Dr. Nicole Avena is a research neuroscientist and a pioneer in the field of food addiction. Her seminal research work jump-started a new field of exploration in medicine and nutrition. She is an expert in diet during pregnancy and baby, toddler and childhood nutrition. She has published over 90 scholarly journal articles, as well as several book chapters and books, on topics related to food, addiction, obesity and eating disorders. She also edited the books, "Animal Models of Eating Disorders" (2012) and "Hedonic Eating" (2015), coauthored the popular book of food and addiction called "Why Diets Fail" (Ten Speed Press), and recently finished her new book, "What to Eat When You Want to Get Pregnant." Her research achievements have been honored by awards from several groups including the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Psychological Association, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Eating Disorders Association. She also maintains a blog, Food Junkie, with Psychology Today. Follow Nicole: Order Her Books: http://www.drnicoleavena.com Watch her TED -Ed: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-sugar-affects-the-brain-nicole-avena Twitter: @DrNicoleAvena   The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede the professional relationship and direction of your healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.