Have you ever gone on a diet and felt like you were going through withdrawal from lack of chocolate and sweets? A new study by Boston University has found that you're not too far off base, reports ScienceNOW.

In fact, there are a few parallels between yo-yo dieters and drug addicts, says co-author of the study and Boston University neuroscientist Pietro Cottone. It's not just the good feeling you get when you eat, say, chocolate cake, that makes you go back for more. The study found that dieters also seek out those foods to avoid the negative feelings they experience when they don't have those foods, similar to an addict trying to avoid withdrawal, he explains.

Researchers in the study gave rats cycles of normal and then chocolate-flavored rat chow, and saw some surprising results. Rats in the control group (all regular food) ate about the same amount every day, while rats who occasionally got chocolate food began to eat far more when they got the chocolate-flavored food, but less when presented with regular food. Additionally, according to ScienceNOW, the chocolate-fed rats exhibited signs of anxiety when the chocolate-flavored food was taken away. (Um, how many of us can relate to that?)

Are you a woman who reaches for fatty foods when stress sets in? If so, you're not alone. A recent study by the University of California-San Francisco found that women experiencing chronic stress ditch their diets and load up on comfort foods, reports Shine.

The study, which surveyed 600 women, found that most women not only opt for foods that might normally be off-limits, but they also beat themselves up about it. And, as the author of the Shine article pointed out, that's hardly surprising -- most of my girlfriends follow that same pattern.

This isn't the first study to look at the relationship between stressed out women and comfort food. A study from Cornell a few years back had similar findings, including the fact that these foods triggered feelings of guilt in many women. It also found that men and women seek out different kinds of comfort food, with men preferring protein-dense treats, like steak or meatloaf, while women jones for sweet, high calorie snacks (chocolate and a pint of ice cream, ladies?).

It's back-to-school time and whether you're a student, parent or teacher, it's a season of big changes, new routines and lots of adjustments. Heck, even if you're not in any way associated with school, this time of year can be stressful, as the lazy days of summer fade into distant memory and you rev up for real life -- and cold weather -- again.

We all deal with stress differently -- some thrive on it, some hide from it under the duvet with a bag of cookies and some just get on with it. Regardless, most of us notice a change in our eating habits during these times. They may be as small as a craving for an extra slice of bread, or big enough to induce all-out binges. Either way, we usually reach for the foods that comfort us, be it sugary snacks, trustworthy carbs, junk food that we love or dishes that mom made when we were kids.

So what about you? Are you a comfort-food junky in tough times, or can you stick to your regular eating habits?

Last week, I asked if you take the stairs as part of your ongoing effort to stay fit. Here's what you said:

• 53 percent of you hoof it up the stairs whenever it's humanly possible. Right on! You've made me proud, readers.
• 37 percent usually do -- but you'll give yourself a break every now and then.
• 8 percent only do it if they have to.
• 2 percent wouldn't dream of it. Why bother, when there's an elevator nearby?

Craving comfort food? Our Recipe Rehab expert might just have a healthy version that will satisfy.

The demise of a marriage is difficult enough to deal with -- imagine how much more trying it would be if every explosively-bitter detail were splashed across the media. How do celebs deal with that kind of public anguish? If you're soon to be ex-Mr. Madonna, you drown your sorrows ... in beer and cheeseburgers.

Guy Ritchie, the British director who made international headlines when he married the first lady of pop, is apparently finding comfort in McDonald's take-out and late nights at the pub. But who can blame him after years of following a macrobiotic diet under Madge's reign? Still, if you're going through a public divorce, you don't want to be the one who gains weight -- especially when your ex is the uber-fit Madonna.

(via Calorie Lab)

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When the autumn days get cooler and shorter, I, like most people, turn to warm foods -- soups, stews, fresh breads and the like. One of my favourite sides for just about any dish is warm, fresh corn bread. With just the right balance of sweet, salty and buttery flavours, I can't resist a slice (or two) (or more) of corn bread. You too?

Sure, it's named after a vegetable, but is corn bread otherwise healthy? Let's find out ...

Food has a very definite connection with our emotions -- it can take us back in time and privide us with the comfort of familiarity when we need it. Chances are, we all have one dish or another that qualifies as comfort food -- what's yours?

eDiets recently revealed what they think are the top 10 comfort foods:

1. Macaroni and Cheese
2. Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. Ice Cream
4. Pizza
5. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
6. Tomato Soup
7. Popcorn (probably with lots of extra butter!)
8. Chocolate Shakes
9. Pancakes
10. Homemade Soups and Stews

Most of these will not only provide momentary comfort, they'll pad your waistline too. My advice? Avoid everything except tomato soup and find comfort in a good book and a steaming cup of herbal tea.

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I grew up in a big family, with big family-style meals. So now when I have a craving for something, it tends to be heavy comfort foods, like chicken and dumplings or my family's version of chicken noodle soup.

With some simple substitutions you can enjoy these comforting favorites and not feel guilty. Just take a look at your recipes and find opportunities for increasing the vegetable content, using healthy fats instead of not-so-healthy versions (e.g. olive oil instead of butter), using whole grains instead of refined versions (e.g. whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose or brown rice instead of white) and using leaner meats instead of fattier versions (e.g. ground turkey instead of hamburger). Take a look at how Crabby McSlacker made the quintessential comfort food -- meatloaf and mashed potatoes -- a little more on the healthy side.

Eating Well has a whole list of comfort foods made healthier. Here are some of Eating Well's recipes that I plan to try:

• Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Turkey Pot Pie
• Creamed Spinach
• Chewy Chocolate Brownies

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Growing up, my well-traveled father, who had spent years living it up in Europe, was always feeding me full of fine foods like fancy cheeses, lobster, freshly-baked french bread, caviar and so on. On the other hand, my maternal grandmother served home-style dishes like mac n'cheese, tuna casserole and beef dip, which I also loved. So I can't decide if I am a food snob or slob. I love exotic, rich foods (in moderation of course), but I also have a great respect for simple recipes that are hearty and don't break the bank. And I'm definitely not ashamed to eat canned cream of mushroom soup or have ketchup in my fridge. But yet I scoff when someone suggests I head to a big-name fast food establishment for lunch -- it's so not my style.

When I was growing up, I spent the day with a friend and her dad. Her dad took us out to lunch to one of his favorite places, a small, family-owned barbecue-beef on the bun joint. My friend was mortified that her father would have audacity to take her friend to a cheap establishment like that and she refused to eat, choosing instead to dart evil looks at her father while we chowed down. Looking back, I feel sorry for her -- the food was really good. So maybe not being a food snob is a good thing. What do you think?

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Cookbook author Jeanne Jones just might be my heroine. Why? She's been creating low-fat versions of favorite comfort foods for years. She even has a healthy version of my very favorite comfort dish, Macaroni and Cheese, which is linked from this article. Her version has half the fat and significantly less calories and looks delicious. She's written more than 30 low-fat cookbooks, so I'm sure there are many more amazing recipes like that one.

Do you know of any healthy comfort food classics?

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