Your Food Affects Your Mood
Imagine sitting at home after work, a bit lonely, tired and having a craving for that box of chocolate chip cookies.
As you eat the cookies, you suddenly feel better.
What you don't realize, however, is that about 30 minutes later you'll actually be in a worse mood than before.
It's well known in the nutrition community that food has a considerable effect on your mood.
The things we consume influence how we feel.
And many of us use food to comfort ourselves, especially when we are feeling tired or in a bad mood.
In technical terms, the nutrients in foods are precursors to neurotransmitters.
In lay terms, the stuff in your food becomes the stuff in your brain once your body has a chance to digest it.
And this affects everything from energy levels and mood, to memory and concentration.
So what can you do to begin to notice the effect of your diet on your mood? Here's a good introduction to foods that negatively affect you.
Sugar/simple carbohydrates Though sugar produces an initial surge of energy, after this wears off you could become lethargic and have a less-than-optimistic mood.
So, if you're picking up that donut to feel better about the guy who broke up with you, chances are you may end up feeling worse.
Not to mention sugar has a negative impact on your memory and concentration levels.
Alcohol It may be fun to have a cocktail after work to forget the stress of the day.
However, alcohol is a major central nervous system depressant.
It can cause long-term harm to your mood and contribute to anxiety and depression.
Be conscious of how often you tie one on.
Caffeine Some people can't imagine getting through the morning without coffee.
A dose of caffeine might make you feel better initially; long-term, though, you can become jittery and anxious, have poor concentration and be irritable.
The next time you have your favorite Starbucks mixture, notice how you feel about an hour later.
Milk products Milk contains tryptophan, which can make one sleepy after drinking it.
If you want to stay alert, a big glass of milk at lunch may not do the trick.
Junk food These types of foods, like soft drinks, potato chips, processed food and some diet products, contain high levels of compounds that can contribute to depression, including aspartame and MSG.
Be conscious of how often you bury your face in a bag of Doritos, especially if you're in a bad mood to start.
As you eat the cookies, you suddenly feel better.
What you don't realize, however, is that about 30 minutes later you'll actually be in a worse mood than before.
It's well known in the nutrition community that food has a considerable effect on your mood.
The things we consume influence how we feel.
And many of us use food to comfort ourselves, especially when we are feeling tired or in a bad mood.
In technical terms, the nutrients in foods are precursors to neurotransmitters.
In lay terms, the stuff in your food becomes the stuff in your brain once your body has a chance to digest it.
And this affects everything from energy levels and mood, to memory and concentration.
So what can you do to begin to notice the effect of your diet on your mood? Here's a good introduction to foods that negatively affect you.
Sugar/simple carbohydrates Though sugar produces an initial surge of energy, after this wears off you could become lethargic and have a less-than-optimistic mood.
So, if you're picking up that donut to feel better about the guy who broke up with you, chances are you may end up feeling worse.
Not to mention sugar has a negative impact on your memory and concentration levels.
Alcohol It may be fun to have a cocktail after work to forget the stress of the day.
However, alcohol is a major central nervous system depressant.
It can cause long-term harm to your mood and contribute to anxiety and depression.
Be conscious of how often you tie one on.
Caffeine Some people can't imagine getting through the morning without coffee.
A dose of caffeine might make you feel better initially; long-term, though, you can become jittery and anxious, have poor concentration and be irritable.
The next time you have your favorite Starbucks mixture, notice how you feel about an hour later.
Milk products Milk contains tryptophan, which can make one sleepy after drinking it.
If you want to stay alert, a big glass of milk at lunch may not do the trick.
Junk food These types of foods, like soft drinks, potato chips, processed food and some diet products, contain high levels of compounds that can contribute to depression, including aspartame and MSG.
Be conscious of how often you bury your face in a bag of Doritos, especially if you're in a bad mood to start.
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