Tag: sleep

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Feel Like Crying? Common Causes Explained

Why You Feel Like Crying for No Reason (Even When Life Is Good)

Hello everyone,

It doesn’t matter who you are, your age, or how resilient you think you are; we all cry, and we all need to cry. It’s an essential release for grief, sadness, stress, anger, happiness, sentimentality, and plain tiredness.

But sometimes you feel like crying for absolutely no obvious reason, and it can leave you wondering what on earth is going on with you.

I hear this constantly from clients: they tell me they have a genuinely good life, close friends, a loving family, and good health, and they’re baffled that they still burst into tears out of nowhere. If that’s you, I want to walk you through one of the biggest, most overlooked reasons this happens.

Why Do I Feel Like Crying For No Reason?

Why Do I Feel Like Crying For No Reason

First, if you often feel like crying and can’t explain why, you are not alone, and it’s far more common than people admit. In my experience, it tracks closely alongside poor gut health and inflammation. I talk a lot about the two-way link between your brain and your gut; it’s essentially a superhighway of nerves running constantly between the two, transmitting information in both directions.

Ever needed the bathroom right before public speaking? Or felt butterflies before meeting someone important? That’s your brain-gut connection at work in real time. And when that connection is out of balance, it can genuinely be the reason you feel like crying when nothing in your life seems to warrant it.

How Does Gut Health Affect Mood?

How Does Gut Health Affect Mood

Your gut microbiome is home to over 100 trillion microorganisms, and one of their many jobs is producing the neurotransmitters that regulate your mental health, including:

  • Serotonin: often called the happy hormone
  • Dopamine: your pleasure and motivation hormone
  • GABA: for calming an overactive mind
  • Melatonin: your sleep hormone

When your gut can’t produce these in the right amounts, because of inflammation or an overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria, your emotions take the hit. In my clinical experience, this is one of the most under-discussed causes of unexplained tearfulness.

What Affects Gut Health?

What Affects Gut Health

A few things I see disrupting gut health again and again in my clients:

  • Stress the single most common cause of gut problems I encounter. Chronic stress disrupts every stage of digestion and throws gut bacteria out of balance (gut dysbiosis).
  • Antibiotics don’t discriminate between good and bad bacteria, so if you’re on them now or have a history of frequent use, it’s worth actively supporting your gut health.
  • Poor sleep
  • Over-exercising
  • Alcohol
  • Poor dietary choices: gut bacteria are genuinely sensitive to sugar, artificial sweeteners, additives, emulsifiers, and other ingredients common in ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

So next time you feel like crying and can’t explain why, I’d encourage you to look at your gut first. It might be time for a microbiome reset.

Why Do I Feel Like Crying After Every Meal? 

This is something I get asked about almost as often as the “no reason” crying, so let’s address it directly, because it deserves its own explanation.

If you find yourself tearing up while eating, or feeling weepy shortly after a meal, there are a few genuine physiological reasons this happens:

  • Your vagus nerve fires up the moment you start eating. This is part of your body’s “rest and digest” response, and in people who are more sensitive to this shift, it can trigger an emotional release that feels completely disconnected from anything you were thinking about.
  • Blood sugar swings. A meal that’s high in refined carbs or sugar causes a sharp rise and fall in blood sugar, and that crash can genuinely trigger low mood, tearfulness, or irritability within an hour or two of eating.
  • Digestive discomfort. Bloating, reflux, or a food sensitivity flaring up mid-meal can create a physical discomfort that your brain interprets as emotional distress, especially if the gut-brain link is already out of balance.
  • Association and memory. Meals carry a lot of emotional weight, shared family meals, past relationships with food, or simply the vulnerability of slowing down and being with your own thoughts can bring feelings to the surface.

I want to be honest with you here: if crying when you eat happens often, feels distressing, or is tied up with how much or how little you’re eating, please don’t just push through it alone. That combination is worth talking through with a doctor, therapist, or nutritionist, since it can sometimes point to something that deserves proper support rather than a quick fix.

For most people, though, the explanation really is this simple: your gut-brain connection is working overtime during digestion, and a rocky gut microbiome or a blood sugar crash is enough to tip you into tears.

How Gut Health Affects Sleep and Mood

How Gut Health Affects Sleep and Mood  

Serotonin isn’t just your “happy hormone”; it’s also a direct precursor to melatonin, your sleep hormone. This is exactly why poor gut health can hit both your mood and your sleep quality at the same time.

It’s easy to end up in a vicious circle here: poor gut health disrupts sleep, and poor sleep disrupts gut health right back. Both of them, individually or together, can leave you feeling like crying for no reason. The fix, in my experience, is working on both at once; improving gut health while upgrading your sleep habits creates a positive spiral that gets you back to emotional stability far faster than tackling either one alone.

What Is the Best Diet for Mood Balance?

What Is the Best Diet for Mood Balance

I always push for a lifestyle change over a “diet,” because how you move and think affects your gut just as much as what you eat does. My own approach is built around an anti-inflammatory lifestyle that includes:

  • Foods that support blood sugar regulation and a healthy gut microbiome.
  • Genuinely anti-inflammatory foods.
  • Foods that supply brain nutrients like omega-3s, B vitamins, and antioxidants.
  • Gentle daily movement.
  • A positive mindset.
  • Daily relaxation and stress management.

A balanced gut microbiota lowers chronic inflammation and genuinely supports mental well-being. It might sound surprising the first time you hear it, but the same gut bacteria that can lift your mood can just as easily tip it the other way when they’re out of balance. It’s also why gastrointestinal conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, and Crohn’s Disease so often come hand in hand with depression and anxiety.

Improving gut health genuinely improves brain health. It’s science.

Want to read more on this? You might enjoy:

Are you ready to feel like yourself again? Start living the anti-inflammatory way. Find out more about our membership options here.

With love, Yalda x

Yalda Alaoui is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist (with a foundation in Biomedicine) who studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She has spent over a decade performing groundbreaking research in chronic inflammation and gut health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does eating make me cry? 

Usually, why do I cry after eating? And why does eating make me want to cry? It comes down to your vagus nerve activating during digestion, a blood sugar crash after the meal, or discomfort like bloating or reflux, all of which your brain can register as emotional distress, especially if your gut-brain connection is already out of balance.

Does crying make you hungry?

It can. Crying is physically taxing and can trigger a small release of cortisol, which sometimes increases appetite afterward, similar to how stress can drive cravings.

Does crying make you thirsty? 

Yes, often. Crying uses up fluid through tears, and the physical exertion of a good cry can leave you feeling dehydrated, so it’s worth having a glass of water afterward.

Is it normal to constantly ask why do i cry when I eat? 

Occasional unexplained tearfulness is common and often linked to gut health, sleep, or stress. If it’s happening constantly or is significantly affecting your day-to-day life, it’s worth speaking with a doctor or therapist to rule out anything else that might need proper support.

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Reduce PCOS Belly Fat and Improve Hormone Health

Hello Everyone,

Quick Answer: Reduce PCOS belly fat by focusing on an anti-inflammatory lifestyle rather than quick-fix diets. Eating nutrient-rich whole foods, improving insulin sensitivity, supporting gut health, exercising regularly, getting quality sleep, and managing stress can help reduce abdominal fat and improve hormone balance over time.

It can be so challenging to flatten your tummy when you’re dealing with hormonal and inflammatory conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). I know this firsthand, and I hear it from so many of you too.

In this article, I’m going to explain why it’s genuinely hard to lose belly fat when you have PCOS, and share the tips that have actually helped me and so many of our members reduce PCOS belly fat for good.

What Is PCOS?

What Is PCOS

Many women have polycystic ovaries without having PCOS, but every woman with PCOS has polycystic ovaries. Let me explain… Each month, in the first half of the menstrual cycle, the ovaries develop follicles that contain eggs. One of these eggs will be released at ovulation, and the remaining follicles will degenerate.

However, some women carry undeveloped follicles on the ovaries that look like bunches of grapes; these are polycystic ovaries. It is possible to have polycystic ovaries and not experience any symptoms, but with PCOS, these cysts lead to hormonal imbalances and symptoms such as:

  • Irregular periods or no periods: Hormonal imbalances can disrupt ovulation, leading to infrequent, irregular, or completely absent menstrual cycles.
  • Fertility problems: Because ovulation may occur less often or not at all, PCOS can make it more difficult to conceive naturally.
  • Problems with blood sugar balance and insulin resistance: Many women with PCOS develop insulin resistance, which can increase blood sugar levels and raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Weight gain, especially around the abdomen: PCOS commonly causes fat to accumulate around the waist, making PCOS belly fat particularly difficult to lose.
  • Acne and oily skin: Higher androgen levels can increase oil production, leading to persistent acne and frequent breakouts.
  • Headaches: Hormonal fluctuations associated with PCOS may contribute to recurring headaches or migraines.
  • Excessive hair growth (hirsutism): Increased androgen levels can cause thicker, darker hair growth on the face, chest, back, abdomen, and other areas.
  • Thinning hair on the scalp: Hair may become thinner over time or follow a pattern similar to male-pattern hair loss due to hormonal changes.

Tests may reveal elevated levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone and low progesterone. There may also be problems with estrogen metabolism.

If not treated, PCOS can increase the risk of other conditions like obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, depression, infertility, and an accumulation of fatty tissue, particularly around the tummy area.

Why So Many of You Ask Me How to Lose Belly Fat With PCOS

I get messages almost every week asking me how to lose PCOS belly fat, and honestly, it’s one of the questions I get asked the most. So many of you are searching for how to get rid of PCOS belly, how to lose stomach fat with PCOS, or simply how to reduce PCOS belly fat once and for all, and I want you to know you’re not alone in that struggle.

PCOS belly and PCOS stomach fat behave differently than regular stubborn fat because they’re tied so closely to insulin resistance and inflammation, not just calories in versus calories out. That’s exactly why generic “eat less, move more” advice rarely works for us, and why I built my whole approach around gut health, movement, sleep, and stress instead.

How to Deal With Reducing PCOS Belly Fat

How to Deal With Reducing PCOS Belly Fat

PCOS belly fat accumulates as a result of insulin resistance and hormonal imbalance. It can be hard to shift, but it’s worth tackling, because this is the sort of fat that produces inflammatory chemicals which can make your PCOS symptoms even worse.

I recommend you follow a 6-step approach if you want to reduce PCOS belly fat:

Support Your Gut Microbiome

Your gut microbiome has a powerful influence on hormone balance, insulin sensitivity, digestion, and inflammation, all of which play an important role in PCOS. When your gut bacteria are healthy and diverse, they help regulate your immune system, improve nutrient absorption, and support a healthier metabolism.

Feed your gut with a wide variety of fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fermented foods to nourish beneficial bacteria. Reducing ultra-processed foods and eating more whole foods can also help create a healthier gut environment, making it easier to manage inflammation and support long-term hormonal health.

Do the Right Kind of Exercise and Movement

Regular movement is one of the most effective ways to improve insulin sensitivity and support healthy hormone function. The goal isn’t to exercise harder; it’s to exercise smarter. Choosing the right type of movement can help reduce inflammation, improve metabolism, and make it easier to manage PCOS belly fat.

Aim for a balanced routine that includes walking, strength training, stretching, yoga, or other low-impact activities you genuinely enjoy. Consistency is far more important than intensity, and finding a routine you can maintain long-term will provide the greatest benefits for your health and well-being.

Get Good Quality Sleep

Get Good Quality Sleep

Sleep significantly affects your hormonal health and shouldn’t be underestimated. Do you sleep easily for 7-9 hours every night? If not, this is a key area to focus on if you want to be free from PCOS belly fat.

Lack of sleep affects your appetite and satiety hormones. When they are out of rhythm, you are likely to crave sugary foods and simple carbohydrates, things like sodas, pastries, candy, and other junk foods. Eating these sorts of foods when you have PCOS-related insulin resistance leads to more belly fat and more inflammation. I explore this further in What Happens If You Don’t Sleep Enough?

For insomniacs, shift workers, and people who have had a lifetime of waking up in the middle of the night, we have Expert Advice for Unusual Eating Times and Insomnia as part of the EBS membership. It’s a game-changer!

Reduce Stress

Reduce Stress

Stress plays a massive role in hormonal imbalance and inflammation. Stress hormones alter the balance of your gut bacteria, increase belly fat (high levels of cortisol lead to more fat storage around the belly area), and affect mental well-being. Chronic stress can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression, which can make it harder to cope with PCOS.

Encourage Good Bacteria to Grow in Your Tummy

Encourage Good Bacteria to Grow in Your Tummy

Many studies show increased levels of harmful bacteria and differences in the composition of the gut microbiome in women with PCOS. These shifts in microbial balance can be related to hormone metabolism and inflammation. The wrong types of bacteria can promote inflammation and “recycle” estrogen, leading to further estrogen imbalance.

You can support the healthy balance and diversity of your gut microbiome by eating gut-healthy food like this wonderful Flax and Chia Light Banana Bread or Slow-cooker Indian Vegetable Curry.

The Eat Burn Sleep food lists and meal plans are designed to encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn help with hormone metabolism and lowering inflammation. We have hundreds of recipes on the platform, all designed with your gut bugs in mind!

Move Every Day in The Right Way

Move Every Day in The Right Way

Core strength exercises that improve your abdominal tone are great for dealing with PCOS and belly fat. They really work! You can read more about these sorts of exercises in Best Exercises to Lose Belly Fat Quickly.

Daily movement and exercise are important when you have PCOS, but it’s important to steer clear of workout plans that are too demanding and stressful. I see people doing intense workouts and not eating properly before or afterward, and this is a surefire way to worsen PCOS symptoms.

Workouts that are too intense increase your stress hormones and inflammation. They have the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve, and that’s often why how to lose belly fat pcos searches lead people to more punishing workouts instead of gentler, more effective ones.

The EBS membership includes access to our library of hundreds of movement videos that build muscle strength and help lower inflammation. I do these exercises myself daily, and I guarantee you will see the difference in your health.

Each routine takes half an hour or less; combine them with the food plan, and you will see amazing changes, just like EBS Member Leila:

“I am on my 4th week of the Six-Week Reset, and I have PCOS.

Already I’ve seen amazing results and am feeling much better and lighter in my body (and mind)!

Really impressed with the quality of your work and what you’ve put into this amazing platform.”

So, please don’t despair if you have PCOS and a larger tummy than you would like, because you can change it. You are not stuck with it for life.

We have many EBS members who have turned their PCOS around by following the EBS lifestyle. This is what Remi says about the program:

“After 3 years of sticking (mostly) to your food guide, I have healed my PCOS!

I just went in for hormone testing, and everything was completely normal for the first time in my life.”

We even have leading Endocrinologists who have benefited from the program, like Dr Mehreen Kahn:

“The lifestyle has helped me so much. I have PCOS and IBS/reflux. An added benefit for me is that my cystic acne from PCOS just vanished. My 13-year-old acne is clearing up.

The bloat is gone, no more popping TUMS, and Gas-X and Omeprazole all the time. My tummy is flat for the first time since babies! I feel better at 40 (my birthday is tomorrow) than at 30. My hair is shinier, my nails are breaking less.”

So, are you ready to reduce PCOS belly fat for good? Check out our membership options now.

You might also enjoy:

Yours, in health,

Yalda x

Yalda Alaoui is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist (with a foundation in Biomedicine) who studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She has spent over a decade performing groundbreaking research in chronic inflammation and gut health.

FAQs

Q1. Why is PCOS belly fat so difficult to lose?

PCOS belly fat is often linked to insulin resistance, hormonal imbalances, and chronic inflammation. These factors can make it easier to gain weight around the abdomen and more challenging to lose it.

Q2. What is the best diet to reduce PCOS belly fat?

A balanced, anti-inflammatory diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean protein, healthy fats, legumes, whole grains, and fiber can help support hormone balance, improve insulin sensitivity, and promote healthy weight management.

Q3. Can exercise help reduce PCOS belly fat?

Yes. Regular exercise, including walking, strength training, and other low-impact activities, can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation, support metabolism, and help reduce abdominal fat when combined with healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

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How To Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

Hello Everyone!

I’m sure it must be frightening to hear you have the genetic markers for Alzheimer’s disease. However, please be assured that this doesn’t automatically mean that you will develop the condition.

Why? Because you have the power to prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

It’s a bold statement, I know, but as with any inflammatory condition (which Alzheimer’s Disease is), you can use diet and lifestyle to minimize your risk of developing it.

In this article, I will tell you some facts about Alzheimer’s disease and explain how you can optimize your brain health and protect against cognitive decline.

Please share this post with anyone you know who is fearful of developing Alzheimer’s and anyone who cares for someone who has early signs of it. It might make a world of difference to their lives.

Alzheimer’s and Inflammation: The Facts

Let’s establish some of the facts about Alzheimer’s disease:

  • Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. There are an estimated 5.8 million people in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Around 200,000 of these are under the age of 65.
  • Women are nearly twice as likely to be affected by Alzheimer’s than men.
  • The inflammation and cellular damage that leads to Alzheimer’s begins years before any symptoms appear.
  • There are many underlying causes of Alzheimer’s, which is why the search for a single drug cure will never work.

Alzheimer’s is characterized by the appearance of amyloid plaques and knots of tau protein in brain tissue. However, this type of damage occurs in healthy brains as they age and doesn’t explain why some people develop Alzheimer’s and others don’t.

Scientists then discovered that chronic inflammation in the brain drives the progression of Alzheimer’s. It seems to be this combination of chronic inflammation alongside amyloid plaques and tau protein fibers that leads to Alzheimer’s.

A close up of a bowl of chips being eaten by a lady but only her torso is seen.

Lifestyles Drive Alzheimer’s Risk

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are more prevalent now than 100 years ago. This is because our diets and lifestyles are radically different:

  • We are exposed to more environmental toxins and chemicals in food. These toxins alter the gut microbiome and drive inflammation.
  • We do less exercise and movement.
  • We have less good quality sleep.
  • We eat junk foods that lack essential vitamins and minerals.

All these factors combine to create a state of chronic inflammation that damages brain tissue, leading to dementia and Alzheimer’s.

 

Alzheimer’s Disease and Gut Health

To understand the origins of Alzheimer’s we need to look at gut health. Gut bacteria have a direct effect on brain health and inflammation. What we eat affects the balance of good and bad gut bacteria and can increase our risk of inflammation in the brain.

If we choose ultra-processed foods filled with refined sugar, processed fats, and chemical additives, we are choosing to damage the gut, promote inflammation, and increase our risk of developing dementia.

If we opt for anti-inflammatory foods that provide brain-healthy nutrients, then we are choosing to nourish our gut bacteria, minimize inflammation, and protect our brains against Alzheimer’s.

Sleep and Neuroinflammation

How well we sleep influences our risk of developing neuroinflammation. Good quality sleep is vital for brain cell “housekeeping” and clearing away amyloid plaques in the brain. If you regularly get less than 7-9 hours’ sleep a night you are depriving your brain of the time it needs to do this repair work.

The Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle supports and promotes healthy sleep and we have specific advice for Insomnia. You might also like to read: What Happens If You Don’t Sleep Enough?

 

Movement Affects Our Brains

Exercise and movement stimulate blood flow and oxygen circulation to the brain. Brain cells get more nutrients and metabolic waste can be cleared away.

Our program includes a whole series of exercise and movement videos designed to improve your strength without increasing inflammation. Many regular forms of exercise are too strenuous. They spike your cortisol levels which then causes more inflammation.

Stress Response and Inflammation

Stress is a massive factor in chronic inflammation and dementia. We each have the power to reduce the effects of stress and improve our resilience. Regular relaxation is crucial for cognitive wellbeing and we have a library of guided meditations for you to enjoy.

 

How Long Does Protection Against Alzheimer’s Take?

In a matter of weeks, you can dramatically change your genetic expression and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. If you are as consistent as possible (I advise an 80/20 on this lifestyle), you give yourself the best protection possible.

Start the Six-Week Reset, and then follow Daily Goals and the monthly planner in the Reboot & Revive section to make your meals, meditations, exercises, and snacks for each day as easy as possible. Remember that the recipes are family-and-friends-friendly!

 

senior woman with family on sofa in living room f

 

Reverse Early Onset Dementia

If you have signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or early onset dementia, you can slow the progression and dramatically change the outcome with the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle. Give yourself proper rest, daily movement, interesting activities to stimulate your brain, and an anti-inflammatory diet, and you will give your brain the best chance to fight dementia.

My final advice is to start protecting yourself as soon as possible. Don’t live with that fear anymore. You can protect yourself against developing inflammatory conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and look and feel years younger by doing so!

For members seeking more personalized support, the platform also offers dedicated Alzheimer’s advice as part of the Premium Membership. This includes in-depth guidance, research-backed strategies, and practical tools to help reduce risk factors and support long-term brain health.

You might also like:

How Does Sleep Help With Inflammation?

Brain Food for Studying and Focus

Signs of Inflammation That May Surprise You

With love and excellent health, as always!

Yalda x

 

Yalda Alaoui is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist (with a foundation in Biomedicine) who studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She has spent over a decade performing groundbreaking research in chronic inflammation and gut health.

 

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Why Am I Always Hungry?

Hi Everyone,

Are you always hungry and never feel full? Feeling constantly hungry can be confusing and frustrating, especially if your doctor is advising exercise and weight loss.

Maybe you’re exercising a lot and not losing weight. Maybe you’re eating low calorie foods that never fill you up.  Or maybe you graze all day and just want to know why your appetite is never satisfied.

In this post, we will explore a huge factor contributing to excessive hunger, and I will tell you how to fix it!

Can’t Stop Eating All Day?

Why Do I Never Feel Full and Am Always Tired?

Diet Affects Sleep

How Sleep Affects Metabolism

How Can You Improve Your Sleep?

Can’t Stop Eating All Day

There are several reasons why you can’t stop eating all day:

  • You are not eating or absorbing enough nutrients. Every day, your body needs a certain amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. If you are not eating enough, or have digestive problems that affect nutrient absorption, you will still feel hungry. This is your body telling you that it needs more nutrients. Our food lists are designed to provide all the nutrients you need and our meal plans will help you feel satisfied and full.
  • Emotional eating. Are you bored, stressed, or locked into unhealthy habits? I share tips on how to deal with Emotional Eating in the Masterclass Lives series.
  • Eating too quickly. Take time to enjoy your meals. Sit at a table away from your desk or the sofa and switch off the TV. Listen to calming, relaxing music if you don’t like silence. Put your phone out of reach while you eat. And most importantly, chew each mouthful thoroughly as this helps your stomach to know when it is full.
  • You are not getting quality sleep! This can easily make you feel hungry all the time. Let’s find out why sleep is so important for feeling full.

 

 

Why Do I Never Full and Always Feel Tired?

If you have had medical conditions ruled out by your doctor and you can’t stop eating and feel tired all the time, you are most likely not getting enough sleep.

Several things happen when you don’t get enough sleep:

  • Your gut microbes can’t carry out their nightly “gut housekeeping” activities to maintain a healthy digestive system.
  • Cortisol levels rise. This helps your body handle the stress caused by lack of sleep but it also disrupts blood sugar balance, digestion, and gut bacteria.
  • Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which keeps lower body fat levels, is dysregulated.
  • You produce more of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, and less of the fullness hormone, leptin. No matter what you eat you don’t feel full!
  • You feel tired and less able to exercise so you have less energy expenditure. All those extra calories lead to more weight gain.
  • You have less resistance to oxidative stress, which increases chronic inflammation.

 

How much sleep do I need?

Experts recommend between 7 and 9 hours of sleep for an adult.

There is a rare collection of people with a specific gene (1% of the population has DEC2) that can survive on 6 hours of sleep. But this is a very rare gene and the majority of adults need 7-9 hours of sleep to stay healthy.

 

Diet Affects Sleep

Firstly, lose the ‘diet’ mindset and embrace ‘nutrition’ instead.

These days, people have diets with a lot of processed carbohydrates, fats, and protein but are not getting the vitamins and minerals essential for health.

We can have bigger bodies but be starving on the inside – which will not help us sleep. If you have the right vitamins and minerals, you are full. When your body is satisfied nutritionally, you are more likely to sleep better.

Not having enough of the right nutrition could cause insomnia, which puts you in a spiral of sleep deprivation and undernourishment. This cycle makes your body more susceptible to chronic inflammation and disease.

 

How Sleep Affects Metabolism

Our bodies run on a circadian rhythm – an internal 24-hour clock. We have rhythms and patterns for sleep, movement, concentration, digestion, cell repair, brain function, and more!

When we live in harmony with these rhythms, we give ourselves the best chance of being healthy. But when we stay up late staring at screens, snacking on junk food, and not getting enough daily movement or daylight then we disrupt this rhythm and trigger health problems.

If you don’t give yourself the opportunity for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, you disrupt your internal body clock. Studies show that sleep deprivation leads to metabolic dysregulation. This presents as weight gain (usually around the belly), food cravings, poor blood sugar regulation, and inflammation. Chronic sleep deprivation is recognized as a significant contributor to the rise of type 2 diabetes – and it can be avoided.

 

EBS Members

Check out the article on Insomnia in the Personalized Advice section. Remember that on the 15th of every month, we bring you a new comprehensively researched article in the Personalized Advice section. Do get in touch if there is a specific condition you would like to see us cover. 

 

How Can You Improve Your Sleep?

The first step is to look at your diet. The Eat Burn Sleep anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle is proven to optimize mental and physical health and promote sound, quality sleep.

This is what EBS member Jocelyn has to say about the program:

“I’ve suffered insomnia since February and I’ve tried everything under the sun, all the medications, acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and nothing worked until my friend introduced me to EBS. It’s been a bit less than 3 weeks and I’ll admit I have cheat days… and my sleep is back to 70%.

I see it as a silver lining as I had never heard of chronic inflammation before, so this 2 month’s insomnia experience has made me a lot more health-conscious and opened my eyes to so many things!”

Our food lists and meal plans ensure you never feel hungry and get all the nutrients you need. You will never be reaching for food all day long again!

And, our Movement Videos and Meditation Guides will help you move each day and relax properly, ready for a good night’s sleep.

Here are a couple of teaser dishes to get you inspired:

Savory Rosemary & Chives Paleo Bread Rolls

Slow Cooker Oxtail & Vegetables.

 

Want to know more? You can check out our membership options here and find more sleep talk in:

What Happens If You Don’t Sleep

Weight Loss & The Link to Sleep

The Benefits of Sun Exposure.

 

I wish you excellent health and a great day,

Yalda x

 

Yalda Alaoui is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist (with a foundation in Biomedicine) who studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She has spent over a decade performing groundbreaking research in chronic inflammation and gut health.

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Signs of Inflammation That May Surprise You

How to Tell If You Have Chronic Inflammation

Hello Everyone,

I am often asked about the signs of inflammation and how to tell if it’s a problem. But honestly, chronic inflammation will express itself differently for each of us! This is because we have a unique genetic makeup that influences our health.

However, there are some common signs of inflammation to look out for, some of which will surprise you.

 

What are the signs of chronic inflammation?

Digestive System

 

Cognitive function

 

Joints, muscles, and skin

  • Skin rashes
  • Acne
  • Joint pains
  • Back pain
  • Muscle aches
  • Swollen ankles and fingers
  • Puffy legs
  • Mouth sores
  • Dark circles around your eyes
  • Puffy eyes
  • Dry eyes
  • Melasma

 

General Health

 

This is not an exhaustive list, but I hope it gives you an idea of how many different ways chronic inflammation can appear in your body.

Should I Be Tested For Inflammation?

In some cases, your doctor or healthcare practitioner may run blood or stool tests to check for inflammatory markers. The most commonly tested marker in your blood is CRP – C-Reactive protein. Elevated levels of CRP indicate acute inflammation in your system.

However, CRP levels do not give the whole picture and you can still have chronic inflammation even if your levels are within the normal range.

What Causes Chronic Inflammation?

It’s easy to get attached to the name of a disease and what medicines you can take to deal with it rather than thinking about the underlying cause. So many people get rid of their health issues on the Eat Burn Sleep program because it deals with the underlying cause.

When we talk about chronic inflammation we are looking at two main underlying causes: diet and lifestyle.

Yes, genetics play a role too. But even if you carry a genetic predisposition for an inflammatory condition, it is your diet and lifestyle that switches on those genes.

 

Diet, Lifestyle, and Chronic Inflammation

Diet is a major underlying cause of chronic inflammation because of the number of Ultra Processed Foods and Drinks (UPFDs) available now. These foods and drinks are high in refined sugars, industrially processed oils, artificial sweeteners, additives, and emulsifiers. They lack fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

They aren’t real food; they are the products of a chemistry lab! And we as humans are not designed to thrive on such things.

Lifestyle is the other major underlying cause. We have become reliant on smartphones and screens that disrupt our sleep. Millions of people are dealing with high levels of stress. And we move our bodies far less than we need to.

A sedentary lifestyle is strongly linked with chronic inflammation and is known to increase your risk of developing serious conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The same goes for stress too. Ongoing stress disturbs gut health, immunity, brain function, and cellular repair, opening the door to weight gain and chronic inflammation.

 

Eat Burn Sleep – The Power of an Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

Living a low-inflammation lifestyle protects you from disease and helps you recover from illness and surgery more efficiently.

The Eat Burn Sleep approach is more than just an anti-inflammatory diet. It is a complete 360-degree platform of inflammation-reducing tools.

The program includes:

  • Food plans
  • Recipes
  • Guided meditations
  • Movement videos
  • Health masterclasses, and more.

 

It is a program that works. We have countless testimonials from EBS members who have had an inflammatory condition, followed the program, and then returned to see their doctor who is astounded at the results.

Take Natasa, who saw incredible results after only 3 weeks on the program:

“Since joining the platform 3 weeks ago, I have lost 3kg, and my bloating is gone.

I have bilateral patellofemoral osteoarthritis (severe pain in both knees) and the pain is now much less. I feel like I can finally start doing movement videos that previously I couldn’t do because of my knee pain. Also, all your recipes are so tasty.

Thank you so much.”

I am passionate about helping people live healthier, happier lives, so you can imagine how it feels when testimonials like this come in!

How does the program work?

I always suggest that people start with the 6-week Reset. This is designed to optimize your gut microbiota and liver function. It takes just 42 days to feel incredible before you carry your anti-inflammatory lifestyle forward with all the tools that you need.

The program is all about moderation and enjoying life – not deprivation and restriction. It’s about damage limitation, not perfection! With the health education Eat Burn Sleep provides, people make better choices for themselves and their families – promoting healthier lives for all ages.

Want to find out more? Enjoy a sneak peek into the program and find out more about our membership options now.

You might also like:

How Does Sleep Help With Inflammation?

Heart Health: Do You Have a Heart-healthy Lifestyle?

Recovering From Cancer

With love,

Yalda x

 

Yalda Alaoui is a qualified Naturopathic Nutritionist (with a foundation in Biomedicine) who studied with the College of Naturopathic Medicine in London. She has spent over a decade performing groundbreaking research in chronic inflammation and gut health.

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Best Hangover Tips: How to Recover Faster

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover? Plus My Best Hangover Tips

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover? Plus My Best Hangover Tips

Hi everyone! 

Do you enjoy socializing with a drink? So do I. I’m not a big drinker, and it doesn’t take much for me to feel rough after a night out, so if you’ve woken up wondering why I’m so hungry and hungover the day after drinking, I promise you’re not alone, and there’s a real reason behind it.

Let’s face it, none of us is perfect, and life wouldn’t be much fun without the occasional late night. My honest philosophy on drinking and socializing: the best hangover tips are simple: drink less, have more fun. Socializing genuinely benefits your mental health and your immune system, and for a lot of us, that goes hand in hand with a drink now and then, which is exactly why small amounts of alcohol are allowed as part of the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle.

The tricky part is the next morning.  So let’s get straight into the question I get asked constantly, in every form: why am I so hungry after drinking the night before, why am I so hungry when I’m hungover, and why does a hangover make me so ravenous?

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover?

Why Am I So Hungry When Hungover

You’re hungrier when hungover mainly because alcohol crashes your blood sugar, dehydrates you in a way your body mistakes for hunger, and wrecks your deep sleep, which throws off the hormones that control appetite. Whether you’d describe it as being so hungry, hungover, or just hungry the day after drinking, it’s the same underlying cause. The result is a strong, hard-to-ignore craving for starchy, salty, or sugary food.

Here’s what’s actually going on, one piece at a time:

  • Alcohol is essentially liquid sugar. A few drinks send sugar flooding into your bloodstream, spiking your blood sugar. A few hours later, it crashes, and you’re left craving starchy food to bring it back up.
  • Alcohol is dehydrating. Dehydration can trigger hunger signals because your body sometimes mistakes thirst for hunger.
  • Your sleep takes a hit. Alcohol disrupts deep, restorative sleep especially. You might drop off fast, but your normal sleep cycles get disrupted underneath the surface.
  • Poor sleep messes with your hunger hormones. Without proper deep sleep, you produce more ghrelin (your hunger hormone) and less leptin (your satiety hormone), a combination that makes you want to eat more than usual.
  • Your liver is working overtime. Detoxifying alcohol uses up a lot of energy and nutrients, so it makes sense that your body starts craving food to keep up with the demand.

If any of this sounds familiar, you might also want to read about how good, regular sleep helps you lose weight; the same hormones are at play here. Read this article on Weight Loss and the Link to Sleep.

How To Recover From a Hangover

How To Recover From a Hangover

First things first: don’t beat yourself up. You had a great night, and life is meant to be enjoyed. Overindulging happens to the best of us.

If you can start your recovery plan before you even go to sleep, you’re already ahead. When you get home, drink plenty of water and consider adding electrolyte minerals such as magnesium and potassium to help replace those lost through alcohol. We also share a simple homemade electrolyte mix in our Electrolytes recipe. Some nights I’ll take a dose of Alka-Seltzer too, just to head off acid indigestion, as alcohol and sugary drinks can be a common trigger for reflux.

(Please check with your doctor before taking any over-the-counter medicines.)

When you wake up the next morning, repeat the process, keep rehydrating, and don’t push yourself too hard too soon.

How To Recover From a Hangover

What to Eat the Morning After a Hangover

What to Eat the Morning After a Hangover

When I wake up hungover, I crave sugar hard, and the last thing I want is something virtuous like eggs and salmon. So I make my go-to Coconut and Fruit Protein Shake, which satisfies the sweet cravings while keeping my blood sugar stable, instead of sending it on another rollercoaster.

Other breakfast options I turn to:

  • Bananas: packed with magnesium, vitamin B6, and fiber.
  • Avocados: another great source of fiber, magnesium, and potassium, which help support energy levels and blood pressure.
  • Almonds: A handful of almonds gives you fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidant vitamin E.
  • Eggs (if you can face them): boiled, scrambled, poached, or in a Shakshuka. Eggs are packed with protein, B vitamins, and glutathione, our master antioxidant, and your liver needs plenty of both to finish detoxing the alcohol.

Later in the day, a bowl of immune-boosting chicken soup is one of my favorites. It’s hydrating, and the turmeric, carrots, lemon, and olive oil all support liver health at the same time.

immune-boosting chicken soup

The goal is simple: fill your body with nutrients and resist the pull toward junk food. Junk food will only make you feel worse in an hour. This isn’t about punishing yourself; it’s about nourishing yourself back to normal.

Members: there’s a full Overindulgence Recovery Protocol in the Membership Section, which also covers bouncing back from overeating.

Everyone: making a batch of egg muffins before your night out means you’ll have a healthy snack waiting when you get home. Your future self will thank you.

What to Drink When You Have a Hangover

Water is the single most important thing you can drink. Have it plain, or add fresh lemon slices for a vitamin C boost.

Coffee can worsen blood sugar swings, but if you really want one, go ahead; just have it after food, never on an empty stomach.

Green tea is one of my favorites for hangover mornings. It’s rich in antioxidants, supports healthy blood pressure, helps regulate blood sugar, and gives your metabolism a gentle boost. The caffeine in green tea is balanced out by an amino acid called theanine, which calms your nervous system so you feel alert without the jittery edge.

lemon juice

Get Moving and Shake Off That Hangover

Gentle movement gets your blood flowing and boosts endorphins, your body’s natural mood lifters. A light walk, an easy jog, or a gentle yoga session all work well. Getting outside in daylight is even better, since natural light and vitamin D help reset your body’s normal rhythms. Later that evening, if you’re an Eat Burn Sleep member, a soothing meditation bath before bed is the perfect way to close out the day.

Get Moving and Shake Off That Hangover

What to Drink to Avoid a Hangover Altogether

What should you actually drink on a night out if you want to wake up feeling human? Here’s exactly what I do:

  1. Alternate water and alcohol. This is the single biggest thing that keeps me from getting dehydrated. My trick: order sparkling water with ice and a slice of lemon between drinks. It looks like a cocktail, so nobody questions it, and you get a proper break from the alcohol without anyone noticing.
  2. Steer clear of cocktails. Cocktails are usually loaded with sugar, and I’d rather save those calories for a proper Eat Burn Sleep muffin the next day. Sugar also disrupts the healthy bacteria in your gut, which is part of why sugary cocktails leave you feeling worse the morning after. If you love a mixed drink, try a plain spirit like vodka, tequila, or gin with soda water, lime, or just a drop of cordial. A small amount of cordial is nothing compared to the sugar load in a full cocktail.
  3. Limit wine and champagne. I love a good glass of wine, but I stick to one, maybe two. My own health issues make me feel the yeast and fructose in wine and champagne almost immediately, and I pay for it the next day. If you’re out for dinner, though, go ahead and enjoy a proper glass with your meal. It’s about moderation, not restriction.

What to Drink to Avoid a Hangover Altogether

I hope these are genuinely some of the best hangover tips you’ll find, and that this was helpful. If you’ve got your own hangover tips, share them in our members’ health community, or drop me a message on Instagram. 

Don’t forget to smile and enjoy having a fantastic social life!

I also chat about the importance of socializing with Nick Potter on the podcast about the behavioral immune system. We get into the immune system, gut health, and socializing, among other things. Well worth a listen if this topic interests you.

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And if you notice you’re regularly hungover and feeling anxious or low afterward, know that we have Expert Advice for depression on the platform, plus insomnia and 40+ other conditions.

Enjoy your night out!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does alcohol make you hungry the next day, or just during a hangover? 

Both, actually. The blood sugar crash and dehydration hit hardest the next morning, but the effect on your hunger hormones (more ghrelin, less leptin) can linger for a day or two if your sleep was badly disrupted.

Why can’t I eat when I’m hungover, even though I feel hungry? 

Some people experience the opposite feeling, too hungover to eat, where nausea and stomach irritation override hunger signals entirely. If this is you, start with small sips of water and something bland like plain toast or crackers before attempting a full meal.

Does eating help with a hangover? 

Yes, eating the right foods helps stabilize your blood sugar and gives your liver the nutrients it needs to finish detoxifying. The key is choosing nutrient-dense food over greasy junk food, which tends to make you feel sluggish rather than better.

What’s the best food for a hangover? 

Foods rich in electrolytes, protein, and healthy fats work best, such as bananas, avocado, eggs, and a nutrient-dense smoothie. Save the greasy takeaway for another day; it rarely delivers the relief people expect.

Does being hungover actually make you hungry, or does it just feel that way? 

It’s real, not just in your head. The blood sugar crash, dehydration, and disrupted sleep hormones all genuinely increase your appetite; it’s not willpower failing you, it’s biology.

Why are you so hungry when hungover compared to a normal day? 

On a normal day, your blood sugar and hunger hormones stay fairly stable. A hangover throws both off at once: a sharp blood sugar crash plus a hormone imbalance from poor sleep, which is why the hunger hits so much harder than usual.

What does hangover hunger actually feel like, and is it different from regular hunger?

Hangover hunger tends to feel more urgent and less selective. You’re not craving a balanced meal; you’re craving anything starchy, salty, or sweet, fast. That’s the blood sugar crash talking, not genuine physical need, which is why reaching for nutrient-dense food (rather than the nearest takeaway) tends to satisfy it better.

Is it normal to feel hungry after drinking alcohol even without a full hangover? 

Yes. Even one or two drinks can nudge your blood sugar and hydration enough to trigger some hunger, especially later in the evening or the next morning. You don’t need a full-blown hangover for the effect to kick in.

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How Does Sleep Help With Inflammation?

Are you sleeping well? This is a question I ask my executive coaching clients, and the answer is frequently no! Modern life is full of things that disrupt sleep. Eating ultra-processed foods, scrolling social media, late-night Netflix, lack of exercise –  it’s little wonder that people are struggling to sleep. And yet sleep is critical to health especially if you are dealing with an inflammatory condition. So, how does sleep help with inflammation?

 

Sleep and Inflammation

Your body does a great deal of cellular repair work while you sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, this healing work is compromised.

There are 4 stages of sleep in each sleep cycle, and we go through several cycles each night.

Stage 1 is the first stage of non-REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. It is a light sleep that lasts a few minutes as the body and brain start to relax and wind down.

Stage 2 is the next phase of non-REM sleep during which our core temperature drops, muscles relax, and heart rate and breathing slow down.

Stage 3 is deep non-REM sleep. This is the deep, restorative sleep that allows the body and mind to heal, repair, restore energy, and consolidate memories. This is the most important stage of sleep for optimum health and managing inflammation.

Stage 4 is REM sleep. Brain activity picks up and we may experience vivid dreams. REM sleep is thought to be essential for healthy brain function and processing information.

Studies show that sleep loss and disrupted sleep lead to raised levels of inflammatory mediators (Dzierzewski et al, 2020) which are linked to the development of chronic conditions and metabolic disorders like Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Mullington et al, 2010).

In turn, the pain and discomfort of chronic inflammatory disorders can interrupt healthy sleep patterns, leading to a negative spiral of poor sleep and further inflammation.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is an underlying factor in so many conditions. From obesity and weight gain to depression, fertility problems, and thyroid issues, tackling inflammation is the secret to optimum health and vitality.

 

Sleep and Gut Health

At Eat Burn Sleep we recognise just how important gut health is for overall health and wellbeing. Your gut microbiome influences almost every aspect of disease and constantly communicates with your brain and immune system.

Messenger molecules produced by gut microbes help to regulate your sleep-wake cycle, the internal 24-hour clock that determines when you are asleep or awake. If the balance of microbes in the gut is disturbed – we call this microbiome dysregulation – it can interfere with healthy sleep patterns and promote a state of inflammation.

These microbes also produce some of the neurotransmitters that help you sleep. For example, over 90% of serotonin is produced in the gut and it is serotonin that converts to melatonin, the sleep hormone.

GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is another important hormone. It has a calming effect in the central nervous system helping you wind down and relax. If the microbiome is out of balance, it struggles to produce enough of these vital neurotransmitters.

Nutrition and Sleep: An Anti-Inflammatory Approach

The evidence is clear: an anti-inflammatory diet that supports a healthy and diverse gut microbiome is vital for managing sleep problems.

The EBS program is acclaimed by healthcare professionals worldwide. Each stage of the program includes recipes, meal plans, exercise and movement videos, guided meditations, and access to health Masterclasses. We are a supportive community, here to help you eat well, sleep well, move well, and be well!

 

This is what some of our members have to say:

“It is an amazing platform that I joined in 2020! Well substantiated with research, it links a lot of illnesses to inflammation and has helped thousands of people to educate themselves and change their lifestyle, lose weight, and heal from various conditions!

I always go back to her recipes, medication advice, and personalized advice.

Her food lists are a great way to keep healthy. I love Yalda and EBS!”

Joanna

 

“The EBS platform has been like a mentor, coach, and friend.

Always by my side, whether it’s in my kitchen, on my exercise mat, during conversations with friends and family, or even during my walks. I smile every time I hear you say “Hello everyone” and know I’m in good hands.

I have more energy and motivation, I’m less bloated, and I notice my emotions are less affected by my hormones.

Your platform is easy to navigate and allows me to follow the lifestyle with relative ease.”

Kris

 

The EBS program is proven to relieve a huge range of health conditions and can help you enjoy the deep, restorative sleep you need.

Find out more about our membership options here. I recommend starting with the 6-Week Reset as the best way to begin your journey to better sleep, health, and vitality.

 

Enjoyed This Article? You Might Like:

Using Sounds to Calm Your Mind – on the Anti-Inflammatory Pioneer’s Podcast

Monday Motivation – Sleep Function and Tips video

Worst Foods for Gut Health

 

Sweet dreams,

Yalda x