Health
Holiday gatherings can lead to stress eating: Try these 5 tips to control it
Spending the holidays around family and friends can stir up a lot of emotions.
And when festivities also incorporate lots of indulgent foods, it can be challenging to control emotional eating.
While the holidays are portrayed as a joyous season, it may not be the case for some, noted Dr. Brian Licuanan, a board-certified clinical psychologist in California.
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“For a lot of people out there, this … part of the year is very emotionally distressing,,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“They could have had a past loss, or maybe they had a fallout in a marriage … maybe they’re navigating a medical condition.”
People tend to cope with stress through “comfort eating,” a psychologist said. (iStock)
Holidays can be a time of loneliness for those without family, Licuanan noted, as well as a “tumultuous” period for people who struggle with substance abuse.
“Comfort eating” is one way that people tend to cope with stress, he said.
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“When stress levels increase, we [look] to soothe that,” he said.
“During the holiday season, when food is in abundance, it makes it a little bit more difficult.”
The holidays can heighten stress levels, isolation and depression for some, an expert cautioned. (iStock)
5 ways to curb emotional eating
Serena Poon, a certified celebrity nutritionist and longevity wellness expert in California, offered the following ways to rein in emotional eating during the holidays.
1. Acknowledge emotions and practice mindfulness
Recognizing the root causes of emotional cravings and practicing mindful habits can help with temptations, according to Poon.
“Suppressing emotions can lead to physical manifestations, as emotions are how our body communicates with us,” she told Fox News Digital during an interview.
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“Studies have shown that chronic stress can increase levels of cortisol, which not only amplifies cravings for sugary or comfort foods, but also impacts hormonal balance, gut health and even immunity,” Poon added.
The expert suggested trying a grounding exercise, like yoga or breath work, during times of stress.
Staying “emotionally resilient” can help support mental and physical health longevity, according to a wellness expert. (iStock)
Overindulging now and then doesn’t equate to failure, according to Poon.
“Practice self-compassion and focus on resetting at your next meal,” she advised.
“After a large holiday dinner, drink water, take a walk and plan a balanced breakfast with protein and fiber to reset your body and mindset.”
2. Set clear intentions
Being decisive about how to act at a gathering, whether socializing or eating, can help curb emotional impulses.
“For example, focus on having meaningful conversations or savoring one favorite dessert rather than sampling everything,” Poon suggested. “Setting intentions creates mindfulness and empowers decision-making.”
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For example, “If mashed potatoes are your weakness, decide beforehand that you’ll enjoy one serving guilt-free while prioritizing vegetables and protein on your plate,” she went on.
“This approach encourages mindful indulgence and reduces guilt.”
Experts encourage people to reach first for high-protein and high-fiber options at the dinner table. (iStock)
3. Stay hydrated and slow down
Dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger, according to Poon, who recommends drinking water throughout the day to help curb “unnecessary cravings.”
“Begin your holiday dinner with a salad or vegetable soup before indulging in heavier dishes,” she suggested. “Pair it with a glass of water or herbal tea.”
As dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger, experts recommend drinking water throughout the day to help curb cravings. (iStock)
Poon also suggested pausing and taking three slow, deep breaths when cravings strike.
“If you feel drawn to the dessert table out of habit, pause and breathe deeply for a moment to assess whether it’s hunger or stress that’s motivating you,” she advised.
“Put your fork down between bites, chew thoroughly, and focus on the flavors and textures of your food.”
“This simple act activates the parasympathetic nervous system, calming stress and allowing for more intentional food choices.”
Getting into the habit of eating slowly and mindfully allows the body to register fullness as you enjoy your food, Poon added.
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“Put your fork down between bites, chew thoroughly, and focus on the flavors and textures of your food,” she advised.
“This not only enhances your experience, but also helps to regulate appetite.”
4. Introduce non-food celebrations or healthy alternatives
The holidays don’t have to revolve around just food, Poon noted.
Instead, she encouraged exploring non-food rewards and activities like decorating, playing games, volunteering or spending quality time with loved ones.
Creating lower-calorie dishes for the holidays will lead to less guilt, experts suggest. (iStock)
Poon also suggested bringing healthier versions of traditional holiday dishes, like mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes or low-sugar sweets.
“Swapping traditional recipes for healthier options can help balance indulgence with nutrition,” she said.
5. Prioritize sleep and self-care
Sleep deprivation can increase the hunger hormone (ghrelin) and decrease leptin, the satiety hormone, which can make cravings harder to resist, Poon mentioned.
“Aim for quality, restorative sleep,” she suggested. “Poor sleep has been linked to increased caloric intake and cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods.”
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“By cultivating a mindful approach to eating, integrating gratitude and self-care, and addressing the root causes of emotional cravings, you can enjoy the holiday season with balance and joy.”
Emotional eating is not about perfection, the expert said, but about “creating a sustainable, compassionate relationship with your body and emotions.”
Licuanan encouraged Americans to take this time to “reconnect with people.”
“Get back to those relationships and connections that you really value,” he said.
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A distraught mother who thought she was having a heart attack was instead hospitalized with broken heart syndrome — otherwise known as takotsubo syndrome (TTS) — less than a year after her veteran son tragically took his own life.
Dawn Turner, 57, of the U.K., lost her son in August of last year.
Just last month, the mom of three awoke with “unbearable” chest pains, she said — and called an ambulance, worried she was going into cardiac arrest. But when she arrived at the hospital, doctors told her she was suffering from the effects of grief caused by a broken heart, as news agency SWNS reported.
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TTS is a temporary, reversible heart condition often triggered by extreme emotional or physical stress, such as grief, fear or severe illness, according to experts.
Symptoms usually mimic a heart attack, with sudden and severe chest pain and shortness of breath the most common — and it primarily affects women over the age of 50.
A mom whose soldier son took his own life feared she was suffering cardiac arrest — only to be told by hospital doctors that she was feeling the effects of grief caused by a broken heart. Dawn Turner, mother of deceased soldier Rob Homans, is pictured above, April 2026. (SWNS)
Turner, of Eckington in Worcester, said, “I was [sitting] downstairs earlier that night and thought I had a bit of indigestion. I went to bed and just couldn’t get comfortable — I was breaking out in a sweat and had heart palpitations.
“Then, around midnight, I had pain down my arm and in my jaw. I was still putting it down to indigestion… My partner Paul asked me if I was all right, and I said, ‘I think I’m having a heart attack.’”
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She said she couldn’t catch her breath — “and my heart felt as though it was missing a beat and then [started] thudding again. For those moments, I truly believed I was having a heart attack.”
“Your heart is all over the place — there’s an extra beat,” Turner was told.
She said her partner called emergency services, and an ambulance arrived within five minutes.
“They came in and linked me up to an ECG. They said, ‘Your heart is all over the place — there’s an extra beat, and it’s all over the place,’” she said, as SWNS reported.
Turner was rushed to the hospital by ambulance.
Turner is shown with her son in full dress uniform. He worked as an artilleryman and spent 10 years in the U.K.’s Royal Horse Artillery after joining in 2006. He was battling mental health challenges after his military service, and ultimately took his own life. (SWNS)
In emergency care, Turner was also given blood tests.
She added, “They came back and said I didn’t have the enzymes produced from a heart attack in my blood. But they said there [was] something going on.”
After undergoing more tests and seeing a cardiologist, Turner was told she had takotsubo syndrome.
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“I told [the doctor] that my heart feels broken. I told her about [my son] Rob, and she said it’s exactly that. She said it’s a real thing, and that I’d been under so much stress. The body can only take so much, and the grief and the stress can be quite physical.”
Turner’s son committed suicide in August 2025 after struggling to get help with his mental health.
He spent 10 years in the Royal Horse Artillery after joining in 2006, when he worked as an artilleryman.
Turner’s son did two tours of duty in Afghanistan, she said. After he returned to civilian life, he began suffering from a number of health conditions. She’s shown above with a flower-draped memorial to her son. (SWNS)
He did two tours of duty in Afghanistan, she said, and returned to civilian life in 2016 before suffering several worsening health conditions.
Turner, who is also the CEO of a veterans charity called Stepway, “When he left the army, he got married, and they settled down in London. He walked straight into a job as a delivery driver. But then his health took a downward spiral, and he started having digestive troubles.”
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He was eventually told he had PTSD — but those symptoms may be similar to those of mild traumatic brain injury, Turner said.
“He was deaf in one ear from using the guns,” she said. “He realized he was putting so much pressure on his marriage, so he moved back up with me. He started to build himself up — then COVID hit.”
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Turner said there were unfortunate delays as her son tried to get access to various services and facilities.
“When people lose loved ones, you’re obviously distraught, but you eventually find closure,” she said, per SWNS. “I found peace when I lost my sister in 2015. But with Rob, I can’t find closure because there’s no justice there.”
“I had never really understood that a person could become so overwhelmed by stress and grief that it physically affects the heart,” said the grieving mom. “Broken heart syndrome can look and feel like a heart attack.” (iStock)
Turner is now on the mend and hopes to be fully recovered in a couple of weeks, SWNS reported.
“Until that moment, I had never really understood that a person could become so overwhelmed by stress and grief that it physically affects the heart,” she shared. “Broken heart syndrome can look and feel like a heart attack. It was a warning sign for me, and for anyone. It can change the shape of one of your heart chambers … it can cause some serious damage.”
She added, “The cardiologist told me that thankfully, my heart itself is healthy and there was no damage, but that it will take around two weeks to a month for my heart to reboot itself.”
“Maybe the extra [heart]beat is for Rob. You are carrying on living for him,” her partner told her.
Turner was told she needed to rest, seek counseling and make lifestyle changes to reduce stress.
“Things have settled down, and I’m taking things easy — I’m pacing myself now, and I feel a lot better. Paul said, ‘Maybe the extra beat is for Rob. You are carrying on living for him.’”
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Turner said, “That broke me and healed me a little bit all at once.”
Fox News Digital previously reported that broken heart syndrome, which causes the heart to temporarily weaken, has been linked to the brain’s reaction to stress, as studies have found.
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In an article published in the European Heart Journal in March 2019, Swiss researchers said they found that the syndrome is linked to the way the brain communicates with the heart.
Broken heart syndrome, which causes the heart to temporarily weaken, has been linked to the brain’s reaction to stress, studies have found. (iStock)
Caused by intense emotional events, TTS is a rare, temporary condition that weakens the left ventricle and disrupts its normal pumping function.
The syndrome causes the heart’s main pumping chamber to change shape and get larger. The heart muscle becomes weaker, and its pumping action loses strength.
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Symptoms include sudden, intense chest pain, pressure or heaviness in the chest, along with shortness of breath.
It is treated with beta blockers and blood-thinning medicine to reduce risks of clots and other flareups.
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Eating too much salt has long been linked to high blood pressure, but new research suggests it could trick the immune system into prematurely aging the blood vessels.
A preclinical study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has identified a biological chain reaction that links a salty diet to cardiovascular decay.
Scientists at the University of South Alabama observed that mice on a high-salt diet experienced rapid deterioration in their blood vessel function.
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After just four weeks of high sodium intake, the small arteries responsible for regulating blood flow lost their ability to relax, according to a press release.
The team found that the cells lining these vessels had entered a state of cellular senescence, a form of premature cellular aging in which cells stop dividing and release a mix of inflammatory signals that can damage surrounding tissue.
Excess salt has long been linked to high blood pressure, but a new study goes deeper into its effects on the cardiovascular system. (iStock)
The researchers tried to replicate this damage by exposing blood vessel cells directly to salt in a laboratory dish, but the cells showed no harmful effects.
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This suggests that salt isn’t directly causing damage to the vascular lining but that the real culprit may be the body’s own defense mechanism, the researchers noted.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system to release a molecule called interleukin-16 (IL-16), which acts as a messenger that instructs blood vessel cells to grow old before their time, according to the study.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system to release a molecule called interleukin-16, which acts as a messenger that instructs blood vessel cells to grow old before their time, according to the study. (iStock)
Once these cells age, they fail to produce nitric oxide, the essential gas that tells arteries to dilate and stay flexible.
To test whether this process could be reversed, the team turned to a class of experimental drugs known as senolytics.
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Using a cancer medication called navitoclax, which selectively clears out aged and dysfunctional cells, the researchers were able to restore nearly normal blood vessel function in the salt-fed mice, the release stated.
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By removing the decaying cells created by the high-salt diet, the drug allowed the remaining healthy tissue to maintain its elasticity and respond correctly to blood flow demands.
Excess salt may trigger the immune system into stopping the cells from dividing, the study suggests. (iStock)
The study did have some limitations. The transition from mouse models to human treatment remains a significant hurdle, the team cautioned.
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Senolytic drugs like navitoclax are still being studied for safety, and the team emphasized that previous trials have shown mixed results regarding their impact on artery plaque.
Additionally, the researchers have not yet confirmed whether the same IL-16 pathway is the primary driver of vascular aging in humans.
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