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Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Managing the Impact of Emotions on Eating [Read/Print full article]
Eating and Emotions
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Have you ever drowned your sorrows in a pint of ice cream? If so, you are not alone. Difficult feelings and emotions can have a profound effect on eating habits. After all, reaching for a bag of chips can seem easier and less painful than confronting uncomfortable emotions and their causes. Often, this strategy backfires. The satisfaction you get from eating is brief. After consuming more calories than your body needs, the negative emotions are still there.
Instead of reaching for food, try to delay eating even if it's just for a few minutes. Take those moments to:
- Identify your feelings and what caused them.
- Write in a journal.
- Take a walk.
- Meditate to calm yourself.
Then, try using a healthier coping strategy to manage your feelings or thoughts. Here are some approaches to help you manage different feelings:
Anger
- Talk with a friend, therapist, or trusted adviser.
- Play music loud.
- Go for a brisk walk or run.
- Practice deep breathing.
- Write in a journal.
- Punch a punching bag.
Depression
- Get outdoors. Take a hike or go for a bike ride. Observe the beauty of nature.
- Write down all the things that you are thankful for, no matter how small.
- Watch a funny movie.
- Volunteer for a local organization.
- Go to the park or zoo.
Loneliness
- Drop in on a friend for a short visit.
- Join an online discussion group.
- Go to an exercise class, a lecture, a concert, or a cafe – anywhere you can interact with others.
Boredom
- Write a letter or e-mail a friend.
- Start a long-overlooked project around your home.
- Plan and prepare a healthy meal.
- Buy a new book, magazine, or music.
Discouragement/frustration
- Finish one small project to get a sense of accomplishment.
- Accept that not everything will always be done perfectly. Sometimes, it is more important just to get something done.
- Make a list of your accomplishments or positive attributes, no matter how small.
Disappointment
- Write in a journal to explore the reasons for your feelings.
- If someone else caused your disappointment, ask him or her for time to talk and calmly share your feelings.
- Make a list of the things you are grateful for.
Stress
- Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or visualization.
- Get some fresh air and go for a walk.
- Think of the situation that is causing stress and imagine yourself overcoming whatever it is.
- Slow down. Take a moment to get centered and calm.
- Be realistic about what you have to do. Not everything has to be done right now. Prioritize in order of importance.
Additional References:
- External Link to Track Your Eating and Exercise with Lose It!
Positive Thinking
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Changing your mind doesn't just mean making a different decision. It can also mean making a complete transformation in your way of thinking. Often, negative thoughts are caused by unhelpful thinking patterns. These thinking patterns can become a habit, affecting how you perceive events and circumstances on a regular basis.
Identifying our own negative thinking habits is the first step toward replacing them with more helpful ones. Look honestly at the list of thinking patterns below. Do any of them sound familiar?
Overgeneralizing
- Using words like never, always, all, no one, none, everyone, etc.
- Ignoring the complexities, both positive and negative, in a situation
Either/or thinking
- Believing people or situations are either wonderful or terrible, perfect or worthless
Rejecting the positive
- Focusing on the negative in everything
- Regularly finding reasons to devalue positive experiences or reject compliments
Demanding expectations
- Setting overly demanding expectations for yourself or others
- Having unrealistic expectations about the outcomes of a situation
Blaming others
- Believing that you do not have control over important things in your life. This can lead to blaming external events or other people for your unhappiness.
Positive thinking involves restructuring your thoughts. Almost every negative event or situation has a flip side. Instead of seeing the glass as half empty, you can choose to see it as half full. Cognitive restructuring is simple, and researchers have found that it is a powerful tool.
Transforming negative thoughts into positive thinking
| Negative thoughts | Restructured thought |
| I blew it. I ate all that ice cream. | I really enjoyed that ice cream. I know that I can eat fewer calories later today to compensate for my indulgence. |
| I am not going to be able to handle this work assignment. | This assignment is a great opportunity for me. If I don't do it perfectly, I will have the chance to learn something new and do it better next time. |
| I missed my workout today so I might as well not exercise all week. | I was really busy today and didn't have a chance to exercise. To make up for it, I will walk longer tomorrow. |
Restructuring your thoughts is a skill, and like any skill, the more you practice, the better you will become.
Related Health Tools:
Classes and Coaching
- Wellness Coaching Wellness Coaching
Interactive Programs
- Online Health Coach Online Health Coach
- Take a total health assessment with Succeed™ Take a total health assessment with Succeed™
Personal Logs and Diaries
- Physical Activity Log Physical Activity Log
- Seven Day Food Diary Seven Day Food Diary
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.