Big Boss 19 contestant Ashnoor Kaur shares her body bloats up in stressful environment; This is what a doctor has to say

Big Boss 19 contestant Ashnoor Kaur shares about her journey with bloating and eating disorder Big Boss 19 contestant Ashnoor Kaur shares about her journey with bloating and eating disorder (Picture Credit: Instagram/@ashnoorkaur)

Big Boss 19 host Salman Khan recently lambasted contestants Tanya Mittal and Neelam Giri for body-shaming Ashnoor Kaur from time to time. It obviously affected Kaur when she came to know about this and this is probably what prompted her to share her struggles with weight gain. She said, "This thing has been a big part of my life. As a teenager, I did suffer from body-image issues."

Kaur also went on to add how her body bloats up in stressful situations. Talking about her eating disorder situation, she went on to explain that even as a child and teenager, she had eating disorders and this is why she would avoid eating and end up starving herself.

In fact, Kaur also revealed that she had lost 9 kilos before entering the house of Big Boss. However, there have been times during her stay in the house when Ashnoor has experienced bloating.

Elaborating further on her condition, Kaur shared that some people lose weight when in a stressful environment, whereas, she on the other hand, has a tendency to gain it. Moneycontrol's team reached out to Dr Pavitra Shankar, Associate Consultant, Psychiatry, Aakash healthcare, to understand more about Kaur's situation.

"You know, the eating disorders that are caused by stress are so widespread among young people that they are frequently brought about by emotional distress, unrealistic body expectations and the pressure of social media. It's indeed very courageous of Ashnoor Kaur to have talked about her stress eating disorder condition," Dr Shankar shared.

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A lot of you may be wondering as to what triggers some people to feel bloated in stressful situations. To this, Dr Shankar explained that, "The body produces certain chemicals when it feels stressed out. Plus, the influence of high-fat, sugary comfort foods, stimulate people to eat more. The stress hormone called 'cortisol' makes people feel hungry. When a person is under chronic stress, it can keep their cortisol levels spiked for a prolonged period of time, leading to weight gain."

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Besides, most of us having food cravings when we feel particularly down and out under certain situations. Dr Shankar explained it is normal for people to feel this way. However, the key is to ensure one doesn't give in to those cravings beyond a reasonable level.  She also shared some useful hacks that people can deploy to keep any eating disorder at bay.

• Maintain a food log
Yes! Keep a diary and write down about what you eat, how much you eat, the level of hunger, and, in particular, the level of feeling during eating. With time, you can notice trends in relation to your eating behaviour and your mood.

• Deal with stress in an effective way
The best way to deal with stress is by engaging in activities like yoga, mindfulness and deep breathing.

• Conduct a hunger check
You need to find out whether your food cravings are physical or emotional. In case you have eaten only a few hours ago and your stomach is not growling, then you may not be hungry. Allow the craving to pass.

• Get in touch with your loved ones
Get support of the family and friends or join a support group because you are more likely to be indulged in emotional eating when you attempt to struggle with your problems by yourself.

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• Be okay with feeling bored
Normalise the feeling of boredom. To break the monotony, start doing positive things like going out for a walk with a pet, playing with it, listening to a song, talking to a friend or relative.

• Avoid keeping comfort foods near you
Control the triggers by not keeping hard-to-resist comfort foods at home. When you are angry or depressed, you should delay your visit to the grocery store until you are able to control your emotions.

• Don't be too hard on yourself and just take lessons
Take away the lessons of failures and make peace with yourself in case you experienced a case of emotional eating. Wake up the following morning and create a strategy never to do it again.

• Consult a professional
You must never hesitate if you need any assistance in cases when you can't control your emotional eating after all the efforts.

FAQs about eating disorders:

1. What are eating disorders?
They are mental health conditions involving unhealthy relationships with food and body image.

2. What are common types?
Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

3. What causes eating disorders?
A mix of genetic, psychological, and social factors.

4. What are common signs?
Extreme dieting, overeating, obsession with weight, or distorted body image.

5. Can eating disorders be treated?
Yes, with therapy, medical support, and nutritional counseling.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.