Rat park?? Yup. Reading an article recently, I came across this study by a researcher from SFU and it really hit home for me. The researcher noticed that lab rats almost always become addicted when exposed to drugs. Rather than assuming addiction was a predisposition in rats, he hypothesized that the rat's eagerness to indulge in morphine-laced sugar water had more to do with an attempt to 'escape' the miserable, boring, living conditions they endured.
To test this out, he created Rat Park - a rat paradise complete with toys, greenery, junk to explore and most importantly; other rats. When Rat Park residents were offered the same sugary-morphine solution, they were only mildly interested and most skipped it altogether.
Amazing no? Working on some non-nutrition work and sitting at my desk a lot more than usual this month, a very predictable thing happened to me: the cravings started. First it was chocolate and coffee then chips and salty snacks and crunchy things... edible stimulation.
Just as the Rat Park study suggests, this reaction from my body and brain is completely normal and expected. When life’s just not enough, when we aren’t getting enough stimulation, creative outlet, physical activity, fulfilling work, social interaction - whatever we need - we turn to ways we’ve learned to get that feeling of sensation and satisfaction quickly– food, caffeine, alcohol - you name it.
Food is an especially effective, available, and socially acceptable way to get that "ahhh" feeling.
Using food as a coping mechanism is completely valid and ok, but eating without awareness can be just like slapping a sugary band-aid over dissatisfaction because we aren't looking at what's bringing on the cravings in the first place.
When our lives are fulfilling and we're getting what we need (enough sleep, good food, sex, fun movement we enjoy, social time and ideally - work that energizes us etc.) we're much less likely to need a fix be it from morphine-laced sugar water, chocolate or chips.
So as much as those sugar cravings feel like an addiction, the remedy has nothing to do with willpower - it's all about loading up on pleasure (the inedible kind) and things that nourish and fulfill you.
What would your Rat Park be like? What can you do right now to make your life a bit more like it rather than slapping a sugary band-aid over your feelings of discontent?
Here's a simple recipe I made to feel nourished after that depressing first week...
Gingery Chicken Leek Soup
serves 2
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 of a yam (about 1/4 cup) - cut into cubes
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 inch piece of ginger - peeled and grated or minced (try scraping the skin off with the back of a spoon)
2 green onions - minced
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Leftover cooked chicken breast, shredded (or poach one**)
1 cup cooked rice
Ume plum vinegar
Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan and add the yams. Simmer until the yams are tender, about 5 minutes (see ** below if poaching a chicken breast). Meanwhile, prepare the leek (check out this how-to video) trim the roots off the leek and cut off the darker green (tougher) top (great for stock - throw it in the freezer!), saving the lighter green and white parts. Slice lengthwise down the leek and rinse both halves under water to remove any sand and dirt that leeks are notorious for hiding in their leaves. Slice each half into 1/4 inch pieces or so.
Heat a frying pan with the olive oil and add the leeks and ginger. Saute over medium heat until the leeks are soft. Drizzle the sesame oil over the leeks. Add the leeks to the stock and yams.
Fill a bowl with half the cooked chicken and rice (preferably brown) and ladle the hot soup over top. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro. Add ume vinegar - a delicious Japanese salty/sour condiment that is the leftovers from pickling plums - and some fresh ground black pepper, and extra sesame oil to taste.
Enjoy!
** - to poach a chicken breast - place the breast in a saucepan and cover with the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat. Barely simmer (the top of the water should just "shimmer") for about 15 minutes (you can add the yams after 10 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pan, saving the stock and yams for the soup. Let the chicken cool enough to handle them pull it apart into shreds with a fork.
