In a recent discussion, Dr. Joanna Jurek and Kinga Wittenbeck shed light on the emotional regulation role of food and its potential link to eating disorders, Poland's PAP news agency has reported.
The specialists, authors of the book Psychodietetics for Everyone: A Healthy Relationship with Food, emphasized the interplay between diet and the brain, including the role of gut microbiota in maintaining mental health.
Gut feelings
"Gut bacteria not only influence our digestion and immune system but also potentially our mood," said Jurek. "Studies have repeatedly confirmed connections between deficiencies in certain nutrients, inflammation and depression. And what ties all these elements together? Potentially, it's the microbiota."
The authors highlighted the societal and emotional function of diet, explaining how emotional eating becomes problematic when used to regulate emotions in response to prolonged stressful situations. They emphasized the importance of basic lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, exercise and hydration in regulating mood and eating habits, demonstrating how, for instance, inadequate sleep can disrupt hormonal balance and lead to increased food intake.
'What we eat affects our emotions'
"We constantly hear about the importance of getting enough sleep, avoiding screens before bedtime, and airing out the bedroom," said Wittenbeck. "Unfortunately, these frequently repeated pieces of advice often become transparent, invisible to our brains. We tend not to even try them because they seem too obvious or we don't give them enough time to actually work."
She added that "disordered eating" doesn't necessarily mean eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, but encompasses any unhealthy relationship with food, leading to feelings of guilt, anxiety, or emotional eating.
"Eating behavior is not only influenced by our emotions, but what we eat also affects our emotions," said Wittenbeck, a specialist in immunonutrition and nutritional psychiatry.
The specialists advocated for diets rich in anti-inflammatory foods, such the Mediterranean diet, which may alleviate symptoms of depression by reducing inflammation.
The physiological basis of stress-induced eating means that it can potentially lead to increased cortisol levels and compromised impulse control in the brain.
Recent years have seen increased awareness of problematic eating behaviors, exacerbated by significant events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian aggression in Ukraine.
(rt/gs)
Source: naukawpolsce.pl