The food-stress connection

A WW COVID-19 wellness survey of 1,004 American adults found that 36% of you have added an average of 12.5 pounds since the shutdown began. Another by Nutrisystem found 76% of folks have gained up to 16 pounds.

So, if you are stressed and gaining weight, you can reduce your stress level by making specific food choices and you can forestall weight gain by reducing stress. Win-win for sure.

Much of stress eating is learned behavior spurred on by a desire to stimulate the release of feel-good neurotransmitter hormones like dopamine. You can do that by eating what you identify as comfort foods. The weight gain that results is a byproduct of overeating and of changes in your metabolism triggered by chronic levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which increases your appetite for sweet, fatty and salty foods.

If you learn how to lower and dispel your stress response, you will be able to short-circuit the stress-leads-to-eating pattern.

1. Breathe. Go to sharecare.com and search for “How do I practice deep breathing?”

2. Meditate. For 10 minutes of mindfulness, Google “Dr. Jud working with stress.”

3. Laugh. Check out laughter yoga at laughteryoga.org.

4. Love, emotionally and physically. Visit psychologytoday.com and search for “7 Ways to Express Your Love.”

You want to nurture your gut biome with high-fiber foods, healthy fats and lean proteins. That will strengthen bacteria that regulate glucose and increase the rate at which you burn calories.

That nutritional upgrade will also affect communication between your gut microbiome and your brain (the gut-brain axis), which influences the biochemistry of the brain’s amygdala, the area that governs emotions.

Research indicates that reactions to emotional stress change depending on what microbes are dominant in the gut. The link between gut bacteria and emotional distress may be inflammation triggered by some of the bacteria.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare. com.