Have you ever noticed that you were in a really bad mood after eating a double bacon cheeseburger? You may have enjoyed the taste of that fast food sandwich, but all of a sudden you have a short fuse for those around you, and you might even feel depressed, yet nobody caused you to feel that way—you just are.
Substances in food or the environment such as household products can cause brain-sensitivity reactions, according to medical research. This can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, irritability, listlessness, anxiety, depression, and even psychotic behavior.
Various factors affect your mood including inadequate or improper nutrition. Allergic reactions, infections, or the intake of medical drugs or poisons can also cause certain mental or emotional behaviors. Also, when we don’t get enough sleep, the body fails to repair tissues that affect mental health.
Often, the busy North American society results in a lack of sleep and stress, which can cause your body to reach its limit, and therefore lead to poor immunity and increased allergies or infections in the body. It is often easier for people to change their diet than modify their fast-paced schedule. They can change what they eat at any time; however, changing their mindset might be more difficult. Healthy foods and better nutrition can certainly balance your mood triggers, improve your concentration, and make you feel centered and calm.
Depression
Diet containing an abundance of sugar and other sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup could result in depression and mood swings because of blood sugar fluctuations.
Common allergenic foods (including milk and dairy products, shellfish, fish, eggs, tree nuts, soy, peanuts, and wheat and gluten products) can also cause depressive symptoms for some people.
When your diet consists of over 70% grains, these can also be mood triggers. A depression-oriented diet may also include too much or not enough beans, fish, fowl, meat, or whole grains.
To quickly balance your mood, eat something salty such as olives, anchovies, or umeboshi, which are pickled ume fruits. Aromatic spices such as coriander seeds, cumin, or ginger are also known to balance your depression.
Fear
Your mood may be fearful if a lot of sugar and common allergens are also included within your diet; however, an abundance of meat and fats will also play a factor with feeling fear. Too much or not enough of brown rice, barley, bean, and cooked vegetables can also cause you to feel fear. Apple juice kuzu and shoyu-emeboshi-kuzu are quick healthy foods to calm your fearful feelings and halt these mood triggers.
Anger
When there is an abundance of fats, salt, cheese, meat, brown rice, and fried eggs, you may be short tempered and often angry. Too much or not enough healthy foods such as salad, sprouts, kasha, cornmeal, or sour food could also be factors for your short fuse. Want to feel calm and centered? Have a banana, fruit juice, or apple-juice-kuzu.
Anxiety
Overly anxious or vastly excited people probably eat a massive amount of wheat, greens, raw foods, and stimulants such as chocolate, coffee, alcohol, sugar, and strong spices. The standard American diet can often unknowingly contain many stimulants and mood triggers throughout the day. Even too much or too little salty foods, millet, kasha, or seaweeds can spark your anxious behaviors. Salty and natural foods such as olives, anchovies, or umeboshi are quick ways to calm your anxiety.
Worry
Do you feel constantly worried or even have a lack of sympathy for others? If this is the case, you may find your mood triggers are dairy products, sugar, sweets, honey, salads, or sour-tasting foods. Too many or not enough of sweet vegetables, millet, corn, cooked greens, fats, and oils may also produce your worried mindset.
To offset your mood triggers quickly, eat some bread and butter, preferably whole grain and organic versions.
The FoodsForBetterHealth Bottom Line
Do you want more balance in your life? The elimination of sugar, gluten, and processed foods should help relax your mood triggers and can improve your mood and brain health. The best step is to transition to a balance of healthy foods into your diet, which contain important nutrients for beneficial nervous system activity and proper brain function.
Various B vitamins and vitamin D relate brain support and a healthy mood, as do excellent healthy foods including whole grains, egg yolks, avocado, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, and nuts, and seeds.
To achieve more calm in your life, you could start with meditation and yoga; however, your plate with healthy foods is a great place to begin your peaceful journey as well.
Sources:
Mercola, J., Dr., “Can Food Affect Your Mood?” Mercola.com web site, Jan. 2, 2014; http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/02/food-affects-mood.aspx.
Colbin, A., Food and Healing (Toronto: Random House, 1986), 288-292.
Kerr, M., “Common Food Allergies,” Healthline web site, May 4, 2012; http://www.healthline.com/health/allergies/common-food-allergies?toptoctest=expand.
Nelson, J., “The food and mood connection,” Mayo Clinic web site, May 23, 2009; http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-blog/food-and-mood/bgp-20056183.
