What we eat affects our mood and emotions. Eating certain types of food can either give you a supercharged feeling that lasts the whole day or a burst of energy that quickly dissipates and leaves you feeling sluggish.
Therefore, it pays to know how our eating habits help or hamper our ability to function productively. For example:
- Eating unhealthy food
Sugary snacks, junk food, and refined carbohydrates are among the unhealthiest of food choices. The burst of energy they provide doesn’t last long and causes your blood sugar to fluctuate. You end up feeling drained and lethargic after the initial energy boost.
- Eating healthy food
Eating healthy means getting the recommended amount of protein, fiber, and vitamins from food sources on a daily basis. Protein aids the body in absorbing carbohydrates and allows your brain to produce dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for elevating your mood, enhancing movement, and improving your memory, among other functions. Vitamin D and Vitamin B-12 are known for their ability to increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter that balances your mood. Fiber is useful in increasing serotonin as well.
- Stress eating
When people eat because they’re stressed, they usually reach for food that’s either high in fat or loaded with sugar. Chips, soda, and ice cream deliver instant gratification and dampen the emotions and responses associated with being under pressure. People who operate in high-pressure environments tend to binge on sugary, high-fat “comfort food” to ease their stress and give them the quick and dirty energy boost they need to plunge back to work. The result can be seen in unwanted pounds – and the feelings of guilt and remorse that come after overeating junk food.
To manage your stress, try the following:
- Relax with a cup of warm tea with honey and lemon
- Do deep breathing exercises
- Take a walk or do yoga
- Talk to a close friend or family member
- If you want to snack, choose something healthy like fruit
- Skipping meals
When you skip meals, you take away the fuel that your body needs to function properly. Therefore, your metabolism slows down and you become tired and cranky. Your stomach also has a harder time digesting and absorbing food. This causes you to overeat on your next meal to compensate for the lack of food in your stomach.
Breakfast is the most commonly skipped meal of the day. It’s important to eat breakfast because it jumpstarts your day and gives you the energy that you need to function right.
- Eating regularly
Eating regular meals is a must. Whether it’s three regular meals or five small meals a day, you should fuel up at regular intervals. Doing so stabilizes your blood sugar, which stops you from overeating on your next meal. Eating regularly also puts you in a good mood.
- Keeping hydrated
Studies have shown that even the smallest signs of dehydration can immediately affect your disposition. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day, which is equivalent to half a gallon.
To learn more about the holistic, natural approach to nutrition, visit this page. Call us at WholeBody Solutions at 617-328-6300 for safe and natural solutions to your health concerns.
We at WholeBody Solutions, believe that when it comes to nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. We help you improve your well-being through a customized and precise nutrition plan based on your unique needs and condition.
Opened more than 30-years ago by Dr. Ann Doggett, WholeBody Solutions is a holistic wellness center whose mission is to provide the community with safe, effective, and natural answers to health and wellness concerns. Our all-encompassing wellness center focuses on the following drug-free services: Nutrition, Chiropractic, Acupuncture, and Weight Loss. Our goal is quite simple – to make sick people well and to keep healthy people healthy. It’s that simple and that powerful.
