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Macomb Daily

Craving change for the better

Author-hypnotist offers strategies for cutting carbs and sweets

More than 25 years ago, Rena Greenberg cured herself from a sugar addiction.

Now she’s sharing her life-changing strategies with others. Her new book: “The Craving Cure: Break the Hold Carbs and Sweets Have on Your Life” (McGraw-Hill, $16.95) attempts to teach a society obsessed with image and food how to reprogram their brains.

“The craving cure is unique because it focuses specifically on cravings,” said Greenberg, founder of the Wellness Seminars. “A lot of people get stuck because they have cravings for all the wrong cures.”

The source of food cravings is deep and varied, Greenberg explained.

“People may have a sugar imbalance, be deprived of nutrients, or have food sensitivities that trigger cravings, with sugar and dairy being at the top of the list,” she said.

Others use food to fill emotional gaps.

“If you don’t have enough love in your life, or peace or need a distraction, or feel stressed out – you might be driven towards food and not know why,” Greenberg said. “The point is, no amount of food will ever be enough to fill those holes.

“What makes it tough is that the food we eat does have a chemical effect on our brain and on our body. In a way, it kind of works. But there’s a backlash. If you eat to calm down, you might reach for lots and lots of carbs. Which leads to weight gain and affects health. “The point is to learn how to balance ourselves naturally so we don’t have to eat to maintain equilibrium.” Deanna Dotterer is a staunch follower of Greenberg’s program.

Dotterer, a 33-year old school teacher from Ferndale, attended her first Wellness Seminar in October 2005. She has since lost 94 pounds and not looked back.

“I used to be an emotional eater. I was overweight my whole life. I had tried starving myself and skipping meals, in the past, but that never worked. Rena’s program was realistic and practical,” Dotterer said.

Her family noticed that first Thanksgiving and Christmas when she avoided the pies and cakes that normally wound up on her plate.

“I don’t want that kind of food anymore,” Dotterer said. “My new way of eating is a part of my life now and I don’t feel any pressure.”

The Wellness Seminar for Weight Control, offered at St. John Macomb Hospital in Warren, combines the power of hypnosis with behavior modification.

Participants learn to lose weight without feelings of deprivation or denial in one session, hopefully eliminating unproductive habits such as overeating, binging, snacking and emotional eating.

The first 45 minutes of each session is a free orientation. Participants who are comfortable, pay a one-time fee of $69. The fee includes a group hypnosis session, behavior modification booklet, home reinforcement audiocassette tape, free audio download, and unlimited repetitions of the hypnosis for one year, if needed.

The next session at St. John Macomb is scheduled for 6:30 to 8:30pm June 19. For additional information, call (800) 848-2822 or visit www.easywillpower.com.