication a sin?

I would expand this question: how to explain to a non-church person that sin destroys integrity? Does this apply only to prodigal passion? What about the purpose and meaning of life? And how to explain to a non-church person what salvation or immortality of the soul is? Between these concepts and secular consciousness there is an abyss, which, as it is said in the Gospel, it is impossible for a person to pass, - everything is possible only for God. Christ came to take us across this abyss, and each of us, to the extent of imitation of Christ, can help another to do this.

But in my opinion, it is impossible to give a general universal answer to a particular and each time unique question. For this, there is such a science - psychology, to help find a specific answer to this question, and again, not in the most general form, but in a specific form.

Indeed, in a secular society, it is believed that there is nothing dangerous in fornication, that it is a kind of “relaxation”, “stress relief” and generally “good for health” (by the way, urologists or gynecologists often talk about this when consulting their patients). What can you say? If we draw some analogy, then according to this logic, there is nothing wrong with regular drinking - it is stress relief, relaxation, prevention of atherosclerosis.

Arguments of this kind may seem convincing until we turn to the statistics of deaths, broken families, degradation and mental illness of millions of our compatriots who follow this path. Returning to our topic - for the euphoria from random connections there can be dependence, subordination of everything inner world a person of this obsessive passion, and this will inevitably lead to the waste of oneself, the loss of integrity, and in the end - the complete degradation of the personality as God's plan.

Man lives in two worlds. On the one hand, on a horizontal plane, and in this respect we are talking about a psychology that may not be directly related to spiritual issues, that is, about motives, needs, social roles, emotions, affects, etc. But there is also a vertical dimension. It was this dimension that the eminent psychologist Viktor Frankl spoke of as the spiritual space of a person, in which he really becomes himself in the full sense of the word. This is the space of the personality, the space of moral choices, high deeds, the experience of overcoming one's egocentric desires.

In other words, everything in man time runs the struggle between the ordinary and the sublime, the egocentric and the altruistic, between comfort and personal effort, is ultimately the clash of the profane and the sacred in the human soul.

The task of a psychologist is not to act as an adviser, let alone a judge, but to create conditions so that a person can rise above himself, above his ego, grow spiritually.

This is where the psychology begins! If a person does not realize his true intention, then he cannot assess from a spiritual, moral point of view whether this is evil or good. He will find various self-justifications, he will confuse himself to such an extent that he will begin to pass off good for evil and vice versa, that is, he will lose touch with the spiritual reality of his being.

With regard to methods of dealing with prodigal passion, that is, means "against", and there are means "for". As a rule, the means "against", such as, for example, oaths, prohibitions, are much weaker than the means "for" - ideals, goals, values. The highest is love, which puts everything in its place.

“Love teaches everything,” Archpriest Boris Nichiporov liked to say, answering the question of sexual compatibility that was fashionable in the nineties. Love is understood in several aspects - eros (unanimity), philos (unanimity) and agape (unanimity). These three hypostases form one whole!

But in fornication, eros separates and begins to play a destructive role and, perhaps even worse, it takes on the role of headship in love. Eros, oddly enough, in this case castrates love, instead of supplementing it, more precisely, manifesting its fullness through itself. Not to mention the fact that eros, being autocratic, reduces the other person to a simple means, tool, "partner".

To quote Viktor Frankl: “Love is the only way to understand another person in the deepest essence of his personality. No one can understand the essence of another person before he fell in love with him. Eros is the first step on the path to the fullness of love, and fornication is the first obstacle.

Welcome to the blog pages! The topic of our today's conversation is rather delicate. Together we will try to figure out if each of us has not just problems with the diet, but a strong, painful craving for food.

Admitting that you have discovered the symptoms of a “food addiction” is not easy. But without such sincerity, at least with oneself, the problem cannot be solved.

It is believed that at least a third of the world's population today are prone to addiction to food, which requires treatment for food addiction. We acquire fat, clog blood vessels, acquire a long list of diseases. And all because we eat not when we feel hungry, but out of habit or “from idleness”, or, consciously or not, we extract hormones of pleasure from foods.

Sometimes the sources of the problem are deeper than we think. And in order to overcome it, you need to understand in detail the physiological and psychological causes of this attachment. We list the main ones:

• Genetic disorders that provoke a lack of dopamine - the hormone of good mood;
• Hormonal disruptions, poor production of leptin, a hormone that reduces appetite;
• Food acts on taste buds, and they transmit signals to the brain, to the pleasure center. Repetitive positive emotions form the need for them;
• Stresses that we "seize";
• Distortions in nutrition towards fast food, sweets, confectionery, which quickly become addictive, developing into a disease;
• Rigid diets, after which failures often occur obsessive thoughts about "half-eaten" delicacies.

"Dead" addictive food

Worst of all, the unnatural craving for eating large amounts of food concerns, first of all, junk food. It would be fine, we compulsively chewed carrots or did not part with a bunch of green onions. Although, here, too much is not good, but not as harmful as the immoderate absorption of hamburgers.

Nutritionists conditionally distinguish three types of food that cause the greatest harm to our body. She, alas, is the most “attached”, it is from her that dependence is most quickly formed.

The first group of products includes "pure" sweets: sweets, ice cream, chocolate.

The second category is bakery products and cookies, saturated with fast carbohydrates. Precisely because they are quickly absorbed into the blood, there is a surge of satiety, but very soon it ends, and the body requires another batch of energy and emotional nourishment.

Dishes from products with a high fat content are assigned to the third group.

There is also a fourth, which includes food "perversions" containing all of the above harmfulness. These are cakes, eclairs, hamburgers and other "delicacies", also richly flavored with flavor enhancers, firmly riveting them to the "gourmets".

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Likely Threats

The consequences of uncontrolled appetite can be various violations activities of internal organs and systems up to serious diseases, such as:

• Diabetes;
• Oncological pathologies;
• Failures in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Obesity;
• and a number of other complications.

Is there a similar addiction in children?

While our children are growing, we sometimes try to feed them to the maximum. Without suspecting that we are creating the ground for dependence on food in a child.

In one familiar family, parents strongly demanded that the girl must eat everything with bread, including pasta, meat and other foods that do not go well with the main product. The obedient baby did just that, and at first touched everyone with pleasant roundness. But then she grew up. At school, and then at work, communication problems arose, because, you yourself can guess what a young maiden of 60 size is called behind her eyes, how others treat her. AT best case, with sympathy. Now she is far from young, but still very lonely. Moreover, loving parents are no longer around.

Repeating the saying: “A spoon for mom, a spoon for dad”, sometimes remember this really unfortunate woman who is now desperately fighting obesity, but her hand treacherously reaches for another sandwich ...

Often the reasons for the problem are the busyness of parents, the lack of time to communicate with children, and even the lack of emotional closeness. Mom is trying to compensate for this deficit with goodies such as chips, chupa-chups, and all this is very harmful for a fragile organism and instantly gives an addictive reaction.

Making a self-diagnosis

In fact, determining whether we have a painful attraction is not difficult at all. There is a list of specific questions and statements, descriptions of situations that together make up a food addiction test.

Answer them sincerely and make a conclusion.

I hope you, my dear readers, have more negative answers. If the case is the opposite, then this is an occasion to seriously think, and at the same time read this small selection of my articles about the basics of a healthy diet.

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How to deal with the problem?

Let's say you honestly admitted to yourself: yes, there are all or most of these signs of trouble. This is half a step towards victory. Moving on, you need to decide how to get rid of this scourge.

The simplest thing is to conduct a detailed revision of your diet, highlighting its most harmful components. Think about what you can replace them with. For starters, if you can’t completely give up donuts and cakes, at least cut back. daily dose. And make it a rule to feast on them only in the morning, but not in the evening. In the article, I discussed this issue in detail. Therefore, do not be lazy and follow the link to read and know these products "by sight".

Replace sausages, sausages, dumplings and other semi-finished products and surrogates with an ordinary piece of meat - it’s healthier, fewer calories, and also tasty, finally.

What to do with your favorite sweets? Replace confectionery with natural products rich in glucose: fruits (fresh and dried fruits), honey. High-quality chocolate, in small doses, is also suitable.

Porridges, any dishes from vegetables and greens, nuts, sour-milk products are very good. If they are cooked and combined correctly, they will be quite appetizing, and at the same time not too "intrusive". Although, the habit of eating healthy is also developed over time, but this is already a very useful skill.

There is one more effective reception struggle with habits is their displacement, replacement by others. Above, I just said about the acquisition of cravings for another "drug" - healthy food. But you can also do some interesting work, for example, learn to knit, embroider, weave baskets, write articles. Or at least read interesting books. It is really addictive, makes you forget about afternoon snacks and dinners for a while.

The ideal option for overcoming a destructive passion is constant trips to the gym. Here we get "three in one" - we tone the muscles, we drive the weight, and we are distracted from snacking. Plus bonuses - excellent health and mood.

Just what the doctor ordered

But, even with heroic efforts, we are not always able to cope with the problem on our own. Do not despair. In this case, you just need to take the help of specialists. This is usually a nutritionist and psychologist who need to be told in detail about the signs of food addiction that you have noticed in yourself.

A nutritionist will certainly give specific advice on a balanced diet. Recommend to include in the menu more products, rich in fiber, such as cereals, vegetables, fruits, herbs, legumes. drink more clean water, without sweeteners and colors, without other additives and gas.

The psychologist will teach you to enjoy life without food "feeds". Most often, sessions are held in groups, it is quite possible that you will find new friends there, it will be easier to cope with the situation together.

In some cases, it joins drug treatment. But the main thing in the “re-education” algorithm is the support of loved ones. After all, it is best to completely remove provocative products from everyday use. This means that family members will also be involved in the process of weaning. And it is not easy and rather lengthy, it can be accompanied by breakdowns, including nervous ones.

Any dependence is a lack of freedom. But it can be difficult to refuse it, especially if the problem is old, “chronic”.

I sincerely wish you all, dear friends, to get rid of bad habits and learn to experience joyful emotions from communicating with friends, good books, traveling and useful hobbies.

Smile, gentlemen! See you soon!