What is emotional eating? A Mumbai-based lifestyle coach explains all you need to know

As Mumbai embarks on another season of working from home amid fresh restrictions the risks of greater anxiety and stress mdash and with it emotional bingeing mdash have returned Last year in anticipation of the lockdown people across the world had begun panicbuying and hoarding sugarladen treats or deepfried nibbles An article in the The New York Times cited a global survey from the journal Obesity which found ldquopeople around the world cutting back on physical activity and eating more junk foodsrdquo during the pandemicOn the occasion of World Health Day wellknown lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho talks to middaycom on emotional eating and responsible ways to get around it However this article is not meant as a replacement for a medical practitionerrsquos advice and people must always consult their doctor first before initiating any changes to their diet or lifestyle Excerpts from the interviewLuke Coutinho1 In simple terms what is emotional eatingEmotional eating means eating to feed emotions or as a result of emotions The emotions driving this could be both positive or negative like stress sadness loneliness anxiety boredom happiness Emotional hunger is very different from physical hunger but most people confuse the two2 Why do people turn to food in emotional momentsHappiness is our natural state which means our bodies will do anything it can to attain that state because all it cares for is survival When we are under stress we create a surge in cortisol and start to deplete the feelgood neurotransmitters in our body like endorphin serotonin dopamine oxytocin Foods laden with sugar salt fat ndash when eaten during stress make our body release the same chemicals making us feel goodPeople misinterpret this as lsquocomfort foodrsquo The fact however is that exercise lovemaking sleep a hug the meditation release the same chemicals too but we often fail to adopt these healthier ways and choose negative behaviours insteadSecondly stress amplifies the reward centre of our brain ndash which is why we feel extremely good when we eat an icecream on days we feel low Our brain then saves this feeling like a memory and reminds us to reach out for something sugary every time we feel this wayFinally stress cuts off the oxygen supply to our brain lessening our ability to make wise decisions and choices towards food With stress comes lack of sleep fatigue grogginess making it easier for us to reach out for quick fixes like sugar salt caffeine alcohol Chronic stress is also known to cause gut dysbiosis meaning an imbalance in the good and bad microbes in our gut More the bad microbes more our body craves for sugar ndash as these bad bacteria need sugar as fuel to survive So unexplained cravings could sometimes just mean bad bacteria overgrowth in your gut that are screaming for fuel3 How does one know that they are bingeing because of their emotions Are there signsThere are some peculiar signs of emotional eating that one could look out for1 The tendency to eat foods that are laden with sugar salt and fat Food choices are generally unhealthy junk and processed2 Eating is mostly followed with guilt which throws one in a vicious cycle of binge guilt binge3 A loss of control over portions sensation of satiety which leads to overeating4 Done mostly when alone and seldom in front of other people4 Give us some tips to stop emotional eatingIt starts with healing our relationship with food Know and understand the kind of relationship you have with it What does food mean to you Is it for nourishment or to feed your emotions Food is nourishment Eat it to power the trillion cells your body is made up of with real nutrition and energy Respect food and its role to heal and nourish youSecondly feel every emotion ndash good or bad It is okay to have a bad day just accept it feel it learn from it reflect upon it and move into action mode We often donrsquot accept that we are having a bad day Human beings run from the feeling of lsquosufferingrsquo Hence we reach out for foods to numb these emotions To stop this its important to feel every emotionIn extreme cases it would be necessary to also seek the help of an emotional counsellor or food psychologist5 What is the difference between overeating and emotional eatingEmotional eating often leads to overeating however not all cases of overeating are due to emotional health Overeating can also happen due to true physical hunger but in cases where the person is eating too fast multitasking and not being mindful about it It can also happen when someone has skipped meals or starved for a long time for whatever reason Even traits like greed and gluttony can lead to overeating6 Can you recommend some snacks or foods that one can nibble on without feeling guiltyNo amount of healthier replacements for food or snacks can help address emotional eating Yes itrsquos always a good idea to choose healthier options over junk and processed but it isnt addressing the issue at its core Food cannot heal emotions especially if you are looking at healing from the roots Only emotions can heal emotionsWhen we are anxious we arenrsquot in a state to digest and break down food be it a salad or a pizza Stress puts us in a state of sympathetic nervous system fight or flight which causes a complete shutdown on all digestive processes because our body gets too busy trying to cope with the stressor Hence itrsquos a bad idea to eat when anxiousInstead do things that can calm you down and put you in a state of the parasympathetic nervous system aka rest and digest The simplest way to do that is taking 34 deep abdominal breaths It quickly shifts puts us in a state of equilibrium