With the slogan of stay at home, we are all in quarantine to protect both our own lives and the lives around us
. However, this period may be pushing you to eat more, both due to what we hear on the news
and boredom at home. While some people consume more food than normal when they are stressed, some people want to eat less. Studies show that approximately 40% of people under stress
have an increased appetite, 40% have a decreased appetite, and 20% have no change in appetite. So how does stress
affect you? While stress may arise emotionally due to reasons such as unemployment, losing the people you love, it may also be experienced due to physiological reasons such as diseases or nutritional deprivation.
In addition, stress also causes hormonal changes in our body. . The adrenaline hormone secreted from the adrenal glands increases blood sugar and blood pressure, and eating and the functions of the digestive system are suspended. This causes our appetite to decrease in a short-term stressful situation. However, when stress
continues for a long time, the stress
hormone called cortisol begins to be secreted from the adrenal glands. This causes the desire to eat to increase, which is the exact opposite of the short period experienced in the beginning. At the same time, stimulation of the cortisol hormone
affects the pancreas and the pancreas perceives this as an insulin message. This causes low blood sugar and increased hunger, such as hypoglycemia attacks. This is how these hormonal imbalances
affect your desire to eat.
One point that stress affects our eating behavior is our food choices.
Research shows that when stress continues for a long time and cannot be controlled
It shows that people's preference for fatty and sugary food choices is increasing. It is predicted that consuming foods high in fat and sugar reduces body signals related to stress, thus providing relief to people under stress. However, the type of food you choose may also cause you to feel hungry frequently. It may be the one who does. Milk, cheese, eggs, and vegetables and fruits containing high amounts of protein provide a feeling of fullness for a longer period of time. In addition
ready-packaged products, foods containing simple sugar or carbohydrate meals consisting only of pasta
cause you to feel hungry in a shorter time and increase your desire to eat
. So, when you turn to sugary foods in case of stress, you put yourself in a never-ending cycle of hunger. In a study conducted on 59 female individuals, it was observed that women's desire for sweets increased and they consumed more food in case of stress. Research shows that women and men turn to different things when coping with stress. It is seen that women try to get away from stress by eating more, and men try to get away from stress by smoking and drinking more alcohol. Therefore, it would not be correct to say that increased food consumption is the only reason for weight gain during periods of stress.
Under stress, individuals' sleep patterns may change and they may start to sleep less. However, the time allocated for sports may decrease and alcohol consumption may increase. As a result of spending too much time at home,
you may find yourself spending more time on social media accounts. Even the beautiful food photos you see may make you
hungry during this stressful time. Studies show that when you see a delicious food, the amount of the hunger
hormone, which we call ghrelin, rises in the blood, which is why we feel hungry. At the same time, when you do a non-eating distracting activity, such as watching a movie or following the news, during the time you eat, you may consume more food than you normally
need. In a study conducted on 88 female individuals, some of the women simply ate their meals in a quiet environment, while some of them finished their meals amidst distracting elements. It has been found that women with distraction
feel less full and eat more food than the other group after the same meal.
Another factor is that they neglect to drink water during stressful times at home and experience hunger and
You may be confusing the concepts of thirst. Because hunger and thirst are managed from the same
area of the brain, and the two can often be confused with each other. When your stomach is filled with water or food, there are parts that send a full signal to the brain. Therefore, quenching your thirst by drinking 1-2 glasses of water when you
feel hungry will prevent you from consuming unnecessary food.
When you see that the clothes you wear in your daily life or to work no longer fit your waist, it is too late. it could be. That's why it's up to you to take precautions as soon as possible and get through this period without gaining weight. So, how can we cope with stress other than eating during this period when we spend a lot of time at home?
-Meditation-Yoga: Studies show that meditation is very effective in coping with
stress. Meditation may even cause individuals to make more careful food choices. You can listen to your
emotions that direct you to high-fat and sugary foods and stay away from such foods.
-Exercising: Being at home does not prevent you from moving. You may not be able to go to a gym
or take a walk outdoors. But this is the best period for the treadmills and bicycles you put in warehouses! You can also follow many sports programs on the internet by taking advantage of the beauties of the technological age. In this way, you can both burn the excess calories you take in through food
and replace the stress hormones in the blood with happiness
hormones. -Social support: As a country, we are going through a difficult period and attach importance to social isolation. But just because you cannot meet your family or friends does not mean that you should stop communicating with them. You can have video chats or just relax by hearing their
voice. Let your loved ones act as a buffer for you during periods of stress.
-Alternative meals: Spending time in the kitchen may relieve you
in coping with stress. The important thing here is to spend this time in the healthiest way possible. You can find new healthy recipes to try instead of fatty and sugary meals. In this way, you can discover new recipes You can get away from stress with the happiness of trying new tastes. We would also like to remind you not to forget to exercise portion control.
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