EMDR For Food Addiction—30 Second Technique

I’m reading another book on the neuroscience of food addiction. It’s called The Thin Woman’s Brain: Re-wiring the Brain for Permanent Weight Loss by Dilia Suriel. It has some very interesting information. I’ll give a more thorough review when I’m finished but wanted to share this bit. There’s a scientifically proven technique called EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization Response—that has helped people, including me, heal from trauma and it’s effects (including all types of addictions and stress) by letting go of toxic shame and rewiring the brain to see the truths in the past events as well as eliminate the false perceptions surrounding them. A counselor trained in EMDR can be a great help in your health journey especially as research shows most people who are overweight or obese or who have other addictions have experienced some early trauma.

The quick EMDR technique described in the book can be implemented immediately. Here’s the neuroscience background: When you are smelling or seeing food that is hyper palatable and you crave it, your brain automatically moves your eyes quickly up and to the left. When you start to fantasize about that delicate treat, your eyes move to the bottom right. To DISRUPT that craving and get relief, for 30 seconds move your eyes around in various directions. That’s it. I’m going to add that to be fully successful in using this technique, you have to get off the “pleasure trap” (see book of that name written by Drs. Lisle and Goldhammer as well as Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book Eat To Live where he references it and discusses “toxic hunger” which The Thin Woman’s Brain calls “brain hunger.” )

1)Incorporating the techniques to get out of the pleasure trap with a nutrient-rich whole food plant based lifestyle (long term) with 2)Counseling as needed with EMDR for any past trauma and/or abuse (intermediate-long term) with 3) 30-Second EMDR (rapid eye movements in various directions) to disrupt a current food or food-like substance craving (short-term/immediate) is a good plan to help with changing your lifestyle to a healthier one and rewiring your brain to a healthier non-addictive one.