The importance of eating healthy is a message that is heard often today, especially with kids. It is just as important as the messages put out by television, movies, and other media that promote smoking, drinking, drugs, and other bad activities. However, it is even more important to teach our youth the importance of eating healthy and exercising properly. Kids do not think about the importance of eating healthy all the time, but they should be made aware of the importance, so that they will decide on whether or not they want to follow such a lifestyle.
Parents also have a huge role in teaching their children the importance of eating healthy. Research has also shown that children are able to learn more when they are well nourished, which means that eating healthy meals regularly is linked to better memory, higher grades, quicker thinking, and increased alertness and clarity.
Studies have shown the importance of eating a variety of healthy eating foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Studies have also shown the importance of a well-balanced diet composed of a variety of foods, to reduce the risks for heart diseases, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, asthma, stroke, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
What is Binge Eating?
Binge eating is an extreme form of overeating. It involves sudden and uncontrollable overeating of foods that are normally eliminated by the body in lesser amounts. If you have binge eating disorder, you feel guilty and you act like it’s your duty to make up for it by eating as much food as you can. But most times, binge eating is out of control and is not related to any special occasion.1
Many people who have this disorder experience nervousness, insomnia, irritability, depression, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, and feelings of powerlessness. Binge eating usually marks the start of a series of problems in life, such as weight gain, difficulty with weight management, more frequent episodes of depression, and difficulty with weight loss.2 It is marked by extreme, uncontrolled eating that is done impulsively and often occurs in situations that would not normally call for such excess eating. People who engage in binge eating often have difficulty controlling their urges and are not able to stop at once. What is marked by severe emotional and physical distress is often a symptom of another underlying disorder or illness, so it is important to rule out other illnesses if you experience these symptoms. 3
In general, people who binge eat experience feelings of guilt and extreme shame over their actions, but the distress usually goes away within a few days, usually only after a large amount of overeating has occurred. Binge eating is an intense urge to overeat, especially food that is high in calories and carbohydrates.4 However, there are people who eat to feel better, to relax, to feel sexy, to avoid feeling stressed, to deny their emotions, to ignore their problems, or to fill a void. It is very easy to fall into the trap of binge eating, and just like all addictions, it can be overcome with strong willpower and support from family and friends.
Dangers of Binge Eating
Many people wonder what the dangers of binge eating are and whether or not they themselves could fall into this dangerous habit. Binge eating is when you eat an excessive amount of food in a short period of time. The dangers of binge eating do exist and they can range from the serious to the downright deadly.5 These dangers of binge eating come from two main sources. The first of which is personal risk factors related to your personality and your family history.
Personal risks of binge eating disorder include eating something you shouldn’t and the consequences of not controlling yourself during a meal. When we eat out we are given the option to eat small amounts but if the place is fast food, it can quickly grow to be a massive amount. Family background can also play a part in whether or not someone develops this problem. If you have a close first-degree family member who deals with binge eating problems, you may also be at a higher risk yourself. It could mean there are even some genetic factors that directly relate to developing this sort of eating disorder.
The second danger of binge eating is connected to your blood sugar levels. When we are experiencing periods of high blood sugar, we tend to crave sweet foods and eventually this leads to binging. This is because our bodies often need to have a high blood sugar spike in order to regulate things such as our heart rate, our temperature and our appetite. When we experience these periods of high blood sugar however, it can cause us to have uncontrollable cravings and eventually result in binge eating.
How To Stop Binge Eating: A Guide To Emotional Eating
Are you looking for answers to how to stop binge eating? Are you sick and tired of the empty calories and the guilt trips? There are ways to eat healthy and to stay away from “comfort food”, but how do you know which plan is right for you?6
First, the first tip on how to stop binge eating is to recognise that there may be a problem. For some people, the sudden weight loss they experienced when they enrolled in a weight loss program was one of the most difficult things to accept. They had once been happy and content, content in the knowledge that they didn’t have the excess weight that they thought they had.7 Perhaps they were doing just fine, but that changed suddenly when they took part in a weight loss program. Their bodies felt heavy and sluggish, and they wondered what had happened.
Second, if you have tried diet coke or other similar products to help you “cut the fat” but they haven’t worked, then it is time to try something different. Sometimes, it takes a real, physical effort to change our behaviour. If you have tried diet coke or another similar product and it hasn’t changed your behaviour, it may be time to try a different way to change your eating habits. Your behaviour, not just your appetite, will have the biggest impact on how to stop binge eating.. Whether it is a particular food or being around too much noise or stress, the environment in which you eat affects how you feel.8
Thirdly, once you have decided to seek treatment for your eating disorder, then the battle can begin. If you are serious about how to stop binge eating, then you need to make an appointment with a trained practitioner. Do not try to self-medicate, as you will not get the results that are desirable. You also run the risk of doing more harm than good.
It can be tempting to treat binge eating by eliminating one food group at a time. For example, if you have a problem with snacking and eliminate chocolate from your diet, this might result in a mini-amine binge as your body adjusts to the lack of sugar. However, it is important to treat your condition over the long term, if you want to live a healthy weight loss lifestyle. By gradually reducing how much you eat, and keeping track of how you feel, you will be able to gradually work on a healthier diet and a healthier lifestyle.9 Just remember that if you go on a “diet” and don’t follow through, the pounds will return as before.
Image Credits
Practice Business / Google Stock Images
Psychology Today / Google Stock Images
SAP / Google Stock Images
Public Health Matters / Google Stock Images
1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627 Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
2 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/binge-eating-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353627 Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
3 https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/default.htm Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
4 https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/binge-eating-disorder/definition-facts Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
5 https://www.keckmedicine.org/5-very-real-dangers-of-binge-eating/ Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
6 https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
7 https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/head-off-binge Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
8 https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/eating-disorders/binge-eating-disorder/head-off-binge Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.
9 https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-stop-binge-eating-5094830 Accessed 26 Aug. 2021.