Food Addiction

The best part of spring is that people come out of their houses more and that leads to neighborly conversation—which is what happened last Friday. A neighbor rang my bell and then my neighbor across the street who was about to do her morning walk met us at the edge of my driveway. We were  discussing this and that. Part of the “this” revolved around obesity—we collectively wondered--why is the general population so overweight? Was it socioeconomic? Was it just a lack of education?

And later that day I found myself food shopping in Kings for the weekend. My daughter’s boyfriend was visiting and I was stocking up on some items that ordinarily I do not keep in the house---snacks and sweets. And as I stood in the baked goods aisle deliberating over muffins, turnovers and crumbcakes I felt the presence of a woman next to me. She was desperately large--morbidly obese-- and she appeared transfixed. I assumed I was obstructing her view. So I apologetically said Oh. I am sorry. Am I in your way? But she replied with a forlorn tone No. A higher power is in my way.

I understood her response to mean “higher power” in a 12-step program type of way.

And I thought back on my conversation earlier that morning. Some people may be obese for socioeconomic reasons or because of a lack of nutritional knowledge or for a multitude of other reasons—like genetics.  But for others, food is a genuine addiction—like alcoholism. But unlike alcoholism or drug addiction where rule number one is abstinence—no alcohol or drugs ever---not  under any circumstances lest a relapse---food addicts still must eat. Total abstinence is not an option. One must eat to live.

Maybe food addiction is the most difficult of all addictions to arrest---each meal is a tempered relapse.  

No one would ever expect an alcoholic to consume 3 beers a day and remain “sober” yet that is what we expect from a food addict—sobriety despite consumption.

And I love my neighbors—and our neighborly conversations. They always inspire “thoughts.” I walk away thinking how perfect the world would be-- if only we had the opportunity to rule it.