Emotional Eating: Why you’re eating away at your feelings

We’ve all been there; after going through what seems like the worst day ever, we just want to curl up with a bowl of our favourite ice cream and eat all our troubles away.The term emotional eating refers to using food as a coping mechanism to suppress and control emotional turbulence. This is quite common nowadays, there is even a category of foods know as comfort foods due to the feeling they induce. This has quickly become a coping mechanism for people as they undergo all types of emotional triggers such as work stress, financial burdens and relationship struggles.  People who are emotional eaters may find themselves craving different types of foods on different occasions and often feel guilt or shameful after ‘giving in’ to their cravings.So, what’s the science behind this? According to new research, food prompts release of what’s known as ß-endorphins, also known as “feel good” hormones. These hormones act as a ‘natural opioid’ in the body producing a feeling of satisfaction and euphoria.This also has a lot to do with the perception of food, and an individual’s relationship with food. Emotional eaters often resort to their favourite meal as a way to ‘fill the void’ and induce a sense of ‘fullness’ and feeling like a whole. Emotional eating is also considered an avoidance strategy as opposed to dealing with the actual problem and the feelings associated with it.A common misconception is the frequent association of emotional eating with overeating, which is not always the case. Often even choosing healthier options can induce feelings of guilt and throw their nutrient intake off balance, which can interrupt  desired health goals and change dietary pattern.Food often holds significant cultural value as well, and eating certain foods may induce happier feelingsAlthough a very common problem, many people have just become aware of the dangers of having an emotional relationship with food and recognizing the destructive eating patterns created by their emotions.This is why it is equally as important to work on resilience and perception of food while trying to change your diet, simply watching what you eat will not be enough to cause the desired results. For additional help, seeing an understanding nutritionist when wanting to make lifestyle changes is an excellent option, as their approach will consider all aspects in one’s lifestyle, rather than just focusing on nutrients and numbers on the scale.Check out my emotional eating program where I will guide you how to eat intuitively and tune into your natural hunger cues. This is a step by step logical approach to building a better relationship with food. I will support and guide you through this step by step process. I will give you the time to reflect and gather all the information you need to set realistic goals and achieve them in a realistic time frameThis article was produced by Lujain- @Lujainalhassan a nutrition student!