Dearest:  Tonight's guest, DR. DENISE LAMOTHE, is a licensed psychologist with 
a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and in holistic health. In her practice, 
she combines traditional and alternative methods to work "holistically" with 
each client's physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. 

Dr. Lamothe's special areas of expertise include eating disorders, life 
transitions, midlife and menopause, alternative lifestyles, anxiety, 
depression and stress management. Her new book, The Taming Of The Chew:
A Holistic Guide To Stopping Compulsive Eating is NOT A DIET BOOK. 

It is a book for those who have tried dieting and discovered that diets lead 
to failure. She helps the reader to make changes physically, emotionally, 
socially and spiritually, to come to a healthy weight and to develop a loving 
and healthy respect for themselves and their bodies. 

Welcome to Power Surge, Dr. Lamothe. We're very informal here. May we call you 
Denise? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Thanks for having me. I hope you all have lots of 
questions. I've never done a chat like this before.  And, yes, please call me 
Denise.


Dearest:  Thank you, Denise :) Let me begin by asking you -- are compulsive 
eating and binge eating disorder the same? Also, I don't imagine it's 
difficult to know when we're bingeing, but what are the symptoms that 
define a compulsive eating problem? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  I define compulsive eating as eating more than you need 
or want to.  Perhaps often, or not so often, but if you are unhappy with your 
eating then it's an issue.


Dearest:  We're living in very stressful times. Would you say stress is an 
important contributing factor to all these weight problems people are having? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Definitely.  We always eat more when we are anxious or 
stressed. In fact we eat for all sorts of reasons.


Dearest:  Thanks, Denise.  


Kitz52:  I know I have an eating problem and cannot control it? How do I 
discover why?


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  There are many reasons for having eating problems.  The 
reasons are as individual as the people involved. There are physical, 
emotional and social reasons -- also spiritual. 


Kitz52:  But, how do I go about discovering mine? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Is it permissible for me to ask if any of you have 
already read the book we are discussing?  If not, I will elaborate in a 
different way.


Dearest:  I'm reading it now, Denise. I would imagine many haven't yet read it 
here. 


Kitz52:  I have not read it but would like to. 


Dearest:  Why don't you elaborate in that different way then, yes? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Okay.  We usually have problems with sugars and 
carbohydrates, in particular.  I think many of you can relate to that. So, 
physically one reason is that these substances are addictive. We also may eat 
to sooth uncomfortable feelings.  Have you ever noticed that you are likely to 
choose these foods in particular when you are uncomfortable about something? 


Dearest:  Interesting what you say about the addictive foods. I was going to 
ask if compulsive eating, itself, is an addiction. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Glad you asked -- that's an excellent question.  Any behavior 
that we do repetitively that brings harm can be thought of in that way. 


Kitz52:  I am not sure if I can ask now, but I often feel that my addiction is 
the same as alcoholism. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  People often say, I can not drink or not drug, but I have 
to eat. So eating is different, isn't it?


Sandra47:  Thank you.  Denise, based on what you are saying, we "Tame the 
Chew" by staying away from food we are addicted to? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  No, not really. We all have that desire to "Chew" to 
an overabundance.  At least I make that assumption here. The point is to learn 
what your particular Chew is and to Tame it.  Would you like me to say more 
about what Tame means?


Sandra47:  Yes, please. 

  
Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Taming the Chew refers to really understanding why you 
overeat and being able most (not all) of the time to recognize that you are 
engaging in a non-self-loving behavior and to take appropriate actions to make 
self-loving choices more often. 

This is a process that really helps tame, not eliminate, the Chew much of the 
time.  This can help you feel empowered instead of feeling like a helpless, 
out of control victim. 

Does that help??? 


Kitz52:  Yes, Thank you


Dearest:  Something that fascinates me - in your book, "The Taming of The 
Chew," you define the compulsive eating urge as -- the "chew." In so doing, do 
you find that by giving it some form of identity, it might make it easier for 
people to relate to or address it? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  The Chew is our saboteur ... and we each have one.... 
it is a part of being human.  Once you understand this, accept it and begin 
to, in a way, befriend your Chew.  You can begin to take control of your life 
in many important ways like professionally or personally. 


Dearest:  Fascinating, thank you. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  You're welcome.


Zsazy:  I am an avid reader of Oprah Magazine and I thought I saw you 
mentioned in an article in the Oct. issue????


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Yes I was!!! That was ever so cool.... page 255 to be 
exact. This book covers many of those topics that are nearest and dearest to 
her heart.


Zsazy:  I thought so. Thanks  


GB:  I am reading your book. Do I really need additional help other than your 
book? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe: It depends. I can't really say without knowing a lot more 
information about you.  That would be beyond the scope of this chat, but I 
will say this -- you do need to look at the whole picture. If you just diet, 
or just exercise or just do one thing, you will repeat your self destructive 
behavior. That's why it is SO important to approach this frustrating issue 
holistically.


Dearest:  Denise's special areas of expertise include eating disorders, life 
transitions, midlife and menopause, alternative lifestyles, anxiety, 
depression and stress management. So, feel free to ask about any of these 
issues. 


MaryO:  Cortisol -- lots of pop magazine articles are now talking about this as 
a reason for weight gain in otherwise normal, but stressed, people. What do 
you think about blaming this hormone on people's weight gain? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  I can't really comment on medical questions that are 
specific like that. I am a psychologist and Dr. of Holistic Health but not 
medically trained.  I will say, however, that it is helpful to have your 
hormone levels done and to educate yourself about these issues. 

I often recommend The Wisdom of Menopause by Christiane Northrup. It is 
informative and has many great suggestions.


Dearest: Dr. Northrup has been a guest in Power Surge, too!


MaryO:  Thanks, Denise :) 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  You're welcome. 


Dearest:  And, hopefully, you will be recommending Power Surge now, too :) 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  I will absolutely recommend Power Surge. I enjoyed 
exploring the site today.


Marg:  Do you recommend organizations such as Weight Watchers? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  I think some organizations can be very helpful, but there 
are factors to consider.  If you have an active, supportive group and a good 
leader, you can find necessary support there. I do not agree with being weighed 
in; however, because that keep you focused on numbers instead of on how you feel. 
I also find that sometimes people use points in an unhealthy way, like saving them 
all up for ice cream every night.


Ann:  I think Crunching is very satisfying. Isn't it okay if you choose to 
crunch wisely say on popcorn? We are to get pleasure from our food to a 
degree, aren't we?


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Thank you so much for saying that! A resounding YES!!! 
Food should be enjoyed to the fullest. Popcorn, though does metabolize quickly 
into sugar in your system and, unfortunately, can lead to sugar cravings. Also, 
I'd like to mention that crunchy cravings often mean that the cruncher is feeling 
and possibly suppressing a lot of anger. I know because I have been there.  I 
have been anorexic, bulimic and obese.  None of this was fun and a lot had to do, 
for me, with avoiding honest feelings.


WI:  Could not having enough to eat as a child cause this? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:   Not having enough as a child can, but more often, we are 
raised with abundance and it doesn't seem to be one of the major factors in my 
experience.


Dearest:  How do we go about learning to control compulsive eating through 
holistic means? Wouldn't examining the emotional, physical, social and 
spiritual issues that might contribute to compulsive eating require 
professional help, such as cognitive behavioral therapy? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Professional help can be useful.  I personally think it 
is for most of us, but there are times when simply making a few changes can do 
the trick.


Dearest:  Then what would you recommend to treat the problem?   Some of the 
changes, for example. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  I would recommend that each of us stop looking outside to 
society to tell us how to look and, instead, focus within to make decisions 
about what we want to feel like, act like, be like.  Armed with some very 
basic information we can make permanent changes for ourselves.


Dearest:  Can compulsive eating be some form of post traumatic stress syndrome? 
Have you seen it happen when people have been through especially difficult 
times? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Absolutely.  For many of us there can be painful issues 
from our past that directly contribute to our eating problems.  Post Traumatic 
Stress in the form of abuse or unresolved grief are examples of this and 
talking to a qualified counselor can certainly help and is often necessary.


Sandra47:  Do you have any quick techniques that you can use to tame the "need 
to chew", like now to stop eating these cookies I'm eating?  


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  There you go - you have a wonderful resource here.  I 
often suggest to folks that you make a list of alternatives to bingeing.  
Things that you really, truly enjoy -- like 15 minutes of reading, a brisk walk, 
warm bath, call a friend and chat ---things like that. When you first feel 
the urge to binge, you can take out your list and choose one thing to do. 
Often the urge to binge will pass. 

If not, you are at another choice point. You can eat (It is always OK to 
choose that) or you can choose another activity to do.  Just, please DO NOT 
EVER BEAT YOURSELF UP IF YOU DO CHOOSE TO EAT!!!!  That is NEVER helpful and 
will always lead to more cookies, more guilt and more frustration. 

Just eat consciously. Choose that cookie if you want and enjoy every crumb!


Dearest:  I'd be black and blue all over if that were the case :)  But why 
can't we sometimes stop with one cookie?  


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Sugar is highly addictive and refined carbs are also 
sugar.  95% of the folks I speak with cannot stop at one. This is a dreadful 
fix. Our society promotes so much sugar! Our blood sugar zooms when we eat it 
and when we stop our blood sugar drops rapidly and out physical body screams 
for more.


Dearest:  How many women here feel they are compulsive eaters? 


MaryO:  I do! 

Dearest:  Yes, I am. 

Robin:  I am 

sally:  me three

Sandra47  me

Birdie:  me too

Marg:  me, too

Kelly:  me

Tallie: here!

carolynb:  oh boy am I!

wi:  I am

Unity: absolutely


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Let me put it this way, I have never met a woman who 
said "I eat just to fuel my body and I love my cute little body just the way 
it is." 


Ann:  You sparked something about looking outside to society. Sometimes when 
I see myself in a mirror at home I am satisfied or at least not critical, but 
when I am out other places, I see a big puffy face and it is striking when it 
happens in the same day. What is this phenomena?


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Try this: 
Look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the AM. Then, go eat a cookie 
and look again. Chances are you will see yourself as much larger the second 
time. This is natural. Most everyone has a somewhat distorted body image at 
times. It also depends upon how you happen to feel about yourself at that 
moment. You are probably never as big as you may think you are!


Ann:  Very interesting, I'll try it! Thanks.


Dearest:  Denise, you deal with midlife issues, menopause, et al. Do you 
equate menopause with overeating because so many women go through such a difficult 
time, aging, isolated and and it's so easy to eat when you're alone. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  At menopause so much is happening -- physically, 
emotionally and spiritually as well.  Also we are often viewed differently in 
society. And, yes, isolation is a major factor -- That is why rooms like 
this are so important. We all need to connect. Otherwise, we can feel anxious 
and alone and that will lead us, with Chew happily in hand, directly to the 
fridge,  yes?


Dearest:  Yes, yes yes, Denise. 
Thank you, Denise :) What wonderfully enlightening answers!


Birdie:  Why is it so hard to stay focused and permanent?  Just when you think 
you have it licked, you slide into your old habits again?  I am also a 
compulsive eater. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  When you think you are there, there is no there there. 
This is because we cannot do it perfectly every single minute. That is not 
the human way. Think of it this way: You are perfect just as you are, but 
you can't behave perfectly all the time -- none of us can.  We are all works 
in progress. The idea is to stay in balance as much of the time as possible.


Birdie:  True enough.  Thank you. 


Dearest:  Denise, did you have a problem with compulsive eating? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Oh yes! I was bulimic for 7 years, anorexic for several 
and extremely obese for many -- no fun!


Dearest:  And now?  How are you now? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  The urges never entirely go away -- after all, I have 
taken care of myself with food forever and a day, but I now do make self-
loving choices most of the time and I generally feel great. Not to say my 
own struggles don't pop up here and there. Remember, "The Chew" is never 
banished. 


Dearest:  I would like to say something and I don't often talk about myself 
personally, but I don't normally desire lots of food. When I am with others, I 
don't eat more -- not because I'm trying to hide anything, but because I'm not by
nature a big eater. Yet, when I'm alone, and especially when dealing with a lot of
anxiety, I sometimes eat until I just can't eat anymore and end up feeling sick. 
I know I have occasions of problematic compulsive eating issues. Does this make sense? 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Makes perfect sense. Everyone has different issues and 
different ways of managing.  Do  you feel lonely when you are alone, or bored 
perhaps?  


Dearest:  Overwhelmed, I think. It always seems to happen after a crisis. I 
had a very bad year health-wise and that's when the compulsive eating started. 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  That makes even more sense then. I would suggest taking 
some decompression time when you get home to nurture yourself and to tune in 
to what you might really be craving other then food. A chat? A cry? To 
journal? It would be different for each of us and different at different 
times, but the idea is to try your best to determine what your real needs are -
- especially in this high tech, stressful world. We all need quiet time to 
go inside.  


Dearest:  Thanks, Denise. I will take your advice and I have recently started 
seeing a professional to talk about unresolved issues. One of the things she strongly
recommends is keeping a journal, NOT on the computer, but a hand-written journal (now,
if I can only find the time!) 


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Best of luck -- it sounds like you're on the right track.


Dearest:  Thank you, Denise. 


WI:  How do we get off sugar?


Dr. Denise Lamothe:  Well, some people can manage to have a bit of sugars, 
others not. For me, I have to be very watchful. If I have it, I must make that 
a conscious choice. Then I have to expect and manage the resultant cravings. 
When I was severely into sugar, I did a detox. I think this is useful and if 
any of you want to do this, please consult a professional to help you and ask 
your medical doctor as well. 


Sandra47:  Thanks, this have been very informative. Do you have a web site? 


Dearest:  Denise's Web site is at www.deniselamothe.com


Dearest:  Denise, thank you for spending this time in Power Surge tonight 
discussing compulsive eating and how we might better understand our eating 
disorders in order to conquer them. I can't recommend Denise Lamothe's book, 
"The Taming Of The Chew" enough! You can visit Denise's Web site at 
www.deniselamothe.com. 

An added treat for everyone. Denise was interviewed on New Hampshire Public Radio's, 
"The Front Porch" by host, John Walters. Click here to listen to the interview.


Dr. Denise Lamothe: Thank you so much for having me as a guest.  
      


Read Dr. Denise Lamothe's second transcript.

                      

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Power Surge
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