Nervous Wreck

image papertissue, via loveisnotavictorymarch

Recently, an interesting question was posed upon us on the 411Fitness website, "How to Help a Nervous Eater?" I left it to Jodi Peckich, the Health Educator specializing in holistic nutrition, to answer the question.

Individual levels vary, though stress affects all of us. Worried about the possibility of negative reviews, Jessica Simpson pointed to nervous eating as the cause of her weight gain in September 2008. And whether you consider yourself an “Average Joe” or “Not-So-Average Jessica”, reacting to stress in less-than-optimal ways such as nervous eating can impact one’s health in negative ways.

When enough links form a chain: Nervous eating is not necessarily an isolated behavior, but rather, may be a sign of an underlying (emotional) challenge. When an individual’s perception of stress results in anxiety, food may serve as a coping mechanism. One may crave crunchy foods like potato chips to “gnaw away” his aggression, or perhaps creamy foods such as ice cream to “melt away” her stress. Unfortunately, as the scale creeps upward, the resulting weight gain provides another – you guessed it – source of stress. And added pounds may eventually lead to the threat of chronic diseases such as insulin resistance or diabetes. So until a healthier habit takes the place of nervous eating, the negative pattern continues.

Set the Scene: From a holistic perspective, recognizing that food is not an isolated “compartment” of our lives, but rather, linked to our overall health and wellness. One solution involves addressing nervous eating through the five senses. For instance:

- Sight: Red reflects energy often stimulates the appetite and fosters social interaction, while blue has a more calming effect; therefore, choose calming colors for your dining environment. Similarly, choose a subdued environment over one cluttered with loud noises, visual distractions, and general “busyness;”

- Smell: Before diving in, take a moment to enjoy the aroma of your food and appreciate that you’re granting yourself the chance to enjoy it.

- Taste: Resolve to savor each bite and chew your food thoroughly; fully focus on your meal. Devote your full attention to your plate, raher than your computer screen or trade magazine. In other words, have a meal to remember! (Ever been unable to recall whether you ate a meal or not?)

- Touch: Have you considered why you chose a particular texture of food? Do you frequently crave the same type of food? The answers to questions like these may offer a connection between your food selections and possible roots of your nervous eating.

- “Listen” to Your Food: We can listen on a few levels when . First, other than a bowl of Rice Krispies, it isn’t often that food “speaks” to us! However, you can listen to what your body may (or may not) be telling you. Before you plow into your pantry, pick your brain with the question, “Am I physically hungry?” If the answer is a no, make a pact to wait it out. Choose an alternative activity that doesn’t involve calories, such as giving yourself a manicure…while also saving yourself the cost of extra calories.

Therefore, by tapping into one or more of these avenues of sensory perception, we may strike the source of our nervous eating in favor of healthier stress management.