de santis: at home, stressed and can't stop eating
if these uncertain times have you constantly looking for food, here's how to practise mindfulness.
3 minute read
stress can lead us to seek out what are known as “hyperpalatable” foods — a.k.a, not broccoli.
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are you finding that being at home, worrying about covid-19 has got you eating? all. the. time? you could be falling victim to emotional eating.emotional eating is defined as a tendency to turn to food in periods of either positive or negative emotions. it’s often associated with selecting unhealthy foods and may or may not be accompanied by a side order of guilt. being self-isolated at home, coupled with the many layers of personal and professional challenges that come bundled the current covid-19 crisis, means that boredom and stress may be playing a bigger role than usual in your otherwise normal food habits.in some ways, it’s a bit of a cruel irony because, traditionally, the flexibility of working from home has been associated with the consumption of more nutrient-dense foods and less eating out.
what causes emotional eating?
while there is no simple answer, one of the possible contributing factors is that certain hormones are elevated during times of stress.one such hormone, ghrelin, is quite famously referred to as the hunger hormone because it stimulates appetite and desire to eat. very often this leads us to seek out what are known as “hyperpalatable” foods — a.k.a, not broccoli.so what can we do?get back in touch with your hunger
during periods of stress, people find themselves less capable to listen to their body cues about hunger and fullness. in fact, many of us aren’t great at this, even on our best days. it’s important to listen to your body when you eat. eating intuitively gives you permission to eat what you want when you are experiencing certain cravings, but it’s also acknowledges your biological nutritional needs. but it’s more than eating well, but also eating when you are hungry instead of eating for the sake of eating.be aware of the food you keep at home — and where you keep it
a recent study found that minimizing the presence of foods you want to eat less often is more effective than increasing the presence of foods you want to eat more. basically, eating more healthily requires more than just simply packing your fridge and pantry with goodness — you really do need to cut out the not-so-good stuff, like chips and cookies. the other important thing is proximity. studies have shown that the foods at you keep closest to you physically, are the ones that get consumed more often. so as you sit down to your computer today with a coffee beside you, why not add a glass of water and a bowl of blueberries or carrots?get mindfulness
multiple studies from thejournal of the american medical associationand the journal of clinical psychologyhave found that mindfulness meditation is an effective stress management tool. so if we accept that emotional eating is at least partially driven by stress, we can assume that mindfulness meditation has the potential to help. for ideas, check out this article from the harvard gazette, or visit mindful.org.eating more mindfully also helps. this means eating more slowly, chewing your food 20 or more times before swallowing, eating in the absence of distractions (no phone, computer, tv), and taking a deep breath between bites.andy is a registered dietitian and multi-book author who has operated a private practice in toronto since 2015. he spends his free time eating, writing and talking about kale @andytherd. he can be reached at andytherd.com. want to keep up with covid news and trending health stories? sign up for our newsletter here.share story
