This week, Good Morning America aired a segment that compared overeaters to addicts, following a man they referred to as a “recovering addict”.  So, why does food have such power over some people that they seem to lose control?

For most of people, when they see a tempting snack like a potato chip, an area of the brain will trigger feelings of desire in a part of the brain called the amygdale. Once they start eating it shuts off. But for an overeater the amygdala remains stimulated even while eating, continuing to feed that feeling of desire.  That is why many people who have weight loss surgery will gain back some or even all of the weight. One such person Good Morning America, "I just keep telling myself I should know better. I should be stronger, just as a person [says], 'You are intelligent, you shouldn't be doing this. This is not grown up behavior. This is child behavior."

According to former FDA commissioner Dr. David Kessler, this behavior is fairly common among adults, affecting an estimated 70 million Americans. Kessler has also struggled with his own food compulsion.

So, what is the cause of this behavior, and what can we do about it? Much of the desire is based on past memories and past experiences.  Dr. Kessler suggests retraining your brain to see food as just fuel for your body.

That may be easier said than done for most people. The missing key to success in this story is the emotional connection. Logically, all we have to do is eat healthy food in smaller amounts. Why is this so hard for 20 percent of Americans? Because we are not driven by logic, we are driven by emotion. The key is to change your emotional connections to food and your weight.

Most people go on a diet to change their weight, but struggle when they go back to their old behavior. Your current weight is a result of your current behavior. Unfortunately, most diets are aimed at changing the result. That makes dieting a short-term goal.  When you reach your goal weight, you can’t wait to go out and eat all of those foods you have been craving. Before long, your weight is creeping up so…back on the diet.

Since your current weight is a result of your current behavior, all you have to do is change your behavior and your weight will automatically change. And this way it will become a permanent change so that you never have to diet again.

Here are 3 ways to start changing your behavior:

(1) Focus On What You Want. When people go on a diet, they think about food. This creates a stronger desire for what you are trying to avoid. Instead, think about how good you would look and feel at your perfect size. Feel positive emotions about being trim and healthy and you will create a stronger desire for that than for food.

(2) Forget about "losing weight". You mind does not respond well to a negative goal. Your subconscious mind sees losing as a negative goal and will fight against you. Instead, tell yourself that you want to "become trim and healthy".

(3) Make your happiness unconditional. Most people say, "I will be happy when I lose 20 lbs. Your subconscious mind hears, "I will have to be unhappy until I lose 20 lbs". Most overeating is for one reason - to feel better.

To view the Good Morning America report go to:

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=8185137&page=1

Is it possible to help get rid of small wrinkles and fine lines in your face by changing your diet?  According to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of The Perricone Prescription, many of the foods we eat are inflaming our skin.  This same inflammation can damages arteries and lead to Parkinson’s Disease.   Anything that causes a rapid rise in blood sugar causes this inflammation.   

 The faster a food breaks down into bloods sugar, the worse it isfor your skin.  Basically, this would mean processed foods thatare low in fiber and low in fat.  Foods like cookies, crackers,white bread, rice cakes and highly processed cereal should gooff your shopping list immediately.

 Dr. Perricone has a 3-day diet designed to help your skin recover quickly.  Use the same menu every day for 3 days.  He suggests high quality protein for every meal to rebuild cell damage.  For breakfast, choose a one-yoke omelet.  Lunch and dinner both call for Salmon, which is high in omega-3 fats. 

At every meals, include cantaloupe and blueberries.  Breakfast Should Include steel-cut oats or oatmeal.  Lunch and dinner should include leafy green vegetables like Romaine lettuce or asparagus.   Add some yogurt to your blueberries for desert.

Here is another diet tip to help your skin:  Eat your tomatoes.   They contain an anti-oxidant called lycopene, which also has the ability to block UV light. Lycopene has SPF of about 3, which is insufficient to protect from direct sun or any other harsh UV exposure. However, it is enough to reduce the effects of indirect sunlight or the sunlight that has passed throughwindow glass.