2023-08-22 02:56:04
August 21, 2023
The link between the diet we eat and our emotions comes from the close relationship between our brain and our gut. (which they now call the “second brain”). They are colonies of millions of bacteria that, through chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, carry messages from the stomach to the mind. A data? 90% of serotonin is produced in the belly.
So; If we eat food that is good for us, nutritionally good, the good bacteria grow and send “good news” that is reflected in our mental state. And if what we eat isn’t nutritionally kind to us, neither will be the emotional consequences it brings.
The trick to all of this is understanding the deceptive short term. Because not everything is as easy as it sounds: eating to feel good is not something immediate, it takes a couple of days.
Instead, if anxiety tempts us with bread and butter, a tub of ice cream, a greasy burger, a bag of chips, or a packet of cookies, dopamine (especially with sugar) is released, making us feel good almost immediately. But it is a temporary sensation, and the fall of that “high” is strong. In this sense, it is worth remembering that diets with a lot of sugar, ultra-processed and refined, are linked to depression, anxiety and risk of dementia.
The emotional roller coaster, where we go from being well to distressed in the same day, improves if we don’t eat so much sugar and white flour. If we start thinking about what we eat week by week or month by month, keeping the body working well for a while, our mood changes, our hormones behave better with us and are grateful.
Nowadays, the feeling of uncertainty is general, and perhaps what we have closest at hand to feel some control is our system, our own body: we don’t lose anything by trying.
Proven by science, if we consistently eat these foods for a couple of weeks and change some habits, the mood improves. Namely:
◗ Foods with their natural color: nothing dyed with colors. In other words, fruits and vegetables. The more color on the plate, the better.
No dyes in the dishes “with colors”, always all natural
◗ Dark green leaves and oily fish, such as sardines, anchovies, and tuna. Also bitter chocolate, the dark one, which has less sugar.
Sardines, are among the fatty fish that do us good
◗ Fiber is always filling and the desire for sweets disappears. It is in garlic, onion, leeks and the hipster Jerusalem artichoke (edible tuber, similar to ginger).
Fiber, a key element of well-being, is present in leeks
◗ Grains such as barley, whole wheat, legumes. Also pumpkin seeds, chicken, eggs and tofu.
◗ Lentils, lettuce and melons, which help with dopamine.
Lentils help with dopamine
◗ Not very ripe almonds, chestnuts and bananas. All this for magnesium, which is vital for the food-mood relationship.
◗ Ferments: the one you like the most or that you know and have on hand. Sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kombucha, yogurt.
Sauerkraut, within the family of ferments
◗ Switch to full versions of what you can.
◗ Drink less coffee or mate. Do not leave, but lower the amount. And drink water before thirsty.
Drinking water before you’re thirsty is a great habit to get into.
◗ Meat can be maintained, but reconsidering the quantity. The same can be said of red wine: a glass is always good.
I repeat: noticing the positive change of these modifications takes a few days or weeks, depending on how much we decide to incorporate.
Why does food make us feel this way? Is it simply the relationship between emotional memory and food or is there something else? Can we eat in a certain way to be happier? There is not a single answer. And while it is true that there are times when a salad does not work and the only thing that brings us happiness are carbohydrates, behind that there is chemistry explaining how our body works. Carbohydrates, insulin, sugars, energy, tryptophan, serotonin… and boom, we feel better.
When we eat white bread or common pasta, the effect is faster, but it does not last long. On the other hand, the integral version does not generate such an immediate reaction, but it lasts much longer.
And from time to time, of course, we can enjoy with pleasure and without guilt something that we really like. Eating with desire and attention the best version of what we love. Smelling, feeling the different textures, giving them 100% of our focus.
A perfect Milanese sandwich, with crispy but tender bread, hot Milanese, freshly cut tomato, with onion, mayonnaise and lettuce, for example. Or dip an almost lukewarm fresh croissant, with a syrupy and moist base, that one from your favorite place, in a rich coffee.
From time to time, we can also enjoy with pleasure and without guilt something that we like very much.
Or a heavily loaded fork, almost dizzy from spinning in hot pasta topped with just the right amount of grated cheese. Or a simple toasted bread with butter that barely melts from the heat. Because sometimes, we need just that. And if you’re going to do it, do it right.
Conocé The Trust Project
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