Category: Weight Loss Exercise

Emotional eating is a common problem but one which is considered by many people as a weakness so is not openly discussed on a regular basis.

People who emotionally eat may be ashamed or may not even realize they are eating only due to emotional issues. This can lead to a continual pattern of overeating, gain and depression.

For this reason emotional eating should be dealt with head on and not hidden away.

Emotional eating can halt any loss efforts. If indeed you are trying to lose yet are still eating due to emotions then that problem must be dealt with before a serious loss plan can be followed.

What exactly is emotional eating?

Emotional eating refers to using food as a comfort mechanism. Most commonly this is during depression or stress but can also be seen simply from boredom.

People have a great desire for food, however emotional eaters use food to replace other things that may be missing from their life, or simply to reduce stress.

In reality, comfort eating only compounds existing problems due to the fact that is gained. This downward spiral can be difficult to break.

What types of foods are used as comfort foods?

The most common foods consumed during emotional eating include fatty foods like fries and burgers, chocolate, ice cream and other unhealthy snacks.

It is not common that we would have a bowl of vegetables or a fruit salad as a comfort food, usually a comfort food is higher in heavy carbs and fats, Like that carton of ice cream in the picture above.

For emotional eaters, food makes them feel better only during the time they are eating, but then the depression and other emotions set in again, leading to a rapid decline into regular comfort eating and in some cases, serious eating disorders such as bulimia.

How to Deal with Emotional Eating

The first step to eliminating emotional eating is to identify why it is happening in the first place. What are the triggers, and how can they be avoided?

Secondly you need to learn to recognize hunger signs. Usually people are not hungry when they emotionally eat.

The third step is of course to stop buying or comfort foods and unhealthy snacks. If you are home and there are no foods to eat that you generally eat for emotional reasons then you are unlikely to pursue it enough to go and buy something on each occasion.

Lastly, staying occupied and keeping busy is the best way to stop emotionally eating. Find something meaningful in life to commit yourself to and you will discover that emotional eating will take a back seat to more important things in life.

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Depression is an ailment that affects millions of people worldwide. While it can be difficult to diagnose at times, it is a wholly treatable ailment given the right medication as well as therapies. Treatment for depression does vary however and can be quite cumbersome for other people.

While medication and psychotherapy remains important, alternative treatment options can also help alleviate symptoms of depression.

This is where acupuncture and depression can be linked. Acupuncture is a recognized safe treatment for several illnesses. It has been shown that acupuncture has improved the condition of those that undergo this therapy. More information on acupuncture and depression is given in the details below.

Background on Acupuncture

Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and was used as part of their traditional medicine. Its basis is in the theory that energy flows in the body through different pathways. When these pathways become blocked, this leads to ailments in different body parts.

By inserting thin needles into the body, the flow of energy can be corrected and the ailments cured.

In modern medicine acupuncture has been shown to relieve several symptoms of different ailments. While it still can’t be conclusively labeled as a cure, its usefulness in alleviating problems and improving lives has been well documented.

Acupuncture and Depression

In the view of those who practice it, acupuncture and depression are not directly linked. This is because traditional acupuncture doesn’t view depression as a specific disorder, however the symptoms manifested by depression can be alleviated or even completely removed through acupuncture. These symptoms include, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and headaches.

Acupuncture can help those that suffer depression improve the quality of their lives. Through continued therapy and proper medication coupled with regular acupuncture sessions, depression can be overcome. There have been studies that show that several people have felt significant improvements in their lives.

By overcoming symptoms such as fatigue and anxiety, these people are better able to cope with mood swings or bouts of depression.

The best way to manage acupuncture and depression is to speak with your doctor and psychiatrist first about it. It is important to still continue with the prescribed medication and therapy sessions. If you feel you may be able to benefit as well through acupuncture then there is no reason not to try it.

Just be sure to go to a licensed practitioner and not to ignore other prescribed medication.

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Did you know that low self-esteem is almost always curable? Because it is usually not caused by hereditary or ancestral influences, the cause of low self-esteem can be treated by removing it from the picture.

Most psychologists agree that when people have a critical or negative view of themselves, the cause is usually environmental.

So you simply remove the environment that is causing a low self-image and healthy self-esteem begins to blossom. For instance, stop a bully from physically and mentally abusing a child, and self-esteem begins to return to normal.

What Are Causes of Low Self Esteem?

Psychology Today has pointed out several key influencers of low self-esteem. Are any of the following factors present in the life of a child or adult you know that has a poor self-image?

• Emotional, sexual or physical abuse
• Parents constantly in conflict – Children often blame themselves for parents that are always arguing and fighting, leading to a poor self-image and undeserved guilt.
• Critical authority figures and teachers – This happens more frequently with children and teens. Young people look up to authority figures, and when the field they do not measure up, low self-esteem can crop up.
• Poor performance in the classroom combined with a lack of parental and teacher support
• Bullying behavior from peers – This can also include bullying behavior from adults and older people, and can foster a poor self-image even when parents and friends are supportive of a child or adult.
• Guilt caused by belief systems or religions – When a person constantly feels guilty because of a particular set of beliefs, it is difficult for that person to have a positive self-image.
• Media and other societal influences that paint unrealistic expectations

This is by no means a complete list of factors that may be causing low self-esteem in someone you know. If you noticed, all of these top causes of an unhealthy, poor self-image originate outside of a person’s behavior.

It is not normal or natural for human beings to feel negatively about themselves – that behavior has to come from outside influences.

In other words, these are all exterior causes. And that is great news, because it means when that negative influence is removed, a healthy, positive self-image can be nurtured.

Think about someone you know who suffers from a constant feeling of failure, the inability to “measure up” and other areas where they lack self-confidence. Look through the above list, and see if you can locate some negative influences.

Get involved with the caregiver, parents and authority figures involved in that child’s or adult’s life.

Discuss your concerns, and constantly foster a positive, high level of self-esteem in the individual in question.

In most cases, counseling is not needed to regulate a healthy self-image, since removing the exterior, environmental causes does wonders for someone’s self-esteem.

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