2023-05-05 00:38:38
“I deserve this cake”, “I feel like eating”… These are just some of the phrases we hear or pronounce on a daily basis. Totally standardized, reflect the automatic association between anxiety and eating.
[Cómo saber si estoy teniendo un ataque de ansiedad y qué hacer para intentar calmarlo]
But is it healthy? How to fight against the need to eat at all costs to compensate for stress? Several experts explain the mechanisms and how to combat them.
Food and stress
Miguel NavarroCEO of Fierce Healththe school online nutrition, training and emotional well-being, and Ana Montes, its clinical director, They report some of the reasons and factors that produce poor eating due to anxiety, and what are the steps to overcome them.
“Emotions can affect eating through a tendency to consume foods to satisfy or regulate certain emotions. Negative emotions such as stress, sadness, anxiety or even boredom produce a desire to escape in the body, which often translates into the desire for comforting and pleasant foods such as sweets or carbohydrates,” they explain.
And they add: “On a physical level, emotions can affect cortisol and serotonin levels, which is reflected in appetite. Cortisol, the stress hormone, can increase hunger and promote the accumulation of abdominal fatwhile serotonin can decrease appetite and regulate the desire for sweet foods.”
Foods and drinks that help with anxiety
“Anxious consumption of food can have very negative consequences, which is why it is important learn to manage emotions in a healthy way through the practice of exercise, meditation, talking with family and friends and organizing fun plans and, of course, with the help of mental health professionals,” the professionals add.
“You always have to look for the origin of this discomfort, but, while we are working on it, we can incorporate into our day to day some foods that make us feel better. The gut-brain axis is one of the main conductors of our emotions, there is a two-way communication between both parties, so if we help improve our digestive system, we will improve that stress or anxiety,” he explains. Dr. Lara Garcelán, nutritionist-dietitian of the HM Torrelodones University Hospital.
According to the doctor, “there are three important food groups: foods rich in tryptophan such as eggs, nuts, legumes, fish… which will help to produce serotonin, the pleasure hormone; and foods rich in GABA, a neurotransmitter that allows this communication between our digestive system and the brain, such as oats, potatoes, salmon, spinach, broccoli or bananas, thus reducing anxiety and stress”.
And finally, he adds, “magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, dark chocolate or pumpkin seeds.”
How to control the craving?
Conscious eating, which involves paying attention to the food being eaten, savoring each bite and enjoying the process of eating. It also helps to be aware of physical hunger and fullness cues, which can prevent overindulgence. Conscious eating can also be positive to control the amount of food you eat.
For example, chewing food a certain number of times, stopping eating when you are satisfied, or avoiding distractions during meals.
Identify and avoid anxiety triggerscan be triggered by factors such as stress, lack of sleep and lack of physical activity.
plan meals It can help prevent binge eating due to anxiety, since it allows you to control in advance the foods that are going to be eaten, trying to ensure that they are always nutritious foods. This is very positive to avoid the temptation to overeat in times of anxiety or stress.
Seek emotional support to reduce the emotional burden. Talking with a therapist or a close friend is beneficial for processing emotions and is a way to manage anxiety without resorting to binge eating. In addition, it can help you to be less isolated and more connected with others.
practice mindfulness, a practice that involves paying conscious attention to the present moment without judgment. Helps reduce anxiety, as it allows you to recognize and accept thoughts and emotions without reacting impulsively.
Mindfulness is optimal for acknowledging those thoughts and emotions, without impulsively reacting to them. Through the practice of mindfulness, it is possible to learn to recognize patterns of thought and behavior and, over time, change them to avoid binge anxiety.
This can be practiced through breathing exercises, meditation or yoga, doing everyday activities such as washing dishes, walking or showering. Just try to be present in the moment and have the person focus on their feelings and thoughts in the moment, without judging them.
1683249028
#anxiety #eat #loop #experts