Emotional Trauma Can Cause Unhealthy Weight Loss

The Brain perceives what the Heart receives

The best weight-loss program is a broken heart! Sadistically and deleteriously true. A broken heart, shattered by either separation or loss of a loved one can volley a havoc on your system. It is like the centre of the universe suddenly shrinking between the lungs and your heart controlling everything from tangles of your hair to the wilting nail of your little toe, and everything falling in between. The first classic symptom of a bereaved state is loss of appetite. It would have been just a week since your heart tore to pieces, but your weighing scale is already showing heart-breaking dip in figures. And that’s when we learn that the hunger and appetite centre of our body is located in our cerebral hemisphere and not the rib cage! Because, in actuality, it is your brain undergoing the trauma, not your heart.

So what makes us lose the will to eat, starve and yet stay alive? (although a bit worn out after days of involuntary fasting). My friend had a terrible break-up during our graduation days and while on her summit of an emotional breakdown, someone asked her concernedly why she is not eating well. She answered “My cortisols are high currently. Please meet me after a week at pizza hut!” Astringent. One, that human didn’t understand what cortisol is and two, that was the last day of her mourning because such a scientific explanation to a lamenting heart threw us into a fit of laughter, as we still do on hindsight.

Back to business. Though psychologically there are millions of emotions boomeranging during a trauma, physiologically there are only two things happening:

1. spike in adrenaline
2. increase in cortisol

While adrenaline gives you the option of either succumbing to the trauma or escaping the situation or fighting back the demons, Cortisol is the real dawdler! It has some calamitous effects on our systems, some of which will explain why we feel what we feel.

The Chaotic Cortisol...
...Elevates blood glucose
The sudden spike in blood sugar gives the body fuel to cope up with the trauma.
 
...Massively compromises immune response
Cortisol is the communication channel between our gut and our brain! Our immunity is synchronized with the good little bacteria inhabiting our gut {the famous intestinal  flora}. Intestinal homeostasis maintains healthy functioning only till adversity strikes. The bacterial colonization, functioning and immune response gets compromised as a result of which, the brain is sent signals through cortisol to tamper with the hunger centre switchboard. Haven't we all at some point experienced inexplicable loss of taste, inability to swallow and lack of will to eat while we languish over an aching heart? Yeah, that's the cruel cortisol in action!

...Increases blood pressure
The brain, gut, kidney and everything made up of cells need energy in the form of glucose to fight back. And they need it real quick. Our cardiovascular system works overtime to make sure the fuel reaches its destination as soon as possible and the wailing heart puts immense pressure on the blood vessels to pump across harder.

...Increases fat mass
Requirement for fuel sends the body into a crash program of saving as much as possible for the rainy day! And that means more of fat being accumulated, lest the body encounters nutrient deprivation in the long run. But since the body is not getting enough food for fuel, initially all the fat also gets directed towards energy production leading to weight loss.

...Causes loss of bone calcium
Cortisol blocks calcium absorption and triggers demineralization to free amino acids for being used as energy source. This, along with other ongoing processes, renders the body weak and lethargic.
 
...Stimulates congnitive haziness
In simpler words, makes you feel down in the dumps! Your mind is inundated with emotions and clouded with confusion, unanswered questions and lack of acceptance of what just happened to you!

Losing weight during emotional trauma is an unhealthy way to shed those pounds

Food, oxygen, immune response, everything under the sun is compromised and you are accusing your destiny for dishing all this out to you. Time to shift the blame; It’s the cortisol acting smart. Till it is around, you anyway have no control. The only control you can exercise is on how you process your emotions. To accept that it is OK to feel the way you are is the best way to deal with it. Selective numbing is not possible. When you drop the curtains on your emotional receptivity, you force shut your body too. And your first line of sustenance, food, is the victim to it.

As explained beautifully by an expert "The body can only ever be in two states: either in a state of repair or a state of repose. If heartbreak is affecting you negatively, then your body will be in a state of repair; if it's constantly in a state of repair your appetite will be affected, as your body will be working over time."
Once you are able to pacify your internals or with gradual recuperation, cortisol levels automatically dip down to normal. But then, you would have already raised an alarm in your body. Shedding a few kilograms may make you feel victorious after you have recovered from the heartache, but you don’t realize that you have lost your health and vigour too. A heart-breaking experience becomes a brain-aching one!
 
Having said all this, humans are born optimistic . The good thing about adversities is that there always are two roads ahead. Either we succumb to the onslaughts and later keep dealing with the consequences, or drop the baggages and let Mr. Cortisol take a duck! Well, literally!

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