Do you ever wake up feeling exhausted or just plain moody? Some days are up, other days are down and this roller coaster of emotions can be hard to fathom. The roots of mood fluctuations differ for each individual and may include poor sleep patterns, feelings of low self-esteem, personal circumstances or hormonal fluctuations.
One thing is for sure, a good diet can have a positive effect on our feelings of well-being. I’ve mapped out a few pointers (centred on avoiding hypogylcaemia) on the mechanics behind how food relates to mood, in order that this might spur on a few foodie changes among readers. It is certainly very empowering to reflect on our own dietary patterns or those of our loved ones and see if we need to take the reins and work out how we may improve mood with food changes.
Children are particularly susceptible to blood sugar fluctuations due to consistent bursts of activity and growth spurts. When our blood sugar drops, we might feel tired, irritable or depressed. Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energy slowly will help to keep your sugar levels steady.
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Hypoglycaemia
When we, or our children appear moody and sad could this be linked to low blood sugar? The symptoms of hypoglycemia included depression, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, crying spells, forgetfulness, trembling, racing heart and dizziness. People suffering from these symptoms, if eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and caffeinated drinks, could make some simple changes to the diet to explore whether hypoglycaemia is a driving factor to their symptom picture.
In an interesting study I was reading of late, (Harry Salzer: Reactive Hypoglycemia and Neuropsychiatric Illness, 1966) it was noted that when treated with a high protein, low sugar, caffeine free diet, many patients suffering from anxiety symptoms saw complete resolution. This was attributed to a rebalancing of blood sugar and insulin levels (both sugars and caffeine can trigger wild swings in blood sugar and insulin secretion).
Another interesting paper was published in the 2016 Case Reports in Psychiatry. A 15-year-old teenager with generalized anxiety disorder and symptoms of hypoglycaemia had been eating a diet primarily made up of refined carbohydrates.More protein, fat, and fiber was added to her diet over a four week period. The patient’s typical breakfast of fruit/fruit juice smoothie was substituted with whole fruit, protein powder, and flax seeds. Her anxiety symptoms decreased dramatically. She also experienced improved energy, less frequent hypoglycemic episodes, and improved concentration and mood. (1)
A few weeks later, she briefly returned to her old way of eating. Her anxiety symptoms returned immediately.
Further data supports this high glycaemic diet link — a study on the link between diet and depression in menopausal women concludes that the consumption of sweetened drinks, refined foods, and pastries has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of depression. (2)
It is clear that for many of us meal skipping, time-restricted eating and fasting, may cause significant neuropsychiatric mood issues especially in people vulnerable to anxiety and depression. I am a huge advocate of fasting for ‘some’ of my clients however with any indication of the anxiety there is the potential for an exacerbating effect of symptoms. It would be wiser for those working on mood stabilising to include slowrelease energy foods into their diet: pasta, rice, oats, wholegrain bread and cereals, nuts and seeds.
Plus ensuring each meal contains a good amount of good fat and protein; avocado, eggs, wild caught fatty fish or tofu would all be sensible and nourishing choices.
Image by Alex Green
5 Quick tips:
1. Eating breakfast gets the day off to a good start. Try porridge (not the instant type) with a teaspoon of nut butter and a handful of blueberries.
2. Instead of eating a large lunch and dinner, try eating smaller portions spaced out more regularly throughout the day.
3. Avoid foods which make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly, such as sweets, biscuits, sugary drinks, and alcohol.
4. Include healthy fats with each meal. Low-fat diets are known to alter serotonin function. They may decrease the fats in nerve-cell membranes, impairing serotonin receptors. Include – coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, a drizzle of olive oil, nut butters.
5. For focus and when reducing caffeine try the following for cognitive function and that feeling of well-being - turmeric, theanine from green tea (start with weak tea) or maca - this root vegetable/medicinal plant, native to Peru has been used for centuries to promote cognitive function.
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4963565/#B9
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515860/