Nutrition and Behavior
It’s no surprise that what we put into our bodies affects our physical health, as the saying goes, “you are what you eat”. What ab0ut our psychological health? How do nutrients (and non-nutrients) in food affect our thoughts and moods? There have been so many types of diets like low carb, high carb, low fat, high fat, low protein, high protein, how do we decide which 0ne is best for us?
The answer is none of the above. Excluding legitimate food allergies, a balanced diet with0ut excess calories and one containing fresh, unprocessed food is healthiest. There are some health providers who categorize people into food groups. For example, certain people genetically feel better when they eat mostly protein, others who feel better eating mostly carbs, and another gr0up who need both protein and carbs to feel healthy. I’m not about to dispute the validity of this type of nutritional typing, but I think the important message here is that we need to pay attention to how certain foods make us feel.
Making food choices out of habit can contribute to poor health. Many times we eat what is familiar (what we grew up with, cultural exposure, etc.), what is easy and fast to prepare, and what we see on advertising and commercials. This is definitely not the way to go.
We know for example that eating turkey can make us feel sleepy because it helps release Serotonin, a neurotransmitter which helps prepare us for sleep. But what about all the other foods? Foods containing nutrients with Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil, flax seed), phytonutrients (from plants with deep colors like carrots, broccoli, etc.), and the B vitamins all affect our mood and thought processes. Vitamin D3 and Serotonin can reduce depressive symptoms, the B vitamins can attenuate schizophrenia, and reducing the amount of sugar can not only reduce hyperactivity but can smooth out mood swings due totheir effects on hormonal fluctuation.
Do you think your mental health is worth making a small investment of your time? For one week, try paying attention to your mood and level of alertness after eating. Use some external reminder to help you, like placing a small piece of tape on the face of your watch, or on the edge of your computer screen, or on your vehicle dashboard if you drive a lot, to focus in on how you feel. When you notice low energy, feeling hyper, a change in mood, distractability, low concentration, write down what you ate that day in a notebook pad or make a special notebook entry on your computer. Do this for 1 to 2 weeks and see what you come up with. I guarantee you will learn something about what you eat and how it affects your thoughts and moods.
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About Dr. Virginia
As a licensed Psychologist practicing Cognitive therapy, I work with my clients to help them identify the personal issues that are preventing them from achieving a more satisfying and well-adjusted life.
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interesting blog. It would be great if you can provide more details about it. Thanks you
Thanks, I will do that.
I like your writing style, and I’m hoping for more stories like this one.
Thank you! I will be doing more blogs on nutrition and behavior.
Good to see you back again. And again through an interesting posting.