Choose your food and choose your mood
We all have a connection to food. It’s how we bond with others, over the dinner table or even meeting someone for coffee food can provide connection. We’ve all heard the term emotional eating, but that’s not what I’m talking about today. I got into nutrition because as a psychotherapist I saw firsthand how food was influencing people’s moods. Even within myself I saw how different I felt when I filled my plate with foods that were better for my body.
There are many foods that have been toted as “healthy” but in actuality they cause inflammation in the body. So why should we care about inflammation? Many conditions like heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and even depression are linked to inflammation. Foods like grains, dairy, soy, corn, sugar, and even nuts/seeds for some people can be inflammatory. Your body has an inherent wisdom, it is going to prioritize the most important thing to focus on and then move down the list from there. Meaning if your body is constantly inflamed from foods that you are eating, things like losing weight, building muscle, having abundant energy, will be lower on the list because it has to calm down the inflammation in your body first.
When I began eating foods that nourished my body I began to have more energy, and way better moods. I had suffered with depression for a big part of my life, and most of the time I thought I was just born that way. I thought some people are full of positivity and smiles and I just wasn’t. But when I began to learn about nutrition and moods it all clicked for me. I was eating tons of ” whole grains” and organic dairy, and soy making sure that I was meeting my food pyramid guidelines. And I was struggling with depression, and weight loss big time. I would workout 6 days a week with a trainer, cut calories to about 1200 a day and my weight wouldn’t budge. However, when I adopted a paleo/primal diet filling up my plate with veggies, and good quality meat things began to change. I went from being obese, struggling with depression, constant brain fog, and low energy. To a place where I now have better moods, 70 pounds lighter, can think clearly throughout the day, and have more energy at 34 than I did at 24.
So what foods you ask our best to improve my mood? Fill your plate with colorful vegetables, some fruit while in season, good fats, and meat. Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids like fish, flaxseed, in wild game, can boost your mood. A lack of B vitamins can contribute to depression. Foods like chicken, nuts, fish, bananas, avocado, and dark leafy greens are packed with B vitamins. If you are dealing with anxiety take a look at how much caffeine you are consuming and your nutrient levels, many times we wake up with low energy and we reach for a cup of coffee to get us through the day. But if you are dealing with anxiety caffeine or even stimulants can exacerbate the problem. Instead reach for a decaffeinated cup of chamomile tea, get out in the sunlight, do some deep breathing, and try some meditation/prayer. And as always if you feel that you need to speak to someone about what’s going on contact the therapist or coach someone that can help you through the psychological aspect as well.
I’ll write more in-depth articles as time goes on, looking into each mood specifically and how we can help ourselves nutritionally with those concerns. All this to say when you are feeling down or stressed or anxious pause for a moment and ask yourself will this food be loving for my body and what I’m going through now. Or could this food potentially prolong this feeling I’m having. I know firsthand that certain foods will cause me to stay in the low mood much longer. This knowledge and insight has kept me on my toes and helps me make better choices more often than not. Does this mean that I never have a meal that is imperfect for me, no I’m human I will occasionally have a food just for the joy of it. But the intention and mental state I’m in when I’m having that food is different than if I was to reach for it when I was feeling down.
If you have questions on food and mood or inquiries about being a coaching client, please reach out to me via email or on Instagram.