Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 12/21/2010

Question
My husband is a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for nearly eleven years. Before we married, a year and a half ago, he was very open and honest about his past. He even took me to a few AA meetings, including his nine-year sobriety celebration.

I have noticed that he tends to become "addicted" to other, more socially acceptable, things. After our wedding he gained forty pounds, and then last winter he went on a diet and exercise program. While this is certainly not a bad thing, he seemed to become obsessed with counting calories and would spend four hours a day at the gym. He lost ten pounds.

In the spring he gave this up (and gained back the weight) to take care of our yard. He planted new grass seed and again became obsessed with watering his "seedlings" at the same time every day. When I asked him to meet me at the gym, he said he could not because he had to water his seedlings. Needless to say, I hit the roof.

I have also noticed that when he goes grocery shopping he tends to over-buy, stash the food in the pantry, and then forget he has it, resulting in more buying. I have found bulk candy hidden in the guest room closet, and I have confronted him with it. He has promised me several times that he will go back on his diet and work out (reasonably), but he always has an excuse for not doing it. His cholesterol is high and that worries me.

Frankly, I am physically unattracted to him because of his large and flabby gut. Our sex life has suffered as a result. I guess my question is, are addicts always addicted to something after they give up the destructive addiction?

Answer
Dear Laurel,

Juts because you have given up drinking alcohol, does not mean that the underlying biological causes of drugs addiction has been treated. Most drug addicts - including alcoholics - are found to be hypoglycemic, that causes them to be addicted, compulsive, obsessive and tending to put on weight and many other symptoms. Unless hypoglycemia is treated, they will continue to show signs of the illness. Please read:

Why Alcoholics Drink? at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/WAD.html

Alcoholism (Addiction) is a Treatable Disease at:
http://curezone.com/upload/PDF/Articles/jurplesman/alcoholism_treatable.pdf

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Nutrition at.
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/OCD_and_Nutrition.html

Drug Addiction is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/drug_addictions_nutritional_disorder.htm...

The first step in treatment is going on a hypoglycemic diet ( See our web site). If problems persist, it is best to consult a Nutritional Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist or a Nutritional Psychotherapist for further diagnosis and treatment.

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist.
Hon. Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search
Skype: jurplesman