Tuesday 12 March 2019

Food can affect mood - what to look out for

Image result for fatty food

It is well known, and obviously what HMHB is trying to tell people, that a healthy diet will result in a healthier body - lifestyle is obviously a key factor too.

But we all have days when we feel sluggish, tired, sad or lack motivation for seemingly no reason. That could be down to diet.  Let's look at a few factors:

Caffeine
Many people say they rely on a cup of coffee in the morning to pep them up.  And probably the same in the afternoon too.  However, caffeine does not do what we think it does, and can pose harmful effects on our brains.
If you start needing caffeine every day you no longer drink it for that occasional boost.  You are drinking it because your body now depends on it to function.  According to the Journal of Young Investigators (sounds interesting), when caffeine is absent there is a reduction of serotonin which can cause anxiety, irritability and an inability to concentrate.

Alcohol
This is a depressant.  A lot of people continue to drink without realising the repercussions.  It is also a stimulant.  It affects your thoughts, speech and movements, and the more you drink the more these effects slow you down.  Alcohol abuse does raise the levels of serotonin in the brain temporarily, however it also has many other effects on receptors that cause levels to decrease in time.

Fried Foods
When we are down we tend to try and reward ourselves with treats - sugary or fried.. We do it because we think it will make us feel better.  Does it? No only will fried foods cause weight gain, they are linked to depression.  If people are dieting, they treat themselves, feel guilty, and when feeling down they eat some more.  Fried food is obviously nice - I liked a cooked breakfast now and then - but we need to be careful what oil we use, and how much we do it.

Skipping Breakfast
There really is no excuse.  I have heard people, even on the bootcamp, say that they do not have time to eat first thing.  Yes they do!!  It's just finding an excuse.
Breakfast is the most important meal.  It will affect your sugar levels all morning if done properly, and will make sure you do not binge later..  If you skip, it will cause your brain to run low on energy, and that does not help anyone suffering stress.

There are foods that allegedly are reported to eat for a better mood:
Dark leafy greens:  Walnuts:  Avocado:  Berries:  Mushrooms:  Onions:  Tomatoes:  Beans:  Seeds:  Apples: Fatty Fish.

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