Hope, Food Addiction, And Her Mission For its Recognition | Dr. Jen Unwin

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jen Unwin — clinical psychologist, co-founder of Food Addiction Solutions, and part of the team that published the first-ever treatment study in the field of food addiction.Jen brings something rare to the recovery space: a 32-year NHS career, expertise in the science of hope in chronic illness, her own lifelong personal struggle with sugar addiction — one she couldn't see clearly until nearly 50, despite being an expert in human behavior. Her approach is rooted not in willpower but in understanding food addiction as a real, treatable condition — and in asking the solution-focused questions that rebuild hope from the ground up.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow Beyond Binge EatingInstagram: / https://www.instagram.com/BeyondBingeEating/ Website: https://www.BeyondBingeEating.comNewsletter: https://beyondbingeeating.com/Newsletter/Grab your FREE Eat-With-Awareness Bundle to slow down, stay present, and reclaim peace with food: https://beyondbingeeating.com/opt-in/Keep in touch with Kristina:https://www.DrKristinaDobyns.comCome to our keto-carnivore retreat!https://www.MeatandMovement.com-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------📚 CONNECT WITH DR. JEN UNWIN🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/drjenunwin📖 Fork in the Road (all proceeds support Food Addiction Solutions): https://amzn.eu/d/0c2sxYsp🔬 Food Addiction Solutions (FAS) — support the campaign to get food addiction recognized: https://www.the-chc.org/FAS📄 RESEARCHToward Consensus: An International Expert Consensus Statement on Ultra-Processed Food Addiction (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2025): https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1542905/fullTRAININGHealthcare Professional Traininghttps://www.the-chc.org/healthcare-professional-training#training-details📅 UPCOMING EVENTS🇵🇱 Low Carb & Food Addiction Conference — Poland, September 18–19, 2026https://fundacjabraciarodzen.pl/products/international-advanced-training-programme?variant=56860764078458The International Food Addiction Children’s Conference - Nov 14, 2026https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-international-food-addiction-childrens-conference-ifacc-2026-tickets-1991350856016?aff=oddtdtcreator-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Timestamps:00:00 – Intro01:22 – Meet Dr. Jennifer Unwin04:15 – A Career Built on Hope06:01 – Psychology in Physical Health Settings09:17 – Her Doctoral Study: Who Recovers Best?11:01 – Hope as a Measurable Trait13:30 – The 3 Components of Hope14:42 – "What Are You Hoping For?"16:12 – Solution-Focused Brief Therapy17:01 – Asking "What's Already Working?"18:12 – The 0-to-10 Scale19:12 – "What Would a Four Look Like?"20:39 – Correcting the Brain's Negative Drift22:10 – Jennifer's Story: A Childhood Sweet Tooth23:25 – Family Tragedy & Comfort Eating24:45 – Overweight at School & Diet Culture26:03 – Swinging Between Extremes26:31 – The Shame of "Should Know Better"26:50 – Discovering Low Carb at 4827:52 – The Eureka Moment: Sugar Addiction28:44 – Abstinence Is the Treatment29:02 – Retiring from the NHS & Training with Bitten31:04 – Drug-Free Diabetes Remission with David32:26 – A Life Mission: Recognition33:22 – Why Your Doctor Has Nowhere to Send You34:36 – The Recent Wins, Explained35:49 – The 2022 WHO Application36:50 – The Four Reasons They Said No38:10 – Building the Expert Consensus39:05 – 37 of 40 Experts Agree39:40 – Naming It: Ultra-Processed Food Use Disorder41:03 – Distinct from Eating Disorders & Obesity41:33 – Abstinence as the Mainstay of Treatment42:15 – The Hammer-and-Nail Problem42:56 – The First-Ever Treatment Study44:39 – 62% in Remission at One Year46:25 – The IFACC Conferences & Children's Event47:36 – WHO Update: No News Is Good News48:58 – How Dr. Jen Eats Today50:44 – Glucose & Ketone Monitoring52:28 – Raising Their Own Lamb54:14 – Exercise, Knitting & the "Addict Brain"Disclaimer: The information on this channel is for educational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice or therapy. The views and opinions expressed by podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of