AUGUST NEWSLETTER 2023

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 Happy August

Wow, can you believe we are now into the second half of the year? Time flies…. and with time, comes renewals, regroupings, recommitments to all those earlier goals that somehow waiver as we get too comfortable with them. Take a moment to rethink, and hope you are on your way to health and happiness as the second half of this year progresses. If you re not half way there, hop, skip and jump, or just break a sweat everyday !!

I dedicate this newsletter to Lactose, since I get many queries on this monosaccharide. Hope I can teach you a fact or two, or at least offer some new, interesting recipe ideas…. Enjoy!!

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The Low-down on Lactose Intolerance

Approximately 4000 million people cannot digest lactose with about 75% of those being African American, Jewish, Native American, and Mexican American. 90% of Asian Americans are believed to also be lactose intolerant. Below is the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for calcium.

Table :   Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Calcium [1]
Age Male Female Pregnant Lactating
0–6 months*

200 mg

200 mg
7–12 months*

260 mg

260 mg
1–3 years

700 mg

700 mg
4–8 years

1,000 mg

1,000 mg
9–13 years

1,300 mg

1,300 mg
14–18 years

1,300 mg

1,300 mg

1,300 mg

1,300 mg
19–50 years

1,000 mg

1,000 mg

1,000 mg

1,000 mg
51–70 years

1,000 mg

1,200 mg
71+ years

1,200 mg

1,200 mg

* Adequate Intake (AI)

 

Lactose is found in a variety of foods; however, not all foods containing lactose bother every individual. Many individuals with lactose intolerance can tolerate up to 1 glass (8 oz) of milk, yogurt, and hard cheeses without symptoms. Lactase supplements and lactose-free milk products are easily available and allow for individuals with lactose intolerance to consume an adequate amount of calcium.  Drinking milk with meals can also help to alleviate symptoms. Certain conditions may increase the risk of developing lactose intolerance such as Celiac and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Lactose free milk and regular milk are almost identical- the only difference is the lactose has been broken down in the lactose-free milk.

Lactose in Common Foods
Milk, reduced fat 1 cup 11 – 14 g
Buttermilk, whole 1 cup 10 g
Yogurt, whole milk 1 cup 10 – 12 g
Ice cream ½ cup 5 – 6 g
Yogurt, plain, low fat 1 cup 5 – 19 g
Sour cream ½ cup 4 g
Cottage cheese ½ cup 3 – 4 g
Swiss cheese 1 oz 1 g
Cream cheese 1 oz 1 g

Common symptoms of lactose intolerance include:

  • Bloating
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea

If you believe you are lactose intolerant, keeping a food diary is a helpful tool. Elimination diets under the instruction of a health professional can also prove useful. Lactose intolerance, if on a restricted diet, can put some individuals at risk of calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, or other health conditions, typically most individuals can meet their daily needs by a few dietary modifications.

Fitness Corner: Dance It Off

Dance offers great value for burning calories while simultaneously having fun.

Kicking up the intensity of your dance steps can help expend more energy, which has a direct impact on the number of calories burned. At a more vigorous pace, you can expect to burn about 360 calories an hour at a weight of 125 pounds, while a weight of 155 pounds causes you to burn close to 450 calories per hour. At 185 pounds, you burn more than 530 calories per hour. With the increase in intensity, it becomes a little easier to reach the deficit needed to lose weight.

How to reach those intensities can be supported by a great dance studio. Check out Dance It Off in Sandy Springs (they are offering a free class to any of my followers, so tell them Ilana sent you, and Dance Off some extra calories). http://www.danceitoffstudio.com/

                                                

 

 

 Calorie Corner: Milk and Milk Substitutes

*per serving (1 cup); data from nutritiondata.self.com

Milk Calories Fat (Grams) Protein (Grams) Carbohydrates (Grams)

Milk, Buttermilk, Fluid, Cultured, Reduced Fat

 137 5 10 13

Milk, whole

 146 8 8 13

Milk, Lowfat, Fluid, 1% Milkfat, With Added Vitamin A

 102 2 8 13

Milk, fluid, nonfat, calcium fortified (fat free or skim)

 86 0 8 12

Silk Plain, Soymilk

 100 4 7 8

Silk Pure Almond Original Almond Milk

 60 3 1 8

Rice Dream, original, enriched

 120 2.5 1 23

Beat the Heat with a Watermelon Treat

Not only is watermelon is a favorite summer food selection and barbeque closer, it is equally beneficial to health.

The antioxidant lycopene is a chemical  found in plants that gives certain foods (watermelon, tomatoes, red grapefruit, and guava) their red color. Part of the large class of plant compounds called carotenoids, which help protect and preserve body cells from oxidation and damage, lycopene may reduce one’s risk of various cancers, particularly prostate cancer. Watermelon is also a good source of antioxidants, that work towards preventing heart disease, lowering cholesterol.

CHOOSING THE PERFECT WATERMELON

Choose a firm, symmetrical fruit that is free of bruises, cuts, and dents.

Pick up the melon, it should feel heavy. (A good watermelon is 92% water.)

The underside should have a creamy yellow spot where the melon sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

RECIPE SELECTION

Watermelon-Strawberry Smoothie

(16 oz serving)
1 cup seeded watermelon, diced
¾  cup lemon sorbet or sherbet
8 frozen whole strawberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 cubes of ice

1 cup water
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
(cals; 224, carbs: 50g carbs, 4g fiber (net carbs = 46g  (mostly natural sugar: fructose), 2g pro,  0 g fat.

 


Watermelon Parfait

(2 servings)
½  cup low fat granola
1 cup seedless watermelon, cut into small chunks
2 cups of low fat vanilla yogurt
1 sliced banana, sliced
¼ cup of Almond slivers

In 2 tall glasses
Layer ½ of each of the granola, watermelon, yogurt  and banana
Repeat Layers with the other half of the ingredients.

Garnish with slivered almonds.

(cals per serve: 230 cals, 4g fat, 9g pro,  35g carbs, 5 g fiber)

Culinary herbs and spices : Can they interact with your medicine?

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Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD

spices

One of the major responsibilities a dietitian/nutritionist may have is to analyze an individual’s intake and ensure most appropriate and healthy solutions to goals and needs.

For people who regularly take medications, even over the counter products, this can become quite challenging.  So then, can some ingredients in various dishes have a pharmalogical interaction?

Specific examples best defines what a pharmalogical interaction is:  Combining a statin drug (most likely prescribed to lower cholesterol) and  a daily dose of grapefruit juice may likely cause too much of the statin to stay in the metabolic system, increasing the risk of liver or kidney failure.  Another example is that certain nutrients in grapefruit juice (and some other juices too) may decrease the effectiveness of some medications, the most well-known in this category is for allergy symptoms.

What then should we be concerned of in multiple ingredient recipes? A tablespoon of this, a teaspoon of that, a dash, a dollop or a pinch…

As a supplement for example, Ginger is thought to remedy nausea or upset stomach and  garlic is reported to reduce risk of heart disease and cancer. But did you know that both ginger and garlic may also slow blood clotting when interacted with an anticoagulant drug such as warfarin or Coumadin. The practioner prescribing the anticoagulant should warn the patient against eating garlic or ginger, and this should also be reinforced by the pharmacist dispensing the anticoagulant drug. But what about these ingredients used in small quantities in many recipes?

It is likely a different story when one compares cooking and baking to supplementation. The amounts in a recipe are typically significantly smaller compared to their use as a supplement. Interactions may lurk in the background but would typically not be clinically significant. Unfortunately there is very little published research on the potential for drug interactions with herbs and spices that are typically used for culinary purposes versus supplements. The research that is available usually focuses on specific compounds in the herb or spice and will usually use concentrated preparations which logistically do not match the culinary amounts.  An example to demonstrate this is an alkaloid called piperine, found in black pepper: piperine has been proven to increase the bioavailability of several drugs yet no interactions have been found with the use of pepper as an ingredient in a recipe. Other examples where research has discovered a drug interaction, yet no significant reaction as a culinary spice are anise, cayenne pepper, fennel, and several curry spices. It thus seems that research in food and medication reactions is complicated with many variables besides the amount used that need consideration.

The variety of the herb/spice, the potency, how much may be taken in throughout a day and over a time period, even specific genetics of the individual in question may determine the metabolic effects of their medications and thus the potential interaction between the herb or spice and their medications.

Mixing a sprinkle of all spice or a teaspoon of cinnamon into a recipe for a dozen muffins or blending chopped garlic into lasagna is not usually a concern for a drug interaction.

Unfortunately there is very little published research on the potential for drug interactions with herbs and spices that are typically used for culinary purposes versus supplements.

However, before taking any supplements, speaking to a physician, pharmacologist or dietitian about potential interactions is recommended.

“It may be a case of the dose makes the poison”  (Paracelsus – a 16th century physician)

 

 

 

JULY 2023 Newsletter

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Summer is in full swing by now…

and although 2020 has certainly come with its fair share of challenges, there are some great nutritional benefits to be had in all the Summer produce. What better time is there to be healthy and work on optimal body composition goals?  Foods are light, fruits and vegetables are at their prime and the weather provides no excuses for avoiding exercise.

THE SEASON FOR HEALTH

Fresh fruits and vegetables are most nutritious and best tasting when they are picked at their peak. It is thus important to recognize the signs of good quality and freshness.

Before buying any product, make sure it is of high quality. Take time to observe the environment where produce items are located. Is the area organized and clean? Some fruits and vegetables need to be kept at a certain temperature to maintain peak freshness.

Bruised or wilted foods suggest they were not handled properly and/or they are past their prime. Damaged areas or bruises can increase spoilage and such produce tend to lose nutrients.

Picking your own selection of fruits or vegetables tends to increase quality when compared to buying prepackaged fruits or vegetables that have already been bagged for convenience.

Often, using frozen fruits or vegetables is another option. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a convenient way to store produce items for extended periods of times. It might also be more practical to buy frozen fruits that may not always be available fresh.

Canned fruits can also offer convenience.  They already been cooked, sealed and processed and thus any nutrients can be retained due to peak quality picking and efficient canning.

When it comes to fresh, frozen or canned produce, use what best fits your lifestyle. The main goal is incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet and aim for at least five servings a day.

Am I talking about a vegetarian diet? Not necessarily. The 2020 American Dietary Guidelines encourage consumption of more of a plant-based diet to maximize nutrient intake. This simultaneously allows a diet lower in calories, fats, and added sugars. A plant-based diet is one that is largely made up of fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes and made up minimally of animal-based products such as meat, fish, and poultry.

Benefits:

  • Cholesterol is found in animal products. By limiting your intake of animal products, you are decreasing the amount of dietary cholesterol you consume. Cholesterol is still found in animal byproducts such as milk or cheese.
  •  Associated with lower cholesterol, lower risk of developing heart disease, lower blood pressure, lower risk of developing hypertension, and lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • Protein is not a problem: it can be found in a variety of sources, not just meat, poultry, or fish. (Such as legumes, nuts, seeds and grains).
  • Fruits and vegetables are great examples of nutrient-dense foods meaning they provide a lot of vitamins and minerals at a lower calorie count.
  • Those who tend to eat mostly vegetarian based nutrients, tend to have a lower body fat and fewer rates of cancer.

What to watch out for?

  • Restricted diets of any type can pose health risks so it’s important to make sure you are getting all of the nutrients you need. Strict vegetarians or vegans may need to ensure they are consuming adequate vitamins that are typically more bioavailable from animal sources, such as Vitamin B12 and Iron.
  • With any diet, it’s important to eat a variety of foods from a variety of categories to get all of the nutrients your body uses.

Thinking of adopting a more plant-based diet?

  • Take your favorite meals and figure out ways to make them meatless. Vegetable lasagna, Enchiladas, and Stir-fry are some great meals to start with. And of course, you can just scale down the animal-based portions instead.
  • Consider going meatless on Mondays. Meatless Mondays are a growing trend by those adopting a plant-based diet.
  • Check out local vegetarian restaurants- you may be surprised to find out you really can broaden your palate after all!
  •  Need inspiration? Don’t forget to look at the internet for some great recipes. Using the right words in searches can broaden your ideas for variety and even palatability.

Recipe of the Month:

Vegetarian BBQ Tacos    (Serves 4)

(I had to add some parallel to BBQ, after all July is the month we celebrate American  Independence – and what better way than to flavour it up with Barbeque).

 BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. ketchup

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. honey

1/8 tsp. hot sauce, or more to taste

Tacos

1  1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 cup sliced Portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 cup soy crumbles; consider various brands and types such as gluten, tempeh, or seitan crumbles or vegetarian ‘meats’ that resemble your favorites. Quorn™ makes a faux chicken that many vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike enjoy!

4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

2 Tbs. chopped red onion

1/3 cup tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup shredded lettuce of choice

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 Tbs. pickle relish, optional

DIRECTIONS

To make BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients in bowl.

To make Tacos: Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, and carrots, and cook 3 minutes, or until vegetables are softened, stirring halfway through. Add soy crumbles and 2 Tbs. BBQ Sauce. Cook 8 minutes, or until soy crumbles are browned. Fill tortillas with soy crumble mixture. Top with red onion, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and relish, if desired. Serve with BBQ Sauce.

HYDRATION TIPS

Whatever way you choose to get active, remember to always focus on Hydration. Besides maintaining a hydrated state daily, in this very hot and humid Georgian climate, it especially important to focus on Hydration during Exercise …

Staying hydrated during exercise is believed to delay fatigue and can help prevent heat-related illness. Adequate hydration can help decrease fluid losses, decrease strain on the heart and cardiovascular system, and enhance performance.

Hydrating before exercise is important, however, replenishing lost fluids, or rehydration, is effective in enhancing performance and retaining the balance of fluids in the body.  Drinking cold water as well as sports drinks can help to maintain proper body temperatures during exercise, especially in hot environments. Excessive fluid intake combined with inadequate salt intake can lead to a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia. To rehydrate quickly after exercise, an athlete can consume 120-150% of fluids lost while consuming sodium to help retain fluids.

Sports drinks during exercise may provide some benefits. The key ingredients in sports drinks are water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes. Sports drinks help restore nutrients that are lost during sweat and are considered a functional food for athletes. The sugar content of most sports drinks is between 5-10% and calories are often 6-12 per ounce. The electrolytes are usually sodium, chloride, potassium, and phosphorus. Sports drinks should not be confused with “Energy” or “Energy Sports” drinks that are now in the market. Research suggests a 6-8% carbohydrate solution containing a combination of glucose, fructose, sucrose, or glucose polymers are the most effective for those who need carbohydrate replacement.

The beverage of choice also depends on the type of exercise and environment:

Prolonged endurance events utilize glycogen and blood glucose as the main source of energy –  carbohydrate replacement is beneficial

Environments in which dehydration or hypothermia might be a cause for concern – water replacement is beneficial

Prolonged exercise in the heat where an athlete losses nutrients through sweat – Electrolyte replacement is beneficial

Wishing y’all a Happy 4th … Be safe, Train Strong,  Replace Sweat —  Hydrate !!

ILANA

July 2023 NEWSLETTER

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There is not a more American month of the Year than July, and it is synonymous with outdoor parties, fireworks and good times. The French also celebrate their own revelation this month on Bastille Day and let’s not forget the Italians as they gave us Lasagna. 

Have a happy Independence day – here some fun tidbits to keep in mind for July

ILANA

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Bastille Day Picnic

 

 

 

Bastille day is a celebration in France similar to our fourth of July. So why not enjoy the beautiful summer day by having a traditional French picnic.  You don’t need much, nor will it cost you an arm & leg. Fill your basket with a freshly cut honeyed fruit salad accompanied with a baguette, assorted cheese, and a bottle of a refreshing sparkling dessert wine of your choice.

 Fruit salad can be a combination of strawberries, pears, peaches, sweet cherries and kiwi drizzled with a honey dressing.

       Honey dressing recipe:

blend together until smooth

½ c dry white wine

3 tbsp of honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp granulated sugar  

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Portion Distortion

 As we are out at multiple backyard parties this month and/or throughout the summer, it is very easy to over serve ourselves at the buffet style set-ups. By all means enjoy yourselves…to a point…& here are some easy reference tools to help you do that.

The following are 1 serving equivalents:

Fist = 1 cup (rice, pasta, fruit/veggies)

Palm = 3 oz (meat, fish & poultry)

Handful = 1 oz (nuts & raisins)

2 Handfuls = 1 oz (chips & popcorn)

Thumb = 1 oz (peanut butter & hard cheese

Thumb Tip = 1 teaspoon (cooking oil, butter, mayo, sugar)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healthy BBQ Ideas

Barbequing doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice taste or health.

  1. Choose lean meats
  2. Add flavor with marinades
  3. Grill up some veggies on skewers
  4. Control your portion sizes
  5. Serve whole grains on the side.
  6. Enjoy the company of family & friends!

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American Fun Activities

Being active doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym or do something strenuous, just go out and have fun:

 

 

 

Have a water balloon fight

Go to an amusement park

Catch fireflies

Go swimming at local public pool

 Now get out and enjoy the summer!

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4th of July Fun Facts

  •  Over $211 million has been spent on the importation of fireworks from China
  •  The first Fourth of July party held at the White House was in 1801
  •  More than 74 million Americans will BBQ on the 4th
  •  Over an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed on the 4th.
  • That’s roughly onehot dog for every two people in the US

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Spinach Lasagna

 July is national lasagna month, enjoy this healthy spinach summer edition that serves 8.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups lowfat cottage cheese

2 egg whites or the equivalent of 1 egg substitute shopping list

2 cups shredded lowfat mozzarella cheese (freshly graded tastes best)

1 jar spaghetti sauce (32 ounces- I go for low fat and garlic/ mushrooms)

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (if you love spinach you can do 2

9 or 10 uncooked lasagna noodles

3 cloves garlic chopped finely

3/4 teaspoon oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese- optional

Method:                                                                                                                         

–             In a large bowl mix thawed and drained spinach, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, garlic, and seasonings

–             Preheat oven to 350 degrees

–             Spray cooking spray on the bottom of a 13x9x2 baking dish

–             Layer 1/2 cup sauce, a noodle layer, and 1/2 cheese mixture

–             Repeat layer

–             Top with remaining noodles then sauce and sprinkle with remaining cup of mozzarella. sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

–             Cover with foil and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until lasagna is bubbly and brown on the edges

–             Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving

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AND FINALLY ……………………..FITNESS CORNER

A good sweat: High Interval Training

 

Step Machine

Set the step machine on Manual workout for 20 mins. (level 6)

Warm up for 2 minutes.

At the 2 minute point, take the level up to 9.

Change out your stance on the steps every 2 minutes – for example 2 – 4 minutes, take your feet to very front of the stairs (short, quick stokes, pushing from the balls of feet), 4 – 6 minutes: slide feet back on the pedals and push out long full range strokes pushing off on heals. Continue to alternate stance 4 more times, and then for the last 6 minutes go back to the neutral stance in the middle of the pedals.

 

Mins 0 – 2: neutral

Mins 2 – 4: front

Mins 4 – 6: back

Mins 6 – 8: front

Mins 8 – 10: back

Mins 10 – 12 front

Mins 12 – 14 back

Mins 14 – 20 Neutral

 

Until Next time then….

Emotional Eating: Awareness and Control

Published on

Ilana Katz MS, RD, CSSD

Emotional (or stress) eating has always been a hot topic, mainly because one can find themselves turning to the pantry or fridge for a source of comfort, even though the appetite stimulant hormones are not active.

How it can be controlled, comes with an understanding of what it is and why it happens and then developing an appropriate strategy on how it can be controlled.

Recognizing signs of emotional eating may seem obvious, like feelings of stress, anger, or sadness drives you to eat.  Underlying root causes can result from anything related to work or financial stress, relationship challenges, health issues and even simply boredom.

Submitting to an urge to eat more than required has some obvious consequences, such as potential weight gain and secondary health conditions thereof (metabolic syndrome) but also the more suble psychological consequences can be just as harmful, such as of endless feelings of guilt, anxiety and sadness.

Create Awareness

More often than not, emotional or stress eating has nothing to do with food itself. We choose food because it has many connections to filling an emotional void. Negative emotions tend to lead to feelings of emptiness. Food can create a false feeling of fullness or temporary wholeness.

Other identifiers may include behaviors such as avoiding social support, avoiding activities that may otherwise relieve stress (such as physical activity or running errands,) and engaging in negative self-talk that can create a vicious cycle of eating, feelings of guilt/anxiety, resulting in more emotional eating.

Stress, in all its forms, generates the hormone cortisol, a physiologic response to stress but also a further enabler of “cravings.”

Physical hunger versus emotional eating

Humans require food to survive, so it becomes quite a challenge to distinguish hormone reactions to true hunger from the hormone reactions triggered by emotional cues.  Knowing some physical differences between the two may be extremely helpful: (table extracted from Mayo Clinic website that best describes recognizable symptoms).

Recommendations for Control

Physical hunger Emotional hunger
It develops slowly over time. It comes about suddenly or abruptly.
You desire a variety of food groups. You crave only certain foods.
You feel the sensation of fullness and take it as a cue to stop eating. You may binge on food and not feel a sensation of fullness.
You have no negative feelings about eating. You feel guilt or shame about eating.

 

Since emotional/stress eating it not usually about food, control mechanisms will engage in stress management and mood enhancing practices.

Self Kindness

Awareness of emotional eating evading your self-control can be guilt inducing, followed by sadness and self-anger. Instead of letting these emotions fester, the first thing to do is give yourself a break. Self-compassion is the first step toward learning to comfort yourself in other ways.  To break the cycle of emotions turn to food which ultimately turns to more negativity, use mantras, such as : “I am aware I am stress eating, I am worth more”. Side note: I have noticed many social media requests from others for support, and many helpful mantras have emerged. Maybe request from your friends, motivational sayings that have helped them.

It is most important to note the feelings you experience right before eating, Awareness is the first step to coping.

Fuel with Nutrient Density  

Although emotional eating is not always about food, making sure you get enough nutrients to fuel your body is key. Capitalize on well-balanced daily meal planning.  If you can eliminate real physiologic cravings by eating well throughout the day, it may be easier to identify when you are eating out of stress or boredom.

Create a to-do list for Coping

Note why you may be feeling stressed and next to each itemized feeling, note a behavior. not related to food, that makes you happy (such as relax in a hot bath filled with bubbles, read a chapter of a novel you may be enjoying, meditate).

If you can change the situation, more power to you, you have got this. If it feels like the problem is not within your control remember that you can always manage the way you react to it. If you can notice your stress in the moment, you can choose how you respond, rather than reacting “un”conciously.

Physiologic

The awareness strategies above may enable you to delay succumbing to the urge to eat and actually eating. Use this delay to note your stress, your emotions and your feelings of why you want to eat.  We tend to push the emotions aside, so the pleasure of eating will create temporary comfort. Keep in mind, this is a subconscious decision, and you have the ability to deal with the emotions at hand rather than generate a cycle of more negativity by pushing them aside.   Even if dealing with emotions is not always successful, at least the delay allows time for the impulse of eating to pass.

Get Physical

Make the temptation to eat a stimulus response mechanism for the response to be more action. In other words, once an awareness of emotional loss of control takes over, revert to moving around, go for a run, or a walk, pull out a yoga DVD, or even a quick burst of activity. Even a few minutes of movement can generate the endorphins for stress relief, add a level of refreshment and replace  the urge to eat with something else.

If you are unable to move around, simple deep breathing is therapeutic meditation that you can do almost anywhere. Sit quietly and focus on your flow of breath, from nose to lungs and vice versa. Many studies support mindfulness meditation as a treatment to binge eating and/or emotional eating.

Be Realistic

Food plays a role in almost every human emotion, whether it is something we celebrate (weddings, promotions, birthdays, etc) or whether it is something sad (funerals, etc), it is natural to share these times with friends and family, and this is healthy.  It only becomes a problem when it is used frequently without an awareness, and without a motivation to heal.  There may come a time to consider counseling, even if it is only a few sessions. Getting to the root of the problem is the first step to awareness.

Conclusion

Food is a sought-after solution to initially ease stress and emotion, but the consequences can be extremely negative, such as weight gain, further stress, and secondary health issues thereof. Addressing the real feelings behind the need to eat is important in the long term. Work to find alternative ways to deal with stress, like exercise, support, and practice mindful eating behaviors.