How do you think food affects your mood? I
Written by
milly
6. Dec 2002 03:34 PM
How do you think food affects your mood?
I read something on the internet saying that cutting caffeine and sugar out of your diet can significantly change your mood...for the better.
To improve your mood, it suggests making sure every meal contains some complex-carbohydrate-rich foods. Breakfast may be toast, waffles, pancakes, or cereal. Lunch and dinner can include dishes of pasta or rice.
For that midafternoon junk-food attack apparently a carbohydrate-rich snack ( fruit, crackers, bread, or starchy vegetables) and high protein snack (yogurt, cheese, or lean meat) are the answer.
I always thought I felt better after a chocolate bar, what do you think?
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Like everything else in life, there seems to be a
Written by
hamilton
12. Dec 2002 12:10 PM
Like everything else in life, there seems to be a need for balance in this. I am a sufferer from depression, and I am also a bit of a sugar addict! I read similar articles to you about nutrition and how it affects moods, and I think there is undoubtedly something in it. Having said that, it seems that some of the people who write these articles believe too much in their own hype. I have found eating more healthily does make me feel better about myself, but that may be just because I know I am treating my body better. When we eat lollies and chocolate we often feel guilty, so that makes us feel even worse. It may not actually be the sugar that is affecting your mood! Anyway, I don´´t think that depriving yourself of something you enjoy (chocolate, lollies, biscuits or whatever) is necessarily a good thing when you are not feeling too good. It will feed (excuse the pun!) any feelings of unworthiness and dull your enjoyment of life even more. It is your child side of you that wants the sweet things that it enjoys... but the parent side of you says ´´No, you can´´t have them´´. Depressed people need to let the child inside them play sometimes though, perhaps even more than other people. It´´s not an easy one, but I think the key is to have the things you enjoy in moderation, and don´´t beat yourself up because it is ´´bad´´ in the eyes of other people. I have found that reading too many articles on what is ´´good´´ and ´´bad´´ for me is actually driving me a little bit crazy. Eventually you lose track of what you actually believe! Go and enjoy a bar of chocolate, just don´´t eat so much that you feel physically sick!
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Great piece of advice hamilton! I totally agree! I
Written by
melbix
18. Dec 2002 03:20 PM
Great piece of advice hamilton! I totally agree! If it´´s going to make YOU feel a little bit better, why deprive yourself of it? Anything, in moderation can be enjoyed!
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Hi, its DC1 again with some interesting advice abo
Written by
DC1
4. Mar 2003 11:53 PM
Hi, its DC1 again with some interesting advice about nutrition and mood. Having worked in the sugar mill as a sugar chemist i have seen some of the stuff that goes into pure refined sugar and all i can say is dont use it!!!
Use brown sugar instead. Although i am not allowed to disclose what goes into making pure refined sugar, i can say its pretty nasty. I can say that pure refined sugar will leach vitamins and nutrients from your body which is then excreted when you go to the toilet. The same goes with diuretics such as excess coffee and to a lesser extent, tea. Raw (brown) sugar which has not been thru the refing process is better for you because the "brown" in brown sugar is natural plant nutrients which are actually good for you. Not too many people have heard of the "Sugar Blues" but such a condition definately does exist. The SUGAR BLUES is a condition caused when the body has an instant hit of pure simple carbohydrate. (SUGAR) The body will respond by wanting to burn up all of this simple carbo in one hit, and when all the sugar is used up, it leaves the body EXHAUSTED and FATIGUED. The same goes for CAFFEINE or any other type of stimulant. In other words, if your the type of person who goes on a heavy CAFFEINE/SUGAR bender, expect to go on a downer as soon as it wears off. There is also a condition known as glucose intolerance, which is often observed in children who go "Hypo" on sweets. This can happen in adults as well and cause problems associated with depression. As for chocolate, i would actually RECOMMEND that you eat as much as you like, as it contains trace amounts of a NATURAL happy drug known as a PHENETHYLAMINE. Anyone here been on the antidepressant EFEXOR? Well, guess what? EFEXOR is a synthetic PHENETHYLAMINE. Now, i´´m not saying that doctors should prescribe chocolate instead of pills, but chocolate certainly isnt BAD. Another one of Nature´´s Natural Antidepressant is found in Dairy Products. Tryptophan, found in milk, cheese yougurt and ice cream is an excellant antidepressant as it is converted by your body into SEROTONIN, The happy neurotransmitter responsible for a healthy well being. So certainly eat and drink Dairy products as much you possibly can! (and if your worried about the fat content, just get the low fat ones)
As for food, personally i disagree about stricly carbohydrate diets. Fruit, mixed nuts and protein (meat, dairy and eggs) are more preferable as they contain more nutrients and trace elements (such as potassium the happy mineral, and iron the anti-fatuige mineral) than pure carbo´´s alone. Also, its good to take a multi vitamin such as Centrum if your Doctor thinks you may need them as they too, make a big difference. Oh, and take long walks or a swim too, you´´ll find the sun and fun helps lift depression, too.
Hope that helps !! :)
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There is definitely something about food and mood.
Written by
Kim
28. Mar 2003 11:40 AM
There is definitely something about food and mood. I have tried all sorts of foods to lift me up and dairy products certainly do the trick. It doesn´´t seem to matter what type of dairy - milk, yoghurt, icecream, etc. they all make me feel better. Strangely enough it doesn´´t matter whether it´´s a "normal" or low fat product, it just works. Chocolate makes me break out so I do avoid it but have heard that it works wonders too. I don´´t believe that suger makes any difference to me but artificial sweetners are definitely off the shopping list. I don´´t know what it is but all of them seem to aggravate any depression and make it worse. I seem to get really hyper after using them too. Natural raw fruit and veges also work and one veg I have found is wonderful is potato - just boiled, mashed or cooked in the skin. It is a wonderful "comfort food" and also has a relaxing effect and a mood-moderating effect too. Anyone know why?
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Caffine can be a depressant. I used to be hooked o
Written by
IcePak
9. May 2003 05:48 AM
Caffine can be a depressant. I used to be hooked on drinking Coke, and since I´´ve stopped (well not really stopped, but cut down immensely) I feel better to some degree. It even used to give me anxiety after drinking lots of it, which didn´´t help with the depression. That was probably to do with the huge amount of sugar that Coke has in it as well.
I recommend limiting the amount of caffine you have in your diet. Same goes for products that have a high sugar content.
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I am a very strong believer, (for me) that food c
Written by
Prue
2. Jun 2003 05:55 PM
I am a very strong believer, (for me) that food changes the chemicals in my brain - I´´ve used myself as a ´´guinia pig´´ for too long to dispuite it!! I like to fool myself but the self evidence is so very real.
I set myself up - if I am doing well..coping with what life ´´serves up´´ - doing good things for myself to keep my head above water - by that, I mean, not taking on more than I know I can handle, going for my daily swim and going for a walk on ´´my´´ beach each day - I begin to think there is nothing wrong with me and that I can do anything that is expected of me - so I do!!!
Something will trigger me, I will then dishonour myself, think I´´m worthless and useless and go for all the ice-cream -chocs -sugar of any discription- butter, bread. pasta - In other words - get very ´´drunk´´ on food and put myself back into that never ending spiral of darkness, where I will remain, untill I choose to de-tox from the sugars, fats and carbs.
These foods take control of my thinking and I become a leathel weapon unto myself......
It´´s a very dangerous place to take myself to, as my head will tell me to stop taking my meds. cancel my psych. appointment, pull the curtains and who cares
anyway.
Yes, food most assurardly has a profound effect on my depression. By eating well, honouring myself and exercising my body and my mind, I know will not cure my depression and PTSD, but at least I give my self a chance
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yes Prue,I definitely feel the same as you when yo
Written by
Anonymous
27. Jul 2003 07:37 PM
yes Prue,I definitely feel the same as you when you say that you get ´´drunk´´ on all of the bad foods.
I cannot seem to stop it. I then go into a downward spiral of depression but also feel wothless and alot more tired and lethargic.
The trouble is I know what is good for me but it is like an addiction to these carbs, chocolate and fats.
Then I feel worthless and my self-esteem plummets and then I get even more depressed.A better diet can definitely improve my bouts of depression.
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