Dr Oz: What Does It Mean To Be Hangry
Dr Oz knows that every once in a while, we can all get a little hangry. The dictionary actually defines hangry as being bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger. So what exactly is going on in your body when you’ get angry for being hungry? Dr Oz called out a woman named Wanda, who’s friend turned her in for constantly being hangry. Wanda explained that she gets hangry when waiting for food after her exercise class. Her friend explained that she can tell when the frustration is coming and her friend will even harass the waiter.
Dr Oz invited Wanda and her friend to come down and join him on stage. He explained that they would be acting as sugar, holding up common decency. He then explained that a couple hours after your last meal, your blood sugar will begin to drop, and common decency starts to suffer because the brain is dependent on glucose. That’s what hangry is all about.
Dr Oz discussed what causes people to be hangry and then shared how you can learn to embrace emotional eating. (breatheindigital / Flickr)
Dr Oz said when he gets hangry in the operating room, he reaches into his pocket for a bag of nuts to snack on. Do you have a hangry moment to share?
Dr Oz: Emotional Eating
Speaking of emotions and food, Dr Oz wanted to talk to all those who deal with emotional eating. He turned to Anthia, who is a nurse and is constantly stressed. She said there’s a food for every mood, and she loves the way food makes her feel. She recognized that eating was one of her coping mechanisms and sometimes can’t even wait until she gets home to eat, and will eat right there in the car. But after she gives in to her cravings, she feels bad, and said she wants to get off the emotional eating roller coaster.
Anthia explained that as a nurse, you become desensitized, and it’s a lot of internalizing your emotions to be strong for others. Dr Oz explained that stuffing your feelings down, means you have to deal with them later. Anthia kept a food journal and Dr Oz found that 30% of her calories are eaten when she is actually hungry, while 70% of her eating is related to her emotions. Anthia said she wants to eat to live not live to eat, so she was a bit shocked.
Dr Oz: Embrace Emotional Eating
Dr Oz then welcomed mindful eating expert Michelle May, who explained that the first step to embracing emotional eating is recognizing hat everyone eats for emotional reasons and we need to stop feeling guilty about it. Michelle explained that we’re wired from birth to connect emotions and food, but it’s possible to eat for comfort and still be emotionally and physically healthy.
Dr May then explained that to embrace emotional eating, you also need to stop worrying about eating less and start living the food you eat more. Dr May explained that when you make the foods you love bad, you’re actually putting them on a pedestal where you want them even more until you give in and then feel guilty after. She called it the “eat, repent, repeat” cycle. The good news is that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, and it’s all about balance.
Dr Oz: What To Do When A Craving Hits
Dr May then explained that as soon as a craving hits, you should ask yourself if you really, really, really, really want it. Four times! You can also divide your cravings into two different types: fuel or emotional needs. Dr May explained that it doesn’t matter how much you eat or what you eat, you can never fill your emotional needs with food. Food is meant to fuel you, but you can enjoy it too.
Finally, create a new ritual to get out of your bad habits. Rather than eating in the car, always take food inside with you, to change the way you eat. Do you consider yourself an emotional eater? How do you control your worst cravings?
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