http://globalnews.ca/news/1806453/fda-approves-an-adhd-drug-as-the-treatment-for-binge-eating-disorder/

       I literally jumped for joy when reading this article today! The FDA has approved Vyvanse, a drug typically used to treat ADHD for those that have compulsive overeating or binge eating disorder. Vyvanse is a central nervous system stimulant that affects appetite, but can be highly addictive.
      Now I have a personal connection with this story, which has made me very excited. First off, eating issues and mental health issues go hand in hand, and technically eating issues are mental health issues. I strongly believe that those with attention problems and/or anxiety tend to overeat and placate their emotional issues with food. I also believe that ADHD is a REAL condition, and while cognitive behavioural therapy and self care is beneficial, that medication can be helpful. To be on a medication that slows down the mental news feed can reduce anxiety and "relax" a person while curbing the appetite. I was prescribed Ritalin in university while seeing a psychiatrist that specialized in eating disorders and struggling with bingeing, and took it when needed to get me through my classes. I was amazed at the effect it had on my eating. Now I never stopped eating all together or lost a dramatic amount of weight. I made sure I ate, even if I wasn't hungry and did my best to take care of my body. I was a huge study binger, as I felt the urge to do more than one thing at once. I remember buying huge bags of jelly beans or jujubes to get me through exam periods, so that I could eat and read. It felt miraculous to be able to focus and feel free of the compulsive urge to eat. I was so depressed and so out of it, it was a miracle if \I made it from one place to the next without picking up a snack. Eating calmed my nerves. At this point I'm sure I was addicted to the sugar, fat, and other garbage that I was putting in to my body.
       Being on medication allowed me to refocus and feel like I was in control of my life. It gave me enough footing to make big changes and allow my gut, which was destroyed in the bingeing process, to heal with the help of probiotics. I also used a lot of CBT, regular exercise, a high fiber diet, and eating in moderation to help me to deal with the urge to binge. Sometimes I fail, but I now have the confidence that I can get back on the wagon after a slip. I have medication around for when I need it, but as I age I don't like the "high and sleepy" feeling that they give me. I get knocked out and kind of stoned off a small dose, and don't have my usual perkiness. I don't think that medication is the answer, but it can be a small piece of the puzzle.
       Of course, saying this, these medications have high abuse potential. We all know that people are looking for the magic bullet, the quick fix. I can see this having some serious issues in US with people looking for scripts and the popularity of the drug may cause an increase of theft and crime to get it on the black market. This is where I believe we need to educate the medical profession on how to spot patients that really need these meds and ensure they are receiving psychiatric care. Much easier said than done though.
     I am hopeful because I have dreamt that some of my clients who struggle with binge eating and its consequences can benefit from these medications as I have. While I may be criticized for taking the "easy way" let me tell you, it has been anything but easy, but I| am very happy to be in the place I am now. It is a journey, and it's continually getting better.

        I recently had a new client ask if she was too old to see results with a workout program and diet. I had just been thinking that a lot of my senior clients had been seeing some great results lately, but the ones that were successful were the ones that were consistently exercising and eating well. They are busy lawyers that get up at 6am to get 45 mins of at-home training done 4 times a week. They are the ones that don't miss sessions and stick to a healthy eating plan most of the time.
      I reassured the client that she would be fine, and she came back the next week having lost over a pound with 2 weeks of clean eating. Another client got told by his doctor that he needed to lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time due to a health and medication issue. He had not been serious with his diet, and due to his job as a pediatric surgeon (requiring travelling and conferences and writing deadlines) was often MIA from sessions for months at a time. Last month we got together, wrote a meal plan, and agreed to reunite in a month. Well the time came, and he had lost about 15 pounds in the 4 weeks. He made it to the gym every day after work, stuck to his diet 100% and didn't even want his allocated cheat days. He was amazed at how much better he felt, and told me his stress had caught up to him and taken over his life. Now this man is the busiest person that I have ever met, and he managed to make his health a priority. There is no excuse.

These ladies have transformed their lives in the last few years! Effort and energy=results

     Now don't get me wrong. Life can be exhausting, busy, we get sick, side tracked, unmotivated. We get presented with irresistible treats and opportunities, family issues. At the end of the day it is our own responsibility to make things happen. You don't need to go to the gym and feel wiped out and nauseous to be successful, but you do need to be consistent getting your sweat on and eating healthy. We may slip off the wagon, but we must get back on and get serious about being well. It does not need to be to lose weight or look a certain way, but to maintain health and prevent disease. If it comes a time when one does get sick, you don't want to look back and say "what could I have done differently".
    If weight loss is important to your health and you are gaining or maintaining despite your efforts, it is time to ask yourself what you are doing wrong. Sometimes it takes time to see a difference, and if you are honest with yourself about your efforts, it is ok to be stagnant and hit a plateau. Especially in women it may take a few months for a weight shift if you are not drastically overweight. However if nothing is happening and you are not getting to the gym 3 times a week or following your nutrition plan, it may be time to re-evaluate how you are going to fit in your workouts despite your schedules.

           Today I chose to do my workout. While I wasn't overly motivated, as soon as I hopped on the treadmill I noticed Anderson Cooper was doing a special on the recently deceased Whitney Houston. Dr. Drew, one the most sought after addiction specialists, was speaking to Anderson about the realities of addiction. These two men are two of my favourites and I would've missed the show if I didn't workout. As usual, I'm glad I that I made the choice to workout. I always say you never regret getting it done.
         On the topic of choices, Anderson Cooper made a comment on Whitney's unhealthy lifestyle choices, doing drugs and drinking despite the damage it was causing to her career. Dr. Drew was quick to correct Anderson in  saying that in cases of severe addiction, it is no longer about willpower, but about the inability to make the right choice and a dysfunctioning brain. Whitney was prescribed drugs by a medical professional that should have never reached the hands of an addict. Dr. Drew noted the 3 scripts that she had  should have never been combined.
             Prescription medications cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined. As a health practitioner, the willingness to prescribe appalls me. The amount of people I meet on a daily basis who have scripts for opiates and addictive sedatives and muscle relaxants amazes me. Even more so, the lax attitudes that doctors have in prescribing drugs before considering natural remedies like exercise (for muscle pain and tightness, for sleep, for stress), massage, yoga, and chiropractic.
           I have taken it upon myself to become educated on pharmaceuticals, partly because I like to know what myself and my loved ones are taking, and also because many of my clients are on meds for diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure, and infection. I need to be aware if there will be any interaction between their prescriptions and supplements, foods, or exercise. I have never had a doctor ask me about my supplement use or drinking habits when prescribing a medication, and frankly this scares me.
           Please read all of the information your pharmacist gives to you when you fill a script. Let them know if you are taking supplements or any other medications, or drugs.  Be aware of consuming alcohol when taking medications. Antidepressants can increase the effects of alcohol. Alcohol should not be taken with sedatives. Natural remedies like 5-HTP can cause serotonin syndrome and even death when combined with antidepressants. Warfarin and blood thinners have multiple supplement interactions.
          Be honest with your doctor about your drug use and supplement. They cannot get you in trouble or report you for consuming illegal drugs, but they may be able to help. I have seen too many people (celebs and otherwise) lose their lives because of a drug interaction sometimes due to lack of information. Pleased be informed about your health, if not for yourself, for your loved ones.