The link between food and emotions

Seasonal changes can be a stressful time for some people, and food can then serve as an escape. There are different types of stress, including acute stress, which is short-term, and chronic stress, which persists over time. Both cause hormonal changes (e.g., adrenaline, cortisol) that can influence eating behavior.

Stress and diet

The Nutrition Source, a nutrition reference based in the Department of Nutrition at the T. H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University, explains that stress can lead to behavioral changes that may impact eating habits:

1. Stress increases the body's need for energy and nutrients.
2. People suffering from chronic stress may have cravings for comfort foods (e.g., highly processed foods, rich in fat, sugar, and calories).
3. People who are stressed may lack the time or motivation to prepare nutritious and balanced meals. They may also skip or forget some
4. Stress can disrupt sleep, leading to fatigue during the day. To cope with this fatigue, some people may turn to stimulants (e.g., caffeine, high-calorie snacks).
5. During acute stress, adrenaline decreases appetite.
6. During chronic stress, high cortisol levels can cause cravings, especially for foods rich in fat, sugar, and calories, which can lead to weight gain. (See the article: Does stress harm your weight loss?)
7. Cortisol promotes the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, which is associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (See the article: Type 2 diabetes), cardiovascular diseases, and certain breast cancers.
8. Cortisol decreases leptin levels, a hormone that promotes satiety, and increases ghrelin levels, a hormone that stimulates appetite.

Some tips for managing stress without using food

1. Engaging in physical activity

Exercising can help reduce stress by lowering blood pressure, muscle tension, and stress hormone levels. The World Health Organization recommends that adults engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. (See the article: Fighting depression, anxiety, and stress through sports? )

2. Having good sleep hygiene

Poor quality sleep can be a stress factor. Indeed, some studies observe that lack of sleep increases cortisol levels. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that healthy adults sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night. (See the article: Sleep better, live better: Tips for quality sleep

3. Limit your caffeine intake

Caffeine can increase stress and disrupt sleep. Health Canada recommends that healthy adults do not consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about three cups of coffee. For pregnant or breastfeeding women, they should not exceed 300 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about two cups of coffee.

4. Engage in relaxing activities

Relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing can help reduce stress. (See articles: Anxious? Here are some tips to reduce your anxiety level as well as The benefits of yoga and simple poses)

5. Practicing mindful eating

Stressed individuals may eat without truly being aware of what they are consuming. Mindful eating aims to counteract this situation by encouraging people to engage all their senses to taste and appreciate food, to pay attention to their physical signals of hunger and satiety and to choose foods that are both satisfying and nourishing for the bodyThis practice can help raise awareness of the emotions that impact eating behavior and find other strategies besides food to manage these emotions. (See the article: What does Intuitive Eating look like in winter?)

References

1. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Alcohol/On-the-menu---good-mental-health.aspx
2. https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/FAQs/Mental-Health-FAQs.aspx#st
3. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/stress-and-health/
4. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/337003/9789240014862-fre.pdf
5. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need
6. https://www.thecenterformindfuleating.org/resources/Documents/principles_handout_1_22.pdf
7. Geiker, N., Astrup, A., Hjorth, M. F., Sjödin, A., Pijls, L., & Markus, C. R. (2018). Does stress influence sleep patterns, food intake, weight gain, abdominal obesity and weight loss interventions and vice versa?.Obesity Reviews: an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 19(1), 81– https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12603

Article written by:

Marie-Noël Marsan, Nutritionist