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Does
Stock Market By Lisa Drayer, MA, RD |
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Lately, you can’t get out of bed in the morning without hearing news from financial commentators describing how the market has taken a hit. "Over the past year, the Wilshire index (index of all the major stocks) has fallen by 5 trillion dollars--and that gives you the overall feeling that the decline has taken place," asserts Larry Wachtel, Market Analyst with Prudential Securities. "Sometimes there’s an ebb and flow, but the last two months it’s gone straight down." What’s more, even some of the most conservative investors-- those who would otherwise keep their money in CDs or money market accounts--have gotten speculative with their dollars, and fallen prey. "Even very risk averse investors have gotten sucked in," says Bill Meehan, Chief Market Analyst with Cantor Fitzgerald. "You know, when all of your neighbors are drinking champagne and eating caviar, it’s no fun to sit next door and have a baloney sandwich." The psychological impact of going from a belief that this is a new economy and a new era to the realization that this was all a fantasy, is stressful, says Meehan, "especially when your $100,000 nest egg is now worth "50,000." And since the market helps to predict the economy, that spells bad news and a lack of job security for many Americans. So how does all of this financial pressure affect our diets? The reason is obvious--money provides us with life’s necessities, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Often it is a resource that we depend on for retirement. Thus, it’s no wonder that experiencing financial stress can lead to emotional and psychological discomfort, which can cause one to develop unhealthful behaviors, such as drinking more, continuing to smoke or starting to smoke again, or overindulging in high-fat, calorie-laden foods.
The Body’s Response to Stress What happens in our bodies during any type of stress is the release of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Indeed, high levels of these hormones can explain why some individuals experience a lack of appetite when under stress—these hormones are part of the sympathetic nervous system, and when it is triggered, we experience a "fight or flight" feeling in our bodies, accompanied by a lack of appetite. The sympathetic or "fight or flight" nervous system has the opposite effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, the system associated with slowed heart rate, relaxation and increased cravings for food. But, stress can have the reverse effect—and cause emotional overeating. We can all probably relate to the act of heading for the cookie jar when we’re upset, angry, anxious, or simply bored. Relieving negative emotions through food increases serotonin levels in our brain, a hormone responsible for relaxed and content feelings. Certainly financial stress qualifies as a negative emotion, and can lead to over-consumption of calories when our bodies are in search of more serotonin.
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Ways to Cope When the Wallet Tighter Than the Belt Financial stress manifests itself through several avenues. But whether its layoffs in the office, or a loss in the market, the end result is the same: less money, and the question of what to do next. How do we avoid indulging in the Ben and Jerry’s, the Budweiser, or the Big Mac? We change the thoughts and behaviors that lead us to our dieting downfall. In effect, we control the aspects of our lives that we can control. And so we avoid "the crash" of our diet by minimizing the triggers of financial stress. What this all comes down to is maintaining a positive attitude, and taking a proactive approach to our lifestyle habits. And financial stress is as good an example as any when it comes to looking at ways to cope with the crazed-driven consumption (or in some cases, avoidance) of calories. Now granted, changing our thoughts and behaviors will not guarantee us freedom from financial despair. No one can control the market or predict the day that it will come back, and history tells us that it will. But, if our eating habits are declining with every drop of the Dow, then avoiding some of the triggers of financial stress can help us control our weight and promote our health. And if we can ride out the fluctuations of the market while keeping our weight under control, then when it comes back, we can treat ourselves, guilt-free, to that champagne and caviar.
Tips to Avoid the Triggers of Stock Market Stress Take
a look below to see how to avoid the triggers of stock market stress.
Although the financial tips are used an example, this theory of self-prescribing
tips through "nourishing" self-talk and behavior can be
applied to any emotional triggers you experience, and can help you
avoid over (or under) eating. Although
you may have invested some of your disposable income, keep in mind
that for many sectors (for example, the technology sector) the interest
accrued was in the form of paper wealth as opposed to real wealth.
"The companies that many people were investing in were never
worth the valuations of the sum total of all those pieces of paper
combined," says Bill Meehan, Chief Market Analyst with Cantor
Fitzgerald. Always ask yourself, "Was the money ever real?" By Lisa Drayer, MA, RD Copyright
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