Eating is a fundamental pillar of life. Most of us enjoy it, especially when we’re having some great tasting food!
But, smart eating is part of a conscious lifestyle. This GenuLines post will help you stay on track with your dietary habits.
ARTICLE
We don’t always have the best sense of when to stop eating. We have access to not only good-tasting food but food in immense quantities.
It’s easy to poke fun at humorous situations such as Homer Simpson eating until he can’t move a muscle. But in reality, we’re blind to the consequences of eating too much.
These can range from a simple mild stomach ache in the short term to more serious health risks. Think chronic obesity and its connection to cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
Overeating doesn’t have to be as dramatic as eating until our pants are about to burst. It can be eating more than we need in one sitting.
Or eating until we’re full rather than until we get enough nutrients.
We don’t have the natural constraints our ancestors did to prevent us from over-eating. In evolutionary terms, most humans couldn’t over-eat.
Large-scale agriculture and food processing generally weren’t available until more recent times. Today most humans (Americans for sure) have access to more convenience food than ever.
So, what drives us to eat more than we need?
We have lots of information. We can learn to eat only as much as we need.
Why don’t we?
One key insight is the emotional connection to food many people have. Research has shown that overeating follows bouts of sadness, depression.
It can also come during struggles with our issues.
The Journal of Adolescent Health studied the eating habits of young people. The participants developed disorders like binge eating.
The study’s main result: “it’s important to consider depressive symptoms in overeating.”
We can keep track of our reasons for eating. Are we eating because we’re hungry, or because we’re wrestling with emotional issues?
Another consideration is symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar.
A Medical University of Warsaw article looked at hypoglycemic symptoms. It found that people might eat more as a way of satisfying urges to increase insulin.
So it’s important to eat sweets in moderation as a way of limiting consumption in general.
Finally, there is no better warning system than our own bodies. Excessive constipation, blockage, bloating, vomiting or stomach aches tell us we’ve had enough.
Add to that list our constant need for laxatives or antacids. Our level of energy and mental alertness are signs, too.
We all enjoy a nicely cooked meal or tasty snacks. But in biological terms, food is simply fuel. It’s the fuel our bodies consume and turn into energy.
Just know that we can bog down our systems with excess fuel or fuel of poor quality- aka junk food.
Our energy level drops. We feel sluggish and less alert. These are signs of an overloaded digestion system.
Final Thoughts
It’s a no-brainer to say that we love food, but how much is enough? Our bodies brains and emotions hold up the stop signs.
Being mindful of our current state can help us avoid the pitfalls. The signs are there and our brains and bodies are telling us.
We just have to listen!
JohnK 10-4-2018
Overheard: “I lurched away from the table after a few hours feeling like Elvis in Vegas – fat, drugged, and completely out of it.” ~Anthony Bourdain
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