Guest guest Posted December 4, 2008 Report Share Posted December 4, 2008 Interesting reading.http://www.westonaprice.org/msg/index.htmlhttp://www.westonaprice.org/soy/index.htmlhttp://www.ppnf.org/catalog/ppnf/index.htm Remain Focused and Good Health to You Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 __,_._,_ Hi all, Since we're on the raw food challenge, I know many people are struggling. Below is my latest email newsletter. If you like what you read, then please on my website www.hlsnp.com and continue to get motivation to eat well and be the best you can be. Nancy Having trouble viewing this email? Click here December 3, 2008 EMOTIONAL EATING Energizing You For Living! Stressful events, including holidays, can send us running towards comfort foods. When we get out of our routines we can easily fall prey to unhealthy choices. Are you an emotional eater? Have you learned to turn to food in response to the challenges of life? These next two newsletters will cover the topic of emotional eating and how we can be delivered from its power. EMOTIONAL EATING I came across a list1 of excellent questions to ask yourself to see if you are indeed depending on food to fulfill an emotional need. Many of us have trouble dealing with stress and unpleasant emotions so we seek comfort from something to lesson the pain and avoid actually dealing with the real issue. See how many of these questions you answer with a yes. 1. Do I sometimes put food in my mouth before I realize I've done it? 2. Does eating cause me to feel stressed or guilty? 3. When I get in a disagreement with someone or I'm bored, do I think of eating? 4. Do I eat more when I have a lot of time on my hands? 5. Have I developed a strategy for dealing with my emotions that doesn't involve eating? 6. Does eating something fattening early in the day negatively affect my food choices for the whole day? 7. Do I consider food my enemy? 8. Do I wander around thinking I want something to eat, but I don't know what it is? 9. Do I crave something to eat, even when I'm not hungry? 10. Do I sometimes snack to avoid doing something else I need to do? Did you find yourself in any of these questions? Many of us are addicted to the emotional relief and/or the stimulating effects from foods. Realize that foods can impact the opiate receptors in our brain as well as our serotonin levels both of which can help us feel good and relaxed. It can also be a stimulant and a distraction from dealing with the issue at hand. How do you regain control of your eating and learn healthy alternatives to cope with your emotions? Realize that these cravings can be more than just an emotional response; they can be an actual addiction and the body's physical reaction to low blood sugar. I've listed a good number of recommendations1,2,3,4 in the action steps below that can help you begin to conquer the seduction of food. ACTION STEPS - Part 1 § KEY!!! Get the junk food OUT OF THE HOUSE!! If it's there - you'll eat it! Trust me, I know J Make a menu for the week and a shopping list and eat BEFORE you go to the grocery store. Only get what is on your list!! § Stabilize your blood sugar. Ditch the junk food!! Keeping your blood sugar stable helps with cravings and fluctuating emotions. Eat 5-6 mini meals of unprocessed whole foods throughout the day including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans/legumes. High fiber whole foods allow sugar to be absorbed slowly so you have a steady source of energy. When you want a snack you'll know if it's NOT true hunger if you crave something sugary, fatty, salty, or with caffeine rather than something full of nutrients like fruits and veggies! § Get enough calories. Leptin is a hormone that helps control our appetite. Leptin is made by fat cells. "When your fat cells sense that there is more than enough nourishment coming into the body they release leptin into the blood. It has two jobs: first, it travels to your brain to reduce your appetite; second along the way it boosts your metabolism - that is, it encourages the cells of your body to burn calories more quickly."5 In order for this to happen we must get the minimum number of calories we need to keep ourselves functioning while at rest. The simplest way to figure that out is to take your ideal healthy (not skinny) body weight and add a zero to it. This is the MINIMUM number of calories you should get each day just to survive. If you go below it, then you will keep leptin from working. § Get your vitamins and minerals. When our nutrient levels are low (especially the B's) we will get irritable, depressed, sluggish, more prone to illness, and poor decision making. Get an excellent supplement like Juice Plus to keep you in top shape physically, mentally, and emotionally! 1. FirstPlace4HealthMember's Guide (Ventura, Gospel Light, 2008) pgs 88,89.2.http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/MH000253. www.RadiantRecovery.com - Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons 4. Barnard, Neal, M.D. Breaking the Food Seduction (New York, St Martin's Press, 2003). 5. Ibid. pg 101. Click here to share this with a friend: To Your Health,Nancy Parlette Nutrition Educator and Natural Health Counselor www.hlsnp.com HealthyLivingStrategies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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