We often turn to food, especially sugar-laden, high-fat foods, because they create a quick spike in dopamine, the brain’s “motivation and reward” neurotransmitter. Dopamine isn’t just about pleasure; it drives us to seek relief, comfort, or stimulation. When we’re stressed, tired, bored, lonely, or emotionally drained, dopamine levels can feel low. Highly palatable foods trigger a rapid dopamine release, giving a temporary sense of calm, pleasure, or escape.

The catch? The effect is short-lived. Dopamine drops quickly, which can leave us wanting more, not necessarily because we’re hungry, but because our brain is chasing that temporary lift again. Over time, this can wire a habit loop: uncomfortable feeling → food → dopamine spike → brief relief → repeat.
It’s not a lack of willpower. It’s a nervous system looking for regulation in the fastest way it knows how.

Often times when we find ourselves being pulled towards food, we are often looking for PEACE...it may be hunger, but are you checking in with yourself and asking yourself what you need? Are you actually full? Are you not even hungry at all? Is it peace that you are searching for? Are you overwhelmed, been a stressful day?

Why We Emotionally Eat (It May Not Be What You Think!)
1. Food Calms the Nervous System (Yes, Literally)
When you eat — especially warm, soft, carbohydrate-rich foods — your body activates the parasympathetic nervous system, often called “rest and digest.”
Chewing, swallowing, and stomach expansion stimulate the vagus nerve.
That stimulation:
• Slows heart rate
• Lowers stress hormones
• Signals safety
• Creates a calming effect
So when you reach for food after a hard day, your body is trying to regulate itself.
It works.
Just temporarily.

2. Stress Raises Cortisol (And Cravings)
Chronic stress increases cortisol.
Cortisol increases appetite — particularly for quick energy like sugar and fat.
Your body thinks you’re under threat.
It wants fast fuel.

3. Fatigue Changes Hunger Hormones
Poor sleep:
• Increases ghrelin (hunger hormone)
• Decreases leptin (satiety hormone)
• Weakens impulse control
Nighttime eating is often biology + exhaustion.

4. Restriction Rebound
If you’ve been “good” all day…
Salad for lunch.
Skipped snacks.
Avoided carbs.
Your brain will push back.
Restriction fuels rebound.

5. Emotional Avoidance
Food can temporarily numb:
• Loneliness
• Overwhelm
• Boredom
• Anxiety
It’s fast.
It’s accessible.
It’s socially acceptable.
But it doesn’t solve the root problem.

Emotional eating isn’t a character flaw.
It’s a nervous system looking for relief.
The goal isn’t to eliminate comfort.
It’s to build better regulation tools.

Next Post in this series will cover why we crave certain foods, how to begin to heal this area of your health with practical tools that have personally helped me and my clients! Take heart, this is your path towards healing your relationship with food once and for all:) 

~With Love & Strength, Missy 

We recently ran a 30 day, MB STRONG 30 program with some clients with weekly giveaways! Our last giveaway was a mixture of several of my current favorite things! Check them all out below with links to learn or purchase if you want to try them! 

1. Catalina crunch 🥣: 

• https://amzn.to/4au5AnH

2. Orange 🍊 Cream 🍶 Coffee ☕️ : Target 

3. Balance & Burn 🔥 Metabolic System naturally increased GLP-1 production

• ​https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/category/balance-and-burn-system?enrollerId=1481181&sponsorId=1481181 

4. Stress Away Bath 🛀 Salts: 

• https://m.lfstps.com/qNB/KSCu

5. Ningxia Red Antioxidant 🫐🍒Drink: 

• https://m.lfstps.com/ZHHye/KSCu ​

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6. “Signature” Scent Essential oil Roll-on Made with: 🍊 , grapefruit, bergamot, vanilla, ylang ylang & patchouli 

• Link for each: https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/myaccount/wishlist?listId=698f023c701c89000ae92a71&enrollerId=1481181&sponsorId=1481181&userName=MELISSA 

 
7. Unreal Dark Chocolate 🍫🥜 Peanut Butter Cups 

• https://amzn.to/4awqJgO 

 
8. Ghirardelli 🍫Twilight Delight Intense Dark 72% 

• ​https://amzn.to/4ttzeSx

 
9. Daily Hormone 💕Essentials:

• https://m.lfstps.com/v2xz/KSCu

 
10. Cinnamon Roll Lip Balm 💋 : 

• https://m.lfstps.com/MOM7/KSC

 
11. Alkalime 🥴(helps to maintain optimal PH in stomach)

• ​https://m.lfstps.com/7Mqqo/KSCu 

 
12. Savvy Minerals Eye 👁️ Shadow (discontinued ☺️, check out VRAI)   ​

13. NuGo Slim Bars 

• https://amzn.to/4rj83Zk 

 
14. David Bars 🥜

• https://amzn.to/4aMFwp4

 
15. No Cow Bars 🍪

• https://amzn.to/4aDGZgm

16. Make Wellness 💧 Hydrate (also love the MW Fit peptide)

• https://makewellness.com/535675 

Link to all the YL goodies in one cart, if you desire any or all you can click to add to cart;) 

• https://www.youngliving.com/us/en/myaccount/wishlist?listId=698f0403898fc9000b9dfbbb&enrollerId=1481181&sponsorId=1481181&userName=MELISSA 

Enjoy! With Love and Strength, Missy 

We have talked a lot about fiber! Both FIBER and PROTEIN are topics that I consider highly important in our nutritional wellness! Let's dive in...don't miss the ratio content! 
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Please see this post for so much more valuable info on creating a plate where fiber & protein are prioritized! ​

Why Fiber Matters
•Fiber supports digestive health, satiety, cholesterol management, and blood sugar control. 
•Most adults benefit from aiming for at least ~25–30 g of fiber daily, yet many fall short of this goal.  

We can use a carb:fiber ratio to choose fruits & veggies that will help us most in maintaining a healthy blood sugar. Now, remember, simply choosing whole fruits & veggies will ALWAYS be better than other food choices but when truly understanding the role of foods on blood sugar, what we eat and how we pair our foods can really impact our overall satiety, fullness and directly affect both objective & subjective health markers. 

How to Interpret Carb: Fiber Ratio
•Lower ratio = more fiber for each gram of carb → better for satiety, blood sugar control, and gut health.
•A ratio close to 1:1 (like avocado or berries) is excellent; a higher ratio (e.g., >5) means more digestible carbohydrates relative to fiber.

See the charts below! 

Guiding rule:
~> When choosing carbs from fruits and vegetables, aim for a carb-to-fiber ratio under 6. The lower the number, the more blood-sugar-friendly and filling the food tends to be. This generally supports blood sugar balance, satiety, gut health, and metabolic health.
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Feel free to save the pics below for reference! 
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With Love and Strength, Missy