Hi Reader,

Ever feel like food has power over you?

You’re not alone.

If you’ve ever tried to eat more healthily, lose weight, or “just cut back”—and found yourself elbow-deep in a bag of crisps before you even realised what was happening—this is for you.

I recently came across an article in The Guardian that stopped me in my tracks. It finally said out loud what so many of us have felt for years:

“I feel addicted to this stuff… I used to smoke cigarettes, now I have the same habit but with soda and doughnuts. I know it’s killing me; I want to quit, but I can’t.”

That sentence gave me chills.
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Because yes—ultra-processed foods (UPFs) aren’t just “unhealthy.”
They are designed to keep you hooked.

It’s not just in your head - your cravings are being engineered

A growing number of public health experts are now calling UPFs addictive in the same way cigarettes are.

Cravings, binges, that horrible tug-of-war between your brain and your body - it’s not a willpower problem.

It’s a product design problem.

As one addiction researcher put it:

“Eventually we understand the levers that the industry can pull to create products that can really hook people.”

And these foods are everywhere.
We’re talking about:

• Diet drinks
• Flavoured yoghurts
• Plant-based meat alternatives
• Protein bars
• Pre-packaged soups and sauces
• Bread that stays soft for two weeks
• Ice cream with gums, thickeners, and emulsifiers

And here's the kicker: many of these are marketed as healthy.
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​Low-fat, sugar-free, “plant-based”... It’s all greenwashing.
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But the reality? These foods still hit the brain in ways that spike cravings and sabotage your thyroid.

The good news? You can break the cycle

In our thyroid community, this is the kind of foundational shift we focus on - gently moving away from ultra-processed foods and supporting each other every step of the way.

Not with restriction.
Not with guilt.
Just real food. Real support. Real change.

The amazing thing is - once UPFs are out of your system, those awful cravings start to fade.
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Your brain quiets.
Your energy lifts.
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And eating starts to feel easy again.

How to get started

Here’s what I recommend:

• Read this Guardian article. It’s powerful.
• Don’t blame yourself for craving things. Cravings are a symptom, not a character flaw.
• Start to gently swap out “Frankenfoods” for real food - what your grandparents would have eaten.
• Be wary of “diet” or “health” products with long ingredient lists - real food doesn’t need a label.
• If you’re not sure where to begin, get support. Don’t do this alone.

You deserve to feel good. ​
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You deserve meals that nourish you and never leave you fighting your own brain.

And the first step might be as simple as noticing that it’s not you that’s broken - it’s the food!!!.

Warmly,

P.S. If this speaks to you and you’d love support around making this kind of shift, our thyroid community for women is open and welcoming - and you can join it for free here right now. 👉 Click here to join us​