The recent pandemic has coined the phrase “quarantine 15”; a play on the already popular “freshman 15”. Due to the potential threat of spreading the Coronavirus, gyms have been closed. This closure, when paired with the tendency of comfort eating during troubling times, can be a recipe for disaster. According to kidshealth.org, emotional eating is very common in people. They often turn to food when stressed, anxious, or bored. 

     A recent study even found that dieting may add to your stress levels. According to todaynews.com, monitoring food intake and calories is linked to an increase in stress levels, and cutting calories is linked to an increase in the production of cortisol, the main stress hormone. This is proof that worrying too much about what you’re eating can make an already stressful situation much worse.

     St. Andrew’s Upper School counselor, Lauren Powell speaks on the scientific reasoning behind overeating during quarantine.

     “When we have pervasive low-level stress, the increase in cortisol is the problem,” says Powell. “Extra cortisol makes our bodies think that they need food because our systems kick into ‘fight or flight’ mode, and cause our bodies to think that we need to be well-fueled.”

      Coronavirus news is a gentle reminder that health is very important in times like these. The people most at risk are those who have pre-existing medical conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, which are both connected to what foods you are putting in your body. During this time it is becoming important to stay healthy in order to create some kind of immunity. 

     “It is necessary to ask yourself, ‘Am I truly hungry, am I restless, bored or anxious?’” Powell says. “Stress eating is a real health concern and it is essential that people know about it and try to prevent it right now.” 

     Some of the St. Andrew’s community are working hard to show that staying healthy during this pandemic is a priority. 

     Sophomore Sierra Sharp talks about how having a strict workout schedule has been so grounding for her. 

     “I finally realized after weeks of doing nothing, being active was what I needed to begin treating by body right.” Sharp says. “Now more than ever, I realized that my body is a temple, and it is so crucial that I am feeding my body.”

     Coronavirus has been, at the very least, an opportunity to work on your mind, body, and well being.