MSI Press Blog

Diane Keaton’s passing on October 11, 2025, from pneumonia at age 79, left many of us reflecting not only on her cinematic brilliance but also on her quiet courage. For decades, she spoke candidly about her battle with bulimia —a disorder that shaped her early adult life and informed her understanding of addiction, recovery, and self-worth. “All I did was feed my hunger, so I am an addict,” she told Dr. Oz in 2014. “It’s true. I’m an addict in recovery. I’ll always be an addict. I have an addictive nature to me.” Keaton’s words resonate deeply with those who’ve faced food addiction in its many forms—whether through binge eating, compulsive snacking, emotional eating, or cycles of restriction and purging. Her honesty reminds us that food addiction isn’t about willpower. It’s about neurobiology, emotional trauma, and the search for comfort in a chaotic world . 🔍 What Is Food Addiction? Food addiction is not officially classified as a distinct disorder in the DSM-5, but its pattern...

Carl and Murjan , at table Carl loved food. Not in the way people love snacks or comfort meals. He loved food like a musician loves sound—deeply, reverently, with curiosity and delight. He grilled with precision, plated with flair, and never met a cuisine he didn’t want to explore. Ethiopian injera, Vietnamese pho, Sicilian caponata—he welcomed them all. Food was his passport, his playground, his poetry. Carl didn’t binge. He didn’t eat to numb or escape. He ate because he loved the taste, the textures, the craftsmanship. He ate like some people chase sunsets or symphonies. It was his feel-good stuff. 🍽️ When Passion Meets Physiology Carl’s appetite was joyful, but it was also relentless. Over time, his body bore the weight of his enthusiasm—literally. He developed health complications, including cancer, and his doctors noted that his size played a role. This isn’t a cautionary tale. It’s a complexity tale. Some people eat to soothe emotions. Others eat to chase flavor. Some ...

  What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Starting in August, we will share near-daily, as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  The Optimistic Food Addict  by Christina Fisanick. Amazon review by Kay - Highly recommended!   This book is an inspiration for all who have struggled with food addiction, heart-rending at times, an incredible journey shared. Thank-you!!! For more posts about Christina and her book, click  HERE . GET THE BOOK ON DISCOUNT AT  MSI PRESS WEBSTORE USE COUPON CODE FF25 FOR 25% OFF Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on...

    What is a book jewel? A sometimes-overlooked book with remarkable insight and potential significance. Starting in August, we will share near-daily, as possible, reviews of the monthly book jewel - short, succinct reviews that can be read in 1-2 minutes with links to the reviewer by reviewers whose words are worthy of being heard and whose opinions are worthy of being considered. Sometimes a couple of minutes contains more impressive thought than ten times that many. We will let you decide that. This month's book jewel is  The Optimistic Food Addict  by Christina Fisanick. Amazon review by E. B. - Worth the read! I finished this book in just a few hours. I didn't expect to be drawn into her story as much as I was. I admire her strength through such a difficult life. I also appreciate her honesty in sharing her story. Reading this book helped me to begin to understand myself a little more, and maybe some of the reasons why I struggle with a food addiction. Some of ...

photo and The Conversation article by Laura Brow n I cannot stick to diets. I have tried for at 50 years to do so, but I just can't. I know from my friends that I am not alone. THIS diet, though, I CAN manage. It's not exactly a diet. It is more about modestly manage what you buy and eat, as explained clearly and briefly in this great article from The Conversation today: " Changing Your Diet Could Add Ten Years to Your Life -- New Research. " Very nifty, summative, easy-to-use chart, too. Worth the few minutes to read, especially since research says it may add TEN years to your life. Easier said than done? If you are struggling with low self-esteem from food being in control of your life, MIS Press author, Dr. Christine Fisanick, has a very sane and helpful approach to it all. She shares remarkable personal details in her book, The Optimistic Food Addict . Description from Amazon and other sellers:  The Optimistic Food Addict explores the author's journey through...

  Did you overeat during Chistmas (right after overeating on Halloween and Thanksgiving) and plan to do it again on New Year's Eve and Day? This time of year sure is fun (from the good food, happy food, and much food perspective), but it can bring pounds and regrets. So, below are some articles/posts with good (and perhaps surprising) reading on the topic: From HuffPost: The Toxic Phrase We Should Stop Saying around the Holidays The Point: We should go to the gym for health reasons, not with the singular intent to burn off calories  From Webmd: 9 Ways to Manage Binge Eating Disorder over the Holidays The point: Take control to not become the tail being wagged by the dog; while oriented toward binge eating disorder, most of the recommendations work for anyone who tends to eat just a tad too much at this time of year From MSI Press Blog: Recovering from Holiday Overeating: Overcoming the Tyranny of Day One The point: Dr. Christina Fisanick Greer, author of The Optimistic Food Ad...

  THIS EXCERPT FROM THE OPTIMISTIC FOOD ADDICT SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR WHAT MANY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING FROM THE "QUARANTINE FIFTEEN" COUNTRY-WIDE AVERAGE POUNDS GAINED OVER THE PAST YEAR.              For a good half an hour before falling asleep, I would try to force my mind to coerce my body to burn itself alive. I hated my fat so much that I would imagine it sizzling like bacon in a skillet, dripping like hot wax off my bones and into the ether. I was determined to will my fat to melt away.              The next morning I would wake up, disappointed to find my thighs and ass still too big to fit comfortably in my third-hand Jordache jeans. And later that night, I’d lay prone in my bed, visually imagining my flesh liquefying in my skin once again.              This dour wishful thinking would go on n...