How Chronic Stress Impacts Our Weight
| 1 min read
00:00
00:00
About the Show
On this episode, Chuck Gaidica is joined by Shanthi Appelö, registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Together, they discuss the how chronic stress can impact our eating and weight.
In this episode of A Healthier Michigan Podcast, we explore:
- The connection between stress and overeating
- Signs someone is stress eating
- How stress impacts our appetite and cravings
- How someone with stress can establish healthy eating habits
Transcript
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you gravitate towards comfort food when you’re feeling stressed? There could be a reason for that. This is A Healthier Michigan Podcast, episode 130. Coming up, we discuss the relationship between stress and how we eat.
Welcome to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It’s a podcast dedicated to navigating how we can improve our health and wellbeing through small, healthy habits we can start right now. I’m your host, Chuck Gaidica, and every other week we’ll sit down with a certified expert to discuss topics that cover nutrition, fitness, a lot more. And today, the more is actually part two of a two-part series covering chronic stress. And now we’re going to dig a little more deeply into looking at the stress and how it impacts our overall health and weight. And of course that relates directly, often, to eating. With us today as a registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Shanthi Appelö. Hello, Shanthi.
Do you gravitate towards comfort food when you’re feeling stressed? There could be a reason for that. This is A Healthier Michigan Podcast, episode 130. Coming up, we discuss the relationship between stress and how we eat.
Welcome to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It’s a podcast dedicated to navigating how we can improve our health and wellbeing through small, healthy habits we can start right now. I’m your host, Chuck Gaidica, and every other week we’ll sit down with a certified expert to discuss topics that cover nutrition, fitness, a lot more. And today, the more is actually part two of a two-part series covering chronic stress. And now we’re going to dig a little more deeply into looking at the stress and how it impacts our overall health and weight. And of course that relates directly, often, to eating. With us today as a registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Shanthi Appelö. Hello, Shanthi.
Shanthi Appelö:
Hi, Chuck.
Hi, Chuck.
Chuck Gaidica:
This is an interesting topic for me, and I admitted this in part one, so I’m going back to the old days now, part one. Sometimes things go too right or too wrong for me, and I’m the guy that’s grabbing for cookies and stuff to eat. It’s just the way my life has worked.
This is an interesting topic for me, and I admitted this in part one, so I’m going back to the old days now, part one. Sometimes things go too right or too wrong for me, and I’m the guy that’s grabbing for cookies and stuff to eat. It’s just the way my life has worked.
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I know that a lot of us kind of fall into that same category, that we understand that food is a necessity for life, and yet, while we know it helps us, we’re eating the right macros and all the stuff that you and I have discussed and we’ve learned so much, there’s also this idea that food can also impact our mood, good or bad. And our stress can also impact what we go to put in our mouths, right?
And I know that a lot of us kind of fall into that same category, that we understand that food is a necessity for life, and yet, while we know it helps us, we’re eating the right macros and all the stuff that you and I have discussed and we’ve learned so much, there’s also this idea that food can also impact our mood, good or bad. And our stress can also impact what we go to put in our mouths, right?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yes, there’s this whole cycle here, and I know that a lot of us experience stress, whether that’s little stressful things that happen throughout the day, maybe you get stuck in traffic, but then there’s that kind of stress that’s prolonged, and usually that type of stress is more so what effects our eating and can overall affect our weight. And so it’s really interesting, because there are a few different ways that we can experience stress or ways that stress can impact our weight. And one of those things is going to be kind of a hormonal response to our stress. Another one is going to be something beyond biological cravings, so lack of motivation when we’re stressed. And that last one is kind of the stress coping behaviors that we have, where we may resort to food.
Yes, there’s this whole cycle here, and I know that a lot of us experience stress, whether that’s little stressful things that happen throughout the day, maybe you get stuck in traffic, but then there’s that kind of stress that’s prolonged, and usually that type of stress is more so what effects our eating and can overall affect our weight. And so it’s really interesting, because there are a few different ways that we can experience stress or ways that stress can impact our weight. And one of those things is going to be kind of a hormonal response to our stress. Another one is going to be something beyond biological cravings, so lack of motivation when we’re stressed. And that last one is kind of the stress coping behaviors that we have, where we may resort to food.
Chuck Gaidica:
And when you talk about that stress coping behavior, stress, just the word itself, Shanthi, kind of conjures up in my mind… It’s kind of a hard word. It doesn’t end with hard consonants, but it always sounds like, oh, things are going really bad. And another thing I recognized since our last episode, it just came to mind, is that sometimes I will… I guess it’s stress eating when I’m bored. So in other words, it’s not like some hard stressor in my life, something went terribly wrong. It may just be that I’ve got self-imposed or otherwise a little bit of stress that’s coming from places I may not even recognize, but I’m still eating the cashews or something.
And when you talk about that stress coping behavior, stress, just the word itself, Shanthi, kind of conjures up in my mind… It’s kind of a hard word. It doesn’t end with hard consonants, but it always sounds like, oh, things are going really bad. And another thing I recognized since our last episode, it just came to mind, is that sometimes I will… I guess it’s stress eating when I’m bored. So in other words, it’s not like some hard stressor in my life, something went terribly wrong. It may just be that I’ve got self-imposed or otherwise a little bit of stress that’s coming from places I may not even recognize, but I’m still eating the cashews or something.
Shanthi Appelö:
Well, who has ever been stressed and they’re like, “I’m going to make myself some brown rice, broccoli and grilled chicken.”
Well, who has ever been stressed and they’re like, “I’m going to make myself some brown rice, broccoli and grilled chicken.”
Chuck Gaidica:
Right. Why don’t we do that?
Right. Why don’t we do that?
Shanthi Appelö:
So a few different things. So usually when people are in a stressful state, they are going to gravitate more towards those sugary and fatty foods as a coping mechanism. But there’s more to it than just being a coping mechanism. We get this kind of reward to our brain pathways when we have foods that make us feel a certain way. So that’s why we call those foods, usually, comfort foods. So it tells us, “Hey, this was a really good idea.” It’s going to release dopamine. And in that way it will tell us, “Hey, I’m relieving stress for a little bit by having that food.” But obviously it’s not a solution.
Another thing that people can do when they are feeling stressed is that they may drink more alcohol. Of course, we understand that’s not a healthy coping behavior, but having more alcohol, especially when we have it often, so maybe someone who’s having a lot of stress will drink alcohol… maybe have five more beverages a week. Those calories can really add up when we think of something like even one and a half ounces of vodka is 100 calories, and that’s without any sugar or fat added to that drink. So those kind of things can add up too.
So a few different things. So usually when people are in a stressful state, they are going to gravitate more towards those sugary and fatty foods as a coping mechanism. But there’s more to it than just being a coping mechanism. We get this kind of reward to our brain pathways when we have foods that make us feel a certain way. So that’s why we call those foods, usually, comfort foods. So it tells us, “Hey, this was a really good idea.” It’s going to release dopamine. And in that way it will tell us, “Hey, I’m relieving stress for a little bit by having that food.” But obviously it’s not a solution.
Another thing that people can do when they are feeling stressed is that they may drink more alcohol. Of course, we understand that’s not a healthy coping behavior, but having more alcohol, especially when we have it often, so maybe someone who’s having a lot of stress will drink alcohol… maybe have five more beverages a week. Those calories can really add up when we think of something like even one and a half ounces of vodka is 100 calories, and that’s without any sugar or fat added to that drink. So those kind of things can add up too.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, and then you extend that out. It may just not be a week. I mean, what if it’s six weeks? What if it’s the whole year that you’re adding three to five extra glasses or whatever a week? That really does add up. You’re talking thousands of calories.
Well, and then you extend that out. It may just not be a week. I mean, what if it’s six weeks? What if it’s the whole year that you’re adding three to five extra glasses or whatever a week? That really does add up. You’re talking thousands of calories.
Shanthi Appelö:
Absolutely. And then as we talk about stress and the way that it builds up, because in the short term, if we feel that stress, I kind of mentioned that in the beginning, our body’s actually going to release hormones that puts us in this fight or flight response. So we’ve heard of adrenaline. In that way, we’re probably not going to want to eat. It kind of puts a halt to those kind of things when we’re in that fight or flight state.
But then the stress can be prolonged over time and it releases something called cortisol, and cortisol is a hormone that is released and very much associated with stress and chronic stress especially. So this is kind of an evil cycle a little bit, because we release this cortisol and, well, inflammation contributes to cortisol release in the body, and all of that can have an effect on our appetite.
And usually when cortisol is released, it’s associated with you wanting to have more fatty foods and more sugary foods. And often foods that are rich in those things are also going to be automatically higher in calories and can lead to weight gain. So not only are we in this stressful state, and we may resort to those foods as a coping mechanism, but these hormones are also driving that. So there’s this kind of biological craving.
And something else that’s really interesting about cortisol is it favors this fat accumulation in our midsection, so around our stomach where we tend to not feel so great.
Absolutely. And then as we talk about stress and the way that it builds up, because in the short term, if we feel that stress, I kind of mentioned that in the beginning, our body’s actually going to release hormones that puts us in this fight or flight response. So we’ve heard of adrenaline. In that way, we’re probably not going to want to eat. It kind of puts a halt to those kind of things when we’re in that fight or flight state.
But then the stress can be prolonged over time and it releases something called cortisol, and cortisol is a hormone that is released and very much associated with stress and chronic stress especially. So this is kind of an evil cycle a little bit, because we release this cortisol and, well, inflammation contributes to cortisol release in the body, and all of that can have an effect on our appetite.
And usually when cortisol is released, it’s associated with you wanting to have more fatty foods and more sugary foods. And often foods that are rich in those things are also going to be automatically higher in calories and can lead to weight gain. So not only are we in this stressful state, and we may resort to those foods as a coping mechanism, but these hormones are also driving that. So there’s this kind of biological craving.
And something else that’s really interesting about cortisol is it favors this fat accumulation in our midsection, so around our stomach where we tend to not feel so great.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you’re talking about the fat right underneath the skin?
So you’re talking about the fat right underneath the skin?
Shanthi Appelö:
So in the midsection, in our stomach area, that’s usually where cortisol favors that fat accumulation. So there’s kind of two evil forces.
So in the midsection, in our stomach area, that’s usually where cortisol favors that fat accumulation. So there’s kind of two evil forces.
Chuck Gaidica:
Everything you’re saying is backed up by so many studies, and I know you know that. Harvard Medical School has linked… It’s like, “Ta-da, it’s a new idea,” but it’s not, it’s linked weight gain to stress. And these numerous studies talk about this physical and emotional distress that increases this interest in food. And as you were talking about the high fat and even salty/sugar thing, which I’m sure kind of goes hand in hand with some fatty foods, oftentimes those foods we may gravitate toward for stress come in a big bag.
And it’s one thing to go out and get that fast food sub sandwich at lunch and get a little bag of chips, and every once in a while it just goes away into the dust. But if you’re digging into the big bag of taco chips and you just keep going until the bag is gone, well there you’ve got the fat, you’ve got the salt, you’ve got sugar, whatever else there is, and I can see how that adds up too, right?
Everything you’re saying is backed up by so many studies, and I know you know that. Harvard Medical School has linked… It’s like, “Ta-da, it’s a new idea,” but it’s not, it’s linked weight gain to stress. And these numerous studies talk about this physical and emotional distress that increases this interest in food. And as you were talking about the high fat and even salty/sugar thing, which I’m sure kind of goes hand in hand with some fatty foods, oftentimes those foods we may gravitate toward for stress come in a big bag.
And it’s one thing to go out and get that fast food sub sandwich at lunch and get a little bag of chips, and every once in a while it just goes away into the dust. But if you’re digging into the big bag of taco chips and you just keep going until the bag is gone, well there you’ve got the fat, you’ve got the salt, you’ve got sugar, whatever else there is, and I can see how that adds up too, right?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah. And in the short term it does, again, trigger that reward pathway in our brain that tells us, “Ooh, I’m feeling a little bit better now.” So yeah, there’s all of that going on.
Something else, and I know that you mentioned that Harvard study, there’s another study by Harvard where they looked at stress, and specifically stress from work and similar situations, that can lead to weight gain over time. And they found that typically people who were overweight to begin with experienced more weight gain in times of stress. And one of their theories for why this may be is that people who are overweight tend to have more insulin in their system, and that insulin in the presence of cortisol can lead to weight gain even more so. So there’s that tie there.
And then I mentioned that when we’re in this stressful state, we’re not probably going to do what’s best for ourselves in a lot of ways. We recognize that, okay, if I’m feeling stressed, it’s probably a good idea to feed myself the nutrients that my body’s craving, that my body’s going to feel good from, and exercise and do all these things. But usually if we’re stressed, we may have less time. If you have a lot of work deadlines, if you’ve got a lot going on in your life, you may not have time to prepare those healthy foods. And you may even have not so much motivation to make those foods because it’s like, why do I want to throw down in the kitchen and put all these things together when I can just grab something convenient or a bag of something, something crunchy, something fun?
Yeah. And in the short term it does, again, trigger that reward pathway in our brain that tells us, “Ooh, I’m feeling a little bit better now.” So yeah, there’s all of that going on.
Something else, and I know that you mentioned that Harvard study, there’s another study by Harvard where they looked at stress, and specifically stress from work and similar situations, that can lead to weight gain over time. And they found that typically people who were overweight to begin with experienced more weight gain in times of stress. And one of their theories for why this may be is that people who are overweight tend to have more insulin in their system, and that insulin in the presence of cortisol can lead to weight gain even more so. So there’s that tie there.
And then I mentioned that when we’re in this stressful state, we’re not probably going to do what’s best for ourselves in a lot of ways. We recognize that, okay, if I’m feeling stressed, it’s probably a good idea to feed myself the nutrients that my body’s craving, that my body’s going to feel good from, and exercise and do all these things. But usually if we’re stressed, we may have less time. If you have a lot of work deadlines, if you’ve got a lot going on in your life, you may not have time to prepare those healthy foods. And you may even have not so much motivation to make those foods because it’s like, why do I want to throw down in the kitchen and put all these things together when I can just grab something convenient or a bag of something, something crunchy, something fun?
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, you said it toward the top of our conversation, well, a minute ago you said “comfort food.” And immediately, I don’t know, don’t ask me why I got grilled cheese and tomato soup popped into my head. I would never, capital N, never stand up and go make grilled cheese and tomato soup… only because it’s a cold day probably, but never think of it to make it because I’m stressed.
So I know what comfort foods are, but yet that’s not where I’m gravitating. And part of it is probably kitchen prep. I’m not going to steam broccoli and get out the pot and boil the water. It’s just not going to happen. So part of it is that idea that maybe we also need to give ourselves a little elbow room or capacity in our time so we actually could make better foods.
Well, you said it toward the top of our conversation, well, a minute ago you said “comfort food.” And immediately, I don’t know, don’t ask me why I got grilled cheese and tomato soup popped into my head. I would never, capital N, never stand up and go make grilled cheese and tomato soup… only because it’s a cold day probably, but never think of it to make it because I’m stressed.
So I know what comfort foods are, but yet that’s not where I’m gravitating. And part of it is probably kitchen prep. I’m not going to steam broccoli and get out the pot and boil the water. It’s just not going to happen. So part of it is that idea that maybe we also need to give ourselves a little elbow room or capacity in our time so we actually could make better foods.
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah. And I think if you know that you have a stressful week coming up ahead, say it’s a Sunday night, and you have a lot of work deadlines or whatever it may be, it can be a good idea to just set some time up to prep some convenient foods that are also healthy. Maybe you take some time to cut up some cucumbers, some peppers, some… whatever veggies you like, switch it up, do some jícama, whatever, and prepare some Greek yogurt dip, whatever you want. So that way you have these easier snacks that are healthy that you can gravitate towards whenever you are short on time and things like that.
And also build time into your schedule to get that exercise, because exercise really can make us feel so good. And I know Dr. Gregory, in our previous episode about stress, mentioned that exercise is a really good way to make use of that fight or flight response, that adrenaline that we experience during stress.
Yeah. And I think if you know that you have a stressful week coming up ahead, say it’s a Sunday night, and you have a lot of work deadlines or whatever it may be, it can be a good idea to just set some time up to prep some convenient foods that are also healthy. Maybe you take some time to cut up some cucumbers, some peppers, some… whatever veggies you like, switch it up, do some jícama, whatever, and prepare some Greek yogurt dip, whatever you want. So that way you have these easier snacks that are healthy that you can gravitate towards whenever you are short on time and things like that.
And also build time into your schedule to get that exercise, because exercise really can make us feel so good. And I know Dr. Gregory, in our previous episode about stress, mentioned that exercise is a really good way to make use of that fight or flight response, that adrenaline that we experience during stress.
Chuck Gaidica:
I just saw today, the Global Wellness Institute, you may have seen this, just put out a study that said exercise actually is 1.5 times, one and a half times, better in helping to treat depression than meds and even therapy. It’s a broad brush study and, you know, you hear these things, but if it’s just 1.2 times better… It’s a natural approach, it gets you moving, you’ve got all the other benefits. So what you’re saying is right in the wheelhouse of things we can do, get up and move.
I just saw today, the Global Wellness Institute, you may have seen this, just put out a study that said exercise actually is 1.5 times, one and a half times, better in helping to treat depression than meds and even therapy. It’s a broad brush study and, you know, you hear these things, but if it’s just 1.2 times better… It’s a natural approach, it gets you moving, you’ve got all the other benefits. So what you’re saying is right in the wheelhouse of things we can do, get up and move.
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah. And schedule that in, right?
Yeah. And schedule that in, right?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shanthi Appelö:
Because in those moments, it’s really hard to make yourself go do that, whenever we are feeling very stressed. I think something else too to consider is that when we’re very stressed, we may not get quality sleep. And sleep is also a big part of this equation. And sleep in general, we know, contributes to good health. But when we’re stressed, maybe you’re not getting that full sleep cycle in. Maybe you’re not feeling good in general. Maybe the quality of sleep is just down. And that, in turn, can also contribute to more of that cortisol being released.
Because in those moments, it’s really hard to make yourself go do that, whenever we are feeling very stressed. I think something else too to consider is that when we’re very stressed, we may not get quality sleep. And sleep is also a big part of this equation. And sleep in general, we know, contributes to good health. But when we’re stressed, maybe you’re not getting that full sleep cycle in. Maybe you’re not feeling good in general. Maybe the quality of sleep is just down. And that, in turn, can also contribute to more of that cortisol being released.
Chuck Gaidica:
And that can turn into another one of these vicious cycles.
And that can turn into another one of these vicious cycles.
Shanthi Appelö:
And then if you’re not getting enough sleep, then you’re maybe fatigued during the day, and then you’re going to want to eat more of those convenient foods.
And then if you’re not getting enough sleep, then you’re maybe fatigued during the day, and then you’re going to want to eat more of those convenient foods.
Chuck Gaidica:
So you’re encouraging us to eat healthier, maybe even cut it up. One of my hacks recently, I’ve bought a big bag of sweet potatoes, I don’t know, got 80 million pounds of them at the discount place. So I’ve got all these sweet potatoes, but I’m cutting them up like they’re chips, a little olive oil, and I’m doing the air fryer deal and lightly salted… I store them, and they’re just the greatest go-to because they’re actually a little sweet and salty. But I don’t know that that cuts down on any stress. Are there literally any foods that we can prep or eat that will either push our cravings down or actually help relax us? Is there such an item?
So you’re encouraging us to eat healthier, maybe even cut it up. One of my hacks recently, I’ve bought a big bag of sweet potatoes, I don’t know, got 80 million pounds of them at the discount place. So I’ve got all these sweet potatoes, but I’m cutting them up like they’re chips, a little olive oil, and I’m doing the air fryer deal and lightly salted… I store them, and they’re just the greatest go-to because they’re actually a little sweet and salty. But I don’t know that that cuts down on any stress. Are there literally any foods that we can prep or eat that will either push our cravings down or actually help relax us? Is there such an item?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah, so there’s this theory that if we reduce inflammation in the body, then we can reduce our cortisol levels, and then that way it can help with the stress response where we want to eat certain things. So Mediterranean diet in general, those healthy oils, the fish, and I’ll talk more about fish in a moment, the nuts, the seeds, fiber, all those kind of things can help reduce inflammation in the body.
So one of those things is going to be omega-3, that can help reduce inflammation. And so fatty fish, making sure you get some salmon. And if you don’t love cooking salmon, you can even do things like have some smoked salmon for breakfast on some whole wheat bread with some cream cheese or something. There’s different ways that you can fit that in. And then also look to some plant sources like flax seeds. I love incorporating flax seeds or chia seeds into my morning smoothie or overnight oats, things like that.
So that’s something you can do. Also, something to consider here is that… You and I have talked in previous episodes about our gut and the role that has in our health. And because 80% to 90% even of our immune system is housed in our gut. If we feed our gut the right things, we can help reduce inflammation and thereby some of these hormones associated with stress. So giving our body things like Greek yogurt, that’s going to have those healthy bacteria, and those really fiber rich foods that have those prebiotics that can help the bacteria have something to feed off of, like raspberries. So feeding ourselves things like that can be a good idea. There’s also some research that suggests that magnesium foods can help in reducing inflammation. So think your dark chocolate here, avocado, spinach, things like that. So that’s something to think of too.
Yeah, so there’s this theory that if we reduce inflammation in the body, then we can reduce our cortisol levels, and then that way it can help with the stress response where we want to eat certain things. So Mediterranean diet in general, those healthy oils, the fish, and I’ll talk more about fish in a moment, the nuts, the seeds, fiber, all those kind of things can help reduce inflammation in the body.
So one of those things is going to be omega-3, that can help reduce inflammation. And so fatty fish, making sure you get some salmon. And if you don’t love cooking salmon, you can even do things like have some smoked salmon for breakfast on some whole wheat bread with some cream cheese or something. There’s different ways that you can fit that in. And then also look to some plant sources like flax seeds. I love incorporating flax seeds or chia seeds into my morning smoothie or overnight oats, things like that.
So that’s something you can do. Also, something to consider here is that… You and I have talked in previous episodes about our gut and the role that has in our health. And because 80% to 90% even of our immune system is housed in our gut. If we feed our gut the right things, we can help reduce inflammation and thereby some of these hormones associated with stress. So giving our body things like Greek yogurt, that’s going to have those healthy bacteria, and those really fiber rich foods that have those prebiotics that can help the bacteria have something to feed off of, like raspberries. So feeding ourselves things like that can be a good idea. There’s also some research that suggests that magnesium foods can help in reducing inflammation. So think your dark chocolate here, avocado, spinach, things like that. So that’s something to think of too.
Chuck Gaidica:
And there’s something in spinach, I was just reading about it recently, I don’t know if it qualifies as prebiotic, but some research was showing that actually… It’s a long word, and I forget what it is that’s contained in spinach, can actually help reduce weight. It can actually help you with your lifestyle change. And I thought, wow, if you’re trying to eat spinach, you’d have to be Popeye. You got to eat a lot of it, I guess, the whole bag.
But I did get a powder supplement and I thought, I’m going to throw it in my smoothie from time to time. It does make everything really green. It’s not the most appetizing color, I guess if it looked like a shamrock shake all the time, I’d be happier, but it’s not quite that. But I thought I’m going to just start to throw some in, a little tiny scoop, and we’ll see what happens. So come back to me in six months.
And there’s something in spinach, I was just reading about it recently, I don’t know if it qualifies as prebiotic, but some research was showing that actually… It’s a long word, and I forget what it is that’s contained in spinach, can actually help reduce weight. It can actually help you with your lifestyle change. And I thought, wow, if you’re trying to eat spinach, you’d have to be Popeye. You got to eat a lot of it, I guess, the whole bag.
But I did get a powder supplement and I thought, I’m going to throw it in my smoothie from time to time. It does make everything really green. It’s not the most appetizing color, I guess if it looked like a shamrock shake all the time, I’d be happier, but it’s not quite that. But I thought I’m going to just start to throw some in, a little tiny scoop, and we’ll see what happens. So come back to me in six months.
Shanthi Appelö:
Report back.
Report back.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. We’ll see how it’s going.
Yeah. We’ll see how it’s going.
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah. Oh, and one more theory in this food and stress situation to consider is getting some vitamin B12. And usually you’re going to be able to find that in a lot of fortified foods. So think cereals and stuff like that, but animal proteins like beef and chicken, fish even, because that is actually involved in the metabolism of cortisol. So in that way, it may be helpful.
Yeah. Oh, and one more theory in this food and stress situation to consider is getting some vitamin B12. And usually you’re going to be able to find that in a lot of fortified foods. So think cereals and stuff like that, but animal proteins like beef and chicken, fish even, because that is actually involved in the metabolism of cortisol. So in that way, it may be helpful.
Chuck Gaidica:
And I want to double back to fish for a minute, because we do eat salmon more periodically, I think, than any kind of fish. You just kind of think there are healthy fats, these omegas in all fish. But what about cod? What about grouper? I mean, are all fish pretty much in line with a Mediterranean diet, but that doesn’t mean they’re rich in omega-3 fats?
And I want to double back to fish for a minute, because we do eat salmon more periodically, I think, than any kind of fish. You just kind of think there are healthy fats, these omegas in all fish. But what about cod? What about grouper? I mean, are all fish pretty much in line with a Mediterranean diet, but that doesn’t mean they’re rich in omega-3 fats?
Shanthi Appelö:
Right. Yeah, so generally whenever we cook salmon, you’ve probably seen that if you overcook it, sometimes that white stuff comes out on the sides. That’s a good indication that it’s a fatty fish. So you can do a search on the fatty fish, but generally it’s going to be things like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and things like that.
And you can find them in canned form too. If you don’t like the flavor of cooking your own fish, maybe you don’t feel like you know what you’re doing, it’s a really good idea to check out the canned options, make some salad out of it, make some fun patties. There’s so many things to do.
Right. Yeah, so generally whenever we cook salmon, you’ve probably seen that if you overcook it, sometimes that white stuff comes out on the sides. That’s a good indication that it’s a fatty fish. So you can do a search on the fatty fish, but generally it’s going to be things like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and things like that.
And you can find them in canned form too. If you don’t like the flavor of cooking your own fish, maybe you don’t feel like you know what you’re doing, it’s a really good idea to check out the canned options, make some salad out of it, make some fun patties. There’s so many things to do.
Chuck Gaidica:
There’s another fish that my wife, she shakes her head, every time I buy a jar of herring, every single time. And I know sometimes there’s a little sour cream, and I know sometimes there are some sugars in there, so I want to be careful. I’m telling you, Shanthi, I could have herring every day.
There’s another fish that my wife, she shakes her head, every time I buy a jar of herring, every single time. And I know sometimes there’s a little sour cream, and I know sometimes there are some sugars in there, so I want to be careful. I’m telling you, Shanthi, I could have herring every day.
Shanthi Appelö:
Well, you come over to my house any holiday because that’s full-
Well, you come over to my house any holiday because that’s full-
Chuck Gaidica:
No kidding.
No kidding.
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah, yeah, we’ve got pickle… Well, it’s pickled herring.
Yeah, yeah, we’ve got pickle… Well, it’s pickled herring.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Shanthi Appelö:
Over here. But yeah, it’s something the Swedes eat on mid-summer and Christmas, Easter, all the holidays. Yeah.
Over here. But yeah, it’s something the Swedes eat on mid-summer and Christmas, Easter, all the holidays. Yeah.
Chuck Gaidica:
Oh, it’s great stuff. And that’s a fatty fish, right?
Oh, it’s great stuff. And that’s a fatty fish, right?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah, it sure is.
Yeah, it sure is.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Well, no wonder you’re so healthy. That’s it. It’s herring. wait till I tell my wife. See, I’ve been telling her. “Worked with somebody today who’s super healthy because she has herring.”
So let’s get back to establishing healthy routines and eating habits. So should we be trying to actually know thyself a bit more? Should we be looking for not just the stressors, but the way we’re reacting to those stressors so we can manage them a little bit better?
Yeah. Well, no wonder you’re so healthy. That’s it. It’s herring. wait till I tell my wife. See, I’ve been telling her. “Worked with somebody today who’s super healthy because she has herring.”
So let’s get back to establishing healthy routines and eating habits. So should we be trying to actually know thyself a bit more? Should we be looking for not just the stressors, but the way we’re reacting to those stressors so we can manage them a little bit better?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah. I think that looking at your schedule and what works for you, setting yourself up for success. So I know Dr. Gregory talked about replacing certain stress coping behaviors in that previous interview, looking to do things like that so that when you’re feeling those cravings come on, and usually you go straight to the fridge, straight to the pantry, what are some other things that you can do? Maybe it is taking a walk outside because you know that eventually it’s going to make you feel better, get your mind off of things, whatever that coping behavior is, just putting that towards a healthier one.
I think too, just recognizing the importance of sleep and making sure that you’re setting up those sleep hygiene things that are going to help you get better sleep. If you know that you’re having a stressful week coming up, make sure you’re setting your bedtime, turn off that technology, do something relaxing before bed so that you can actually have a better night of sleep and set yourself up for success.
And I think there’s so much to gratitude. Even… I mean, I know that when we’re stressed, it’s difficult to think of things that we’re thankful for, but finding the positives in every day can be extremely helpful. So starting your day off with just recognizing things that you’re grateful for in your life can be a really good thing.
Yeah. I think that looking at your schedule and what works for you, setting yourself up for success. So I know Dr. Gregory talked about replacing certain stress coping behaviors in that previous interview, looking to do things like that so that when you’re feeling those cravings come on, and usually you go straight to the fridge, straight to the pantry, what are some other things that you can do? Maybe it is taking a walk outside because you know that eventually it’s going to make you feel better, get your mind off of things, whatever that coping behavior is, just putting that towards a healthier one.
I think too, just recognizing the importance of sleep and making sure that you’re setting up those sleep hygiene things that are going to help you get better sleep. If you know that you’re having a stressful week coming up, make sure you’re setting your bedtime, turn off that technology, do something relaxing before bed so that you can actually have a better night of sleep and set yourself up for success.
And I think there’s so much to gratitude. Even… I mean, I know that when we’re stressed, it’s difficult to think of things that we’re thankful for, but finding the positives in every day can be extremely helpful. So starting your day off with just recognizing things that you’re grateful for in your life can be a really good thing.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, and I’m going to be snarky about this, but I’m thinking there are times where I’ve sat down and I’m just thankful I’ve got the potato chips, right?
Well, and I’m going to be snarky about this, but I’m thinking there are times where I’ve sat down and I’m just thankful I’ve got the potato chips, right?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah.
Yeah.
Chuck Gaidica:
That’s not the grateful idea you’re talking about. But I really appreciate this idea of encouraging all of us to get out and go move. And I know it’s been tough. We’ve had kind of tough winter this season, but getting out and moving, it’s pretty hard to chow down on chips and cookies. You can do it while you’re going for a walk or the dog’s taking you around the block, but it does kind of multi-discipline you into doing something healthful. And it’s pretty tough to snack as you’re walking. It just doesn’t look good to the neighbors.
That’s not the grateful idea you’re talking about. But I really appreciate this idea of encouraging all of us to get out and go move. And I know it’s been tough. We’ve had kind of tough winter this season, but getting out and moving, it’s pretty hard to chow down on chips and cookies. You can do it while you’re going for a walk or the dog’s taking you around the block, but it does kind of multi-discipline you into doing something healthful. And it’s pretty tough to snack as you’re walking. It just doesn’t look good to the neighbors.
Shanthi Appelö:
And I think too, there’s something to… don’t be too hard on yourself for snacking either. That can cause even more stress if you’re just mad at yourself for all of these decisions that you made. But again, it’s all about setting yourself up for success. And that can mean making sure that you have people to talk to when you’re going through hard times. Find your support system, find people who you can lean on. And in some cases it can be a good idea to reach out for professional help. Again, something that you can talk to your doctor about.
And I think too, as you are maybe in these times when you’re snacking a lot and you’re looking for things to snack on, just eating mindfully as much as possible, because that’s really going to reduce the stress that you feel after eating those foods. Because if you eat a bag of chips too fast, you may not feel satisfied after, you might be mad at yourself. So if you take your time and eat mindfully as much as you can, that can be a good idea.
And I think too, there’s something to… don’t be too hard on yourself for snacking either. That can cause even more stress if you’re just mad at yourself for all of these decisions that you made. But again, it’s all about setting yourself up for success. And that can mean making sure that you have people to talk to when you’re going through hard times. Find your support system, find people who you can lean on. And in some cases it can be a good idea to reach out for professional help. Again, something that you can talk to your doctor about.
And I think too, as you are maybe in these times when you’re snacking a lot and you’re looking for things to snack on, just eating mindfully as much as possible, because that’s really going to reduce the stress that you feel after eating those foods. Because if you eat a bag of chips too fast, you may not feel satisfied after, you might be mad at yourself. So if you take your time and eat mindfully as much as you can, that can be a good idea.
Chuck Gaidica:
Do you find it helpful to anyone that you’ve worked with along the way, or is this idea even half-baked, that you should journal every time you kind of notice you’re eating from a stressful situation? Does that help anybody to look back at, “Well, oh, I didn’t recognize I had this trigger three days a week, and now I understand why I’m grabbing for the cookies or something.”?
Do you find it helpful to anyone that you’ve worked with along the way, or is this idea even half-baked, that you should journal every time you kind of notice you’re eating from a stressful situation? Does that help anybody to look back at, “Well, oh, I didn’t recognize I had this trigger three days a week, and now I understand why I’m grabbing for the cookies or something.”?
Shanthi Appelö:
Yeah, journaling can be good for so many reasons. And I like the way that you brought it up, because for a lot of people focusing too much on what they eat and tracking foods and things like that can be even more stressful. So it just really depends on the person, because for some people, when they’re focusing too much on what they eat and how they feel after it, it can lean more towards disordered eating and people can become too obsessive. So again, it’s just something that you have to look within and see what works for you.
Yeah, journaling can be good for so many reasons. And I like the way that you brought it up, because for a lot of people focusing too much on what they eat and tracking foods and things like that can be even more stressful. So it just really depends on the person, because for some people, when they’re focusing too much on what they eat and how they feel after it, it can lean more towards disordered eating and people can become too obsessive. So again, it’s just something that you have to look within and see what works for you.
Chuck Gaidica:
Well, a lot of good stuff, again, in both parts, but today especially Shanthi. So talk about some takeaways for us all, about this idea with the relationship of stress and food.
Well, a lot of good stuff, again, in both parts, but today especially Shanthi. So talk about some takeaways for us all, about this idea with the relationship of stress and food.
Shanthi Appelö:
So the first thing is going to be try to set yourself up for success, whether that’s setting up your sleep hygiene, packing healthy snacks for a stressful week you you’re going to have ahead, recognizing that sometimes you might have biological cravings because you’re undergoing stress. So recognizing that that could be a source of it, and focusing on those foods that we talked about that can actually help reduce the inflammation and make you feel better overall, the high magnesium omega-3 foods, things like that. And then finally look towards healthy ways that you can replace stressful coping mechanisms. So stress eating, of course, is something that a lot of people gravitate towards, but what is something else that you can replace that with?
So the first thing is going to be try to set yourself up for success, whether that’s setting up your sleep hygiene, packing healthy snacks for a stressful week you you’re going to have ahead, recognizing that sometimes you might have biological cravings because you’re undergoing stress. So recognizing that that could be a source of it, and focusing on those foods that we talked about that can actually help reduce the inflammation and make you feel better overall, the high magnesium omega-3 foods, things like that. And then finally look towards healthy ways that you can replace stressful coping mechanisms. So stress eating, of course, is something that a lot of people gravitate towards, but what is something else that you can replace that with?
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, because it may just be that split second, you’ve diverted your attention to sit-ups while you’re streaming a show instead of snacking, and that just got your mind off of snacking. Some of these hacks don’t have to be the biggest, deepest thing in the world.
Yeah, because it may just be that split second, you’ve diverted your attention to sit-ups while you’re streaming a show instead of snacking, and that just got your mind off of snacking. Some of these hacks don’t have to be the biggest, deepest thing in the world.
Shanthi Appelö:
My favorite thing is always going for a walk with my dogs, because then I’m going out, I’m getting fresh air. There’s something about just being out in nature that makes you feel so good. So that in and of itself, whether you’re moving or not, is always a good idea too.
My favorite thing is always going for a walk with my dogs, because then I’m going out, I’m getting fresh air. There’s something about just being out in nature that makes you feel so good. So that in and of itself, whether you’re moving or not, is always a good idea too.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah. Good stuff. Well, Shanthi, great to see you as always.
Yeah. Good stuff. Well, Shanthi, great to see you as always.
Shanthi Appelö:
Thanks. You too, Chuck.
Thanks. You too, Chuck.
Chuck Gaidica:
Yeah, take good care. That’s Shanthi Appelö, who’s a registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. We’re glad that she’s with us and we’re glad that you’re here with us listening to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It’s brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
And if you like the show and you want to know more, you can also go online. Check it out ahealthiermichigan.org/podcast. You can leave reviews or ratings on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, and you can get all the new episodes that you’d like on your smartphone or tablet. So when you’re going for a walk, you’re trying to lift things up and put them down to feel better, you can take this podcast with you. You can subscribe, by the way. Hit that button. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Thanks again for being with us. I’m Chuck Gaidica. Be well.
Yeah, take good care. That’s Shanthi Appelö, who’s a registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. We’re glad that she’s with us and we’re glad that you’re here with us listening to A Healthier Michigan Podcast. It’s brought to you by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
And if you like the show and you want to know more, you can also go online. Check it out ahealthiermichigan.org/podcast. You can leave reviews or ratings on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, and you can get all the new episodes that you’d like on your smartphone or tablet. So when you’re going for a walk, you’re trying to lift things up and put them down to feel better, you can take this podcast with you. You can subscribe, by the way. Hit that button. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Thanks again for being with us. I’m Chuck Gaidica. Be well.
