Cebu City - Overeating is a common phenomenon that people experience when they are feeling low or anxious. It can be triggered by various psychological or emotional reasons. Are you feeling bloated or uncomfortable when you eat more?

Stomach discomfort — feeling gassy and/or swollen — is a major sign of overeating. It is because the stomach expands beyond its normal size to adjust to the large amount of food. The expanded stomach pushes against other organs, making you uncomfortable. Eating too much food requires your organs to work harder.

They secrete extra hormones and enzymes to break the food down. To break down food, the stomach produces hydrochloric acid. If you overeat, this acid may back up into the esophagus resulting in heartburn. When you eat, your body uses some of the calories you consume for energy. The rest are stored as fat. Consuming more calories than you burn may cause you to become overweight or obese. This increases your risk for cancer and other chronic health problems.

Overeating also have an impact in your sleep. Your circadian clock, which controls your sleep cycles, causes your sleep and hunger hormone levels to rise and fall throughout the day. Overeating can upset this rhythm, making it hard for you to sleep through the night.

However, there are some methods or techniques to help regulate appetite and reduce the risk of overeating. These are:

• Be familiar with recommended portion sizes. Use Pinggang Pinoy to help you determine the portion size.
• Include a fiber source with meals and snacks. Examples: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, and oats.
• Eat protein-rich foods. High protein foods include eggs, fish and other sea foods, chicken, dairy, and lean red meat.
• Avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals can lead weight gain, leaves you with little energy because the body has run out of the fuel one gets from food, leaves you sluggish and tired.
• Stay hydrated. Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Consume foodshigh in water and fiber, like fruits and vegetables.
• Limit distractions when eating. Stay away from gadgets and television.
• Limit alcohol intake. Some studies suggest that alcohol consumption leads to excessive and uncontrollable food consumption. 
• Eat slowly. Eatinga meal quickly puts the blocks the release of hormones in the gut that induce feelings of being full, and this can lead to 
• Be aware of what you eat. Makes the first bites count. Enjoy your food.
• Choose satisfying foods. Satisfying meals contain fat, protein, and carbohydrate. // ND II, Sarah Belle I. Antiola, RND