The Food-Mood Connection

If you’ve ever suffered from anxiety, depression, anger, lack of memory or concentration, confusion, attention deficit, hyperactivity, or any other mood or behavioral imbalance, this article may be for you.

Many people do not realize how greatly food impacts their mood and behavior. Depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, anger, as well as joy, calmness, happiness, and many other emotions are directly affected by the food we eat. With the heavy consumption of processed foods over the past 50 years or so, people have become detached from what they eat, not realizing how food actually makes them feel.

Complex carbohydrates and protein, for example, initiate the production of L-tryptophan, which feeds the neurotransmitters in the brain. As tryptophan enters the brain, serotonin is produced. Serotonin is responsible for mood. It generally provides a “happy” and satiated feeling; but can also make you feel relaxed or even tired. Lack of serotonin can cause depression and even aggression. Therefore, if you eat foods that will encourage serotonin production, you may be able to alleviate these symptoms. This is why it is common for people who are depressed to eat sweets – they get a “happy” response from the sweet food.

Unfortunately, sweets are typically eaten in processed form, which can lead to a myriad of problems. Sugar causes a rapid rise of adrenaline, hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and even crankiness. Excess sugar upsets the mineral balance in your body, which can damage neurotransmitters in the brain and affect mood, memory and problem solving. Excess sugar can also cause dehydration. Since your brain is made up of about 78% water, it will not function properly if it is dehydrated. Of course, not consuming enough water can have the same effect. General rule of thumb for water consumption is to drink half your body weight in ounces daily.

Another problem with processed foods is that they often contain harmful ingredients than can affect brain function. Preservatives and artificial colorings can greatly affect brain function. Studies on some of these additives (like monosodium glutamate (MSG), BHT, TBHQ, and Red No.40) show that they can cause behavioral problems, hyperactivity, allergic reactions, mental confusion, and even damage DNA. Essentially, they’re toxic to the brain. Eliminating these harmful ingredients from your diet can have a significant improvement on your mental health, as well as your overall well-being.

Food is an integral part of life. If you feel like you are out of balance in any way, I encourage you to review what you are putting into your body every day. By improving your diet, you will also create better health and happiness in your life.