Ever wondered why indulging in a big pizza lifts your spirits? Or why you reach for biscuits when you’re feeling down?
Read on as I reveal how our food and lifestyle choices can boost your mood naturally, and the best food for mood boosting. Quite simply, our diet has a massive impact on how we feel.
Biological and Physiological Response
We all know that we become irritable when hungry (“hangry”) and happy when satisfied. This reaction is tied to survival instincts. Both animals and humans exhibit this behaviour to increase alertness and search for food. While our predisposition to overeat can be understood by our lack of knowing where our next food would appear from, it doesn’t explain why we might feel guilty when consuming sweets and chocolate that we crave. Clearly, there’s more to food for mood than just biology. Enter psychology.
The Psychological Side of Food for Mood
Our psychological experiences shape how we feel about food, from rewards for doing well to comfort food during tough times. Society encourages us to eat when stressed, unhappy, or seeking comfort. Interestingly, research shows that we tend to overeat during both positive and negative emotional states because sweet or fatty foods seem to alleviate stress.
Another factor influencing our relationship with food is our environment. Access to food, its cost, and availability can affect our emotions. For instance, we may feel good eating something that reminds us of childhood. Our family, school, and work environments also impact our food choices.
Using Food to Boost Your Mood
Vitamins and Minerals for a Better Mood
If you are eating an Ultra Processed Diet, it is likely you aren’t consuming enough nutrient-rich foods, therefore your body may lack vital vitamins and minerals, affecting your energy, mood, and brain function. Here’s how some deficiencies can impact your mood and what foods can help:
Iron: Low iron levels can cause anaemia, leading to feelings of weakness and fatigue. Boost your intake with lean organic red meat (palm sized portion), organic poultry, small fatty fish, beans & pulses.
B Vitamins: Deficiencies in thiamin (B1), niacin (B3), or cobalamin (B12) can result in tiredness and depression. Great sources of B vitamins include; eggs, legumes, organic meat, liver, avocado, citrus fruits.
Folate: Low folate levels can make us more susceptible to low mood. Include organic liver, fresh green vegetables, oranges & beans.
Selenium: Lack of selenium may lead to increased feelings of depression. Include brazil nuts, seeds, organic meat & sustainably sourced fish.
Complex Carbohydrates (the ones high in fibre): Essential for Brain Power & energy!
The brain uses 20% of the body’s energy & is needed for focus and concentration. We want to place our focus on food for mood such as carbohydrates like low sugar fruits, fresh vegetables, quinoa, bulgar, freekeh, rye bread, black rice, red rice, wild rice, beans, chickpeas, lentils, sweet potatoes, beetroot, squash, carrots, peas, corn on the cob, parsnips. Incorporating the complex carbohydrates will help maintain stable blood sugar levels.
The Negative Impact of Alcohol on Mood
While a glass of wine might seem like a good way to unwind, alcohol can have a negative impact on your mood.
Quite simply, alcohol is a depressant. Initially, it may feel like it relieves stress and anxiety, but alcohol affects your brain’s chemistry. Alcohol will disrupt our sleep patterns & reduce our sleep quality.
This affects our mood, depression is indicative of inflammation in the brain and good quality sleep is the most anti-inflammatory thing we can offer our bodies.
Clearly this has an impact on our mental health if we are not managing our alcohol intake. Give your liver some love and take some days off!
Caffeine: The Stimulant Effect
Caffeine, found in coffee, tea, cola, and energy drinks, is well-known for boosting alertness and fighting fatigue by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep, and increasing dopamine and norepinephrine, which enhance mood and cognitive function.
While moderate consumption can be beneficial & very enjoyable, too much caffeine can cause restlessness, energy crashes, anxiety, headaches, and heart palpitations.
Drinking caffeine late in the day will disrupt your sleep quality, and remember, we really want that good quality sleep to promote our brain health long term. For caffeine lovers, sudden withdrawal can lead to headaches, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
To avoid withdrawal, gradually reducing intake is recommended. Managing caffeine consumption helps maintain its benefits while minimising negative effects.
I typically recommend one good quality coffee a day, and avoid all the plant based milk with added oils and non-organic dairy milk.
The Gut-Brain Connection
The gut-brain connection is a growing field of study exploring how our digestive system affects mental health. The gut microbiome, consisting of trillions of microorganisms, plays a key role in this relationship. These microorganisms aid digestion and influence the production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin.
The gut and brain communicate through the gut-brain axis, involving the vagus nerve and various signalling molecules. An imbalance in gut bacteria, or dysbiosis, has been linked to mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
A diet rich in fibre, probiotics and prebiotics promote beneficial gut bacteria. You will find these in fruits, fresh vegetables, legumes, pulses, kimchi, sauerkraut & organic kefir promotes beneficial gut bacteria.
Lifestyle Tips for a Better Mood
In addition to dietary changes, incorporating certain lifestyle habits can further enhance your mood and overall well-being. A strong routine is absolutely key. Remember, we are the sum of our daily habits.
Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude regularly can have a profound impact on your mood. Try making a list of things and people you’re grateful for, big or small. You could even write a letter of gratitude to someone – even if you don’t send it, writing it can make you feel better. Start celebrating all the things in your life!
Listen to Music
Listening to music has well-known benefits. Instrumental music can reduce pain and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress. Your favourite song can motivate you to get up and move, which can itself boost your energy and mood.
Use Your Hands
Using your hands for activities that don’t require much focus, like folding laundry or chopping vegetables, helps your brain relax, while using your hands for specific tasks can bring you joy. Both types of activities have been linked to improved mood and reduced feelings of irritability, apathy, and depression. Try doodling, gardening, colouring in, self-massage or stroking your beloved pet.
The Power of Connection
Connecting with others can significantly lift your mood and enhance your overall well-being. Engaging in social interactions, whether through casual conversations with friends, joining community groups, or participating in local events, helps combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Building meaningful relationships and sharing experiences with others can provide emotional support, reduce stress, and promote a sense of belonging. Whether it’s a chat with a neighbour, volunteering, or joining a running club, fostering connections with those around you can greatly improve your mental and emotional health. Create a nourishing community around you!
Breathwork
Breathing deeply can reduce stress and help you feel more in control. Try box breathing: inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Repeat for five minutes. Conscious breathwork is the quickest way to shift your nervous system into a more relaxed parasympathetic state.
Ready to Boost Your Mood with Food?
Food directly impacts your mood. For personalised advice on enhancing your mood through diet, reach out.
Invest in your mood today.
