Are you an emotional eater? Don't consume your stress, release it with these helpful tips

Do you find yourself racing to your refrigerator (and raiding) it for comfort whenever any of life's discomforts knock on the door? It's no secret that life is stressful, but if you are devouring an entire pizza to deal with it, that is not healthy.  

Building and maintaining a healthy relationship with food is an emotional skill that will maintain our overall health and wellbeing. Because eating is a big part of our lives and is essential for survival, it can also be used as a means to soothe or numb negative emotions and provide temporary comfort to the mind and body. We receive so many different messages on social media these days that may also prompt us to eat our feelings, feel bad about ourselves and question our choices. 

"Emotional or stress eating is when we turn to food to manage stressful situations and temporarily numb challenging emotions," says dietitian Abigail Park.