The way we eat has a real effect on the way we feel. It’s true; both our brains and our guts have reactions to the foods we like and how often we consume them. And when you don’t have three square meals a day, or you have an irregular diet that bounces all over the place, it can be hard to pin down the way you really feel.
Which is why it’s so crucial to occasionally take a look at the way you eat. If you’ve been noticeably sad or angry recently, for example, has anything happened to your diet? And how much impact does food have on your mental health and wellbeing? Let’s delve into this idea below.
Cravings Can Be Caused by Dietary Gaps
If there’s a gap of a certain food group in your diet, it can often lead to cravings. The more you ignore a food or try to cut it out, the more your body is likely to cry out for it, and that can make sticking to a diet so much harder. And that’s where people go on little binges from time to time, mainly for things like chips, cakes, and other fatty/oily snack foods.
However, cravings can also have an emotional attachment to them. When you’re sad, for example, your brain can fail to produce neurotransmitters. To balance that out, it can sometimes look for foods that typically have strong and sweet tastes, such as those listed above. These can help your serotonin/dopamine levels to boost, which brings our mood up and puts a smile back on our face. It’s why comfort eating is a common coping method for people who have maybe experienced bad news or are feeling down and depressed.
A Lack of Vitamins Can Cause Mood Troubles
Similar to the way we can crave ‘unhealthy’ foods, our bodies can sometimes react negatively to not getting any ‘healthy’ foods in return. Indeed, the vitamins we need have a huge role in allowing our brains to make mood boosting chemicals. A lack of Vitamin D, for example, can lead to low and melancholy mood levels, and is the leading cause behind Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If the sun isn’t out, our bodies react accordingly, and the same goes for your diet.
It’s key to identify what you’re missing out on, before you buy any supplements or kick your diet up a notch. Some people lack Vitamin A, others Vitamin C, and some don’t have enough iron or folic acid. It’s all about looking at your diet and thinking about what’s in your food. In the meantime a multivitamin could work out for you, and other supplements like tongkat ali australia can help you to feel stronger and brighter within yourself. But it’s usually best to talk to your doctor before you take anything.
Food can change the way you feel; check in with your diet when you’re up against mood swings and even some physical ailments.