Have you ever found yourself standing at the fridge, thinking:
“Why am I eating this? I’m not even hungry”? Or maybe you’ve said, “I know I shouldn’t have this biscuit… but I just can’t help myself.”
If you’ve been stuck in a loop of cravings, low energy, and brain fog—especially since menopause—you’re not alone. And you’re not broken. What you’re experiencing is very real. It’s not about lack of willpower. It’s about how your brain has been hijacked.
The processed food industry has spent billions making sure it stays that way.
Let’s break this down. I want to show you the truth about what’s happening in your brain, why it’s not your fault, and—most importantly—how you can take your power back.
The Science of Cravings: It’s Not Just About Taste
Back in the 1980s, a man named Howard Moskowitz, a market researcher trained in experimental psychology and mathematics, made a discovery that changed the food industry forever.
He figured out how to find what he called the “bliss point”—the exact combination of sugar, salt, and fat that makes a product irresistible. Not just tasty—addictive.
He worked with companies like Dr. Pepper, Campbell’s Soup, and Prego pasta sauces to create formulas that would light up the brain’s reward centers.
This wasn’t about nutrition. It wasn’t even about food. It was about engineering pleasure. And it worked.
As Muskowitz later said: For me, there is no moral issue. I did the best science I could. I was struggling to survive and didn’t have the luxury of being a moral creature.
Hmmm, OK!
Every time you eat one of these foods—biscuits, crisps, processed snacks—your brain gets a hit of dopamine, the feel-good chemical. But here’s the catch: over time, your brain adapts. It needs more to feel the same effect. This is called neuroadaptation.
And just like that, you’re not choosing the food. Your brain is craving it.
From Cigarettes to Crisps: The Tobacco Industry’s Switch
When people started waking up to the dangers of smoking in the 1980s, tobacco companies needed a new strategy. Enter: the processed food industry.
Philip Morris, one of the biggest tobacco giants, bought Kraft and General Foods in the ’80s and early ’90s. Why? Because they saw what we now know: food can be just as addictive as cigarettes.
They applied the same science they used to engineer nicotine addiction to food:
- Creating products that deliver fast, powerful rewards
- Designing food to be eaten mindlessly and in large quantities
- Testing flavours and textures in labs to make sure they hit the bliss point
They didn’t care about your health. They cared about your loyalty.
And they got it.
Your Brain Has Been Hijacked
When we eat food that’s been engineered to be addictive, our brains go through something called neuroadaptation.
Here’s what that means:
- The first time you eat a hyper-palatable food (think chocolate, crisps, pizza), your brain releases a surge of dopamine.
- It feels good—so your brain remembers: “Do that again.”
- But the more you eat it, the more your brain turns down its dopamine response.
- Now you need more to get the same feeling.
- Eventually, you don’t even get pleasure—you just eat to stop feeling bad.
This is exactly how addiction works.
If you feel like you’re eating against your own will—like you don’t even want the food, but you eat it anyway—this is why.
It’s not about control. It’s about chemistry.
Why It Hits Even Harder After Menopause
Here’s the double whammy: when we go through menopause, our brain chemistry changes again. Estrogen drops—and with it, our dopamine levels.
That means:
- We feel less motivation
- Less joy from things that used to feel good
- More cravings for quick fixes like sugar and processed snacks
So if you’re feeling more “stuck” now than you did in your 30s or 40s—this is why. Your brain is more sensitive to addictive food, but less equipped to resist it.
You Are Being Targeted
This isn’t a wild conspiracy. It’s marketing strategy.
The processed food industry knows exactly what it’s doing:
- Ads are designed to spark emotional cravings
- Packaging uses colours and buzzwords to suggest health and happiness
- Products are placed at eye-level, in impulse-buy spots
- New flavours and limited editions keep your brain chasing novelty
They’ve created an environment where addictive food is everywhere, cheap, and constantly in your face.
And then they tell you it’s your fault for not having enough willpower.
I call BS.
This is Why You Feel So Stuck
Your brain has been conditioned to chase the foods that make you feel worse.
And every time you give in—even when you don’t want to—it reinforces the wiring.
You might be saying:
- “I know what to eat, I just don’t do it.”
- “I eat when I’m not even hungry.”
- “I feel like food is controlling me.”
That’s because it is. Not the food itself—but the way your brain has been trained to respond to it.
The good news? Your brain can be retrained.
How to Fight Back: Rewire, Reset, Reclaim
The key is not restriction. It’s rebuilding your brain.
Here’s how we start:
1. Remove the trigger foods—for now
This isn’t about punishment. It’s about giving your brain a break so it can reset. Sugar, crisps, white bread, baked goods—take a break for 30 days.
After 2–3 weeks, you’ll likely notice:
- Clearer thinking
- Less intense cravings
- More stable energy
2. Add back real nourishment
Your brain and body need proper fuel to heal:
- Protein with every meal
- Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil)
- Vegetables for fibre and micronutrients
- Whole, unprocessed carbohydrates
This isn’t a diet. It’s rehab for your brain.
3. Bring in natural dopamine boosters
Processed foods gave you fake dopamine highs. Now you need to give your brain the real stuff:
- Walk outside in the sun
- Dance to a song you love
- Connect with someone you trust
- Learn something new
These things help reset your reward system. They remind your brain that pleasure exists outside the cupboard.
4. Talk to yourself differently
You are not a failure because you got stuck in a system designed to trap you. You are a warrior who is now waking up.
When you slip up (and you will), don’t say:
“I blew it. I’m hopeless.” Say: “My brain is healing. This is part of the process. I’m coming back.”
5. Repeat small wins daily
Your brain rewires through repetition. Every time you:
- Choose real food
- Move your body
- Skip a trigger snack You are sending a new signal: “I’m not that old version anymore.”
And day by day, that becomes who you are.
Final Thoughts: You’re Not Addicted to Food—You’re Hooked on a System
If you take nothing else from this, take this:
You are not the problem. The system is.
You’ve been targeted. Your brain has been trained. But now, you have knowledge. And with that knowledge, you can reclaim your power.
Your brain can heal. Your cravings can fade. Your energy can return.
And it starts with one decision:
“I’m not playing their game anymore. I’m choosing something better.”
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to be consistent.
And every step you take—no matter how small—is a step toward freedom.
Let’s fight back. Together.
