Many people forget what we eat has a chemical effect on our bodies. These chemicals affect the brain, thus affecting your mood. As we further our technology we continuously find more ways our diets affect us. Many people forget physical health is part of mental health.
Have you ever eaten chocolates and ice cream when you felt sad? Why can some people stop and others find themselves addicted to food?
Many studies seem to support that high carbohydrate meals boost serotonin levels in the brain. This process creates a type of self-induced chemical combatant to depression. High-protein diets, and diets filled with fat, lower serotonin levels and can have an adverse effect on your mood.
Sugar has more of an effect on serotonin levels than high-carb meals like potato and noodles. During the holidays the first reaction most people have when they see a table full of food is to suck up as much food as they can, as fast as they can.
For many it’s straight to the desserts. This causes your blood sugar and serotonin levels to peak. After the initial food high your sugar levels crash causing you to want to continue to eating. Weight problems go hand and hand with these downward spirals because people can underestimate the benefits of eating properly.
Here are a few tips from About.com on how to deal with the effects of food on your mood. Anti-depressant medications, like Prozac and Zoloft, can cause you to have irregular appetites and blood sugar levels, so talk to your doctor about how medication affects you after you have had time to view a few of the effects of the prescription.
When you eat ask yourself why you are eating: Is it boredom, are you sad? Find something else you enjoy and try doing that instead. Trying drinking a glass of water; it is possible to mistaken dehydration with hunger. Make sure you know what you are eating. Snacks can help you make it through the day, but do not let a combination of snacks become your dinner.
One technique some people use is to eat small snacks like apples or sandwiches slowly. It takes time for your body to realize you are full. Take time and enjoy the taste of your food, and remember we are on a college campus. There are many teachers at Eastern Michigan University who would be more than willing to answer any of your health questions for free, so please stop by and find out exactly what you should know from the professionals while it is still free.
