For our latest interview, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Lauren Jane, a dedicated naturopath who brings a real and balanced approach to her practice. As part of our four-part series with Lauren, we’re diving deep into the topic of emotional eating, a challenge many of us face in our daily lives.
Lauren’s passion for helping people understand and manage emotional eating shines through in her compassionate advice and practical tips. In this conversation, she shares her journey, the common triggers of emotional eating, and how we can use naturopathic principles to foster a healthier relationship with food and our emotions.
Lauren, emotional eating is something so many of us deal with. Can you share a bit about what emotional eating is and why we tend to do it?
It’s essentially eating in the absence of a physical urge (like a rumbling tummy). We usually do it when we’re faced with uncomfortable emotions but it can also happen when we’re joyful or excited too.
That latter tends to be done more mindfully (consciously) like with cake at a birthday, rather than mindlessly (unconsciously) when finishing a bag of potato chips without fully realising or enjoying it.
Emotional eating tends to be an urge we want to satisfy quickly, with specific comfort foods. It doesn’t usually resolve once we’re full and we’re often left feeling guilty, ashamed or powerless.
What are some of the common triggers for emotional eating, and how can people start to recognise their own patterns and triggers?
The triggers are commonly boredom, sadness, insecurity, loneliness, or stress but might also be recognised as events like coming home from work or after arguing with a partner. Emotional eating can also develop as a result of diet culture. In other words, getting caught in the cycle of restriction, deprivation and poor self-esteem or body image. To recognise your own patterns, you need to get curious and compassionate with yourself, rather than fall into shame cycles.
Once someone realises they’re eating out of emotion, what are some simple, practical steps they can take to break the cycle?
- When you feel the desire to eat, rate your hunger on a scale. This brings awareness to your habits.
- If you’re suddenly standing at the pantry or fridge, take a second and ask yourself; what am I feeling? What happened today or recently or that might be driving this desire?
- Keep a diary next to the fridge and write down what you feel before you ‘chow’ down. Consider what problem you might be trying to solve or dampen with food.
How can naturopathic principles play a role in managing emotions and reducing the urge to eat for comfort?
My personal approach to nutrition is allowing your body to be the guide. The premise here is to wait for physical signs of hunger before eating. That’s easier said than done for many but it’s something we can practise.
To connect with your true hunger and fullness signals we need to be present. That means eating from a plate or bowl at a table (not standing or in the car), with no tv, computer, phone or deep conversation to distract you.
Herbal medicines are also wonderful for supporting our nervous system and stress response. As well as improving our cravings and gut health which can often become problematic when people are overeating.
What are some healthy coping mechanisms or alternatives to emotional eating that you love to recommend to your clients?
It’s most important to honour your emotions without food. This means engaging in activities that allow you to sit with but also better manage stress and anxiety in your day. This ultimately makes emotional eating much less appealing. I get people to learn mindfulness, breathwork, to take breaks, set boundaries in their lives and make time for things they’re passionate about.
The following are also key:
- Journal or see a counsellor to help you understand what emotions you might be escaping or ‘eating’ with emotional eating.
- Decriminalise food – stop labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Try swapping these terms for ‘everyday’ or ‘sometimes’ foods.
- Keep your body biologically fed with adequate nutrients to prevent the primal drive to overeat. Of course, be flexible but have a basic understanding of nutrition and what foods work for you.
- Download my free emotional eating survival guide and kick-start your journey to overcome emotional eating with intuitive eating practices.
