Food, Health and
Well Being
Resources, Tips, & More
HOW FOOD AND MOOD ARE RELATED
It has been scientifically documented that there is a direct relationship between eating patterns and changes in mood. What, when and how we eat affects blood sugar levels and nutrition supplies to our brains and bodies. Nutritional imbalances and fluctuations in blood sugar are often to blame for mood swings, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and an array of other illnesses. Our minds and bodies need a steady source of high quality fuel from the foods we eat to function optimally. Eating a healthy diet helps meet the needs of our bodies, including the brain, and when you fuel your brain properly, you nurture your emotional health.
Furthermore, it has been scientifically demonstrated that certain nutrients have an affect on brain chemistry and hormone levels, and that eating more or less of certain foods can help balance these chemicals.
Unhealthy eating habits can affect your mood and emotional well-being in the following ways:
- Skipping or missing meals – Missing a meal, especially breakfast, can lead to low blood sugar. This can leave you feeling weak and tired. When you are weak and tired, you are less resilient to the challenges that you face in your day ahead, and you are more likely to feel irritable or overwhelmed.
- Cutting out certain food groups – Reducing the variety of foods in your diet can make it more difficult to get all the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients you need. Low levels of zinc, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with worsening mood and decreased energy.
- Eating too many refined carbohydrates – Consumption of unhealthy quantities of processed carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries, can cause blood sugars to rise rapidly and then plummet. This can lead to low energy and irritability.
- Different nutrients can affect brain chemistry in different ways. Feeding the brain the nutrients it requires can help with some mood issues, such as depression and anxiety.
Salmon
Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, including EPA and DHA, protein, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. Omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA are important for brain and nervous system development. They have been shown to reduce depression and anxiety and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Vitamin B12 is instrumental in helping convert amino acids into neurotransmitters, which are often at low levels in people who are depressed. Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to depression.
Studies have shown that people who consume more fatty fish are less likely to experience anxiety and depression.
Eggs
Eggs are an all-star food for brain health. They are an excellent source of protein — one egg has about six grams. But in addition to providing the body with energy, eggs also support the brain, and not just because of the healthy omega-3 fats they contain.
Did you know that an egg has every nutrient we need to make a brain cell? These include protein, iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, folate, vitamin A, choline, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids 1 and 3, and more. Eggs have every one of them!
Choline in eggs is especially noteworthy. Choline is very important for brain health because it’s used in the construction of some of our most important membranes, including phosphatidylcholine, which may help preserve and improve memory function.
But what about the cholesterol? Scientific findings have not shown strong enough evidence that links the consumption of eggs to high cholesterol. In fact, one study involving 177,000 people in 50 different countries found that people who ate seven or more eggs a week had better cardiovascular health and lower inflammation than those who ate less than one egg a week.