Does food make you feel better when you're down? The editors of Fitness magazine identify three emotional eating triggers below, and tips to get you off the food/mood roller coaster.

        • Stress eating is one of the most common reactions to stress because it boosts the production of cortisol, a hormone that facilitates our fight or flight response. According to a recent study, participants with higher cortisol levels tended to eat more in stressful situations.

        Solution: No matter how hectic your schedule, devote a few minutes a day to giving yourself a breather. Step outside the office and take a walk around the block. Do something — anything — that removes you from the rat race, even if it's only for a few minutes.

        • Anger is the No. 1 eating trigger for women, according to a study from the University of Wurzburg in Germany. Because anger resembles stress in terms of how the body reacts physiologically, cravings for sweet, high-fat foods can increase.

        Solution: Reaching for sweets is a natural reaction to anger, since sugar boosts serotonin, our brain's feel-good hormone. But sugary foods also flood the bloodstream with glucose, which releases the hormone insulin, making your blood-sugar levels momentarily spike, then drop.

        When blood-sugar falls, so does serotonin, and you'll be left feeling worse than you did before. Instead, take a few deep breaths when you feel angry. Collect your thoughts and try to articulate them in a calm, coherent manner. Sometimes, just letting go of the emotion can release you from its hold.

        • Sadness or depression often make us seek solace in the cookie jar. The reason comes down, again, to serotonin. Many of the most popular antidepressants alleviate depression by boosting its availability in the brain.

        Solution: Get moving: Numerous studies indicate that exercise decreases mild depression as effectively as psychotherapy. A Duke University study said just 14 minutes of walking reduced negative feelings by 82 percent. Fit in at least 30 minutes of push-ups, crunches or weight lifting, three or four times a week, plus up to 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise, like walking or biking. If you think you're suffering from clinical depression, consult your doctor.

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