Welcome to the Phoenix Helix podcast dedicated to autoimmune resilience. While there is no cure for

autoimmune disease, the choices we make every day can have a powerful impact on how we feel. I'm Eileen

Laird, your host. In this podcast, I interview experts in the fields of nutrition, lifestyle, mindset,

and integrative medicine. I also interview people with

autoimmune disease just like you. We can learn so much from each other. This podcast is named

Phoenix Helix, and it's after the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes. If you've ever felt

like your autoimmune disease knock you down so hard you would never

rise again, never underestimate your ability to rise.

We all have a phoenix within us.

A short disclaimer, I'm neither a doctor nor a nutritionist and the opinions expressed here

are personal.

I do interview medical professionals on the show, but it's meant to be information, not medical advice.

So always consult with your health care team before making your own medical decisions.

Now let's get on to the show. Welcome to episode two 14. Our topic today is emotional eating. Food isn't just about nutrition. It's a mental and emotional experience as well. At its best,

food fills us with joy and appreciation alongside the nutritional building blocks. Our bodies need to

thrive. But we've all experienced times when we turn to food for comfort. We aren't physically hungry.

We're emotionally overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, anger,

or sadness, and we turn to food to soothe those emotions and alleviate that stress.

This is called emotional eating. It's a very human thing to do, and honestly, it only

becomes a problem when the foods we choose or the quantity leaves us feeling worse instead of better.

With autoimmune disease, emotional eating has added complexity. Life with chronic illness can

inspire strong emotions that trigger emotional eating. If the foods chosen are inflammatory,

...