Paul for Congress

If you love watching television cooking shows, then you probably are obsessed with food and cooking. Chances are you probably gravitate toward every cooking show in the television. Every dessert makes your mouth water. You may not be a huge fan of seafood but you appreciate the art of preparing delicious seafood dishes.

The Attraction of Cooking Shows

Television cooking shows, however, do not just offer entertainment. There are several benefits to watching cooking shows. Although, cookbooks are great, nothing beats watching a real live person teaching you how to cook a particular dish. It is more exciting to see the actual process of preparing a recipe starting from preparing the ingredients to actually serving the dish on a platter.

Since it is highly unlikely for regular folks to get celebrity chefs to teach them in person how to cook, the best they can do is to turn on the television. You probably share the same sentiment. You probably have to make do with watching professional chefs in your TV.

People generally watch television cooking shows to learn new dishes that they can eat on a regular basis. Nowadays, people prefer to watch these shows than to open their cookbooks. In fact, many cookbooks are probably gathering dusts on people’s shelves.

Good television cooking shows have the ability of making you feel like you are actually in a real kitchen where you can actually smell the simmering stew and taste the delicious dessert. Even if people never have the opportunity to pursue a culinary education, they will certainly learn a lot from watching these cooking shows.

In truth, people can actually become accomplished cooks from merely watching these shows regularly. It is easier to learn when you can actually see the cooking process. Reading cookbooks and following the procedures can be a bit complicated. It is far easier to follow a procedure when you can actually see someone doing it.

Learning from Television Cooking Shows

Many people enjoy cooking while watching the show’s host preparing and cooking the same dish. This is why many prefer to watch shows that offer home cook meal recipes. Gourmet cooking shows are harder to follow because people don’t often have half the ingredients that they would need for a particular dish. People need to relate to cooking shows. It would be hard for them to do this if they haven’t even heard of the ingredients.

Regular viewers of television cooking shows discover that by watching their favorite culinary programs and by practicing what they learn from these shows, they effectively improve their cooking skills. Basically, they develop basic knowledge and appreciation of all kinds of food ingredients. They learn what spices complement a particular dish. They develop the knack of turning regular dishes into amazingly delicious meals.

The best thing about this is that people get this knowledge for free! They can even share what they have learned with friends and relatives. It is always fun to call friends over to check out your latest food creations or experiments.

What You Learn from Television Cooking Shows

You will certainly learn a lot of things from TV cooking shows. If you love to grill foods, you will learn the secrets to grilling your meat and vegetables properly. You will likely learn more from these shows than from your cookbook. For instance, you would likely learn that it is always advisable to boil your ribs and chicken before you actually grill them. By boiling the meat, you are assured that the meat is thoroughly cooked. You will also probably learn the difference between gas-grilled and charcoal-grilled foods.

Another secret that you would learn is the art of grilling vegetables without burning them! Sunday dinners with your family will be more appealing if you are serving delicious foods.

There are television cooking shows that offer the opportunity to learn how to cook foreign dishes or gourmet meals. Unless you want to pursue a culinary career, you don’t have to enroll in formal culinary school just to learn how to create gourmet meals. You can pick up a few recipes and tricks just by watching the television. You can definitely learn a few Italian, Chinese, Japanese and French dishes just by watching different television cooking shows.

You can make wonderful dishes. All you need to do is to check out some of the best culinary programs in your television.

ProChef360Blog
http://www.articlesbase.com/television-articles/learning-culinary-skills-from-television-cooking-shows-688839.html

Summer is here and if you are anything like me, you don’t want to turn on your oven or stove unless absolutely necessary. I do most of my cooking in the microwave during the summer months. It helps keep my home cooler and cuts down on my cooling bill.

I have found that many people don’t like to cook meat in the microwave. I was once one of those people. Chicken would come out like rubber and I always worried that ground beef didn’t cook thoroughly. I have since found that the trick is to use the right cooking utensils.

There has also been some hype about how it’s not safe to use plastic to cook meat or anything else in the microwave. This is only half true. Certain types of plastic have chemicals that are activated with the extreme heat of the microwave and these chemicals can get into your food. For more detail go to: www.bread-machine-cookbook.com.Hence, the key to cooking in your microwave is, once again, to use the correct cooking utensils. Basically, use containers that are specifically designed for cooking in the microwave.

My preference in microwave cooking is Tupperware. Their cookware is specifically designed for the microwave so you don’t have to worry about the chemicals. Their Oval Cooker is designed to retain the moisture of your meat so that your meat doesn’t come out dry and rubbery. It also has a colander so you can brown your meat and let the grease drip to the bottom. That makes it easy to dispose of the grease drippings or use them for gravy. Tupperware also backs it cooker with a lifetime warranty so if it breaks I can just replace it with a new one, which seems like a good investment to me.

So the instructions I am providing below apply to the Tupperware Oval Cooker. If you feel confident using a different type of microwave cooker, of course, try that, but please make sure you follow the guidelines I stated above.

Cooking Ground Beef Place the ground beef with your favorite seasoning in the colander of the cooker. Cover and cook for 6 minutes per pound. Let sit a few minutes then remove from the microwave. By using the colander all the grease will drain to the bottom of the cooker.

Cooking a Whole Chicken If using the Oval Cooker you will need to use the extender piece for your average size chicken. Then place the chicken in the cooker. Pour about half a cup of water on the bottom of the cooker. For more detail go to: www.delicious-sandwich-recipes.com.Sprinkle your chicken with your favorite’s seasonings. Place the cover on the cooker and cook for 6 minutes per pound. I think you will be surprised at how moist your chicken comes out.

Cooking Cut up Chicken After cutting up your chicken use the same instructions for cooking a whole chicken. Determine by how high the chicken stacks if you will need to use the extender or not.

Cooking Chicken Pieces You can use the colander to cook chicken pieces. Cut the chicken into bit size pieces. I usually use chicken breast cutlets for this. Place the cutup chicken pieces in the colander. Season with your favorite seasonings. Place the cover on the cooker and microwave for 6 minutes per pound.

Saurabh
http://www.articlesbase.com/kitchens-articles/tips-of-cooking-meat-700720.html

Cooking holidays in France are totally different when compared to other countries. Just like other countries the French also like to enjoy, relax and relish the past memories with their friends and family. They also use food as an important section of their festive and with it comes the astounding techniques and food that can be enjoyed by anyone. Your idea about their culture can change once you learn about their cooking. These recipes can be added to your daily meals. Why don’t you consider French cooking vacations were you can really get away and enjoy the different cuisine of this culture?

What’s special in the Holiday?

You might be able to book French cooking vacations where you may get transported to a totally new location, enjoy and relax some of their best food which you’ve ever tasted. More importantly, you’ll get learn how to prepare these foods for you and your family. You might find that there are a lot of great choices that you’ll be able to choose from, starting from holidays which teaches you techniques of French cooking to those which teach a wide range of cooking recipes. Here’s what to seek.

• What you learn matters. Try and find out what you can learn from this vacation. Check what can be gained, talking of recipes and techniques. Is this what you need and want?
• The location. Where actually the French cooking vacations are held? This is very important since decides the cost of transport and it also leave you with a wide range of outstanding locations to pick out from. Making your vacation a memory to cherish is just as significant as it is in cooking in their style..
• The price. The price of French cooking vacations as significant as the total enjoyment which you should have. You’ll prefer to find a schooling which will fit into your vacation budget as well as teach you fine type of French cooking you wish to learn.

And there are a lot of companies which offers great French cooking vacations which are packaged and include all your needs. Book them and in a matter of months you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy as well cook the fine French cooking at a fantastic location . There can be nothing better for those who want a place to learn the French cooking techniques and enjoy the flavor. ! What more can a cooking vacation do for you?

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/french-cooking-holidays-you-need-not-eat-from-cannes-while-holidaying-here-708733.html

Every year some family would meet up with great competition regarding their hostess. They try to enhance their cooking and festivities held last year for their hostess. Well it may be your turn this time!! You may not stick to the old tradition of the holiday cooking. Think about breaking it and instead use your creativity to produce your own theme during this holiday. It might be odd to do that way as a few would not like the idea. But there are some who find your ideas to be ingenious.

It’s your choice to pick the holiday cooking that would correctly match your situation or theme. You can make your picnic spot great. You can spread the checked table cloth; have the people seat around it on the spot and put the basket that has the food in the middle leaving them ready to put in their hands before everything goes empty. You have to be a lot different with your ideas. Your theme should be different when compared with the others on their past and it should also provide them new ideas and concepts to build their holiday cooking in their next turn. If you choose the picnic theme, then contents such as wine, finger foods and cheese are essential and they can be easily carried too. Your choice of the picnic spot is dependent on the weather or the place or country you are living in.

You may arrange your dishes on a table along with a pluck cards stating your efforts to make the dish. It is purely your choice whether to serve the food in a buffet or not. I believe that your cooking is better than mine. Well it is necessary that your theme is different and new from the others. But it is not a part of the holiday do’s. It facilitates your family to enjoy this holiday with the presence everyone to make it happier and memorable.

Ethnic themes are suitable if you prefer a theme to be new for this holiday cooking. This will intend you to do a lot of exploration in cooking. It also leaves a difficult situation for the person who is responsible for the next year’s holiday cooking. It will leave him to do some extra hard work than yours to make it more perfect and great than you did with the eateries and decorations. Allow your family knowledge, personal tastes and your imagination to be your guide while deciding the final theme for this holiday and it should also cover your thought on spreading the theme. Great fun can be derived by challenging the work from the start.

Medieval Christmas theme is a fun theme and it is my all time favorite for my Christmas cooking. Appearing in different costumes for dinner is really going to be fun. The dance after dinner can even make it funnier and lovely with the observance of their costumes relating the various cultural “manners” at the Christmas cooking. It is a nice way to have great fun with family and your loved, never mind that you are cooking. The advantage of the medieval theme is you get more ideas and concepts to build your theme and it leaves the next one in a difficult position to take his or her holiday cooking in a better way than yours.

The advantage of it is it loses the tradition. So it is better to consult your family regarding your theme and decide whether they would like it or not in order to avoid any upsets at the holiday as your family might probably not like it. You can also arrange a Christmas party as an alternate or arrange a personal Christmas celebration for your family though it may not be that much funnier.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/holiday-cooking-themes-let-your-food-be-the-trump-card-for-this-holiday-708738.html

Here is the ultimate meal, snack and beverage distribution throughout each day. Due to the restricted article size all the details about what is the amazing List A and List B of food, various other sample choices and many other lifesaving information tips and details on all issues related to food and activity choices and improving your meal choices when eating out are in the E-book mentioned above.

This meal and snack breakdown is the long awaited solution to the “diet” dilemma which enables to make balanced food choices from all food groups without cutting out any food group, counting calories or counting grams of this or that. Improve the choices of food ingredients from food you currently cook or choose while eating out and NEVER DIET AGAIN.

Breakfast:

Sample Choice #1 :

Cereal of choice from List A (one serving as indicated on the cereal box) and

Low fat milk or soy milk (enough to saturate the cereal) and/or

1 fruit (you may skip the fruit here and have it for a snack) and

Coffee or tea (black or sweetened with Splendid)

1 glass of water

Sample Choice #2, 3 or 4 will not be included in this article due to the size of the article.

P.S.

• Many restaurants offer whole grain bread, brown pasta and rice and pancakes made with whole grain flour, you just have to ask.

• I deliberately did not include juices because they typically contain a high amount of sugar, and an 8-ounce glass may have the equivalent of 3 or 4 oranges or apples and is less filling. Eating whole fruit is more filling and has more fiber. If you must have juice with your breakfast, then a 4 to 6 ounces glass is fine.

Snack:

1 fruit from List A (make a different fruit choice every time) and

1 glass of ice water (lemon, lime, orange slice, or sugar free flavoring powders available in delicious multiple flavors, can be added to your water for flavor)

Lunch

(See “Cooking methods” below for suggestions on cooking food other than frying):

Every meal needs to include a variety of veggies, a source of meat and a source of whole grain or a high fiber Curbs in the amounts of that imaginary average round size dinner plate; half a plate for the veggies, a quarter plate for lean meat or fish and the last quarter for the high fiber/complex curbs (for details on portion sizes refer to the 3 rd point titled “Portion sizes” from the top of the previous section):

Quantity/portion:

Enough to cover a half section of that average round size dinner plate

Proteins (choice of lean meat, pork, chicken or fish (from List A)

Beans can be substituted if meat is not desired

Quantity/ portion:

Select one choice of meat or a combination of two but enough to cover about a quarter section of that plate.

Whole Grains/ high fiber curbs (choices from List A) such as:

1 or 2 slices of whole grain bread or all the other variety of choices from List A

Quantity/portion:

Choose one or multiple choices of high fiber curbs from List A, enough to cover the last quarter section of that average round size plate.

Beverages

A glass of water or A diet soft drink or Iced tea (sweetened with Splenda or other sweeteners)

Snack : From List A

Sample choice # 1:

Mixed nuts (a half palm-full) or (other choices of nuts from “ Nuts and seeds” in the “Snacks” section towards the bottom of List A) and

1 fruit (different from fruits consumed earlier) and

1 glass of water

Sample choice #2 and 3 will not be included in this article:

Dinner:

(See “Cooking methods” below for suggestions on cooking food other than frying)

Make choices for dinner in the same structure and portions as for lunch; only choose a different variety of vegetables, meat, and high fiber curbs with every snack or meal to ensure you are getting a variety of all nutrients. Remember to limit portion sizes to that imaginary average round size dinner plate.

Veggies or salad (Same structure but different variety than lunch)

Quantity/portion:

Enough to cover a half section of that average round size dinner plate

Meat or fish or beans, same structure but different variety than lunch. Make choices 80 % of time from List A.

Quantity/ portion:

Select one choice of meat or a combination of two but enough to cover about a quarter section of that plate.

Whole grain/ high fiber Curb

Same structure but different variety than lunch from the Carbs section of List A. Make choices 80 % of time from List A.

Quantity/portion:

Choose one or multiple choices of high fiber carbs from List A, enough to cover the last quarter section of that average round size plate.

Beverages

A glass of water or

Iced tea (sweetened with Splenda or other sweeteners)

Dessert (3 or 4 times a week): Any small portion sizes of your favorable dessert choices in List A, such as a couple small scoops of no-added-sugar ice cream or desserts made with low sugar and fat. Occasionally, you can indulge with desserts from List B.

Water : Don’t forget to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout each day.

For more detailed information on any of these topics log on to: www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com and check out these information packed lifesaving book and e-book volumes: LIFESTYLE MAKEOVER FOR DIABETICS AND PRE-DIABETICS and 4 other e-books: Lifestyle Makeover: Sex, Stress, and Alcohol , Lifestyle Makeover for All Couch Potatoes , Lifestyle Makeover: Defeat High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure , and Lifestyle Makeover for all Tobacco Users . The author of this article is also the author of these volumes

Test your knowledge on these various issues and take a simple True and False quiz by logging on to: www.LifestyleMakeoverEbook.com

Copyright © 2008 by George Tohme All rights reserved.

George Tohme
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/101-balanced-food-choices-for-permanent-weight-loss-677940.html

People are very aware of the nutrition that is contained in their own diet but sometimes we are not quite as aware of the quality of the food that we are feeding our pets. Dog foods are often commercial, high priced fillers that provide our best buddies with a full tummy and not much else. Sometimes the toxins and poor ingredients that are often found as the main products in commercial foods for dogs are doing more harm than good.

Pet owners do not mean to be ignorant of the facts, many of us are just trusting that well known names must mean that we are giving our best friends good nutrition. Sadly, this has proven to not be the case and we have recently seen pet food recalls and animals that have become severely ill when given foods that contain harmful ingredients.

Bad fats can lead to poor circulation and a weak heart, lack of good fats can give your pet a dull coat, and lack of proper vitamins in their diet can shorten their life and lead to poor overall health. Using cheap and unhealthy ingredients is a way for companies to increase their production and it allows the bagged and canned foods to last for a long time before the expiration date is reached. If you are one of the pet owners who assumes that one pet food is just as good as another, this information will open your eyes and your heart.

Unfortunately, most dog food products today contain the cheapest and poorest grades of grains, unhealthy and unsafe meat remnants and even artificial flavorings and preservatives that are not safe for humans or pets. Proteins and carbohydrates should be pure and of high quality to keep your pet healthy and happy. These are often only provided by using grains like bottom grade soybean, corn, and glutens. In fact, our own dogs can have natural allergies to these ingredients or they can develop allergies by being fed food that is not designed for their systems.

Many of the meat products used in our pet’s food are generated from dead or diseased animals and chemical additives. This leads to diseases, parasites, and illness in our furry friends. You should always check to see where your pet food was produced and manufactured. This requires some care because just because a state packaged the bag of food it does not mean that this is where the ingredients originated. We are all well aware of how many beloved pets succumbed to the pet food disaster that was sent to stores by oversea manufacturers who did not care about our animals’ lives. Products made by select American manufacturers should be high on your list of suppliers. You can check with your vet if you have any question about the quality of your pet food choices.

Our dogs need food that contains quality fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, and good fats. Are you thinking that these all sound rather familiar? It should, as it is very similar to what we humans require. Your dog has to depend on you to check things out for him, because he will try to eat what you give him, even if it is not good for him. A good, high quality dog food will contain quality meat, eggs, amino acids, vitamins, and even brown rice. These are all wonderfully good ingredients for your pet. Vegetables can be vital to a healthy pet diet and these will provide vitamins, antioxidants and a longer life for your dog. Look for a product that contains things like this as well as fruit. Some products are even beginning to add Lactobacillus Acidophilus for a healthy GI tract for your pet. These additives and ingredients will give your dog a healthy, shiny coat, clean breath, clear eyes, and a healthy body.

Lori Matthews
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/dog-food-decisions-685430.html

Have you experienced bloating after eating something? Or nauseous after drinking milk, maybe? Ever wondered why that happens?

Food sensitivity is something that most of us have learned to live with. For one thing, it goes undetected almost 90% of the time because symptoms may occur as late as after 3 days of consuming the offending food. For another, food sensitivity triggers subtle and sometimes unrelated symptoms. For instance, a sensitivity to yeast may lead to excessive drainage from the sinus! Even doctors misdiagnose food sensitivity because of this.

Food sensitivity vs. food allergy

Most of us know an allergy when we see one. Food Allergies are sudden reactions by the body. Symptoms are almost immediate and quite severe. This is why it is easy to spot an allergy and not too difficult to find its cause. On the other hand, food sensitivity is very subtle and slow in coming. When you are sensitive to a certain kind of food, you are unable to digest and process it fully. This leads to a number of unrelated symptoms like persistent headaches, joint pain or tiredness.

Generally, a good percentage of people are sensitive to gluten, wheat, dairy and fructose. But food sensitivity is not limited to food stuff alone. You could be sensitive to food coloring, food chemicals or preservatives – anything that is in the food.

Most of the times, doctors and sufferers push aside food sensitivity because they believe that the problem is miniscule. But, research shows that food sensitivity is one of the leading causes of needless suffering in millions of people. Worse, undetected food sensitivities exacerbate the symptoms of other diseases and leave sufferers more vulnerable to a number of serious health risks.

Most of the symptoms of food sensitivity are insidious. These are those uncomfortable pains and itches that we generally put up with. Mild ulcers, bloating, mild diarrhea, headaches, itching skin and mouth ulcers are some examples. However, by exposing ourselves continuously to the harmful effects of offending foodstuffs, we compromise our health seriously and even pave the way for serious diseases like bowel cancer, liver cirrhosis, osteoporosis, anemia and ulcer.

When we are young, the body is able to recuperate faster and compensate the damage caused by offending foodstuff. But symptoms tend to become more severe with age. To make matters worse, food sensitivity aggravates conditions that typically appear in old age like diabetes, heart problems, kidney problems and liver dysfunction. Interestingly, food sensitivity can occur any time. So, a person may not suffer from any symptoms when they are in their 20s or 30s, but may start feeling the effects in their 40s. Sometimes, stress and lifestyle factors can trigger sensitivities.

If left undetected, food sensitivities can cause a lot of unnecessary damage. Fortunately, food sensitivity can be remedied quite easily by identifying the foods that a person is sensitive to and avoiding them. By managing food sensitivity properly, sufferers can improve their resistance and live their life with renewed energy.

Reports suggest that more than 75% of people in the US are sensitive to one or other kind of food. If you are one of them, it makes sense to investigate your food sensitivity, doesn’t it?

gardnerwilkinson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/the-effects-of-food-sensitivity-685492.html

Millions of people all over the world are affected by allergies. Tiny particles of dust in the air, a friend’s cat or even freshly cut flowers can lead to sneezing, itching and runny noses in some people. Though we are quite aware of external agents that cause allergies, we do not suspect the seemingly innocent glass of milk or bowl of fresh peanuts. After all, what can they do to us? Unfortunately, people who are allergic to these foods have to be very careful around such foodstuffs.

An allergy is a severe reaction of the body’s immune system. The immune system goes into overdrive when there is a perceived threat to the body. In this case, the body perceives an ingredient in the food, like protein, as potentially harmful and goes all out to attack this ingredient and you, in the process. This is what causes itching, rashes, hives or other reactions in the body. In mild cases, the reactions are also mild. However, some reactions are very uncomfortable and may even be fatal. Examples include vomiting, diarrhea, asthma, wheezing and anaphylaxis.

Food allergies may be caused by almost any ingredient in the food. Even so, specialists have identified eight common allergens that affect the most number of people. These are: wheat, egg, milk, soy, fish, peanuts, nuts of trees and shellfish.

There are a large number of myths surrounding food allergies.

Myth 1: Food allergies are very common.

Food allergies occur in less than 12% of the adult population. Of the 6-8% of children who suffer from food allergies, a huge majority outgrows their allergies as they age. Food intolerance is another matter. Food intolerance happens when a person is unable to digest or process a particular ingredient. Food intolerance produces mild though persistent reactions in the body, which is quite different from the severe allergic reactions caused by food allergens. A good majority of people suffer from food intolerance. Unfortunately, most people mistake food sensitivities for food allergies.

Myth 2: Most people are allergic to milk

Milk allergy is very uncommon in adults, though it is quite common in children below the age of 3. Most children outgrow their allergies as they grow. Adults may experience bloating, nausea or breathing problems after ingesting milk products. But these reactions are a result of being lactose intolerant.

Myth 3: Food allergy is only lifestyle threatening, not life threatening.

This is a serious misconception. Food sensitivity is lifestyle threatening, food allergies can become life threatening. This is because of the inherent nature of allergies, where the body produces severe and sometimes violent reactions to counter an attack. Food allergies are particularly life threatening in small children as they can accidentally ingest something that can cause a violent allergic reaction.

Food allergies must be treated immediately and patients need to be taken to a doctor as soon as possible.

Food allergies can be diagnosed by conducting allergy and intolerance tests. Once an allergy is detected, sufferers must avoid those foods. This is the only way in which food allergies can be treated. Of course, there are medications to relieve symptoms, but, as they say, prevention is always better than cure.

gardnerwilkinson
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/food-allergies-fact-and-fiction-685512.html

 

There are basically four types of eating disorders, but not all are classified as food addictions. Anorexia and bulimia are defined as disorders, whereas compulsive overeating and binge eating are typically classified as food addictions. But, what exactly is the basis for food addiction? Is there a substance in a particular food that chemically addicts people to it, causing them to eat uncontrollably? Well, many proponents of the addiction brain disease model would have you believe exactly that! Hypothetically speaking, the impaired function of dopamine a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with pleasure and reward is thought to be directly related to food addiction. And, this so-called impaired function could make some people more vulnerable to compulsive overeating. Furthermore, they suggest that some foods cause more brain reward than others. Consequently, they are more addictive! In other words, high fat, high sugar foods such as doughnuts are more addictive than soup! In reality, there are many innocuous substances and activities that have an effect on the brain such as sugars, amino acids, and even exercise. However, that doesn’t mean they are the root cause of food addiction! Although there is no official definition of food addiction, Many would describe it in much the same way as other substance dependence: “Eating too much despite consequences, even dire consequences to health; being preoccupied with food, food preparation and meals; trying and failing to cut back on food intake; feeling guilty about binging and overeating.” 

Now, if you haven’t already guessed at this point, I vehemently disagree with the above-mentioned nonsensical hypothesis!!!! In my opinion, there is no such thing as a food addiction! This conjecture is nothing more than an opportunity for the pharmacological community to manufacture a new magic bullet for something that doesn’t exist, and is absolute absurdity at its finest! As with every addiction and compulsion, food addiction is a diversion from emotional distress. So in that sense, there really is something to be said for the phrase “comfort food!” As an addiction recovery coach who has traveled across the U.S. helping hundreds of people overcome addiction, I have uncovered the root cause of eating disorders and food addictions. You see, there’s a common denominator at the root of these afflictions, and it’s called low self-esteem! Time and time again, these self –esteem issues are founded in the emotional distress caused by none other than family dysfunction. The debilitating effects of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, or control and inadequate parenting literally pulverize ones self-esteem. Therefore, the key to overcoming a food addiction is to liberate oneself from dysfunctional behavior and restore self-esteem.

Both Binge Eaters and Compulsive Overeaters tend to be overweight, although the characteristics of compulsive overeating differ from binge eating. Compulsive Overeaters may overeat in one sitting, but many of them eat all day long. Most Compulsive Overeaters find dieting unsuccessful since their emotional distress precludes them from adhering to a weight loss plan. Their eating patterns are directly connected with their emotions. In essence, eating is used to comfort and divert the Compulsive Eater’s attention from their emotional pain. Compulsive Overeaters and Binges Eaters often hide behind their physical appearance, using their weight gain as a shield against society. In their mind, this extra layer of padding protects their fragile self-esteem and also discourages others from socially interacting with them. They feel inadequacy, shame for being overweight, and generally have a very low self-esteem.

One of the more common mainstream approaches for compulsive overeating is Overeaters Anonymous, which has adopted the 12-step philosophy of alcoholics anonymous. The goal of the program is a spiritual transformation, but ironically, the program tends to focus on defects of character, personal short comings, and admissions of powerlessness. This approach leads to self-incrimination, and it actually prevents a spiritual connection. A Compulsive Overeaters level of self-esteem is usually at the bottom so, why teach them self-incrimination and self-pity? I believe that admitting you are powerless does not promote empowerment nor does it restore self-esteem! In my opinion, many of the twelve steps are unnecessary and counterproductive to addiction recovery. In fact, most participants get stuck in their emotional wounds and contract what I like to call wounditis (victimization.) Combine this with the disempowerment of labeling someone as a Food Addict or Compulsive Overeater and you have a recipe for a self-esteem disaster.

Best wishes,

David Roppo

The Addiction Freedom Coach

For more information on how to overcome addiction without OA subscribe to my free e-guide below…….

overcoming addiction

David Roppo
http://www.articlesbase.com/addictions-articles/how-to-overcome-a-food-addiction-without-overeaters-anonymous-688433.html

Food network is a cable network that broadcasts several cookery shows. The network belongs to Scripps Networks Interactive and is currently being aired in more than 90 million homes all over the US and in other parts of the world. The head office is in New York City. Besides several other offices are located in San Francisco, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Knoxville and Detroit.

Food network is widely viewed in the US; it is also hugely seen internationally in several countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Philippines, Korea and France.

History Of Food Network

* The network was founded in the year 1993 on November 23 as TV food network.
* On papers the network is still known by its maiden name and has only shortened its on-air brand name to Food network.
* The concept of the network was designed by Joe Langhan in the year 1991.
* Today the network is owned by Scripps Networks Interactive which is a spin-off company of E.W. Scripps Company.

The network programming is divided into two parts:

1. food network in the kitchen
2. food network Nighttime

While the first generally broadcasts instructional cookery programs in the afternoon and weekends, the latter is a more descriptive version. It talks of several food-related aspects like the history and knowledge of food, cooking competitions and travel programming.

The food network nighttime is quite popular as it routinely invites several celebrity hosts on its episodes. It also has episodes that bring up exciting events like special themed cooking contests.

Other than the regular food network programs, some special episodes are also showcased on high definition channel. So if you own a high definition television you can enjoy the up converted version of standard definition fine living programs aired by Food network.

barrymosh
http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/what-is-food-network-685716.html