Food for Thought

What you put in your body directly affects your brain function/mood.  Like a car, your brain functions best when it gets premium fuel. Eating high quality foods that contain vitamins/minerals/antioxidants nourish and protect your brain. Studies show a correlation between diets high in refined sugars and impaired brain function/worsening mood disorders.

Below are several unhealthy eating habits that can alter your mood & emotional well-being: 

1) Skipping meals: We’ve all been there — overwhelmed with work and personal obligations with little time for ourselves. Missing a meal, however, can be harmful to our bodies. The body works really hard to maintain a steady level of glucose in the blood so that we have enough energy to fuel metabolism and balance our hormones.  Nearly 1-in-4 Americans skips breakfast daily. Missing breakfast in particular can lead to low blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling weak/tired/irritable. 

There are many healthy, on-the-go breakfast options (fruit, yogurt, natural breakfast bar). Plan ahead & have these readily available — the next time you find yourself in a time crunch watch your energy levels soar. 

2) Cutting out entire food groups: Its natural for us to gravitate towards specific foods that we enjoy eating. Particularly during times of stress, we often find ourselves indulging in foods that bring us comfort. However, if you reduce the variety of foods in your diet, it can be more difficult to get all the essential nutrients you need. Low levels of zinc, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with worsening mood and decreased energy.

Vary your diet — incorporate fiber, protein, healthy fats & unrefined carbs w/every meal. Your body will thank you. 

3) Consuming refined carbohydrates: Having too many processed carbs cause labile spikes and troughs in blood sugar can trigger the stress response, resulting in physiological symptoms of anxiety, low energy and irritability. 

Instead, focus on eating complex carbs that produce a steady stream of glucose — root vegetables (beets, turnips, potatoes)/legumes (lentils, chickpeas, black beans)/whole grains (quinoa, buckwheat, oats).

For more information, check out these great reads on the topic: 

1. This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More by Uma Naidoo, MD 

2. Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power by Lisa Mosconi PhD 

3. Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory by Neal D. Barnard, MD 

4. The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health by Emeran Mayer, MD