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May 24, 2023 · It's common to turn to food for comfort. Food can fill an emotional void, be a coping mechanism, and offer social support. In addition to preventing serious health issues and improving day-to-day lives, managing stress levels can nip those cravings in the bud and allow us to make better food choices.
- Feel good. Eating food high in fat, sugar or salt activates the brain’s reward system. For example, chocolate has a strong effect on mood, generally increasing pleasant feelings and reducing tension.
- Self-medication. There seems to be a consistent connection between negative emotions and unhealthy foods, a phenomenon called emotional eating. In a bad mood, people are drawn to unhealthy foods (sugary and fatty) as a coping mechanism.
- The need to belong. We tend to associate certain foods with members of our family, social gatherings, and people taking care of us, such as Thanksgiving holidays with family.
- Nostalgic eating. There is a strong link between scents and emotional memory. The smell of foods can evoke vivid and detailed emotional memories of our past (Reid, et al., 2014).
- Jillian Kubala, MS, RD
- Eat enough calories. It’s important to fuel your body properly to keep it healthy and functioning at its best. Without enough calories and nutrients, it’s natural that your body signals you to eat, which can cause strong cravings for certain foods.
- Avoid restrictive diets. Picture kicking off a new diet, feeling ready to change your eating patterns and reach new health goals. Unfortunately, just hours or days later, you get stronger and stronger cravings for all the foods you cannot eat.
- Don’t let yourself get ravenously hungry. Although hunger is a natural body cue that shouldn’t be feared, letting yourself get too hungry might increase the risk of strong food cravings.
- Eat filling, nutrient-dense foods. A simple way to keep cravings in check, feel fuller for longer, and stabilize your blood sugar levels is to enjoy foods that promote feelings of fullness.
By applying mindfulness to comfort eating, we can become more conscious of the foods we’re craving by directing our attention fully onto them as if for the first time, and separating them from the internal projections we’ve placed upon them.
5 ways to stop cravings. There are a number of theories about how to help yourself resist a food craving, or even prevent the craving. Drink more water.
Sep 15, 2022 · Do you race to the pantry when you feel down or otherwise upset? You’re not alone. It’s common for people to turn to food for comfort as a way to cope with big, difficult feelings.
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May 19, 2022 · In the meantime, if you’re motivated to learn how to stop eating food for comfort we’ll show you a few simple food swaps and wise choices that can help you curb your carb cravings. Food alternatives to stop comfort eating. If you’re craving something sweet and warm go for a hot chocolate.
