Conscious Eating
Serving up Happiness
Foods for Better Moods by Zak Logan
a higher consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially artificial sweeteners, to a higher risk of depressive disorders. Reducing ultra-processed food intake by at least three servings per day lowered the risk of depression. In order to produce serotonin, dopamine and other
neurotransmitters that are crucial for balanced mental health, our bodies require vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in real, whole foods. Te Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding processed meats, sugary beverages, sweets and refined grains, and it gives a thumbs-up to feel-good fare on the Mediterranean diet that includes plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains; healthy fats like olive oil; lean meats, including fish and poultry; and some dairy, such as natural cheese and yogurt.
Brain Changers According to Holly DeLong, a registered dietitian and the founder of Food & Mood, in Malvern, Pennsylvania, “Food is a form of medicine, and we truly can make big improvements in our mental and emotional well-being using the intersection between nutrition and mental health. Food, gut health and nutrient status all affect neurotransmitter production and balance. Certain nutrients are required to produce neurotransmitters.” She recommends the consumption of mood-friendly, B-vitamin-rich leafy greens, avocados, lentils, sunflower seeds and nutritional yeast, as well as magnesium- packed whole grains, tofu and bananas. “What we eat influences key systems in our body, especially
M 24
ost of us feel a little grumpy when we’re hungry, but a diet that is dominated by ultra-processed packaged foods and drive-through meals increases our
chances of experiencing chronic mood swings and symptoms of depression. Ultra-processed foods are characterized by a long list of additives—artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives, salt and more—resulting in products that do not resemble their original natural state. In a 2022 study published in JAMA Network Open involving
more than 10,000 participants aged 18 or older, individuals with a higher percentage of their total energy intake from ultra-processed foods were significantly more likely to report mild depression and more mentally unhealthy and anxious days. Research involving more than 31,000 middle-aged women published last year in JAMA Network Open linked
Central Florida
www.NACFL.com
blood sugar, gut health and inflammation, and these impact mood, energy, stress and anxiety,” says Amy Fox, a certified functional food coach and life coach in Cincinnati, Ohio. “Tink of each meal as your ‘nutrition prescription’. Tese choices almost always predict how you’ll feel in a few hours. A helpful rule of thumb is to aim for foods with five ingredients or less and limit boxed, bagged or wrapped items.” She also notes that high-sugar items, especially before bed, are the worst offenders. What we eat, and when, can improve the body’s chemical
balancing act. “Meal timing can be a huge factor in how food affects mood. Skipping meals and eating too close to bedtime can contribute to poor energy, lower moods and higher anxiety for some people,” explains DeLong. Fox notes that consuming alcohol can also backfire.
“Sometimes we think a glass of wine will help us unwind aſter a long day, but it has the opposite effect. Even small amounts of alcohol can disrupt the production of our natural happiness chemicals.”
Gut Health Because 95 percent of serotonin is produced in the gut, nutritionally dense foods and those containing probiotics and prebiotics promote the presence of good bacteria in the
RossHelen/CanvaPro
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
