Food plays a significant role in our emotional lives, often serving as a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety and other negative emotions. Many individuals rely on food as an escape, seeking comfort in familiar tastes and textures. However, this reliance on food can sometimes lead to unhealthy choices with many turning to junk food items like cookies, chips and other processed snacks. While these foods may provide temporary emotional relief, they can have detrimental effects on our physical health, contributing to weight gain, digestive issues and increased risk of chronic diseases.

Moreover, dependence on junk food can trigger a destructive cycle, intensifying emotional turmoil and compromising overall health and wellness. Celebrity nutritionist, Rujuta Diwekar explained the coping mechanism of avoiding junk food everyday.

Coping Mechanism To Deal With Cravings

On her Instagram, she wrote, "If you find yourself reaching out for junk food almost every single day, you could be using it as a coping mechanism."

ALSO READ: 5 Quick And Healthy Low-Calorie Snacks To Curb Hunger And Satisfy Cravings

According to the nutritionist, while food provides comfort and security, it's essential to maintain a balance. Over-reliance on food for emotional solace can lead to unhealthy dependencies. Instead, food should nourish and empower us to face challenges. If you find yourself turning to cookies, chips or colas, seek healthier ways to manage emotions and achieve well-being.

To support this, she said, While food does play the role of helping us feel secure, unwind, calm and safe, it is important to not overuse that role/ pathway/ mechanism, otherwise it will backfire against us.

ALSO READ: 5 Signs Your Sugar Cravings Are Linked To An Unhealthy Gut? Doctor Shares Tips To Curb Cravings

Food must nourish and empower us to face our challenges better. So if you feel that you are “addicted” to cookies or chips or colas, here’s an easy thing to do -

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rujuta Diwekar (@rujuta.diwekar)

Ways To Stop Unhealthy Cravings

- Include one favourite meal and nutritious meal daily, a handful of peanuts, spicy dal or khichadi.
- ⁠And eat one chatpata meal every week in fursat and guilt-free.
- Remember the problem only arises when you are mindlessly chomping away at food.
- ⁠Once a week doesn’t harm but a daily chaat or chips or chocolate, surely does.