I can’t recall a time in my adult life that I have not been hungry. The evening hours are particularly challenging. There have been many nights; particularly during periods of stress that I was a non-stop binge eater from the time I got home from the office until I fell asleep. Most of the time it was subconscious: I was unaware of the volume of food I was eating. Even during those periods when I could maintain some discipline in my diet, I couldn’t seem to shake the hunger pangs. Running and exercise are probably the only things that kept me from becoming morbidly obese.
I was recently introduced by a friend to Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Dr. Fuhrman has written a series of books called Eat to Live. His premise is that most of our hunger pangs are not true hunger, but rather “toxic” hunger created by our craving for nutrients. These nutrients are virtually eliminated through the processed foods that comprise more and more of our diets. Because we’re not getting the nutrients we need, we keep eating.
Dr Fuhrman advocates that 70% of our diets should be comprised of fresh fruits, legumes and vegetables. These foods tend to pack the most nutrition per calorie. He doesn’t believe it is necessary to eat much, if any, dairy, breads, grains or meat. While initially difficult to follow, over the course of a few months this “toxic” hunger will disappear. He also contends that most of the illness and disease we suffer from are directly related to our diets.
Below is a contrast between the USDA food pyramid and Dr Fuhrman’s food pyramid.


Dr. Fuhrman’s chart list specific recommendations on foods we should be eating. Below are the top “Super Foods” and their nutrient score:

I have been following Dr. Fuhrman’s program for about 5 months. It was difficult at first, but I have found that I am not nearly as hungry, particularly at night. I also have more energy and have managed to lose weight without much conscious effort.
For those interested in learning more, here is a link to his website, www.drfuhrman.com.
Here’s to your good health!
Andy