Some people eat more when they are stressed, while others eat less.  However, according to a study conducted at the University of California-San Francisco, those under chronic stress report more often eating fatty foods to relieve stress.  Reports such as these make a lot of sense if we understand the connection between body and mind.  However, the effects of stress are also influenced by other things such as worldview, culture, and historical time.  A group of people may face the same stressors, but will be influenced, mind and body, differently depending on what they believe about the stressor.  If they believe the stressor to be unimportant, then the stressor will not affect them.  If they believe that the stressor is somehow important given a greater goal in life, then the … Read entire article »

We all know that exercise leads to weight loss. But is there something else involved? A research study published in the International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology found that exercise creates changes in tension and depression and that it is the changes in tension and depression that contribute to weight loss, not the exercise. Exercise accounted for only 17% of the loss in weight. In other words, exercise leads to changes in mood and changes in mood contribute to weight loss. Read More … Read entire article »