“The belly rules the mind.” This Spanish proverb illustrates the quintessential alliance between the mind and the gross motor skill of eating. Researchers have often wondered how this rudimentary relationship can be understood by studying how various compulsive eating disorders affect the body through the influence of the mind. However, before probing into multiple therapies termed as potential temporary ‘cures,’ the sources of such apprehensive and complex disorders need to be investigated.
Appetite is a significant source that contributes to the genesis of an eating disorder. Scientifically speaking, taste evolves through the primary gustatory cortex and the piriform cortex (both which are parts of the human brain that help in progressively maturing the sense of smell and taste). Eating disorders like bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and anorexia nervosa are common mental illnesses that have the highest mortality rate in the world. At times many individuals do not find a safe and reliable social environment to discuss such disorders freely and hence, misunderstand their cause and potential long-term effects. According to research, the primary source of eating disorders does not narrow down to just unhealthy eating habits. Studies are still in the process of understanding and proving that they could be symptoms of other mental disorders like depression, substance abuse, or severe anxiety.[1] It is also worth considering its association with social stigma, stressful experiences, isolation/ostracism, or even psychological changes created by abnormal eating behaviours themselves. Various psychological and sociological factors can also contribute to its cause, especially when people feel dissatisfied with their body image and thus develop low self- esteem.[2] Eating disorders are common among adolescents and young adults but can affect almost everyone across all age groups, genders, and body mass indices.[3]
Above all, it is crucial to understand what one can do to eat healthily and maintain a constructive balance between the body and mind. This can be achieved by adapting to a few changes:
Remember to hydrate yourself and keep track of your eating habits while not forgetting to be gentle with yourself.
Practice self-care by not skipping meals.
Any form of physical exercise like playing a favourite sport or practicing wellness through yoga can help release endorphins into the bloodstream, thus reducing stress levels.
Respect yourself, love your body, and give yourself a little encouragement.
Reach out to a mental health professional like a therapist if you have severe eating disorder symptoms or simply if you are not comfortable sharing your condition with others.
Social media can have a negative impact on how we perceive a healthy-diet and this might affect how we see ourselves. Thus, it is vital to discern what is appropriate for oneself as everyone has a different lifestyle they choose to lead.
Research states that practicing a few positive affirmations can help create an effective mechanism for coping with stress related to abnormal eating behaviours. For example, realizing that it is alright if one does not meet their target weight.[4] Eating a balanced meal and trying to understand that a particular eating habit or pattern of behaviour can be changed gradually with support from friends, family, or health care professionals.
In conclusion, practicing a positive relationship with food can help foster physical and mental wellbeing, even when one may think that eating healthy is a challenge.
[1] Steinhausen, H.C. (2009). Outcomes of eating disorders. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 18 (1), 225-242.
[2] American Psychological Association. (2020). Eating disorders. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/eating-disorders
[3] National Institute of Mental Health. (2018). Eating disorders: About more than food. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/
[4] Cleveland Clinic. (2016). The Psychology of Eating. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10681-the-psychology-of-eating
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