| Those who believe that nutrition is largely a | | | | increased ghrelin send just one message to the brain: |
| mechanical-biochemical affair may be seriously | | | | eat now! And this is so even when a perfectly |
| underestimating the complexity of the human | | | | adequate caloric intake has already been consumed. |
| relationship with food. Over the years, nutritional | | | | Natural Opiates |
| science has produced compelling evidence which | | | | This is one of the ways in which unhappiness and |
| shows that, unlike just about any other creature on the | | | | stress can join forces with biochemical and |
| planet, the foods we consume, when we consume | | | | physiological processes to drive over-eating behaviors. |
| them, and how much we consume, are all intricately | | | | And when one takes into account that the |
| mediated by cultural, emotional, psychological and | | | | consumption of comfort foods is associated with the |
| physiological processes. It really is not a case of just | | | | release of increased quantities in the brain of |
| refueling when we are running on empty. | | | | b-endorphins - a natural opiate which generates |
| Food, Mood and Gender | | | | feelings of well-being and happiness - it is easy to see |
| There are even broad gender biases in our relationship | | | | how easily psychologically motivated behaviors like |
| to food. A majority of Americans (around 60%) | | | | over-eating can be biologically reinforced. |
| experience food cravings, and these may be | | | | Depression |
| especially pronounced at times of stress. Men and | | | | There are more instances of mood and biology joining |
| women tend to deal with the cravings differently, | | | | together to produce unhealthy and maladaptive |
| however. Or rather, they are inclined to respond | | | | patterns. It probably comes as no surprise to find that |
| differently after consuming the craved-for food. Men | | | | obesity is frequently accompanied by a range of |
| are prone to associate the craving with simple hunger; | | | | depressive symptoms; social pressure, poor self-image, |
| eating the food results in at least temporary feelings of | | | | guilt over unhealthy dietary habits - all can combine to |
| satisfaction and well-being. Women, though, are more | | | | produce stubborn feelings of deep unhappiness. What |
| inclined to associate cravings with their emotional | | | | is less well-known is that the depression very often |
| states. And what is craved is also frequently privately | | | | precedes obesity, with individuals trying to alleviate |
| categorized as forbidden. When temptation is | | | | stress and personal unhappiness by self-medicating |
| succumbed to, instead of feeling replete and happy, | | | | with comfort foods. Yet another vicious cycle is |
| women frequently feel guilty and depressed, adding to | | | | activated, as mentioned earlier - weight gain frequently |
| the stress which may have generated the craving in | | | | diminishes self-esteem still further, driving the urge to |
| the first place. Here cultural forces - what it means to | | | | find quick-fix comfort through high-calorie, sugar or |
| be male or female - are impinging on psychological and | | | | fat-laden foods. In a study referred to by Dr. Alan |
| physiological processes. | | | | Logan of the Harvard University Medical School, |
| The Fateful Role of Stress | | | | depression in children between the ages of seven and |
| Stress is receiving more attention recently as a | | | | 12 years of age roughly doubled their risk of |
| significant factor in overeating and weight gain. | | | | developing obesity at a later date. |
| Individuals are far more likely to overeat when they | | | | Serotonin |
| are under stress, and generally seek nutritionally 'bad' | | | | The stress-driven consumption of comfort foods |
| quick-fix comfort foods such as bread, candy, cookies | | | | receives additional biological reinforcement from the |
| and pasta. Even though they may have consumed | | | | neurotransmitter serotonin, which also functions to |
| sufficient calories for healthy nutritional purposes, the | | | | enhance feelings of well-being. A key building block of |
| craving for additional food during stress is experienced | | | | serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan, which enters |
| very powerfully. Several complex psychological and | | | | the central nervous system very readily upon the |
| biological processes interact in this predicament. | | | | consumption of candies and other simple |
| The Psychobiology of Stress and Diet: Hormones and | | | | carbohydrates with low levels of protein. The serotonin |
| Cortisol | | | | temporarily counters depressive feelings, and there is a |
| Stress which is enduring rather than momentary can | | | | strong correlation between low levels of serotonin and |
| have significant biochemical consequences. For one | | | | carbohydrate consumption. |
| thing, the stress hormone cortisol remains elevated, | | | | From Vicious to Virtuous Cycles: Some Remedies |
| rather than disappearing quickly as it does in transient | | | | On a more optimistic note, however, many of these |
| 'emergency' (or 'fight or flight') situations. Cortisol has | | | | psychobiological processes, intractable and incorrigible |
| the effect of stimulating the enzyme responsible for | | | | though they feel when they are in full swing, can be |
| abdominal (or 'visceral') fat. When it remains | | | | reversed. Supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty |
| persistently high, it is associated with increased fat | | | | acids, for example, which assist in optimizing brain cell |
| storage, increased waist circumference and increased | | | | functioning and make up a substantial part of nerve cell |
| body mass index (BMI), all of which are highly | | | | walls, has been shown to improve cognition and mood, |
| correlated with cardiovascular disease and heart | | | | countering depressive symptoms. Vitamin and mineral |
| attack. | | | | supplements can also help - low levels of zinc, |
| Research conducted by Eve van Cauter at the | | | | selenium and folic acid have been associated with |
| University of Chicago found that cortisol levels were | | | | depressive symptoms. These are micronutrients, |
| higher in individuals who were experiencing sleep | | | | meaning that they are only required in minuscule |
| deprivation. An emotional-physiological vicious cycle | | | | quantities to be effective and can easily and rapidly be |
| could ensue very easily, with insomnia causing more | | | | added to the diet in the form of a single daily pill. |
| stress and increased stress prolonging the insomnia. | | | | Minds and bodies, these findings suggest, are intimately |
| Moreover, van Cauter's research found that sleep | | | | implicated in each other's functioning. Stress reduction, |
| deprivation altered the balance between two | | | | which may include psychological counseling or |
| hormones which play an exceptionally important role in | | | | psychotherapy, is emerging as a major consideration in |
| appetite regulation. Leptin signals to the brain that the | | | | the quest to reduce excess weight. In addition to the |
| body is well satiated; ghrelin does the opposite, | | | | dietary and psychotherapeutic measures just |
| informing the brain that food needs to be consumed in | | | | mentioned, both stress and obesity are known to be |
| order to re-establish energy. During sleep, leptin levels | | | | significantly reduced upon the adoption of a regular |
| normally increase and ghrelin declines. But during sleep | | | | exercise routine. The good news in the midst of all the |
| deprivation, the opposite occurs. Decreased leptin and | | | | gloom is that this is battle which can be won. |