Stress can raise your cortisol levels, which is known as a key stress hormone. When there is excess amount of cortisol in your body, the desire to eat sweet and salty foods increases which can lead to weight gain and excess body fat. While it may be natural to reach for “comfort” food when you’re stressed, that will ultimately make your stress level worse. Those with high cortisol level are reported to snack more often in response to daily stressors. Eating to manage stress can ultimately lead to decreased mental health, poor eating and binge eating and a low-quality diet. Stress eating can also harm your health, as previously noted. Here Joanne Washburn, Food.news, reflects on ways to stop binge eating:

“Even the best of us may slip from time to time and end up overeating at the dinner table. But if that sounds like an everyday thing for you that you feel helpless to stop, then you may have binge eating disorder (BED).

BED, the most common eating disorder in the U.S., is a serious disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food, often very quickly and to the point of discomfort even when not actually hungry. People who binge eat often feel a lack of control during these episodes and get wracked with guilt after. It’s not fully understood why this happens. But experts say social, emotional and genetic factors may be involved.

Binge eating can also lead to short- and long-term health problems like digestive disorders and diseases linked to being overweight, such as heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

But the good news is that you can overcome these binge eating episodes by following these simple tips:

1. Don’t fall for fad diets

Eating fad diets that are too restrictive, such as those that require you to stay within a certain calorie count and those that allow only certain foods, can lead to intense feelings of deprivation or cause you to go into starvation mode. Either way, you’re just setting yourself up for another binge eating episode.

So instead of following the latest diet craze, focus on eating a balanced one full of nutritious foods. Make sure it has all of the essential food groups covered and take note of the daily calorie intake appropriate for your weight and age, among other factors.

2. Exercise

If you sometimes snack out of sheer boredom, try exercising. Besides distracting you, exercise helps boost your mood by stimulating your body to release endorphins, the chemicals that give you positive feelings.

Additionally, exercise boosts your energy levels by improving blood flow. You’ll likely be able to resist snacking more easily when you feel relaxed and energized.”

If you would like to learn other solutions to help control your health … click here?

Read More … Article Source: https://www.food.news/2021-01-15-tips-to-stop-binge-eating.html