Food and Stress Overview and Guide
The foods that are eaten everyday play a significant role in the stress levels that are endured in daily life. Depending on what types of food a person eats or if they are stressed while eating various complications may occur such as heartburn and indigestion. Stress can cause heartburn both directly and indirectly as a result of the food that is eaten.
Food and stress go hand in hand with one another. Many people that are stressed out will eat junk food and this only causes minerals and important vitamins in the body to become more depleted which results in additional stress on the body. Eating junk foods, fatty foods or fried foods when stressed can have a severe negative impact on the body and can ultimately lead to obesity as well as various other conditions.
Stress alters the nerve impulses that cause the body to function properly and this can result in poor digestion. When stress levels are high, hormone signals and nerve impulses may result in acid indigestion and various other digestive health problems including diarrhea and upset stomach. Food and stress are actually not the best combination in most cases because the result is usually negative.
Additionally, food and stress such as eating on the run, eating fast or eating right before bed can all have an impact on the digestive process. These indirect causes of heartburn and indigestion are equally as bothersome to the individual as the direct nerve impulse and hormone related causes of indigestion. People who eat too fast, don’t chew their food all the way or do not eat healthy meals may all suffer from the consequences of food and stress.
Stress causes many people to eat excessively and others who are stressed will notice a significant lack of appetite. Food and stress are either like water and oil or they are like peas in a pod but the reality is that when people are stressed out in most cases eating habits change significantly. Eating habits may dramatically increase or become severely reduced and both options are equally bad and can be harmful to the individual.
Depending on the way that an individual handles stress and how eating habits change there are different types of treatment available. The most significant treatment for food and stress related eating changes is likely to eliminate the stress from the situation. Medications and therapy can be used to help eliminate or reduce stress, behavioral changes can be made and lifestyle changes can also be made to reduce the amount of stress an individual is under.
For people who overeat as a result of stress, there are rehab centers that provide therapy and counseling for obesity and other eating disorders. For those who find that stressful situations cause a lack of eating and food consumption, there’s counseling for that also. The most effective therapy will first attempt to eliminate or at least reduce the situations that cause stress and then educate the individual on other ways to cope with the stress besides eating.
