Healthy_Eating

Healthy Eating and Compulsive Disorder Mary E. Scales COM/172 10/31/2011 Conrad Davies Compulsion Compulsive eating disorder changing your eating habits and eating healthier for a better life. A compulsive eating disorder is usually characterized by feelings of compulsion and obsession toward food. Though eating compulsively eventually leads to weight gain and obesity, this can be helped through the process of healthy eating. Healthy eating and the education and knowledge of the subject, is not just knowing what foods are healthy, but also knowing what foods could be bad for you also. I will start by discussing ways you can incorporate healthy eating into your lifestyle while overcoming an eating disorder. Learning how to manage your health and eat healthier with compulsive eating habits. Healthy Eating and Compulsion Compulsive eating usually comes about with emotions of feeling bored, stressed, or depression leading you to overeat to feel better. Typically with this disorder a person will not stop eating even when full, causing them to eat until they are uncomfortable. Though eating compulsively leads to weight gain and ultimately obesity. Healthy eating is a choice you have to want for yourself. Healthy eating starts with the education and knowledge of health. Changing your eating habits and your environment can help you. Eating healthy is not a diet. It consists of making changes you can live with, to improve your eating habits, it is best to start with making small lifestyle changes that you can enjoy for the rest of your life. You should not try to change everything at once. By making small short term easy goals that you will be able to achieve. Then gradually increase those to make a long-term goal you will be able to stick with. You should think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one huge change, setting yourself up for success if done properly. Eating healthier is a way you can prevent and control many health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. For overall good health it is a good idea to incorporate a healthy diet and physical activity. Paying attention to what you eat will help you get the right balance of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Giving you plenty of energy and helping you feel your best is an advantage to eating healthier. According to Roizen and Oz, the real weapon against fat and poor eating habits is knowledge. The more we know about how our bodies work, the easier it is to reprogram our eating and exercise habits. If you approach the changes with commitment, you will have better health sooner. Considering the following statistic from the Public Library of Science: by not smoking, getting exercise, drinking alcohol in moderation, and eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, you can add 14 years on to your life. Every change you make to improve your diet matters. Think of water and exercise as food groups, water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins. Many people go through life dehydrated-causing tiredness, low energy and headaches. It has become common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices. Also, finding something you like to do to stay active to add to your day is beneficial. The benefits of regular exercise may motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit. In healthy eating moderation is key we need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body. You should try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” It is natural to want foods more when you ban certain foods or food groups. Think smaller portions it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Healthy eating is about more than the food you eat, it is also about how you think about food. You should fill up on a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables aiming for a minimum of five portions each day. Colorful fruits and veggies contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, different colors provide different benefits. The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. Eat more healthy carbohydrates and whole grains. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart. Enjoy healthy fats and avoid unhealthy fats. From Harvard Health good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood and help prevent dementia. In order to lose weight and keep it off you need to get to the root of the problem. Trying to cover up unconscious overeating with a bandage. Overeating habits will still be there underneath the bandage. If weight loss was to occur, you wouldn’t be able to keep it off unless you continue to take a deep look at why you eat. Getting out of your comfort zone you will see improvement and growth in any aspect of your life requires getting up and out of your comfy same day in, day out lifestyle or routine. If you keep living the same way you have from the beginning you will continue to get the same results. Conclusion Today we have various options for eating healthier and overcoming compulsive eating disorder. By choosing healthier options and keeping nutritious snacks on hand this can contribute to better eating habits, loosing weight and beating eating disorders. With just a little planning and knowledge of the changes you wanna make; you can enjoy a more delicious and healthier way of eating and a more productive and healthier lifestyle so that you don’t end up super-sized. The food and physical activity choices you make everyday can affect your health, how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. Eating right and being physically active aren’t just a “diet” or a “program” they are the keys to a healthy lifestyle. Running Head: Healthy Eating and Compulsive Disorder