Emotional hunger, will it be that I eat from stress?

For most people, enjoying good food is one of life's great pleasures. However, many view the cupboard with a mixture of desire and fear, because they feel unable to control the urge to eat, even when they have finished eating and feel satisfied. For them, food can be a double-edged sword. The alcoholic and drug addict know that these substances are harmful, and can, if they wish or have the necessary help, avoid them. With food it is different. Even if you suffer from an eating disorder, such as compulsive eating, at least three times a day you have to deal with food, everyone offers it to you: friends, family, social networks, you simply cannot avoid them.

Many people suffer from what experts call emotional eating, which can also be described as "emotional hunger." They do not eat to nourish their body, or when they feel hungry, but to fill an emotional void. Stress, anger, anxiety, sadness and loneliness, as well as any alteration in their lives, from job loss to divorce, lead them to seek the comfort of food, especially in foods laden with sugar , fat and calories, which are known as "junk food." Add to this that many dishes cause the body to secrete hormones that lift the mood and give a feeling of well-being that can become addicted.

This is why emotional hunger is so common. In fact, according to scientific studies, 75% of the cases, when a person overeats, it is because of the mood. On the other hand, the origin of this disorder is not always emotional. Some studies suggest that binge eating may have biological causes related to the hypothalamus, an area of ​​the brain that controls appetite. Therefore, it is always necessary to consult the problem with a doctor for help.

The vicious circle

But people who recognize that they eat to fill an emotional void, many times struggle with their feelings of guilt and with the shame caused by not being able to control this habit, although they know that it is very harmful. But in reality, what happens while they recriminate themselves, because more anxiety increases and also the compulsion to attenuate all those unpleasant feelings with more food. In addition to the distress that this causes them, they also know that overeating can cause overweight, which is linked to type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, gastrointestinal disorders and high cholesterol, among other health problems. This again begins to raise the anxiety, with the results that we already know.

Fortunately, it is possible to control and eliminate this bad habit.

Symptoms of binge eating

• Eating large amounts very quickly

• Eating even when you're full, continuously throughout the day

• You hide food to eat when you are alone.

• You feel relief from stress only when you eat

• You never feel satisfied, no matter how much you eat

• You feel guilty or depressed after overeating.

Steps to liberation

If you binge eat, experts recommend that

• Learn to distinguish between true hunger and the emotional void that leads you to eat to fill it. If you can recognize that hunger is not physical, you can allow a few minutes until the sensation passes. Distract yourself with an activity that takes you away from the cupboard, such as taking a walk, talking with a friend, doing housework, reading a book, studying.

• Recognize the pattern. Keep a journal of what you eat when you do it and why. In this way you can recognize that there are situations or circumstances or feelings that immediately lead you to seek relief in meals.

• Let's remove dangerous foods from the pantry. These are the ones you eat to alleviate your emotional distress, such as chocolate, pepitos, sweets, products that contain fat.

• Eat a healthy and balanced diet with nutritious meals, including fruits and vegetables.

• Do exercises, walk, jog, or any activity, will help you combat stress and anxiety, burn calories and stay healthy and fit. At the same time, your body rests, sleeps 8 hours to calm your nerves and repair the emotional wear and tear of stress that leads you to overeat.

Let's take care of our health from each and every one of the perspectives that it needs.

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