Edible Orange County Winter Warm 2021

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y h t l a e H Comforts DURING QUARANTINE BY MICHELE JACOBSON

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hat’s your go-to comfort food? Early into quarantine, I began to crave brownies; nothing fancy or frosted, just the rich and simple, one-bowl variety. I declared that I would bake them nightly until things went back to “normal”. Nobody knew, at that time, how long the lockdown was going to last, but I did know that ‘brownies forever’ was not a sustainable, longterm model. Still, each night when my sweet tooth hit, those brownies gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling…at least while I was eating them. Comfort foods are often associated with memories of childhood and home, so eating them can provide us with a calming sense of security. Moreover, the reward system in the brain becomes activated when we indulge, releasing the natural “feel good” chemicals of serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. These compounds provide an analgesic effect that elevates a person’s mood.1 The flip side is that overindulgence can actually serve to worsen your mood. (Think: an ice cream cone vs. the entire pint.) This double-edged sword is especially true for women, who often experience feelings of guilt after eating foods they think of as unhealthy.2 10 Winter Warm 2021

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