It’s around 3:36 pm when my digestive tract, devoid of food, lets me know through a series of gurgles that it’s time to eat. My fridge is full of all sorts of ingredients, but I still decide, out of laziness, to entrust my problem to “professionals”. €18.95 and half an hour later, the delivery man rings the doorbell, my pizza in his hands. I try to set a pretty table: cutlery, brand new pink paper napkins from Ikea, and why not a few candles. At 4:22 pm, I open the cardboard box, a cloud of steam escapes. Here I am face to face with the enemy: attack! I help myself to a first slice that I generously sprinkle with spicy oil. However, an inexplicable force prevents me from taking a bite. “I’m going to watch an episode of Friends.” Season 7, Episode 11: “The One with the Cheesecakes.” That should do the trick. I take a couple of deep breaths, then go back to my pizza. It’s huge. The slices have all tripled in size, and the one I helped myself to is staring at me intensely with its huge chunks of chorizo. Soon, I feel like I’m drowning in the sauce, as if it were red, burning lava. It’s no use. No matter how hard I try, I simply can’t eat it. Distraught, I put the slice back in the box, and the box back in the fridge, right next to yesterday’s Carbo, which I also couldn’t touch. Anxiety: 2, Camellia: 0.
“Maybe you’re just in love?” my mother asks on the other end of the line after spending 40 minutes listening to my problem. No, Mom, I’m not in love. I’m anxious, and it’s blocking my appetite.
Also read: “When I’m stressed, my menstrual cycle is disrupted”: how to manage it?
I’m hungry but I can’t eat, why?
When times of intense stress come to a head, there are three types of people. The superheroes who manage to cope. The big eaters who binge on anything they can find. And finally, the people who are so consumed by their stress or anxiety that they can’t think or do anything else, including vital tasks like eating. This third category of people, a little less well-known, must nevertheless face a problem that is just as real and complex.
“The reduction in appetite during an episode of stress or anxiety is due to an alteration in the activity of neurons, which comes into play both in thinking and in the cognitive control of appetite,” explains Déborah Ohana, dietician nutritionist. When faced with anxiety, the body tends to put itself in a “fight or flight” mode, thanks to which a series of processes are put in place within our organism to survive the danger. In particular, the brain will send more blood to the muscles, and less to the internal organs, including the stomach. Survival is considered by our body to be a priority over digestion.
This physiological response to stress has been observed in humans since prehistoric times. Back then, this survival mode was extremely useful to our ancestors who fought and hunted in the wild. But today, this type of response is no longer necessary, and can even become problematic when the “fight or flight” mode is used too frequently. Furthermore, skipping meals can actually amplify anxiety in the long run, since the body needs nutrients to combat this stress (not to mention that eating is obviously necessary to stay alive).
Simple but effective solutions
All of this advice is in no way a substitute for medical advice. If you suffer from eating disorders or anxiety disorders, do not hesitate to consult a professional.
Regulate your anxiety
“In these precise moments, reconnecting with the body can help to restore meaning to the act of eating,” suggests Déborah. This is the eternal battle of the anxious: to live in the present moment. Breathing exercises such as cardiac coherence, or daily contact with nature allow, in a simple and effective way, to reconnect with one’s body and the present moment, a key factor in regulating anxiety. Here, the doctor insists: “The idea is not to fight, but rather to welcome emotions, in order to understand and respond to their specific needs. Emotions are part of us, and fighting with them would be like fighting against ourselves.”
Along the same lines, you should absolutely not force yourself to eat when you don’t feel like it, but rather find ways to stimulate and provoke your appetite.
Create a routine
Creating a routine is one of the best ways to learn to tame your anxiety. Indeed, by creating precise routines, the brain is no longer faced with the unknown but rather in a feeling of control over the course of the day. It is then difficult to find yourself in a state of “fight or flight”. In terms of food, we get used to eating at specific times, even if it is ultimately only a matter of swallowing one or two mouthfuls. The body will gradually get used to it, and the quantities of food consumed will increase over time. To avoid forgetting the different meals of the day, we can even go so far as to program alarms.
To have fun
Sometimes, it can be helpful to associate feelings of joy and well-being with eating. For example, you can share your meals with people you care about: chatting can distract your brain from the task at hand. You can sit comfortably in front of a series or a film that makes you feel good, and you don’t hesitate to set a pretty table to welcome your beautiful plate (even if you’re alone!). In the kitchen, it’s the perfect time to use a playlist to keep your spirits up. Without forgetting, of course, to enjoy yourself on the plate.
Adapted meals
Preparing dishes in smaller quantities can also be a solution. This will help to minimize the obstacle to overcome. Soups, for example, or smoothies are recipes that are easier to digest, and will sometimes pose fewer psychological problems than a large piece of steak. Listen to your body and try to see what works best, and makes you want more. From a nutritional point of view, it can also be smart to focus on foods rich in nutrients. This allows you to keep your strength if stress and anxiety persist, during exam periods for example. It is then a question of turning to a diet based on fruits, vegetables, cereals but also proteins. The latter, like meat, fish or mushrooms, allow you to feel full for longer, and provide energy to the body. Proteins are also likely to make you feel better in the short term, since they stimulate the production of dopamine, the molecule responsible for pleasure.
Practice a sporting activity
Exercise, which also produces dopamine, remains one of the best ways to combat anxiety and stress. It is not necessarily necessary to join a gym (although it remains a very effective solution), but you can simply practice 5 minutes of stretching every morning. In addition to adding a new step to your routine, this ritual will allow you to reconnect with your body and the present moment, in order to overcome your anxiety more easily. Also, practicing a regular sporting activity will increase the amount of energy consumed by the body, which will eventually increase your appetite levels.
Thanks to Déborah Ohana, dietician nutritionist specializing in sports nutrition, micro-nutrition and eating disorders.
