It’s pumpkin spice season y’all! And you better believe that I will be full on flannel mode complete with fuzzy socks thinking of ways to make the season feel extra cozy with my favorite fall dishes. When I think of eating for emotional health the excitement for seasonal finds comes to mind and I hate the idea of leaving out this part of celebrating the season.

There sometimes is confusion between emotional eating and eating for emotional health. As a registered dietitian I see the two differently. Emotional eating is typically used to cope with difficult emotions. If someone is feeling sad or upset they might turn to food for comfort. This in and of itself is not a bad thing although I do encourage clients to proceed with caution. Part of normalized eating includes sometimes eating when you’re happy, sad or bored or just because it feels good. To expect to never turn to food for comfort is unrealistic. Emotional eating can even put the concept of comfort foods more into perspective. However, it’s important to have multiple ways to manage difficult emotions and not just turn to food. Imagine if you had 10-15 different baskets that you could turn to and fill for boosting your emotional health - food can be one of these baskets! Talking with a loved one, being outside, playing with the family pet or even just sitting and feeling the feeling without a distraction are other ways to fill those baskets too. When someone overuses a “coping basket” that is when problems can arise and emotional eating can start to hinder someone’s overall well-being. 

Now, think about eating for emotional health. Rather than turning to food to manage discomfort or numb out feelings eating for emotional health is much more. Being able to choose foods you enjoy and truly get enough of these foods feels good! This can be a very powerful way to boost our emotional health. 

Sometimes clients question certain foods as being “healthy”. Oftentimes foods that are higher in fat or sugar are put on the chopping block as bad and wrong and this can lead individuals to believe that these foods are unhealthy and thus need to be strictly avoided. Although it is true that certain foods offer less nutritional value than others and are best when consumed in moderation no food needs to be avoided unless there is a specific medical condition stating otherwise. Lets think about an ooey-gooey warm chocolate brownie (feel free to salivate now). Although this might not be a highly functional food in terms of physical wellness it is important to think about wellness in a more comprehensive way. Wellness is not only about our physical health, it is also about our mental and emotional health. As a lover of those ooey-gooey warm chocolate brownies I would feel sad and deprived if I were told I could not eat those and guilty if I believed eating those would be bad or even harm my body. As a dietitian I know that we can enjoy those foods in moderation, especially when we also allow in more functional foods like whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats. There is room for all at the table! I also know that it is far healthier to include foods we crave even if they are not nutrimental powerhouses because these foods can be protective of our emotional wellness. 

A great non-food example can be found in dressing our bodies. Imagine if someone chose exactly what you would wear each and every day, all day based solely off of function. All your clothes would be clean, fit your body and would be climate appropriate. Others might even complement what you wear! However, none of these clothes were chosen by you. The accessories you love, the fabrics that feel best, the colors and shapes and styles are all chosen without your individuality, preference or style taken into consideration. No thank you! Although you would still be able to maintain your physical wellness with these clothing choices you would not get to have an expression or exploration of yourself. You would not be listened to or cared for in a deeper, more meaningful way. Again, there is room for both! Thankfully we are able to find clothes we not only feel connected to as well as clothes that are functional. And, often times, there is a balancing act with fun and functional with clothing as well. If you cannot see yourself having strict rules about how to dress your body think about this for food as well.

For this holiday season lean into all aspects of health when choosing what to eat. Allow in the pastas and brownies and pumpkin spice everything while still allowing in the fruits and vegetables. If you have been told by someone (even a medical professional) that certain foods are bad I also encourage you to seek out more specifics. Is that food an allergen? What will happen to your body if you eat that food? And at what rate? Or, is that food something more triggering that needs more guidance and care to learn how to bring it back into your life in a safer way? Perhaps there needs to be more knowledge gained on what else to eat in order to make sure that the foods you love can keep your body healthy? The guidance of a registered dietitian can allow freedom with food to keep emotional eating in check while also being able to still eat for emotional wellness.  

If you’re wanting to learn more connect with us today! We are always happy to help clients in their journey to find freedom with food and respect all needs for wellness! Please contact us at Lotus Therapy Group at 708-552-7330 or click here .