Lifestyle factors and hormonal conditions can disrupt our hormones and influence emotional eating. These include:
- Stress
- Sleep Deprivation
- Thyroid Disorders
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Stress: Chronic stress leads to prolonged elevated cortisol levels, which can lead to emotional eating as a coping mechanism. Emotional eaters usually turn to comfort foods that are high in sugar and fat.
Sleep deprivation: Lack of sleep disrupts the balance of ghrelin and leptin, increasing hunger and appetite, particularly for unhealthy foods.
Thyroid disorders: Hypothyroidism, which is the term for an underactive thyroid, can cause fatigue and depression, which may lead to emotional eating. Hyperthyroidism, which is an overactive thyroid, can cause anxiety and irregular hunger patterns.
PCOS: Women with PCOS often have insulin resistance and hormonal imbalances, which can increase the risk of emotional eating and weight gain.
Managing emotional eating linked to hormonal imbalances is key to winning the battle against it. Lifestyle habits that can be helpful include:
- Stress management
- Developing healthy sleep habits
- Eating a balanced diet
- Regular exercise
- Medical treatment
Stress Management: Techniques like mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and regular physical activity can help reduce stress and cortisol levels.
Healthy Sleep: Prioritizing sleep can help balance ghrelin and leptin levels, reducing the likelihood of emotional eating.
Good nutrition: Eating a balanced diet rich in whole foods can stabilize blood sugar levels and support hormonal balance. Avoid skipping meals which can make eating the wrong types of foods worse.
Regular Exercise: Physical activity can improve mood, reduce stress, and help regulate hormones.
Medical Treatment: Consulting a healthcare provider for conditions like thyroid disorders, insulin resistance or PCOS can lead to treatments that help balance hormones and alleviate unhealthy food cravings.
It’s important to understand the interplay between hormones and emotional eating so that we can be empowered to make informed choices.
Listen to my interview with Brad Kirsten from Radio Cape Pulpit on 22 August 2024 to learn more. Listen to my next interview on Thursday at 7.45am.