The Kick Sugar Coach Podcast

What if your struggle with food isn't just about food?You can change your diet, break old habits, and work hard to improve your health but what happens when the deeper patterns driving those habits remain unchanged?In this thought-provoking conversation, Florence Christophers sits down with Dr. Robert Lufkin, physician, medical school professor at UCLA and USC, and New York Times bestselling author of Lies I Taught in Medical School, to explore the often-overlooked connection between trauma, addiction, the nervous system, and metabolic health.Dr. Lufkin shares his perspective on how early-life experiences and later trauma may shape the way we see the world, respond to stress, and develop patterns of addictive behavior, including our relationship with food.Together, Florence and Dr. Lufkin explore why addressing eating habits alone may not always be enough. When food serves as a way to cope with distress, changing what you eat without addressing the underlying drivers may leave you vulnerable to falling back into old patterns—or turning to another addictive behavior.In this episode, you'll discover:The connection between trauma and food addictionWhy willpower may not tell the whole storyHow trauma affects the nervous systemWhy changing your diet may not be enoughThe risk of replacing one addiction with anotherThe relationship between stress, mental health, and metabolic healthIf you've ever wondered why you keep returning to the same food patterns despite knowing what you want to change, this conversation offers a different perspective to consider—one that moves beyond blame and invites a deeper understanding of what's driving your behavior.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

What’s really driving your desire for sugar and why can it be so difficult to break free from cravings?In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we’re joined by Julia Ross, a pioneer in the field of eating disorders and addiction and author of The Craving Cure, The Mood Cure, and The Diet Cure, to explore what may be driving our desire for sugar.Julia shares her perspective on the connection between brain chemistry, nutrition, and food cravings, explaining why the struggle with sugar may be more complicated than simply having enough willpower.We explore how the brain’s reward system may influence our eating habits, the role of neurotransmitters and amino acids, and how highly processed foods may reinforce the desire to keep eating. Julia also discusses the importance of protein, blood sugar balance, and nutrient-dense foods in her approach to managing cravings.In this episode, you’ll discover:Why some foods can feel so difficult to resistHow brain chemistry may influence sugar cravings and eating behaviorThe connection between food addiction and other addictive behaviorsWhat amino acids do and why Julia incorporates them into her approachHow protein, blood sugar, and everyday food choices may affect cravingsWhy restrictive dieting may not address every factor behind persistent cravingsJulia’s approach to understanding cravings and changing your relationship with foodIf you’ve ever felt caught in a cycle of craving sugar, trying to cut back, and finding yourself reaching for it again, this conversation offers a different perspective on what may be happening beneath the surface.Listen now to discover what may be driving your desire for sugar and explore a different approach to understanding your cravings.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Why do some foods feel almost impossible to resist?Why can you decide to stop eating sugar or certain processed foods, only to find yourself craving them again later?In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Claire Wilcox, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and addiction specialist, to explore the science behind food addiction, cravings, and overeating.Dr. Wilcox explains what happens in the brain when we repeatedly consume highly rewarding foods and why certain foods can become powerful triggers for wanting, seeking, and eating.We also explore the connection between food, emotions, habits, conditioning, and self-control, and why the struggle with certain foods may be more complicated than simply having enough willpower.In this conversation, you'll learn:How the brain's reward system responds to highly rewarding foodsWhy food cues can trigger powerful cravings and habitual eatingHow emotional states can contribute to addictive eating patternsWhat happens when repeated eating strengthens the connection between food and rewardWhy some people may experience their relationship with food through an addiction frameworkAnd what understanding the brain can teach us about changing our relationship with foodIf you've ever wondered, “Why can't I stop eating this even when I really want to?”, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what may be happening beneath the surface.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Why are so many people struggling with sugar cravings, binge eating, obesity, and chronic disease — even when they desperately want to stop?In this episode of the Kick Sugar Coach Podcast, we explore the growing scientific movement to recognize ultra-processed food addiction as a legitimate medical condition. Joined by clinical health psychologist Dr. Jen Unwin, we unpack the evidence behind food addiction, why ultra-processed foods may hijack the brain’s reward system, and why official recognition could change the future of treatment, research, and recovery.Dr. Jen Unwin shares her personal journey with sugar addiction, her work helping people reverse type 2 diabetes through low-carb and whole-food approaches, and the international effort to have “Ultra-Processed Food Use Disorder” recognized by major medical organizations like the WHO and DSM.🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL DISCOVER:Why ultra-processed food addiction is a legitimate medical condition — not a lack of willpowerThe groundbreaking work Dr. Unwin and her husband Dr. David Unwin have done helping over 150 patients achieve drug-free type 2 diabetes remissionThe ongoing campaign to get ultra-processed food use disorder recognized by the WHO's ICD and the American Psychiatric Association's DSMThe CRAVED screening tool — 6 simple questions that can help identify food addiction symptomsWhy official recognition would unlock research funding, treatment programs, and real changeHow GLP-1 medications relate to food addiction treatmentWhat YOU can do right now to support the movementIf you’ve ever wondered why some foods feel impossible to control, this conversation offers both insight and hope. Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Most people think sugar is just a health issue—but the truth goes much deeper.In this episode, we uncover the dark history behind sugar no one talks about—a story that goes beyond cravings and calories and into slavery, sugar plantations, and systems like convict leasing that continued forced labor long after emancipation.Registered nurse Shun Foreman shares how her journey started with understanding sugar’s impact on the body—diabetes, metabolic disease, and chronic illness—and led her to a much bigger realization: the story of sugar has been largely left out of what we’re taught.This conversation connects the dots between: the historical roots of sugar production  the exploitation tied to sugar plantations  the long-term impact on communities and health  and why sugar continues to affect behavior and well-being today We also explore why awareness alone isn’t enough to break free from sugar—and how understanding your deeper “why” can change the way you approach it for good.If you’ve ever struggled to cut sugar, felt stuck in cycles with food, or sensed there’s more to the story than “just eat less,” this episode will give you a perspective you likely haven’t heard before.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Brian Baumal, a Toronto psychotherapist who treats weight management, eating disorders and food addiction and brings lived experience with exercise bulimia and binge eating. He discusses why the “all foods fit” approach can fail some people. He explains the 3-day/3-week/3-month Trigger Food Test. He describes choosing abstinence, relapse strategies, support groups, and his own year sugar-free transformation.

Amanda Leith, a certified food addiction counselor and executive director of Shift, shares why quitting sugar alone rarely ends addiction. She explains the mental obsession vs physical cravings, the “roundabout” cycle that drives relapse, differences between obesity, emotional eating and addiction, and why whole-person recovery — not just diet changes — is essential.

What if the foods we were told are “healthy” are actually driving the modern epidemic of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes?In this episode, Daniel Trevor — citizen scientist and heart attack survivor — breaks down the science behind his book Unholy Trinity and explains how refined carbohydrates, sugar, and industrial seed oils are fueling insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, and chronic disease.After suffering a heart attack despite believing he was healthy, Daniel dove deep into peer-reviewed research and uncovered what he believes is the true root cause of modern illness: hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance.In this episode, you'll discover:Why 93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and don't know itThe one blood test your doctor almost never orders — but could save your lifeHow big food engineers your food addiction at the molecular levelThe 70-year cholesterol lie that's still driving billions in statin prescriptionsWhy "heart healthy whole grains" may be spiking your blood sugar more than a Snickers barThe silent role of insulin resistance in heart disease, Alzheimer's, cancer, and fatty liver diseaseHow to reverse metabolic disease through diet — without expensive supplements or prescriptionsIf you’re concerned about obesity, prediabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, fatty liver, or metabolic health, this conversation will challenge what you think you know.Most chronic diseases don’t start with symptoms — they start with silent metabolic dysfunction.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

You're eating clean. You're exercising. You're doing everything right. But your blood sugar is still unstable, your energy crashes, and nothing seems to work. What if the problem isn't your diet—it's your light?In this episode, I sit down with Danielle Hamilton, a metabolic health expert and quantum circadian practitioner, who reveals the shocking truth about how artificial light is disrupting your metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and hormonal balance—without you even realizing it.Danielle breaks down:• How morning sunlight improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility • Why blue light at night raises cortisol and blood sugar • The link between circadian rhythm, mitochondria, and glucose metabolism • How red and infrared light support cellular repair and healing • Why vitamin D from sunlight is different from supplements • How seasonal eating impacts blood sugar regulation • The connection between EMFs, sleep quality, and metabolic health • Practical strategies to reset your light environment starting todayIf you're struggling with blood sugar, insulin resistance, or metabolic issues despite doing "all the right things," this episode will change the way you think about health. The answer might be simpler than you think—and it's right outside your window.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

Are you stuck in yo-yo dieting, sugar cravings, or binge-restrict cycles—and blaming yourself for it? If food feels like it’s calling you, if one meal can spiral into weeks or months off track, this episode may change how you see your struggle forever.In this powerful conversation, Dr. Tro Kalayjian, board-certified physician in internal medicine and obesity medicine, breaks down the 3 clinical signs of food addiction—and why willpower, discipline, and “trying harder” often make things worse, not better.You’ll learn how compulsion, loss of control, and continuing despite consequences show up in real life, why so many people feel out of control around sugar and processed foods, and why shame and self-blame are not the solution.This episode is for you if you’ve ever:Tried everything to lose weight but can’t keep it offFelt addicted to sugar, bread, chocolate, or ultra-processed foodsWondered why you have discipline in other areas of life—but not with foodExperienced binge eating, emotional eating, or constant cravingsBeen told to “just eat less” or “have more willpower” and felt defeatedDr. Tro also explains:The 3 C’s of food addiction (used clinically)Why one “off-plan” meal can trigger relapse for monthsThe difference between obesity and food addictionWhy some people need support, not restrictionHow metabolic health, insulin resistance, and blood sugar play a roleWhat actually helps people achieve long-term weight loss without shameIf you’re a health professional, coach, or caregiver, this episode will also help you recognize food addiction in patients and loved ones—and respond with compassion instead of blame.Enjoyed this episode? We'd love to hear your thoughts—share your feedback with us here!Support the showFlorence's courses & coaching programs can be found at:www.FlorenceChristophers.comConnect with Florence on:FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE