Besides the myriad problems that we are dealing with during the COVID-19 crisis, stress-eating or ‘emotional eating’ is one that deserves attention and redressal.
The onset of a stressful situation sets off many changes in the body. For one, the feel-good neurotransmitters in our body (serotonin, dopamine, endorphin, oxytocin) begin to get depleted. As a result, we tend to seek things that bring us comfort, and food can easily serve that purpose. Foods laden with sugar, salt, fat, caffeine, or alcohol, light up the pleasure and centres of the brain, and thus offer temporary relief by numbing the prevailing emotions of stress, anxiety or hopelessness.
The comfort accrued from eating these foods is registered in our memory, because of which we seek the same type of food (whatever it is for you – ice-cream, pastry or potato chips) every time we experience distress. This marks the beginning of the vicious cycle of wanting more of such pleasurable foods. There may be some guilt associated with this irresponsible behaviour, but in order to overcome the guilt, we often binge eat some more.
When stressed, the brain receives a shorter supply of oxygen, affecting our ability to make the right decisions. Stress also affects the quality of sleep, resulting in grogginess and fatigue. This explains why we reach for the worst foods (with respect to nourishment) at times like these.It is easy to get caught in this rut, but all it gives you is transient respite and long-term health damage.
Here are some ways in which you can overcome the problem of emotional eating:
An effective way to break out of this cycle is to restore the balance of chemicals in the body. Choose to eat foods that are rich in magnesium, which is a stress-busting mineral. Magnesium is a natural antidepressant that also enhances the quality of sleep. Moreover, when we are stressed, the body consumes its magnesium resources – all the more reason to replenish the mineral. Seeds of all kinds (including pumpkin, flax, garden cress and sesame seeds) are a rich source of magnesium. Other good sources include the green leaves (beet greens, amaranth leaves, spinach, etc.), nuts (peanuts, almonds, cashew), and whole grain cereals particularly the millets.
Make sure never to eat when you are in a particularly agitated state. The angry or agitated state elevates the cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is a hormone that induces storage of energy, which is why eating in an agitated state is likely to cause weight gain. Breathing gently, regularly but deeply, can help restore calm.
Eating mindfully – slowly, socially, without distractions, at an appropriate place and time – can help overcome the need to stress eat. I have previously written about the methods to practice mindfulness while eating.
Stock up your home with healthy, nourishing foods that you can turn to in times of distress.
Adequate sleep, meditation practices and physical exercise can help release feel-good hormones in the body. The next time you are driven to stress-eat, think of the other ways in which you can induce a state of calm and pleasure, and save yourself from the damaging effects of eating poorly.
Neelanjana Singh
Nutrition Therapist & Wellness Consultant