Deborah Cripps, coach inglese che vive a Newbury, gestisce un blog di cui ci ha autorizzato a condividere una riflessione sul perché mangiamo.
Stare bene e vivere armoniosamente il ruolo professionale aiuta ad avere un rapporto equilibrato con l’alimentazione, e viceversa la cura di sé che include un’alimentazione sana -nei ritmi e nelle quantità e nel mix e nei rituali- è una bella base di partenza per un impegno positivo nel lavoro, negli interessi e negli affetti. Nella nostra cultura latina, inoltre, mangiare = mangiare con, ovvero si lega agli affetti e alle relazioni.
Ecco perché
- hanno sempre più successo gli show televisivi legati alla cucina
- ogni rivista ha una sezione o una rubrica che parla di diete o di ricette e i libri sulle diete sono sicuri best seller
- molti si rivolgono a dietologi e nutrizionisti
- c’è grande richiesta di coach e di counselor per migliorare il proprio rapporto con il cibo, cioè per lavorare sul problema a partire dalla base.
Are you eating for emotional reasons? Maybe you eat to celebrate a positive achievement, or to punish yourself for some type of failure. This is a case where you may be eating simply to fill a void in your life. And it is easy to do, because there are so many wonderful tasting foods, and some of them are actually healthy for you.
Filling a Void With “Comfort Foods” Can Be Unhealthy and Dangerous
But a lot of the ‘comfort foods’ commonly used as an emotional crutch are unhealthy, and even dangerous when taken in excess. So if you are eating for the wrong reasons, emotional, mental or spiritual ones, you could be treating your problem with food that creates even more issues in your life. In fact, normally we don’t eat for comfort, but to cover up a discomfort we are feeling. However, covering up a discomfort doesn’t sound as pretty as ‘comfort eating’, does it?
A dangerous cycle begins where you feel bad about your emotional eating habits, and this can lead to depression and low self-esteem. Then you simply treat this pain by eating. In the short term, this will help you deal with discomfort. However, in a very short period of time a healthy individual can suffer drastically and significantly, both emotionally and physically, by eating for the wrong reasons.
If you have just lost a loved one, you may turn to food to soothe your feelings. Research has shown that fat, sugar and salt make us feel good. There is a natural reaction which makes this happen.
Dopamine, Endorphins show Effect on Emotional Eating
The problem arises when you overeat foods heavy in carbohydrates, starches, sugars, fats and salt. The chemicals in those types of food naturally release endorphins and dopamine in your brain. Endorphins are a “feel good” chemical, and dopamine slowly lowers the effect of fat, sugar-filled and carb-rich foods on your brain.
This means that in order to soothe yourself, you require more of these foods to deliver the same response over time. In this way, eating to fill some void or missing component in your life can very naturally, and very gradually, lead to obesity, health and cardiovascular problems, poor circulation and a host of physical ailments.
Coping with loss or any other major void or absence in your life is very difficult. Get help from your friends and families emotionally. Turn to a psychiatrist or food addiction specialist for more answers. The next time you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself if it is for emotional or physical reasons. Mistreating an emotional problem or void with food usually leads to poor health, as well The problem arises when you gorge yourself on foods heavy in carbohydrates, starches, sugars, fats and salt. The chemicals in those types of food naturally release endorphins and dopamine in your brain. Endorphins are a “feel good” chemical, and dopamine slowly lowers the effect of fat, sugar-filled and carb-rich foods on your brain.
This means that in order to soothe yourself, you require more of these foods to deliver the same response over time. In this way, eating to fill some void or missing component in your life can very naturally, and very gradually, lead to obesity, health and cardiovascular problems, poor circulation and a host of physical ailments.
Coping with loss or any other major void or absence in your life is very difficult. Get help from your friends and families emotionally. The next time you feel the urge to eat, ask yourself if it is for emotional or physical reasons. Mistreating an emotional problem or void with food usually leads to poor health, as well as more physical and emotional stress.
