march-17-nutrition

Emotional Eating

emotionaleating_blogI was recently asked why we crave comfort foods when we are under stress.  There are a couple of different things at play.

First, let’s talk about cortisol.  Cortisol is our ‘stress’ hormone but it governs many functions in the body like glucose metabolism, blood pressure, immune function, and the inflammatory response. It is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands and derived from cholesterol.  The body doesn’t understand the difference between being chased by a tiger and your overly full In-Box on your office desk.  Stress is stress.  The body will always choose survival over other bodily functions, so we tend to produce cortisol over other hormones.  Because cortisol is made from cholesterol, we crave fatty foods when highly stressed so that we can replenish those stores to continue to manufacture cortisol (and hopefully some other hormones).  Additionally, we tend to crave sugary foods when stressed because cortisol is involved in blood sugar management.  If we are in a constant state of stress, our adrenal glands will not be able to keep up with the demand for producing cortisol resulting in poor blood sugar management.  Instead of releasing our stored glucose reserves, we need to replenish sugar ‘in the now’.

We also tend to crave salt if we are in a constant state of stress.  Our body regulates our blood pressure through the hormone aldosterone which utilizes our salt levels.  Water follows solute; in other words the body wants our salt and water level to be balanced.  If we are funneling all of our resources to make cortisol, we make too little aldosterone which results in a dehydration state. Our body craves the salt to maintain hydration and blood pressure.

Second, let’s discuss the addictive properties of gluten and dairy.  When we digest the proteins gluten (wheat) and casein (dairy), they can become a gluteomorphine or a caseomorphine.  These substances are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and fit into our Opioid sensors in the brain. They relieve physical and emotional pain by releasing the feel good chemicals in the brain.  Over time, your body makes a connection that when you eat bread or cheese you get “high” so when you are feeling low, you tend to crave these foods in order to feel better.

How does any of this apply to “Emotional Eating” you may be asking yourself.  When we are in state of emotional turmoil, the body simply perceives that as “stress”.  So the food choices we tend to make in this state are motivated by a metabolic drive to satisfy the needs for these nutrients as a result of our stressed emotional state.

What are your “comfort” foods?  If I am having a bad day, I tend to crave something salty…like McDonald’s fries or Lay’s potato chips.  At my old job, they always knew if I was having a tough day because I would run across the parking lot for the $1 bag of Lay’s at 7-11!  I tend to want savory foods when upset or stressed…lasagna, cheeseburgers, etc.  Others tend to crave more sugary foods like pastries, ice cream, etc.  Maybe there is a food your mom used to make that just reminds you of the love and protection she afforded you when you were young.  For me, this is also lasagna – one of the favorite dishes my mom used to make for us!

When we eat these foods, they make us feel better temporarily because we have more nutrients to produce or regulate some hormones that are affected by stress.  In addition, we may be getting “high” off of the dairy and gluten products we eat as a result of them being able to cross our blood-brain barrier.   This can affect our choices.

I recommend that my clients make the best choices available to them in the moment.  Are you craving salt?  Add some sea salt to your water instead of reaching for the fries or chips.  Ensure you are eating a balanced meal and or snack so that you are not faced with such strong sugar cravings.

Don’t totally deprive yourself because this can just set you up for binge eating.  Instead, recognize what is happening in your body and that you are in a state of stress.

Nutrients like Vitamin C with bioflavonoids, B Complex, Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar and Magnesium are all very helpful for a body in a stressed state and could help to curb some of those cravings!

~Jen Granlund C.N.T.P~

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