Is Stress Causing You to Comfort Eat?

By Maryon Stewart

Do you ever pace around and find yourself eating more chocolate, snacks or generally grazing as a comfort while distracted by your life stresses? It happens to all of us.

When stress becomes distressful we often lose our resolve to eat healthily, find it hard to love ourselves and that's when the rot sets in.

Up to a point, stress can actually be healthy, in that it keeps us alert and ready to face the day ahead. However, there is a fine line between stress and distress. Professor Hans Selye, the founder of modern research into stress, described it as "the rate of wear and tear on the body."

Good Stress VS Bad Stress

Selye distinguishes between good and bad stress. Good stress can be reasonably healthy as it stretches us to capacity and keeps us on our toes. However, when we reach the point of overload, stress has an adverse effect, leaving many of us feeling overwhelmed and under par.

We all have different ways of dealing with stress, and while some of us take it in our stride, others use methods of coping that can result in undesirable symptoms. Weight gain, as a result of comfort eating, or bingeing, is a classic side-effect of the "too much on my plate syndrome."

If you are experiencing emotional problems, strained family relationships, fitful sleep, irritability and notice that you are grazing on junk food instead of eating proper meals, it's probably time for a stress check to ensure you're keeping the balance between good and bad stress.

If the scales lean towards the bad, it's time to set in place a protective plan so your body is in the best possible state to stand up to stress and without it causing you to gain weight rather than lose it.

Three Steps To A Stress Protection Plan

Step 1: Eat Well. Stress is a common cause of digestive upsets such as indigestion, bloating, IBS and heartburn. While some people eat less when stressed, many more comfort eat and gradually gain weight as a result.

Stress hormones can also dry up saliva, making swallowing difficult. A healthy, balanced diet will provide the necessary fuel you need to see you through the most difficult times. Some tips to consider:

* Consume nutritious food in little amounts (and often) to keep blood sugar levels constant. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, with a wholesome mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack.
* Eat fresh, home-cooked foods wherever possible.
* Eat foods that are naturally sweet: dried fruit, fresh fruit, nuts and seeds, rather than foods with added sugar.
* Relax while you are eating and enjoy your food. Bolting food down or eating on the run can result in you swallowing too much air, which can lead to bloating.
* Cut down on tea and coffee. Try caffeine-free Redbush tea or coffee substitutes instead, or herbal teas.

Step 2: Sleep Well

While asleep your body gets into cell repair and rejuvenation, so a good night's sleep is essential to wake up ready to face the day ahead. If you can't sleep or feel sleepy all the time, chances are you're suffering from stress overload. Waking up in the middle of the night and fitful dreams are other common signs.


* Try to get at least 8 hours sleep a night and if your sleep is stress-disturbed, take some valerian, a natural relaxation herb.
* Establish a regular sleep pattern: go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
* Avoid eating and exercising too close to bedtime.
* Take a short power nap after lunch to recharge your batteries.

Step 3: Make Time for Yourself

Making time for yourself is essential, especially if your life is busy and full. The ability to 'switch off' and refresh is the key to well-being, but it's not always as easy as it sounds. If you're preoccupied and tense, it can be hard to see the benefits of taking time out.

Being able to relax thoroughly is an acquired skill, which for some of us takes a little practice. But all that is required is 15-20 minutes a day, and a comfortable space in which to spend that time.

Relaxation is becoming more important as many of us continue to live life in the fast lane. The Pzizz machine is a portable unit that provides a relaxation program of music and sound effects tailored to your preferences. Meditation CDs work equally well. Once you've learned the art of relaxation you can practise it at any time, and, best of all, it is free.

In addition you might like to try a more formal method of relaxation such as yoga, meditation or the martial art Tai Chi. All of these can be very calming, so it's just a question of which method suits you the best.

Other top stress-busters:

* Tell your family how you feel and ask for their support.
* If your stress comes from work, discuss with colleagues how you can make changes, or if you are self-employed you will need to re-evaluate.
* Try to get away; even only for a few days.
* Learn not to take on too much.
* Prioritise your responsibilities and see if you can offload or delegate some of the less important tasks.
* Make sure you are getting enough magnesium. Good sources include fruit and dark green leafy vegetables.
* Avoid caffeine in the form of tea, coffee, chocolate and cola as it acts as a stimulant.
* Keep your alcohol consumption to a minimum as it can also act as a stimulant and disturb your sleep.
* Ask your partner or close friend to give you a massage.
* Watch an entertaining film or read a good book.
* Make sure you find things to laugh about.
* Make a point of singing in the bath!

Nurturing yourself when the going gets tough will increase your well being as well as help you to cope with stressful situations. It will also lessen the chances of you dipping into the cookie jar or running out to the late night garage to get yourself a sweet fix.

About the Author

Maryon Stewart is well known in both the UK and Australia as a pioneer in the field on non-drug medicine. She is the author of 25 best selling self-help books and founder of the Natural Health Advisory Service, an advisory clinic created to help people deal with health, nutrition and aging issues naturally. Visit: http://www.helpmeloseweightforgood.com

Is stress causing you to comfort eat? Become empowered and learn how to live an active life with healthy foods that won't leave you feeling that you are greedy and weak willed. Visit http://www.helpmeloseweightforgood.com for diet tips, recipes, a 5 step plan for weight loss and a copy of The Real Life Diet by Maryon Stewart of the Natural Health Advisory Service.

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