Food and Feelings

Welcome all!

We have talked about what we eat and how food affects are well being in a basic way. Now it is time to break it down a bit. The first issue I would like to talk about is Food and Feelings. There are a few ways of looking at these two words together. First, why do you eat and why do you eat what you eat? Mostly, we eat for fuel or energy, however, sometimes we eat to fuel an emotional need or because we have the opportunity to eat such as with friends at a gathering etc. It is important to identify why and what we are eating.

This is a huge growth opportunity! And I am going to give you a simple tool to help you recognize this behavior. In your pantry and your fridge, make a small note in eye height with these simple words: "Why are you here?" This is a key to future success. It helps us identify if we are eating out of necessity or out of emotional need. If you are eating out of need, is your plate balanced? (more on this shortly) If you are eating out of emotional need, close the doors and step away. You need to identify the reason and how to resolve this need in a more productive way.

Emotional eating is prompted by several things. According to the Mayo clinic, emotional eating is linked to moods that can be triggered by events, feelings, hormones and even the weather. When we feel stressed, angry, fearful, bored, sad or lonely, food becomes a coping mechanism to soothe the mind at the current moment. Unfortunately, turning to food is only a short term fix that leaves us feeling emptier than when we started. This is not only about a binge but mindless all day eating that may have become an unconscious habit. In turn, we may pack on pounds, feed illness or perhaps, both. With emotional eating, we tend to turn to foods that give us a lift, chocolate, sugary treats or simple carbohydrates. These are packed with sugars that impact our body systems negatively and continue to feed the cycle of emotional eating. Why do we turn to sugar? Sugar is an addiction that is just as powerful as nicotine and it touches just about everything in our food supply.

What does sugar do? In the simplest of terms, It creates and fuels inflammation in the body. A little clarification, we all have small amounts of inflammation in the body and at times more. This is the bodies mechanism to help the body heal. For example, when you break a bone, the area may become inflamed. This natural response is the body's way to protect and heal. This is an acute inflammatory response. When the area is healed the inflammation decreases and goes away. Chronic inflammation, like me Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or Rheumatoid Arthritis or Fibromyalga just to name a few, the body responds to something that does not exist. The body fights itself. These are auto immune disorders that can be greatly helped through nutrition. Many of you are some where in the middle. You do not have a chronic condition but lack energy, the ability to lose weight, struggle with brain fog, fatigue, not satisfied after a meal etc. Go to Google and type in "Sugar and in" .....I'll wait.....what did you find? A plethora of links of how sugar can impact so many issues in the body. Read them but read critically.

Are you doomed? NO. But there is a challenges ahead that will be easier for some and more difficult for others. When I was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, it was tough. I began to focus on what I could not have versus what I could. When I opened my eyes, I found a whole new world of tasty treats and culinary experiences. It was my choice to live in illness or live in wellness. This is your decision as well. Reducing Gluten in your diet, as well as other sugars, will benefit your body immensely. I am going to show you how in the upcoming weeks.

The next thing I will ask you to do is this: Use the fridge and pantry note. Next time you "stop by the pantry or fridge" and it is emotional, you'll know, ask yourself what you were going looking to grab. Then reflect on the why? Am I stressed, bored, angry, frustrated? Was it the fight with your spouse or kids, too much to do and looking for comfort? How do I handle this? See tomorrows post

Hugs,

Michele