Addiction to sugars and starches.
The supposed mechanism is an abnormal insulin reaction to high blood sugar levels. Excess insulin is released which causes the blood sugar to be stored as fat, and blood sugar levels to drop even lower, hence the term 'addiction'; the more carbs you eat, the more you crave carbs.
Does it count if I'm swiss and eating choclate thrice a day? -- ThomasHolenstein?
Uhm, chocolate is mostly fat. Eat unsweetened chocolate and you'll be fine. :-)
Only if it's something you can't control. Are you overweight? Suffering other side-effects? But still need your chocolates? If it's negatively affecting you and you keep doing it anyway, it's basically an addiction.
Perhaps explains why, despite all our wonderful medical advances, diabetes is still on the rise.
Maybe I have a bizarre appetite, but I don't fancy sweet at all. Has been a popular icebreaker with chicks on parties, though. Can't think of any other advantage. --LeoBighetti?
SamuelFalvo? is clinically obese, and eats pasta and other sweets all the time. Diabetes is a genetic condition that runs in the family. He's been trying to control sugar intake, but success varies by the day. He tries to exercise twice a day. Not officially diagnosed with diabetes, he suspects he feels the symptoms (eye-aches, headaches, loss of eye motor control, sensation of pressure in the head, et. al. in response to eating excessive quantities of sugary foods). However, if sugar isn't consumed once a day at least, he goes hypoglycemic. He simply can't win for losing. :(
Discussion on ShangriLaDiet moved to PeterMerel.
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