There is so much interesting neurobiological research being published at the moment about what we eat and how this affects our psychology.
To sum up what I've been reading from what I can understand (I was never much of a biologist);
- the gut is full of bacteria (good, bad, and indifferent).
- It's been known for a long time that the brain has an effect on the gut (think getting diarrhea when we're highly anxious - before a race or an exam).
- We are only now recognizing that the bacteria in the gut can have a direct effect on mood also!
- What we eat determines the balance of bacteria in our gut (an obvious point I know)
So; WHAT SHOULD WE BE EATING ?
Well, this is where things are still a bit unclear unfortunately. Which foods create bacteria in our gut that create more feelings of anxiety or depression? Maybe it's not so simple.
What we do know is that a low fibre + high sugar diet isn't great... It's what they've been telling us all along I guess for our general health : more wholefoods (veggies, fruit, meat, beans etc), less processed junk food. The same counts for our mental health.
Tips for avoiding junk food during the day:
- Eat the biggest healthy breakfast reminding yourself that you are making your day greater
- Take lunch to work or school and plenty of it
- Take plenty of snacks (have a lunch box of fruit and nut mix in the car or in the office and I guarantee a handful or two of these will reduce the craving for that arvy Twix bar)
- Have your own water bottle and keep it with you (save money buying water and drink it often. Half of the time we think we're hungry when we're actually thirsty...)