Food & Feelings
Diabetic Living Australia|November - December 2018

What drives a person to eat when the body doesn’t need food?

Rachel Sheridan
Food & Feelings

Linda Shumway managed her diet carefully during the day. She portioned food thoughtfully, read food labels and tracked carbohydrates. But at the end of the day, her stress set in. Four years after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, she began eating large quantities of Doritos, Cheezels and barbecue-flavoured potato chips at night. “When they were on sale, I stocked up,” she says. Eating crunchy, salty snacks made her feel special and kept her emotions at bay.

So she kept up the habit for more than a year, until she learned of the consequences. “I never realised the damage I was doing until an annual blood test revealed kidney disease, stage 2,” says Shumway. “I now know emotions control my eating habits, and I’m determined to change my habits for the better.”

EATING BEYOND HUNGER

“Compulsive overeating is the ingestion of food beyond what is needed, against a conscious wish to stop,” explains J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy, medical director and CEO of the Minnesota Center for Obesity, Metabolism and Endocrinology. People who compulsively overeat don’t just snack at night or eat more than their peers. Instead, they eat beyond a feeling of fullness, responding to stress and emotion rather than hunger.

HOW EMOTIONS ARE INVOLVED

Food provides a way to cope with emotional energy, says Ann Goebel-Fabbri, clinical psychologist and author of Prevention and Recovery from Eating Disorders in Type 1 Diabetes: Injecting Hope. And overeating can develop into a comforting habit. She recalls how a client once told her, “Food has been my best hug.”

Emotional triggers for eating can be both positive and negative. They can run the gamut from sadness, loneliness and anger to joy and celebration, says Goebel-Fabbri. Stress related to work, family, finances and even vacations and holidays can find an outlet in food.

Esta historia es de la edición November - December 2018 de Diabetic Living Australia.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición November - December 2018 de Diabetic Living Australia.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE DIABETIC LIVING AUSTRALIAVer todo
A whole new world
Diabetic Living Australia

A whole new world

Being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an adult can be a challenging and confusing time. In this extract from the JDRF's new book, Straight to the Point, they explain what's going on and what to say to people who make uninformed comments about your condition

time-read
8 minutos  |
March - April 2023
5 Days 5 Dinners
Diabetic Living Australia

5 Days 5 Dinners

Weeknights are sorted with these fresh, flavoursome mains, packed with veg!

time-read
7 minutos  |
March - April 2023
Fantastic Feta
Diabetic Living Australia

Fantastic Feta

This soft, white cheese with Greek origins is versatile and packs a flavour punch, with only a small amount needed to jazz up a dish

time-read
5 minutos  |
March - April 2023
My story: "I'm proud of the fact that I've gotten hold of my health"
Diabetic Living Australia

My story: "I'm proud of the fact that I've gotten hold of my health"

When Natalie Rixon, now 33, discovered she had prediabetes soon after she'd turned 20, it was a shock and a relief all rolled into one. What she did next changed her future.

time-read
3 minutos  |
May -June 2023
INTERPRETING YOUR cgm DATA
Diabetic Living Australia

INTERPRETING YOUR cgm DATA

A continuous glucose monitor is a wonderful source of information but do you really know what you're looking at?

time-read
4 minutos  |
May -June 2023
7 NEED-TO-KNOW FACTS ABOUT...diabetes & kidney disease
Diabetic Living Australia

7 NEED-TO-KNOW FACTS ABOUT...diabetes & kidney disease

Diabetes is the most common cause of Chronic Kidney Disease. Learn more about this condition and how to protect yourself from developing it.

time-read
2 minutos  |
May -June 2023
GET OFF THE diet ROLLERCOASTER
Diabetic Living Australia

GET OFF THE diet ROLLERCOASTER

Dietitian Lyndi Cohen wants you to take a deep breath and think about your weight, and health, in a whole new way.

time-read
2 minutos  |
May -June 2023
WHAT IS Wegovy?
Diabetic Living Australia

WHAT IS Wegovy?

Meet Wegovy, the new once-weekly weightloss injection that research shows helps people lose significantly more body weight than those using diet and exercise alone.

time-read
2 minutos  |
May -June 2023
MEDICATION & CONSUMABLES
Diabetic Living Australia

MEDICATION & CONSUMABLES

Insulin is available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

time-read
3 minutos  |
May -June 2023
DOLLARS AND DIABETES
Diabetic Living Australia

DOLLARS AND DIABETES

When you have type 1 diabetes, it's important to see a variety of health professionals regularly to keep your health on track.

time-read
1 min  |
May -June 2023