Dr Vera Tarman, MD, M.Sc. FCFP, ABAM

Medical Director, Renascent substance abuse treatment

Dr. Vera Tarman , addiction expert and author of Food Junkies: The Truth About Food Addiction , has lived experience. She’s the medical director of a residential addiction treatment centre in Toronto, and a recovering food addict who lost 100 pounds — she has kept it off for 15 years. She also has a Facebook group I’m Sweet Enough: Sugar-Free for Life Support Group as a grassroots resource network. Healthing spoke with Tarman about what drives food addiction, what to do if you think you may be a food addict and how people can make positive change for better health.

Addictions Unplugged was started by Dr. Vera Tarman in 2008 because she found a need for information on addiction and more specifically food addiction. Today, the Addictions Unplugged website serves as a portal and discussion forum for medical professionals, front-line addiction workers and those affected by addiction to reach out to Dr. Tarman and find out the latest information on treatment.

Dr. Tarman has been reaching out to the medical and addiction communities through her workshops and speaking engagements. She speaks on the topics of the science behind food addiction and why we use food for comfort. She has educated thousands of people across the world and hopes to help all those struggling with food addiction. Dr. Tarman has several speaking engagements scheduled already for 2011, including in New York, Toronto and Iceland.