If you have ever felt out of control around certain foods, eaten past the point of fullness, or promised yourself you would stop and then found you simply couldn't, this episode will help you understand why. And more importantly, it will help you stop blaming yourself for it.

In this episode, Wendy is joined by Dr Claire Wilcox, board-certified psychiatrist and addiction psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, and author of Rewire Your Food-Addicted Brain: Fight Cravings and Break Free from a High-Sugar Ultra-Processed Diet Using Neuroscience. Dr Wilcox brings both the research and lived personal experience to a conversation that covers more ground than most books on the subject.

The episode unpacks what food addiction actually is, how it differs from and overlaps with binge eating disorder and obesity, and why certain foods trigger the same brain circuitry as alcohol and other substances. Dr Wilcox explains the three brain networks most affected by addiction, the role dopamine plays in cravings, memory and learning, and why ultra-processed foods are specifically engineered to override the brain's fullness signals and keep you eating.

There is also a frank and compassionate discussion about shame, why it makes recovery harder rather than easier, and why the single most important myth to unlearn is that this is a personal failing. The food industry has deliberately designed products to hook the brain. That is not your fault. It is biology.

The practical part of the conversation covers what rewiring the brain actually looks like day to day, from stabilising food chemistry and building adequate nutrition back in, to sleep, physical exercise, community and mindfulness as evidence-backed tools for recovery. Dr Wilcox also shares her take on GLP-1 medications, why she sees them as a bridge rather than a solution, and what tends to go wrong when the behavioural piece is left out entirely.

Dr Wilcox's book is available on Amazon:

👉 https://www.amazon.com/Rewire-Your-Food-Addicted-Brain-Ultra-Processed/dp/1648484689

More information, social links and further resources at:

👉 https://www.wilcoxmd.com

To learn more about Wendy's work, explore resources, or stay up to date with future episodes, visit:

👉 https://wendycastelino.com/

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