Everyone suffers from it sometimes; a bad feeling. For many people, food is a good solution to neutralize this feeling of emptiness and negativity. But is it really that healthy to turn to food when there is a bit of negativity? Is there any food that makes us feel better and reduces stress? The answers to these questions and more in that article about ,Food and Emotion,.
Emotional feeling of hunger
First of all, it is important not to confuse the emotional feeling of hunger with the ,natural, feeling of hunger. The natural feeling of hunger builds up slowly until you eat something. An emotional feeling of hunger arises at once and can disappear again at the same pace. Everyone feels bad sometimes and then takes something tasty to compensate for the bad feeling, this is not a problem in itself. Eating because we feel bad only becomes a problem when it starts to look like an addiction.
Signs of emotional hunger
Wondering if you are an emotional eater? Then do this little self-test:
- Does the feeling of hunger come on quickly?
- Do you specifically crave unhealthy, fatty and high-calorie foods?
- Are you angry, sad or disappointed when the feeling of hunger arises?
- Do you not realize how much you are eating (is the bag of chips gone before you know it)?
Positivity and food
It is also possible that a feeling of hunger arises with joy and positivity. Be careful with this, because it is just as treacherous as a feeling of hunger with negativity. This feeling of hunger should not be confused with rewarding yourself for completing a difficult task. Many people eat a tasty bar of chocolate after a long day of work, and others drink a beer. Of course there is nothing wrong with this! Once again, things only go wrong here when the eating behavior starts to resemble an addiction. Do you need some more positive feelings? Food can offer a solution here too!
Positive feelings through food
Have you had a busy day at work and are you ready for some positive feelings? Many products contain substances that can provide a more positive feeling. Dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa) can help evoke these feelings. The cocoa causes serotonin to increase, which makes a person feel more comfortable. Tea also contains substances that provide a positive effect. Tea contains theine, which makes us extra active and has a lot of antioxidants.
Healthy eating against stress
Something that few people know is that unhealthy eating and stress go hand in hand. Healthy eating helps to combat stress and ensures that the body recovers better in a difficult period. Stress is associated with increased blood pressure, fortunately nuts, avocados, tuna, some citrus fruits and some poultry ensure that blood pressure goes down again. Strawberries ensure that fewer stress hormones are released and also contain many antioxidants. So you will see, eat healthy and stress will reduce significantly.
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