Stress Eating 101

Stress can have many different effects on the human mind and body. Everyone reacts in their own way and deals with it in their own way. One of these ways can be stress eating or emotional eating. No person alive is immune to or above stress. Stress can effect the way your body works, such as change processes in the circulatory or digestive system and even change chemistry in the brain. These slight changes show themselves in the form of physical, emotional, or mental symptoms. Some will flat out forget to eat and others will reach for food when stressed. This can lead to gaining unwanted pounds and making unhealthy food choices. Stress boosts cortisol levels which make us crave fatty foods and carbohydrates. This type of foods are high in fat and calories but low on nutrients and needed vitamins. An unhealthy diet means more risk of many diseases. Much of the problem is that people eat even when they are not really hungry. People eat sociable, to rid themselves of nervous energy, out of habit, out of boredom, even to avoid confrontation and of course to quiet those cortisol cravings.

Too much stress can lower your blood sugar and cause extra fat storage especially in the abdominal area. Emotional or stress eating may also be strongly connected to depression. This would be an example of chronic stress. One might eat excessively and sleep alot, thus not getting enough exercise or the right kind of nourishment. Emotional eating means your feelings decide when you eat and how much you eat, not your body. It can be a hard thing to overcome but the first step is to understand why you do it. When you figure out what triggers episodes of stress eating you can plan other ways to cope besides eating. Sometimes the just the stress of being on a diet alone, is enough to kick in cortisol cravings. People will often turn to food when they feel bored, hopeless, angry, or out of control.

There are ways to stop stress eating and turn away from those comfort foods, such as focusing on healthier eating habits. You might also try some relaxation techniques or deep breathing exercises. When you can't fight a craving, have some healthier snacks close at hand. You can't go wrong with some daily physical exercise either! Even just a 20 minute walk can noticeably relax and reduce stress levels, not to mention burn some of those calories. Some people may need professional help if the problem is too deep to deal with alone.
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