What is stress? It is a very difficult term to define, the meaning of which is constantly evolving. Literally, stress in English means "pressure, tension." In medicine, the term defines the stress response that the body gives to a variety of stimuli, physical, psychological and environmental factors that alter the balance. Commonly, then, let's talk about stress to indicate a particular lifestyle, where the hard work, the unbalanced diet, insufficient rest, physical inactivity and the problems of a social cause our body to respond to these "pressures" potentially harmful. Stress can also affect appetite, differently from person to person. In some individuals, stress can cause loss of appetite and a tendency to skip meals, resulting in weight loss. More commonly, however, through complex biochemical mechanisms thanks to the cortisol, individuals under stress suffer from emotional eating: a condition characterized by the constant search for food, often between meals, sometimes even at night and in whatever manner of satiety. The act of eating, in these cases, it is designed to meet the nutritional needs of our body, but it helps to keep anxiety under control and helps manage the psychological problems induced by stress. The choices are oriented mostly towards sweet foods or snacks, gratifying to the palate and quick to consume. In general, those who suffer from emotional eating tend to enjoy numerous snacks in the late afternoon (maybe when returning back from work) or in the evening after dinner. It is often described as the impulse to get up several times from the couch while watching television, going to open the refrigerator or the pantry to eat a small snack. This type of behavior can lead over time to weight gain, because it is characterized by the ingestion of high-calorie foods and not necessary for the purposes of nutrient needs. How do one combat Emotional Eating
There are numerous strategies to try to keep under control the nervous hunger. For example, it is very useful to keep in the refrigerator a bag that contains a variety of raw vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, fennel, radishes, celery ...) already washed and ready to eat. Another way is to keep ready a tea of your choice (eg fruit or relaxing), to drink fresh or heated-liquids, as well as allow for proper hydration of the body, promoting a sense of satiety.Even the fruit can be used for snacks, remembering not to exceed the limit of three fruits per day. Consuming proper amount of fruits and vegetables is important because they promote satiety, especially for those who have problems with excess weight, to be enjoyed as a sweet snack.The desserts are indeed the apex of the food pyramid, which means that should be eaten in moderation, but not abolished. In addition, the desserts will satisfy the palate and very often help to calm down and cheer. For sweet snacks, we recommend a small square of chocolate or some ice cream: it seems that chocolate consumption can have beneficial effects on mood, probably by stimulating the production of serotonin, a substance that induces a sense of psychological well-being and serenity.
