Emotional Eating Tip #2: Pleasure

dancing of joy
Originally uploaded by Eirinn

In honor of Valentine's day I offer you tip #2: do something just for the pure pleasure of it.
Valentine's day is a time to share the love. Part of sharing the love is giving some to yourself and nothing gives to yourself like pleasure!

When I talk about pleasure, I mean those things that give you life force, that bring you true joy, that lift you up and all those around you. Pleasure is not indulging in self-destructive behavior like drugs, alcohol or binge eating as a means to avoid life. Pleasure is about indulging in yourself - and truly loving it.

The act of pursuing pleasure has innumerable health benefits, among them helping to decrease the desire for emotional eating. When we experience pleasure our body releases nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a gas that travels freely and easily throughout the body. Nitric oxide:

• causes blood vessels to widen thereby aiding in the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to cells and the ridding of waste products
• decreases blood pressure
• stimulates the release of feel-good hormones like beta-endorphin (creates feelings of euphoria) and prolactin (intensifies bonding)
• decreases stress hormones
• creates the sensation of joy and pleasure

And guess what? The more pleasure you experience, the more nitric oxide you produce and so the cycle goes. So how do you bring more pleasure into your life?

• dance
• call a friend
• take a warm bath with candles, bubbles and music
• take a walk
• make love
• go to the movies
• brag to a friend about how wonderful you are
• anything that truly makes you happy

So the next time you turn to the fridge to ease your loneliness, reach for the radio dial instead. Turn up the music, let loose and make yourself healthy!

Emotional Eating Tip #1: Balanced Diet

The first step in breaking free of emotional eating is learning how to curb the carbohydrate addiction. To understand more see previous posts: breaking the sugar addiction and breaking the sugar addiction, part 2 (January 19th & 22nd). For now it is important to know that until you get off the sugar cycle emotional eating is that much more difficult.

www.prevention.com

When our blood sugar drops after having consumed a meal high in simple or refined carbohydrates, such as oatmeal and o.j. or toast with jam, our bodies scream out for some food that will give us that quick fix of energy it so desperately needs. Low blood sugar often results in increased anxiety, irritability, fatigue, mood swings, etc. If in that moment we are also struggling with loneliness, sadness or upset we are much more likely to grab the food that will not only give us the burst of energy but the additional relief of comfort as well.

On the other hand, if your moods are stable and your body satisfied from eating a balance of whole, unprocessed carbohydrates, proteins and fats, then you will make your food choices from a more rational, balanced place even if you are feeling emotionally stretched. As you learn to curb the carbohydrate addiction many other aspects of life simply fall into place. I know having struggled with a sugar addiction for many years.

Tonight, when I went to my local grocery store to return a DVD I strolled past the rows of Valentine's Day candy, delighted to recognize that I had no desire whatsoever, for any of it. Two years ago I would have left that store with little bags of candy and possibly even some cookies. I would have begun eating them in the car and possibly finishing most before even arriving home. Anything leftover would have been gone before I went to bed that night. Not anymore. So what does that mean in terms of emotional eating. It means that when the blues do hit I may glance in the fridge or pantry but I walk away and find other solace. My body is stable. Now my mind can find solace without sugar.

Simple, vegan sushi

My kids love when I make sushi for dinner and if it wasn't so much work I would make it a lot more often. One day, however, in an attempt to use up some leftovers in a quick and easy way, I came up with a new "sushi" recipe that is nutritious, delicious and simple. I must admit, however, that my kids are not quite as enthusiastic about this recipe but I love it and I think you might too.


What makes this sushi particularly unique is that the filling has almost nothing to do with sushi as you and I know it. This roll contains quinoa, hummus and kale. Although really you could put just about any grain, veggie and spread in a sheet of nori, roll it up and call it a meal.

Quinoa is a whole grain with tremendous nutritional value. It has a very high protein content, as well as fiber, phosphorous, and magnesium. It is also gluten-free and cooks in about 15 minutes (recipe below).

I make my own hummus because I am a mom of two kids. Those of you without kids may not be familiar with the discerning palates of young children. Those of you with kids...well, need I say more? So this hummus is tahini free. But you can purchase a variety of hummesses (hummi?) from your local grocery store.

Lastly I add kale because kale is my absolute favorite green. Not only is it packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, but when I eat it I swear my body is smiling. I dip the completed concoction in soy sauce and voila! A balanced meal, easy to transport, prepared in seconds (when using leftovers) and deeply satisfying.

Quinoa

2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 tsp salt

Combine in a pot. Bring the water to a boil. Cover. Lower the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. All done!

Hummus

2 cups chickpeas soaked overnight
1 T. lemon juice
2 tsp. salt
1 cup chickpea water
1/2 cup olive oil and extra for cooking water

Place soaked chickpeas in pressure cooker. Cover chickpeas with water and then add about 1/2 inch more. (water should be about 1/2 inch above chickpeas). Bring to pressure. Cook nine minutes. Let sit until all the heat has left.

Grind garlic in food processor. Add chickpeas, chickpea water, salt and lemon juice. Blend. While blending slowly add olive oil. All done.

Kale

I like to keep it simple with kale. For this recipe I sauteed it in olive oil with a pinch of salt. Cook until desired tenderness.

Sushi

Place about 1/2 cup of quinoa on nori roll. Add hummus on top. Then kale. Roll. Dip. Enjoy!

Emotional Eating - Why do we do it?

Emotional eating often stems from an imbalance in hormones. We form associations in our brains as a result of our upbringing. Visits to dad always accompanied by a trip to the ice cream parlor, family visits focused on grand feasts with pies, cakes and soda. Whatever it was, we begin to associate sugar with the feelings that accompanied the situation. As we grow older the situations change but the associations remain. Now, in the midst of a breakup or a crisis at work, sugar and our associations with it, bring about feelings of calm, comfort and even joy.

The reality is that hormones are out of balance. Hormones, like serotonin and dopamine, leave you feeling good. Beta-endorphins act like morphine, bringing on feelings of euphoria and a sense of focus and clarity in stressful times. Excess stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, released during the emotional break-up or crisis exacerbate the desire for sugar. When your hormones are out of balance, you crave the emotional stability, energy and sense of peace that sugar seems to remedy. Sugar, however, only temporarily treats the symptoms and over the long run leads to more intense cravings, a weaker immune system, less energy and greater mood swings. The trick is to find that balance without sacrificing your sanity.

I will be offering tips for how to eliminate or overcome emotional eating. In the meantime what has worked for you?

Dr. Northrup on Menopause

Menopause may seem like it has nothing to do with proteins, fats and carbohydrates but just sit tight. You'll see where I'm going.

I work with Dr. Christiane Northrup as a member of Team Northrup. Dr. Northrup has been in the news a bit lately having appeared on Oprah twice in just as many weeks to discuss the new hot topic - hormone replacement therapy or HRT.


Before we dive into whether or not a woman needs HRT let's take a moment to explore other ways to help a woman bring her hormones into balance. Many lifestyle choices throw our hormones out of balance - lack of or excessive amounts of exercise, chronic stress, too many toxic chemicals such as sugar, alcohol and caffeine (sorry), little sleep and of course diet. What we eat effects everything from how we feel to what we feel. And hormones are the little messengers in our body communicating to us every step of the way.

So yes, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber and of course, as Dr. Northrup pointed out, omega 3 essential fatty acids, play a starring role in the play of perimonapause and menopause. A balanced diet, with little or no white foods (white flour, white rice, etc.), sugar, alcohol and caffeine makes a hormone happy. And trust me, we like our hormones to be happy.

The first hormone that is affected by a balanced diet is insulin. The amazing thing about hormones, and everything else in life for that matter, is that when one hormone is out of balance all of our hormones are out of balance. When we can bring one hormone into balance it helps to bring them all into balance. It's a beautiful system, especially when we know how to care for it.

When you eat carbohydrates with proteins, fats and fiber (as mentioned in a previous post), you release a more steady stream of insulin. When insulin is regulated there is no danger of over or under producing this vital hormone. When insulin levels are high, we enter into the danger zone for obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and possibly even heart attacks or stroke. It is so important to enjoy life while remembering that our bodies are no laughing matter. We honor and care for our bodies so that as we age our bodies will honor and care for us by allowing us to live long and healthy lives.

Nutrition is just the beginning. But a very important beginning.

Proteins and fats

It is unlikely, if you are reading this blog, that you don't care about obesity, inflammation or chronic degenerative diseases. Chances are you would rather avoid any of the above mentioned issues or at least ameliorate the symptoms.

If this is the case, may I recommend protein and fat? Proteins and fats are found in meats, beans, tofu, nuts, dairy and fish. Proteins and fats do many wonderful things for our body. Not the least of which is helping us break the sugar addiction. When you add protein and/or fat to a meal, sugar absorption slows down and the body is able to respond in a more even and consistent manner. Insulin is released over time, blood sugar levels stay stable and you step off of the sugar addiction roller coaster. Ahhh, how nice it is to have an easy ride once in awhile.

So the first suggestion I often make to clients, when sugar is the culprit, is add protein (and fat) to every meal. The secret is really balance. Has it ever not been? Begin with just this first step. Don't worry about the rest - for that will come later. For now - just add nuts to your oatmeal, almond butter to your bagel, eggs with your toast. Keep it simple. It always is.

Breaking the sugar addiction, part 2

So why do we want the cake?

When we eat carbohydrates, the carbohydrates break down into sugar or glucose. The body then releases the hormone insulin. Insulin makes sure that glucose gets to the places it needs to go: the liver, muscle and fat cells. As blood sugar is carried through the body to the liver, muscle and fat cells, sugar levels drop. What does this mean to you?

Imagine this - you start the day with a bagel and a cup of coffee. The bagel gives you a burst of energy as the sugar is released into the blood stream and used for fuel. But soon you notice that you are tired, irritable, hungry, and/or anxious. Your blood sugar has dropped and your body thinks it is starving.

The relief - a muffin, a piece of cake, toast with butter and jam. Foods that will provide the quick sugar fix your body is looking for. Foods that will bring you a burst of energy, make you feel good, ease your anxiety. You grab the cake, begin to feel better and start the cycle all over again. Most Americans put their body through this cycle four or five times a day! It's exhausting, unhealthy and sets you on the path of obesity, inflammation and the chronic degenerative diseases that are responsible for the majority of illness-related death in this country.