Is There More to Eating Than Fulfilling Hunger?

          The purpose of food is supposed to be to fulfill your hunger... but I really don't think it's that simple anymore. Obesity rates just keep climbing, that's all they ever seem to do. Aside from all the unhealthy food options available for consumption, one major reason for this is that people aren't using food in the right circumstances. Food's sole job is to fulfill your hunger and provide your body with the nutritional benefits necessary. I feel like this is a universally known fact, so why is it so hard for Americans to accept this and abide by these guidelines? For some people, it's no longer just an option for whether they overeat or not, but an obligation. Some people are literally addicting to eating food. Sometimes it's hereditary, in which case is very unfortunate because you can't do anything about it. Other times, people tend overeat and eat unhealthily due to emotional reasons like depression or stress. Another very common site of overeating (i'm a common culprit) is at parties and events, especially during the holidays, in which there is an abundance of food and one only feels obligated to overindulge. If only it was as easy to put your thoughts into actions, anybody who thought rationally about what they ate would be a lot slimmer. Maybe a major problem in our country is that people aren't aware that they subconsciously eat their feelings or eat when they're not hungry. Maybe fixing the obesity epidemic could be as simple as educating the people to only eat when they're actually hungry, and not eating just because they're bored or simple because they can. Maybe we'll never know...

eatwithoutguilt.com

http://voices.yahoo.com/why-people-turn-food-comfort-4831580.html