Can what we eat make us happy?

Can what we eat make us happy? — by Catherine Morgan

Sure it can….chocolate, ice cream, mac & cheese, pizza, french fries! We known these as “comfort foods”, and they make us happy, right? Well….No. We think “comfort foods” will make us happy, and that is why so many of us “emotional eaters” also become overweight.

So, if “comfort foods” don’t make you happy…..What foods will make you happy? The answer is: Just about ALL the “healthy foods”……fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish, nuts……basically, all the low sugar, low fat, and non-processed foods.

None of us can really change the fact that we are “emotional eaters”. I never did understand how knowing you are an “emotional eater” could make you stop being an “emotional eater”….I think it’s because it doesn’t. However, we can make a conscious choice to re-think what we consider “comfort foods”. We just need to replace the traditional idea of “comfort foods” with what we already know are “healthy foods”. It’s really just a matter of habit.

THE PLAN: Pick four our five of you favorite “healthy foods”, and make sure you always keep them on hand. Then pick the four or five “junk foods” you normally turn to in a crisis, and make sure they are never on hand (another-words, don’t buy them). Now you are all set….the next time you want to “pig-out” because you are lonely, angry, or bored….just grab something from your new stash of “healthy comfort foods”.