Stay at home mums, corporate executives, teenagers, pensioners - stress eating does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone. Busy lives, everyday chores, and approaching deadline anything and everything can lead to that chocolate or ice cream binge. And while experienced comfort may feel like a mana from heaven, in the long run it does not solve the problem it just adds to it. It might sound scary to face the stress head on, however if you are prepared and equipped with tools to combat stress you can enrich and improve lives as well as mental and physical well-being.

Admitting that there is a problem with stress eating is an important step on the road to recovery and reclaiming your life. Where is the stress coming from? Whether it is financial situation, work related issue, family matter or romance problem; identify where the anxiety is coming from. Once it is identified it is easier to deal with. And while some issues can be tackled without help, there is no shame in asking for a professional help, counseling or therapy can do a world of good.

Everyone can relax, right? Wrong. While cats in their feline grace have mastered the art of relaxation, humans have yet to become masters. And it’s different for everyone. While someone’s idea of a heaven might be a soothing aromatherapy massage, someone else might break in hives by the mere thought of it and head to the gym instead. Watching movies, reading a book, playing with kids, painting, cooking whatever soothes you, do it.

Exercise is another great tool to reducing stress. A simple walk might clear the head, while more strenuous activity will control body’s sugar levels and reduce the appetite. It will also help with not mulling over a particular problem in your head. It is of imperative to unwind and switch off. Meditation of some sort might be a good tool for that. Quiet the mind and watch the stress level reduce.

If the deadline is approaching and the mere thought of chocolate as a reward was what kept you going rethink the reward system. While favorite foods are beneficial in reasonable quantities, over-indulgence is not. Trip to the cinema or a piece of clothing, even something simple as a new book or a magazine might be a better idea.

And while the aforementioned deadline might have you reaching for coffee or chocolate, a healthy snack is a better option. Oranges or cereal bars, fruits and vegetables rich with vitamin C and E and magnesium will raise your body’s nutrients level and help boost the immune system making it physically easier to deal with stress.