Are you eating up your emotions?
Yes, many of us do! We do swallow our emotions. Sometimes consciously and often times unconsciously.
Because, we do not eat to only satisfy the physical hunger. Many a times we eat 'Just Like That' and we are conditioned to think that it is absolutely okay. We call it 'craving' also.
Where to satisfy the physical hunger is necessary for survival, the later one calls for a little deeper thought; after all our bodies are not designed to digest emotions.
There are 2 different mechanisms in the body that regulate eating. One that controls physical hunger and the other one that controls emotional hunger.
Body and brain together know what is needed for 'balance' and our cravings are according to it.
So lets see how the first mechanism works.
When the stomach is empty, blood glucose goes down, Insulin goes down & a hormonal response signals brain. Brain now generates hunger signals. That's how one can sense the stomach growling, legs trembling, concentration lowers etc. When stomach is full, the fat cells generate a hormone called leptin which signals the brain and it tells you to stop eating.
Now imagine a scenario where you are hungry and you have a delicious, fresh, home cooked thali served with love. Just before getting up, your mother offers you an extra serving of your favourite desert and you cant resist it!
Here, a complete different mechanism is at work. When you see your favorite food or even when you just think of it, you start wanting it. It has nothing to do with hunger. It is purely a sensory memory. The brain chemicals that want you to have a 'sensory pleasure' are invoked i.e. happy hormones. You just want to experience that euphoria. Interestingly this same mechanism is found to be active while gambling or in case of addictions. Its a 'Reward mechanism' of the brain.
But why one wants to 'feel good' every now and then!
The answer is to fill the gap. Our body and brain are far more deeply connected to our needs than our 'busy doing nothing' minds. We are so much pre-occupied that we fail to listen to the signals.
CRAVING = UNMET NEED
At a physical level, it points to a deficiency but at an emotional level, it is some emotions that is unattended.
Our brain knows how to alter certain chemicals that shift the state of mind. Foods high on fat and sugar trigger the feel good response or a 'false sense of ecstasy'.
This is body's way of filling the gap or compensating for the 'emptiness' within. This response is often triggered in the state of fear, anxiety, stress. For our primitive brain, any kind of stress is a signal to pep up the protection; here in form of fat stores (means eat more foods that will boost fat stores)
This is why many people in spite of extremely strict diets and exercise regimes, fail to lose weight. and this is why food addictions and eating disorders are observed to be on rise.
Feel Good is required to be reinstated because of rising 'Feel Bad' emotion. Unfortunately, many people, instead of working on the real issue, are in search of quick fixes. Wrong foods, excessive shopping, excessive socializing, masking the 'real' self for 'looking good', constantly measuring ourselves against the standards set by someone else and pushing oneself further down into 'I am not good enough'!
Unless we learn to be aware of our feelings and emotions, we will not be able to hear what they are saying. Only when we listen, we will be able to transform them into the constructive ones and get back the lost sense of purpose.
Health is not just some numbers on the paper. It is moving towards 'wholeness' at all levels of one's existence and It is possible.
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Writer is a Clinical Nutrition expert, holistic health consultant, and inner work specialist. Though a nutritionist, she sees food as only one part of the overall solution as roots of any issue are deeper in the hidden emotions. She finds her passion in helping people discover these roots and reconnect to themselves.
Because, we do not eat to only satisfy the physical hunger. Many a times we eat 'Just Like That' and we are conditioned to think that it is absolutely okay. We call it 'craving' also.
Where to satisfy the physical hunger is necessary for survival, the later one calls for a little deeper thought; after all our bodies are not designed to digest emotions.
There are 2 different mechanisms in the body that regulate eating. One that controls physical hunger and the other one that controls emotional hunger.
Body and brain together know what is needed for 'balance' and our cravings are according to it.
So lets see how the first mechanism works.
When the stomach is empty, blood glucose goes down, Insulin goes down & a hormonal response signals brain. Brain now generates hunger signals. That's how one can sense the stomach growling, legs trembling, concentration lowers etc. When stomach is full, the fat cells generate a hormone called leptin which signals the brain and it tells you to stop eating.
Now imagine a scenario where you are hungry and you have a delicious, fresh, home cooked thali served with love. Just before getting up, your mother offers you an extra serving of your favourite desert and you cant resist it!
Here, a complete different mechanism is at work. When you see your favorite food or even when you just think of it, you start wanting it. It has nothing to do with hunger. It is purely a sensory memory. The brain chemicals that want you to have a 'sensory pleasure' are invoked i.e. happy hormones. You just want to experience that euphoria. Interestingly this same mechanism is found to be active while gambling or in case of addictions. Its a 'Reward mechanism' of the brain.
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| Courtsey: Google Images |
The answer is to fill the gap. Our body and brain are far more deeply connected to our needs than our 'busy doing nothing' minds. We are so much pre-occupied that we fail to listen to the signals.
CRAVING = UNMET NEED
At a physical level, it points to a deficiency but at an emotional level, it is some emotions that is unattended.
Our brain knows how to alter certain chemicals that shift the state of mind. Foods high on fat and sugar trigger the feel good response or a 'false sense of ecstasy'.
This is body's way of filling the gap or compensating for the 'emptiness' within. This response is often triggered in the state of fear, anxiety, stress. For our primitive brain, any kind of stress is a signal to pep up the protection; here in form of fat stores (means eat more foods that will boost fat stores)
This is why many people in spite of extremely strict diets and exercise regimes, fail to lose weight. and this is why food addictions and eating disorders are observed to be on rise.
Feel Good is required to be reinstated because of rising 'Feel Bad' emotion. Unfortunately, many people, instead of working on the real issue, are in search of quick fixes. Wrong foods, excessive shopping, excessive socializing, masking the 'real' self for 'looking good', constantly measuring ourselves against the standards set by someone else and pushing oneself further down into 'I am not good enough'!
Unless we learn to be aware of our feelings and emotions, we will not be able to hear what they are saying. Only when we listen, we will be able to transform them into the constructive ones and get back the lost sense of purpose.
Health is not just some numbers on the paper. It is moving towards 'wholeness' at all levels of one's existence and It is possible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Writer is a Clinical Nutrition expert, holistic health consultant, and inner work specialist. Though a nutritionist, she sees food as only one part of the overall solution as roots of any issue are deeper in the hidden emotions. She finds her passion in helping people discover these roots and reconnect to themselves.
Very informative
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