242: Dr Jen Unwin – Why Food Addiction Deserves a Diagnosis

Fabulously Keto

Dr Jen Unwin

Dr Jen Unwin. BSc, MSc, DPsy, C Psychol, FBPsS

Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist.

Past Chair UK Association for Solution Focused Practice. Winner of the British Psychological Society Karen Ehlert Lifetime achievement award in clinical health psychology. Co-founder of Food Addiction Solutions.

Dr Jen Unwin has spent her professional life interested in the role of hope in chronic disease and how it can be used to bring about behaviour change.

Her insights teamed up perfectly with Dr David Unwin’s interests in bringing about drug-free type 2 diabetes remission. For over 13 years they have been running group sessions in primary care to achieve just that, so far for more than 150 patients.

Both doctors were featured in a BBC TV documentary ‘The truth about carbs’ that was seen by 3.7 million viewers.

Jen has written a book ‘A Fork In The Road’ and is part of a team that published the first ever treatment study in the field and co-ordinated an international expert consensus on food addiction.

Link to Show Notes on Website

https://fabulouslyketo.com/podcast/242.

Dr Jen’s Books

Fork In the Road – Dr Jen Unwin

Fork in the Road – A 100 Day Journey to Food Freedom Personal Progress Journal – Dr Jen Unwin and Heidi Giaever

Dr Jen’s Top Tips

1. Curate your environment .
2. It’s easy but it’s not simple – be kind to yourself if you slip up.
3. For food addiction – get some sort of support.

Resources Mentioned

Books

1. “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis
   • Discussed in the context of wheat activating the brain’s reward centers like cocaine.
2. “Food Noise” by Jack Mosley
   • Written by Michael Mosley’s son; explores food addiction and GLP-1 medications.
3. “Rewire Your Food-Addicted Brain” by Dr. Claire Wilcox
   • Subtitle: Fight Cravings and Break Free from High Sugar Ultra-Processed Diet Using Neuroscience
   • Covers cravings, the addicted brain, and breaking the cycle.

Podcasts & Platforms

1. Food Junkies Podcast
   • Hosted by Vera Tarman and team. Interviews leaders in food addiction recovery.
   • Jen mentioned Molly and Chrissy from Sweet Sobriety, who are also involved in the podcast.

Research & Tools

1. Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS)
   • A validated tool for assessing food addiction symptoms.
2. Craved Questionnaire
   • Developed by Jen and team based on the 6 criteria for substance use disorder. For clinicians screening for food addiction.
3. Frontiers in Psychiatry – Special Issue on Food Addiction
   • Jen co-edited this academic journal issue with 15 papers (10+ already published).
   • A second volume will be published in Frontiers in Public Health.

Connect with Dr Jen Unwin on social media

Twitter: https://x.com/drjenunwin

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FabulouslyKeto

Website Details:

https://www.the-chc.org/fas

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