Stressed? If your first reaction is to turn to food, youβre not alone. Foods that are high in salt, sugar, and fat stimulate a bliss chemical response in the brain that helps us feel calmer and more relaxed. If food is your number one coping mechanism, it might be time to mix things up. A simple exercise is begin thinking about ways you can πππππππ yourself, without ππππππππππ yourself.
Anything that makes up happy can stimulate that same bliss chemical response in the brain. But, since everyone is different, what works well for one person may not work as well for you. Making a list of non-food things that you find enjoyable is a good place to start. Perhaps you like listening to new music, painting or drawing, or maybe even calling an old friend. The more ideas you can come up, the better. Plan to engage in one of these activities every day. While itβs not silver bullet, over time this exercise will help build your resilience to stress, without having to rely on food.
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