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Book Review by Karin Lund, MS, CN:
food, body & love: but the greatest of these is love by Dr. Kari Anderson
As a nutritionist specializing in women’s health and food recovery, I frequently meet women who feel isolated in their struggles with compulsive eating. The shame, defeat, and endless cycle of starting over can feel overwhelming. Dr. Kari Anderson’s memoir, food, body & love, offers a compassionate and insightful guide to breaking free from binge eating.
Drawing from her own journey, Dr. Anderson explores the deep connection between childhood trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and eating behaviors. She delves into how food becomes a substitute for emotional and spiritual fulfillment, especially for those who have experienced complex trauma. Her approach is refreshingly holistic, addressing the emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of healing.
Childhood Trauma and Food
Dr. Anderson explains how emotional eating often begins in childhood, highlighting the obsessive planning and secrecy involved in using food as a coping mechanism. For many, food fills the void left by a lack of emotional connection or unconditional love. She links this behavior to trauma, emphasizing that binge eating has the highest correlation with complex trauma. This biological response, rooted in the body’s fight-or-flight system, drives the need to use food for a sense of safety. Anderson underscores that binge eating is not a matter of willpower but a survival mechanism.
"Disordered eating occurs when, in the attempt to feel safe in the absence of perceived security, we supplement or replace social behavior with an attachment to food."
The Nervous System and Food
Our nervous system’s role in food behaviors is another key theme. Those with a history of trauma are often “wired for protection” and turn to food to mimic the sense of safety and connection. While eating can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, providing temporary relief, it can also perpetuate disconnection from the community and loved ones, which is essential for healing.
Dr. Anderson offers practical strategies for becoming more mindful of how we use food to soothe ourselves, encouraging us to replace fear with curiosity and self-compassion.
Mindfulness and Food Choices
A critical insight from the book is that binge eating is a form of “disconnected eating.” Anderson explains that when we detach from our eating habits, we lose the ability to make conscious choices. By reconnecting to our bodies through mindfulness, we regain a sense of agency and can make food decisions in alignment with our long-term health goals.
What sets Anderson apart is her recognition of the complex factors that influence food choices—everything from hydration and hormones to stress and gut health. She encourages structured eating plans, created during moments of calm, to help counteract impulsive eating during stressful times. Anderson also acknowledges the significant role food addiction plays in binge eating, noting that a percentage of binge eaters struggle with food addiction. Becoming mindful of these trigger foods becomes a key pathway to healing.
"It is nearly impossible to make wise food choices when in your sympathetic nervous system. To make wise choices, you need to be in a calm balanced state."
Spirituality and Food
Dr. Anderson also emphasizes the spiritual side of recovery, exploring how our identity and values shape our relationship with food. She shares how her journey began in Twelve Step recovery programs for overeating and the support these groups offer to many. At HartsSpace, we offer similar support groups and accountability groups for those dealing with compulsive eating, overeating, disordered eating, and food addiction. Often, our team at HartsSpace complements a food recovery program or serves as a bridge between a restrictive recovery approach and a sustainable, balanced path to long-term health and well-being.
While she shares her own experience with faith, the book’s companion workbook allows readers to reflect on their spirituality in a broader sense. This exploration of identity can empower individuals to redefine themselves beyond their struggles with food.
Conclusion
food, body & love provides a comprehensive, compassionate roadmap for those seeking healing from disordered eating. Dr. Anderson blends science, personal experience, and practical tools to help readers reconnect with their bodies, heal from trauma, and develop a healthy relationship with food. Whether you’re new to food recovery or have been on this journey for some time, this book offers valuable insights and a path toward lasting freedom.
If this resonates with you, consider joining our Online Food Recovery Support Group. We’ll be working through the Companion Workbook for food, body & love, exploring how to break free from emotional eating and regain a sense of safety in our bodies. Reach out to our HartsSpace Team for personalized support on your journey.
Helpful Resources to Support Your Journey:
Books to Inspire Your Healing:
• Full by Asheritah Ciuciu
• Nourishing Wisdom by Marc David
• Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth
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