Part 6: More on Body Image, Bloating, Constipation, and Binge Eating
Based on the book "The Science of Nutrition" by Rhiannon Lambert
WHAT IS A DETOX diet AND DETOX TEA? "Detox" is a buzzword in the diet industry. Many products and diet plans promise to rid the body of toxins, help you lose weight, and even reduce cellulite. But detoxes are unnecessary, because your body has a highly effective detoxification system of its own. The truth is, we don’t need to “cleanse” or detox ourselves at all, and following this sort of diet will not have this desired effect. The idea of feeling clean after a detox diet is what spurs dieters to embark repeatedly on expensive and immensely restrictive detox diets. We come into contact with environmental toxins every single day in the air we breathe and the food we eat, for instance. The body is a wonderful organism, which, through the action of the liver, effectively removes toxins and waste products that make it into the body system. Breakfast appears to be especially important when maintaining a healthy weight. Research suggests that controlling food intake across the day is more manageable on a full stomach in the morning—people who eat breakfast appear to be more likely to maintain weight loss in the long term. MENOPAUSE For most women, menopause is a natural aging process during which they lose their period due to declining estrogen levels. Plant compounds called phytoestrogens may help ease hot flashes and night sweats, the most common symptoms. So far, research has focused on one type—isoflavones—found in soybeans and soy-based foods and drinks. WHY DO I FEEL BLOATED? Bloating is the sensation associated with gas in our gut, when your abdomen feels swollen and is commonly distended. It can make us feel uncomfortably full and is sometimes accompanied by pain, flatulence, and nausea. Even in a “fasted” state, our gastrointestinal tract contains gases, which increase after eating due to swallowing air and gases produced during digestion. But it is normal for our stomachs to distend when we eat a meal—they are not supposed to remain flat! WHY AM I CONSTIPATED? Constipation can be frustrating and sometimes painful, resulting in a lot of straining and hard poop. Slow transit constipation occurs when your stool takes such a long time to get through the large intestine, much of its water content is absorbed and it turns hard and dry. Evacuation disorder comes down to the final push to excrete the stool, when coordination of the muscles involved is poor. This could have been a result of childhood toilet habits or be a structural problem of your biology. • Constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome is a type of IBS mostly owed to constipation. HOW CAN I STOP BINGE EATING? Binge eating is often explained as eating when we’re not hungry or overeating to provide a temporary distraction from something painful. But the relationship between food and mood goes far beyond that specific moment. Emotional eating is often a way of compensating for a lack of coping skills. And for some, this pattern can become a compulsion. It’s important to note that binge-eating disorder is a serious mental illness where people who eat large quantities of food can feel like they are out of control, which can be incredibly distressing. Binges can leave the individual feeling disconnected from what they’re doing during a binge. They can even forget what they have eaten afterward. Everyone is an emotional eater to some degree. Stress, boredom, anxiety, or sleep-deprivation can make us want to eat more of different foods (or not eat). The problem occurs when our emotions rule how we eat. If we overeat in response to something difficult or painful, we can get caught in the binge-restrict cycle. A binge is followed by guilt, even shame and embarrassment, which can cause an individual to restrict their food intake to compensate. Restriction triggers obsessive thoughts of food and so the cycle begins again. If you can spend time developing new coping strategies for emotional issues, it may help you get to the core of what is really going on and beat the binge-restrict cycle. The binge-restrict cycle can happen to anybody, not just those with eating disorders. If you ever find yourself stuck in the binge-restrict cycle, think about the following: SELF-WORTH Be prepared to work on yourself. Analyze your expectations and values and learn to grow your self-worth and self-esteem. Seek the help of a professional therapist if necessary. FOOD DIARY Work on a food–mood diary. Eat three balanced meals a day and two to three snacks; enough to maintain your body weight—you need to get out of the binge-restrict cycle before trying to lose weight. FEELINGS Understand your feelings. What is your eating style? Are there a lot of rules? Feelings of guilt or sadness? How do you feel if you break one of your rules, and how do you respond? TRIGGERS Identify your triggers. See whether you can recognize yourself in any of the common binge eating triggers below and think about how these states might affect you throughout your day: ANGER | ANXIETY | WORRY | FEAR DEPRESSION | NEGATIVITY | BOREDOM GUILT | SHAME. NEGATIVE THOUGHTS Challenge negative thoughts. Consider naming that inner critic inside your head. You may be surprised to find that you are bullying yourself— a sign that some self-soothing is required. KINDNESS Be kind to yourself. Remember that your body needs food for fuel. If your body is receiving the nutrition it needs, you are less likely to suffer from ill health. You deserve to eat and enjoy food. People with eating disorders use disordered eating as a way of coping with difficult situations or feelings. This behavior can include limiting food intake; eating very large quantities of food at once; getting rid of eaten food through unhealthy means (e.g., vomiting, misusing laxatives, fasting, or exercising excessively); or a combination of these. There’s no single cause, and sufferers might not have all the symptoms of any one eating disorder. Many people are diagnosed with “other specified feeding or eating disorder” (OSFED), which means their symptoms don’t exactly match what doctors check for to diagnose binge-eating disorder, anorexia, or bulimia, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not still very serious. Recognizing the symptoms of eating disorders and knowing they manifest differently from person to person, which can make them tricky to spot. Here are some signs to look out for: BEHAVIORAL SIGNS • Spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape • Avoiding socializing when you think food will be involved • Eating very little food• Making yourself vomit or taking laxatives after you eat • Exercising too much • Having very strict habits or routines around food • Changes in your mood, such as being withdrawn, anxious, or depressed PHYSICAL SIGNS • Feeling cold, tired, or dizzy • Pains, tingling, or numbness in your arms and legs (poor circulation) • Racing heartbeat, fainting, or feeling faint • Problems with your digestion, such as bloating, constipation, or diarrhea • Your weight being very high or very low for someone of your age and height • Not getting your period.
