We all tend to comfort eat from time to time, it’s just some of us do it more than others. This happens more so when we feel low, stressed or lonely or even if we just want to make ourselves feel better.

The majority of us are doing it without even being aware of it. Mindlessly eating, reaching for that extra biscuit with that cup of tea, grabbing that not so good for us chocolate bar at the supermarket checkout. Then there’s the second or third helping, you know what I’m talking about. The extra helpings because we enjoyed the first one so much. Most of the time we comfort eat when we’re not really hungry at all.

When you stick to a healthy diet for a short period of time, losing weight is not the challenging part. The hard part is keeping it off by not overeating again.

Worldwide, there are over 1 billion overweight adults, with at least 300 million of them clinically obese. The definition of an obese person is one with a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 30.  

So the question to ask, is why do we overeat?  Why aren’t more people living a healthy lifestyle when no one ever wants to be fat?

Let’s take a closer look at the causes of obesity.

• Dietary confusion / lack of education in basic nutrition- some people don’t know what they should be eating.

• Stressed and busy lifestyles, thereby encouraging convenience, junk foods over healthy meals.  

• Using food as a treat or reward

Let’s analyze what comfort eating is. It means we eat food when we are feeling depressed, sad, disappointed, upset, stressed, frustrated, sensitive, vulnerable, rejected and many other painful and unpleasant emotions. It is when we are in this frame of mind that we often turn to large quantities of high fat, high sugar, refined and processed foods to comfort and relieve the pain.

People often have an emotional attachment to food, so when they are feeling down they eat as a reward or to self-soothe. It is a ‘drug’ of choice; leading to an unbalanced vicious cycle which  leads to yet another and  then comes back around to haunt you.

The more stressed you are, the more you may eat, the more pain you  may create through increased weight or compounded guilt, and round and round  it goes. Winning requires breaking this cycle and moving into another cycle altogether.

Steps to break out of Comfort Eating

First things first, recognize that you …

1.      Comfort eat

2.      Do not eat because you are hungry

3.      Eat because you have an emotional need

The next step is to find other less harmful and less self-destructive ways to relieve the emotional need to eat. There is no point in quitting comfort eating if you take up smoking, drink, drugs or other destructive habits!

It’s easy to understand why we are so drawn to the high fat and sugar foods. It’s in our genes to be attracted to high calorie foods. In times of scarcity, eating them kept you alive. It wasn’t so much survival of the fittest but rather survival of the fattest.

Here are a few ideas to help you avoid comfort eating and find other ways to soothe yourself:  

• Try having a lovely bath or shower with essential oils

• Treat yourself to a magazine and take some time out to read it with a nice cup of chamomile tea

• Have a siesta

• Watch a movie

• Go for a walk

• Head out to the gym

• Exercise

• Yoga or Tai chi

• Go have a cup of tea and a heart to heart chat with a friend

• Do some gardening

• Read a good book

Regular exercise is a great way to lift your spirits. It also has the added benefits of improving sleep and concentration, increases stamina and reduces headaches. Endorphins are released into the brain during exercise and those chemicals promote a sense of positiveness and happiness that will last some time after the activity. 

So the next time you need to self soothe don't mindlessly pick up the packet of crisps or a bar of chocolate. Put on your trainers and go out for a lovely, long walk. It's a wonderful way to a healthy body and a healthy mind.

 It can become confusing with all the contradictory research findings over the health aspects of alcohol consumption.  

We are bombarded by statements of red wine being good for the heart and in others alcohol is especially bad for women as it increases the risks of getting breast cancer.

Let’s take a look at the positives and negatives that alcohol can have on your health.

Positive Aspects of Drinking Alcohol

 Alcohol has been hyped by many for the health benefits it offers. Here’s a few of them:  

• Alcohol consumption may destroy the harmful bacteria such as Heliobacter pylori which causes stomach ulcers.

• A study has shown that women who have a glass of wine a day tend to gain less weight than women who are on a diet control program.

• Alcohol reduces the risk of acquiring heart disease and peripheral vascular diseases, especially in women. 

• It helps to reduce the plaque formation and cholesterol deposits on blood vessels hence improving the levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL).  

• Lowers the risk of gallstone formation.

• Reduces your chances of getting a stroke.

• Reduces the risk of acquiring Type II Diabetes.

• Reduces the risk of acquiring Alzheimer’s disease and other cognition-related disorders.

• Improves digestion if consumed after taking meals.

Please not that the above listed benefits of alcohol consumption are applicable under moderate consumption. Moderate consumption may be defined as no more than 3 - 4 standard drinks per drinking episode, no more than 9 drinks per week for women and 12 - 14 for men.

A standard drink is:

• a 12 oz (355 ml.) beer with 5% alcohol  
• A 5 oz. (150 ml.) glass of wine (12.5% alcohol).
• 1.5 oz. (45 ml.) of 80 proof liquor (40% alcohol).

Negative Aspects of Drinking Alcohol

The World Health Organization says alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death and disability in the world. A new WHO report says the harmful use of alcohol kills two and a half million people a year.

Alcohol can have intoxicating, toxic and addictive properties when it is drunk in excess. It damages your health and it also can have social repercussions.

Excessive and chronic alcohol use has been associated with damage to major organs and some cancers.  It may be defined as consuming an average of more than two drinks per day for men and more than one drink per day for women.

Below is a list of some of the negative aspects of consuming excessive amounts of alcohol: 

• Suicidal tendencies

• Depressive illness and other nervous disorders.

• Chronic pancreatitis

• Chronic hepatitis (Quite significant).

• High blood pressure

• Heart failure

• Cancers in the regions such as Esophagus, pharynx, esopharynx, oral, gastrointestinal, liver and also increases a woman’s chances of getting breast cancer.

• Miscarriage in pregnancies.

• Increased risk of getting a stroke.

• Obesity.

• Reduces testosterone levels in men.

Keeping in mind the negative aspects of drinking alcohol, we can conclude that alcohol should only be consumed in moderation. Red wine should be favoured above all drinks due to its high antioxidant content. I may be conservative when it comes to drinking alcohol and rarely drink, yet if you feel you enjoy it, limit it to about 2 - 3 drinks a week !  

Some people hate them and some people love them. I personally love them. When I start eating them I find it hard to stop !

How Much To Eat:

One olive (no stone) weighs approximately 3g. Olives are high in salt, so people with high blood pressure should moderate their intake.  About a small handful a day is good measure. That may be approximately 6 olives. Use olive oil as a dressing or to cook with. Note that one tablespoon of olive oil is 120 calories. No more than one tablespoon with every meal !

Key Benefits:

Flavones are one of the phenolic phytochemicals in olives. Olive oil contains a range of other phenolics. Phenolics, along with vitamin E, give the olive and olive oil, its well known antioxidant power.

Maximising the Benefits:

Virgin olive oil is “pressed” from olives; “extra virgin” olive oil is richest in phenolic compounds. Raw olives are bitter due to a phenolic compound, oleuropein, and are made edible by being pickled or marinaded in salt or oil.

Cancer:

Population studies link diets high in monounsaturated fat and / or olive oil with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Memory:

A Mediterranean diet high in extra virgin olive oil might help to protect against age-related decline in mental function.

Heart Health:

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which have beneficial effects on the body’s cholesterol levels. Human studies investigating diets rich in olive oil also show blood pressure-lowering and anti-blood clotting effects. All benefit health and help explain the longevity of people who enjoy a Mediterranean diet.

Here are some more health benefits of eating olives: 

• Olives are a good source of fiber
• Olives act as an antioxidant, protecting cells
• Olives reduce the effects of degenerative diseases such as benign and malignant tumours, Alzheimer’s, improves varicose veins and cavities.
• Olives help prevent blood clots that could lead to a myocardial infarction or deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• Olives offer great protection against anemia
• Olives boost fertility and help reproductive system
•  Olives play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system, especially during oxidative stress and chronic viral diseases
• And just in case these benefits weren’t enough, they are also a great aphrodisiac.
•  Olives are nutritious and rich in mineral content as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine
• Olives provide essential vitamins and amino acids.
• Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemical that reduce oxidative stress in the brain. So by eating a daily serving of olives helps improve your memory by up to 25%.
• Just one cup of olives is a great source of iron – 4.4mg.
• Eating olives can improve the appearance of wrinkles by 20% since they contain oleic acid, which keeps skin soft and healthy.
• By eating just 10 olives before a meal, you can reduce your appetite by up to 20%. This is because the monounsaturated fatty acids contained in olives slow down the digestion process and stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, a hormone that sends messages of fullness to the brain.
•  Not only does it do that, but it also helps your body to stimulate the production of adiponectin, a chemical that burns fat for up to five hours after ingestion.