“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Eating disorders are complex physical and psychological problems. They are typically related to stress, which modern life shovels at us with gusto. Depression and anxiety are common fellow travelers, and recovery is notoriously difficult.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, some 10 percent of the population is struggling with an eating disorder. It is among the deadliest of all psychological conditions, killing more than 10,000 people each year and that number is climbing.

People feel guilty about their binge eating, which perversely makes them abuse food even more. For some, it seems nearly impossible to lose weight. When they put on pounds, they eat for consolation. When they lose a pound, they eat to celebrate.

Because psychology is involved, many people feel shame in seeking help. People love to talk about their aching backs, rickety knees, and other physical frailties, but we often treat psychological issues as a character weakness.

But there may be some hope from new research that indicates that gut microbes play a major role. Why is that hopeful? Because, unlike the unremitting stress in your life, you have some control over your microbes through diet. Microbial dysfunction, not character weakness, may be the real problem.

In a recent review, Estefania Azevedo and Whitnei Smith of the University of South Carolina took a look at how the microbiome is involved with stress-eating. Here’s how they describe the impact of stress on eating disorders: “When an individual is under prolonged stress, their body maintains elevated cortisol levels. This hormonal imbalance can increase appetite and preference for high-calorie foods. Over time, this stress-induced eating behavior places a constant demand on the body’s regulatory systems, contributing to metabolic dysregulation, obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease.”

Studies by John Cryan and Ted Dinan have shown that gut microbes play a crucial role in this stress response. Stress can disrupt your microbiome, leading to imbalances that contribute to gut problems, inflammation, sour mood, and stress-eating.

These researchers point out that a better diet and probiotic supplements can boost beneficial gut microbes and are associated with less food addiction and binge eating. This suggests that targeting the gut microbiome could be a promising therapy.

The biology is complicated. Your brain affects your gut, and your gut affects your brain. It’s a cycle. Whether that is a vicious or a virtuous cycle is up to you and your diet.

Amazingly, some of your cravings may come from your gut microbes. The bad actors want sugar and will repay you with dopamine. The good ones want fiber and ferments, and they will repay you with healing secretions—and some gassiness.

That sounds like I have the roles reversed. Bring on the dopamine and skip the gas, right? But that’s exactly how stress-eating rewards you. It’s up to you to reprogram your cravings to escape this fate. Farts are funny; eating disorders are not.

The good-microbe diet is straightforward. Start by eating more fiber in the form of veggies like onions, beans, lentils, asparagus, and artichokes. Avoid sugary treats, which just fuel your rogue microbes, causing inflammation. Instead go for berries, which are still sweet but full of fiber. Also, fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha, and sauerkraut are known to improve resilience and mood. This is, basically, a Mediterranean diet, and it is not a hardship but something delicious and easy to get used to.

At first, starving the bad microbes will upset them, and they may register their displeasure by secreting toxins. Fortunately, that discomfort will only last for a short while. In a week or two, the bad microbes become diminished because you stopped feeding them, and your cravings will change to favor the healthy microbes. It thus becomes easier and easier to manage a high-fiber diet. And less gassy, as your microbes adjust to the new healthy regime.

You can also improve your odds of conquering stress eating with some exercise. Instead of comfort food, try comfort walking. Exercise burns calories, but best of all it improves your gut microbiome. Don’t overdo it, as excessive exercise has a negative impact on the microbiome. Moving your body does wonders for your gut-brain health.

A balanced gut and a bit more muscle help you build resilience, allowing you to cope better with stress. There are many factors involved with stress eating, and recovery is difficult, but keeping your gut microbes in mind can make your journey easier.