Foods can create chemical reactions in the brain similar to those experienced from drugs. Recent scientific research tells us it takes two days to detox from cocaine but TWO WEEKS to detox from junk food. It's simply not our fault we crave certain foods; we're addicted to how they make us feel.

But with training from the world-famous Betty Ford Center in California, Dr Mike Dow will guide you through his pain-free 28-day programme. Watch the pounds drop off!

Dr Dow shows us how to withdraw painlessly from bad foods and looks at why we craved them in the first place. In just four weeks, you'll have lost weight, be more confident and no longer crave junk food.

Check into Dr Dow's Diet Rehab and rid yourself of all your food addictions

» Read the first pages of Diet Rehab by downloading the Penguin Taster here

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DIET REHAB
on serotonin, dopamine, or both—are especially helpful if you struggle with emotional eating. But let’s start by finding out whether emotional eating is an issue in your life. Take the following quiz to find out.

Am I an Emotional Eater? A Quiz

Take a look at the following list. Circle every item that applies to you.

1. I have always felt guilty about eating.
2. When I was little, I ate more than the other kids.
3. I have at least one friend who makes me feel bad, but I can’t seem to let him or her go.
4. I had a difficult relationship with my family.
5. I’m often lonely.
6. When I eat, I’m not truly satisfied, even when I eat a lot.
7. I eat just to have something to do.
8. I always like to eat something when I get home, because it’s comforting.
9. I eat when other people eat, even if I’m not hungry.
10. I feel powerless around food.
11. I often feel very down on myself.
12. I get very upset when I can’t eat my favorite food.
13. My parents often rewarded me with food when I was a child.
14. I feel quite disconnected from my body sometimes.
15. I berate myself in front of the mirror a lot.
16. My desire to eat comes from above-the-neck emotional hunger, rather than below-the- neck physical hunger.
17. I have gone through phases of trying to limit my eating, but sometimes I eat a very large amount of food without really noticing.
18. I often eat in front of the TV.
19. I’ve noticed I’ll crave my favorite pitfall foods when something unpleasant has happened.
20. I want to eat at weird times of the day and sometimes wake in the night, wanting to snack.
21. I sometimes feel overwhelmingly sad before eating.
22. Other people push me around and I always treat myself with food afterward.
23. I find it almost impossible to stand up for myself and I eat to cover how that makes me feel.
24. When I say no, I feel guilty—and I often eat to comfort myself.
25. I eat almost no calories during the day but then consume a lot at night.

If you checked one or more of the above questions, you have some form of emotional eating behavior, which probably indicates either low serotonin, low dopamine, or, in many cases, both. The interventions outlined in this chapter will help you to gradually let them go. Don’t despair — you can break the cycle and change not only the way you feel about yourself but also the way you react to difficult, unpleasant, or overwhelming feelings. If you are unable to make even slight changes or experience any major symptoms of depression or anxiety, see a mental health professional or go to my website - www.drmikedow.com - for treatment referrals.