Stress and Under Eating

I know it doesn’t seem like it these days, but there are actually people out there who are eating too little. I’m not talking about people who suffer from eating disorders or who are sick, I’m talking about people who just don’t eat enough for other reasons. The reasons can be varied but there are a large number of people out there who are under eating because of stress.

While this doesn’t happen to me very often — I can’t function if I skip my mid-morning snack – many people experience loss of appetite as a symptom of stress, it is much more common than we realize.

I’m sure we all remember a situation when stress or anxiety has caused us to lose our appetite. Some good examples are: school plays, first dates, job interviews, maybe even our wedding day! This kind of anxiety is usually short term and connected to a specific event, once the event passes so does the feeling of ‘butterflies’ in our stomachs, and we can eat normally again.

However, there are cases when the anxiety and stress are long term, or chronic, especially if that stress is connected to a job or family member. This is when loss of appetite can move from being a short-term, temporary condition to a permanent, much more serious problem.

To deal with this problem, you need to take a two step approach:

Step One

You must seek help to address the root cause of your stress and anxiety. I would suggest a professional therapist or counselor. If you cannot afford one there may be non-profit groups in your area that offer reduced rates, you could also look at community centers or churches. University Psychology and Social Work departments may also provide low cost, supervised counseling as a part of their graduate student training. If you are lucky enough to have an insurance plan that covers counseling, please make use of it.

Step Two

You can also implement some short-term supplemental steps to help you regain your appetite while you are dealing with more long-term stress and anxiety:

1. Eat small meals every 2-3 hours

There are many in the medical community who say that this is what we should all be doing anyway, but it’s especially important for those who are trying to regain their appetite. Make sure you eat something within an hour of waking up in the morning. I know you probably won’t feel like much but try to force down a small bowl of cereal or oatmeal, maybe with a piece of fruit if you can manage it.

Make sure you have a lot of small snack foods on hand throughout the day — healthy snacks of course — and try to eat something small every two-three hours. Some good examples are nuts; dried fruits; whole grain snack bars; avocados; full fat dairy products, including yogurt; oily fish, or even a hard boiled egg. All of these healthy snacks are energy foods, meaning they will boost your energy levels without making you feel full.

2. Try a little exercise

If you’re not used to exercise or you’re feeling weak because you aren’t eating enough, it is best to start this very, very slowly, and build it up over time, preferably after you have implemented the small meals step above. Once you begin an exercise program, you will quickly find that you need to eat more calories just to keep up your energy levels. Make sure you have those healthy snacks on hand! Exercise also has the added benefit of reducing stress, so it can be very helpful in normalizing both your eating and stress response over the long term.

3. Take a good stress-busting supplement

While this step won’t stimulate your appetite directly, if you find a supplement that helps to take the edge off some of the stress you’re feeling, you may find that your appetite will slowly begin to return.

There are lots of supplements out there and it can be confusing to sort through them all, so I’ll give you a short list of some that I have used in the past:

Homeopathics:

The two most popular producers of homeopathic medicines in the US are Boiron and Hyland. You may already know of Boiron if you use their excellent flu product with the unpronounceable name: Oscillococcinum! I haven’t personally tried any of their stress remedies but they are widely available.

I have used a number of Hyland’s stress relieving supplements, some have worked for me and some haven’t. The most popular products in this line are Calms and Calms Forte (a stronger version). They also have a product called Nerve Tonic.

Supplements:

Pharma Gaba is a hot supplement right now and I can honestly see why. I have used it with great success to deal with short term, situational stress. For a more long-term solution, the same company that makes Pharma Gaba, Natural Factors, has a product called Sensoril which contains the Ayurvedic herb Ashwagandha. This herb is said to be very helpful in reducing long term anxiety. Natural Factors also has a slightly stronger product which contains a combination of Ashwagandha and other stress-busting ingredients.

Another supplement thought to reduce stress and anxiety is the amino acid L-Theanine. I know people that this works very well for, although it didn’t help me too much. It is considered to be milder than Pharma Gaba and some people use the two in combination to great effect.

Vitamins:

The B-complex vitamins are most often cited when talking about stress relief, but a good balance of antioxidant vitamins, like C and E are also important. Vitamin C in particular is used up very quickly by the body during periods of stress. The minerals magnesium and zinc are also useful for producing an overall feeling of calm. Many people actually use magnesium supplements to help them relax and fall asleep!

Fish Oil:

Omega 3 fish oil is a staple in my daily supplement regimen, not least because it really does help me to feel calmer and more emotionally balanced. I try to buy fish oils that are made from smaller fish such as mackerel and sardine rather than the larger fish like tuna or salmon, this cuts down the risk of heavy metal contamination. In addition, most reputable companies will enact strict quality controls on their fish oil products to prevent any contamination. Make sure you read the labels before buying!

As with all supplements, make sure you talk to your doctor or a naturopath about appropriate dosing for your individual situation.

For maximum effectiveness remember that you must address the root cause of the stress at the same time as taking these supplemental steps.