ELEMENTS OF RECOVERY

break free from disordered eating, addiction, or destructive cycles — and step into lasting clarity.

Binge Eating Disorder doesn't necessarily look fat

January 25, 2017 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing

Binge Eating Disorder is one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed eating disorders. Yes, you can have Binge Eating Disorder without being fat. And yes, you can struggle with a weight problem without having Binge Eating Disorder or any eating disorder for that matter. It is expected to occur in approx. 30% of obese individuals, but some people do indeed have Binge Eating Disorder without being technically obese. Food addiction is the main driver in Binge Eating Disorder. Animal studies have shown that rats can become addicted to natural food substances like sugar. Hoebel et al. maintained rats on a schedule of 12-hour food restriction followed by 12-hour access to a 25% glucose or 10% sucrose solution and rodent chow.

Saffron for depression

January 18, 2017 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Depression

By 2020, depression is expected to be the world’s second-leading cause of disability according to Center for Disease Control. New research has shown that the yellow spice saffron is likely THE MOST effective remedy against depression (if not caused by heavy metal toxicity though - then you need to rid your brain of heavy metals first!). Saffron works for serotonin imbalance related depression.

The biology of starvation

January 11, 2017 by Christina Santini in Anorexia, Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders

The Minnesota experiment that was led by Ancel Keys, focused on how hunger and starvation affect humans. It is pretty interesting and worth a read to fully understand why humans tend to gain back more weight when they diet excessively. Many in the study reported eating excessively after they left Minnesota; Jasper Garner described it as a “year-long cavity” that needed to be filled.

3 ways Ashwagandha work for stress

December 28, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Biochemistry Balancing, Stress Tools, Superfoods In Recovery, Sleep

Ashwagandha has been shown to positively affect the neural receptors responsible for receiving GABA, an important neurotransmitter in reducing anxiety and worry.

An ayurvedic perspective on addiction

December 21, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Digestion, Eating Disorders, Superfoods In Recovery, Sleep

Ayurveda is the Eastern philosophy of holistic health that deals with body constitutions and what we should eat to thrive according to our body constitution and what imbalances we might be experiencing at the moment. When it comes to addiction, we are dealing with two core issues: too much fire aka pitta and too much vata aka air element. When these elements get out of balance, we need more grounding aka the earth element.

Painkiller addiction continues to worsen

December 14, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions

“The number of deaths from overdoses of illicit opioids rose sharply again in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday. “The epidemic of deaths involving opioids continues to worsen,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said. “Prescription opioid misuse and use of heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are intertwined and deeply troubling problems.”

How do we manage anxiety?

December 07, 2016 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Addictions, Depression, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys

In the Noonday Demon Andrew Soloman writes, " Depression is a response to past loss, anxiety is a response to future loss". However, the two states often feel similar. This is because anxiety and depression share a single set of genes. This set of genes lies close to the genes involved in alcoholism and certain eating disorders.

Is it killing you or making you stronger?

November 30, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Anorexia, Binge Eating, Body Image, Depression, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys

Humans is the only specie that will engage in activities to actively self-destruct in attempt to be more lovable. The gap between who we are and who we want to be, is what motivates most of us to grow. Some of us choose methods that change us by killing us - physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Can we handle the truth?

November 23, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Transformation Keys

"We live in a generation of emotionally weak people. Everything has to be watered down because it's offensive, including the truth." I have been pondering this quote since I saw it posted on social media. Have we become too political correct?

Where President-elect Donald Trumps stands on 6 health care issues

November 16, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Eating Disorders

Health care didn't take up the majority of the debates during the election. Let's be frank here - it was a sandbox - mainly due to an extremely biased media coverage. However, how Trump stands on 6 health care issues will be of utmost importance for many of us. Interestingly enough, Trump has voiced concern that he wants to deal with bettering treatment for those struggling with addiction - the lost voices in society. A number of issues have garnered media attention, including the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), rising prescription drug costs, and the opioid epidemic.

Who would you be without your addiction?

November 09, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Depression, Eating Disorders, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys

When we are addicted to something, our true self tends to get hidden away. Only to be seen in glimpses here and there, when the cravings are not controlling us. And usually, when we are addicted to something, most of our waking time is spent on figuring out when to get our next fix, recovering from the crash after the high has worn off or dealing with the insatiable cravings. There is little space to just be. Be okay with who we are. This is super stressful. And what do we do, when we are stressed out? We reach for our addiction of choice. And on and on it goes.

Your doubt is the only thing holding you back.

November 02, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Faith, Transformation Keys

Recovery from any kind of addiction is a long winded road. It is not straight, nor does it even always go in the right direction - there are many u-turns and steps back along the way.

On repeat.

October 26, 2016 by Christina Santini in Depression, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys, Self-Worth, Addictions

How many times do you find yourself in the same situation, just differences faces and different spaces? If your answer is more than 3 times, you might want to consider what the shared feature of each situation is.

The perfect time.

October 19, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Depression, Emotional Management, Transformation Keys

When are we ready for change? When the time is right. And the time is always right. Time is the only thing in life we cannot get more of. Nevertheless we tend to wait for that right time, as if only then magic can happen. I don't know many people who truly ever change. I do know many people, who say they are waiting for the perfect time. When the time is right, then they will do it. Whatever that may be.

They say that if you are going through hell...

October 12, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Emotional Management, Faith, Intimacy, Transformation Keys

to just keep walking. Seems pretty solid advice. Yet I wonder how many of us disregard this oh-so-simple advice and instead freeze in the moment, like a deer in headlights. We stay stuck in the pain, we might find ourselves in at times for far too long. So that a moment in pain becomes an eternity. Crippling us.

Without vision for our future, we return to our past.

October 05, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Transformation Keys, Eating Disorders, Binge Eating

It is impossible to change and keep lasting change going, if you do not have a clear vision in your head of, who you want to be and what you want you daily life to look like on there other side of breaking addiction. Without vision the people perish, so it says even in The Bible. Whenever someone is stuck and feel stagnant, like they can't move, yet they may say they want to, they often don't have a clear vision on where they are heading. How are you going to get there, if you don't even know where you are going?

How to become an intuitive eater

September 28, 2016 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Intuitive Eating, Superfoods In Recovery, Transformation Keys

When was the last time you thought about how that slice of buttered bread felt in your body? The key to master effortless health without obsessing about what to eat when, is to simply get back in tune with our body. Everything we eat has an immediate impact on our body's biochemistry. Health is about balancing our biochemistry.

Why Anorexics feel better starving themselves.

September 21, 2016 by Christina Santini in Biochemistry Balancing, Eating Disorders, Anorexia

People with anorexia nervosa (AN) enter a vicious cycle, whereby malnutrition and weight loss drive the desire for further restricted eating and emaciation. Evidence suggests that, compared with healthy individuals: individuals who are vulnerable to developing an eating disorder might have a trait [prior to eating disorder onset] for increased extracellular serotonin (5‑HT) concentrations and [a different ratio] in postsynaptic 5‑HT 1A and 5‑HT 2A receptor activity”. These two changes, together “might contribute to increased satiety and an anxious, harm‑avoidant temperament. In other words, the biological drive for anorexia is related to an elevation of serotonin. So what is the best meal program for someone disposed to elevated serotonin?

3 tips to get through cravings

September 14, 2016 by Christina Santini in Binge Eating, Biochemistry Balancing, Addictions, Eating Disorders, Superfoods In Recovery

How do you manage the cravings in early recovery? Do you have a strategy for when those cravings hit? Do you know some easy things you can and should plan ahead to avoid those pesky cravings? Today I am giving you 3 super simple tips on how to manage cravings. Yes it is almost too simple, but they work. Always keep it simple - the important thing is just to actually do it, and not just read about it.

4 Ways To Rebuild Relationships in Recovery

August 31, 2016 by Christina Santini in Addictions, Binge Eating, Eating Disorders, Intimacy, Transformation Keys

After getting clean many expect an almost overnight change and applaud from their nearest ones as well. The road has been long and winded and often we thought we just wouldn't make it. That this life was not for us. That we didn't have what it takes to live in this skin. Every minute felt like another stabbing pain. Yes, that is how many feel that long road to finally figuring out how to live in this paper-thin skin without relying on drugs, food and alcohol.