Just last October 27, 2015, our company has celebrated its 20th Year Anniversary at the EDSA Shangri-La Isla Ballroom. Many of us had started to go on a diet months before the big day to achieve a svelte figure, get into our ideal weight, and ultimately be able to fit into our gowns—and in the case of gents, pants and tuxedos—perfectly.
I also rode the bandwagon and tried eating less sugar, less processed food, less carbs and also trimmed down my intake of chips to zero. It was during this time that I noticed how food affects mood and emotions. In this post, let me share with you some findings.
1. Our diet and our emotions are dramatically connected.
Eating the right food boosts mental health, as anything we consume can affect our body’s metabolism and hormones. In addition, the nutrients from the food also influence our emotions, concentration and energy because they send chemicals to our brain.
For instance, have you noticed how eating a candy bar or a sugary donut gives you a spike of energy and later crashes it low? This is because consuming sugar, particularly fructose, contributes to insulin and leptin resistance and impaired signaling. In other words, fluctuations in the blood sugar trigger a poor mood.
Avoiding sugar is no easy feat, and this is true for those who have a sweet tooth. However, saying no to it may be the best way to increase focus and turn your mood around. Alcohol has the same effect of leaving you with a short-lived burst of energy followed by a tired, cranky feeling, since it’s a depressant and can disturb sleeping patterns.
2. Eating often enough is important.
I eat breakfast at around 6:30AM and hunger strikes again 30 minutes before our 12NN-lunch break. I found out that this is normal because our body should be fuelled with food every four to five hours. Eating at this suggested regular interval helps to keep blood sugar levels steady and assists in keeping our mood stable. There’s more to maintenance of emotions than eating the right foods. Being too hungry will also strike a bad mood.
3. Certain key nutrients impact our emotions.
When feeling stressed, eating whole-wheat pasta which contains magnesium may reduce stress. Pairing pasta with salmon or any fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can help decrease anxiety symptoms. To improve mild depression and reduce anxiety levels, have a meal with red meat, whole grains and legumes. These food contain selenium and selenium keeps your happy hormones balanced.
Getting enough Vitamin C and iron is also key to sustain a healthy and happy mood. Seafood such as clams, oysters, mussels, octopus and liver will aid in iron absorption. Combine these with vegetables such as spinach, bell peppers, and tomatoes that are rich in Vitamin C to help relieve mood disorders.
4. Dehydration contributes to poor concentration and low energy.
Given different lifestyles, the general rule is to drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Because of busyness at work, I could hardly complete the requirement to keep my body hydrated. To solve the problem, I bring a reusable water tumbler to work and refill it at least four times throughout the day to make sure that I reach my daily quota.
Recently, I found a newly launched product by Lock & Lock which replaced my old plastic tumbler. It’s the Lock & Lock Emotion Tumbler that’s made of stainless steel. What I like most about it is that it can be used both for hot and cold liquids and it looks so stylish and hip (available in three colors: black, white, and pink). Mine is pink! 🙂 It’s also easy to clean by the hygienic separable strainer.
Now is also the best time to take advantage of Lock & Lock’s promo: “Bring any used cookware (any brand) and get 50% off your purchase of any Lock & Lock cookware item from Nov 6 to 15, 2015.”
Participating Lock & Lock Boutique Stores are as follows:
- SHANGRI-LA PLAZA MALL – 6F EDSA Shangri-La Plazacorner Shaw Boulevard, Manila
- EASTWOOD MALL – 3F Eastwood Mall, Bagumbayan, QC
- GLORIETTA 4 – 3F Glorietta4, Office Drive, Makati
- BF HOMES – 114 Aguirre St., Paranaque City
- ALABANG – Upper GF AlabangTown Center, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa
- FISHER MALL – 3F Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, QC
- QUEZON AVENUE – Megastate Bldg., AranetaAve., corAgno St., QC
- FAIRVIEW TERRACES – G/L Fairview Terraces Mall, Paranaque City
To know more, please visit its Facebook Page: fb.com/LocknLockPhilippines.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
So much truth and wisdom in this post! I know that when I fail to drink enough water or eat enough vegetables, then my mood goes south.
Good observation. One of the symptoms used to diagnose depression is change in appetite, so there certainly could be a link between diet and depression.
This is so true. My son was born with a feeding issue and when he was younger it was give him what he will eat just so he had food in his system. NOW, his moods are really dependent on WHAT he eats. We really have to watch what he eats every day.
Yes, I think that’s especially true for children. When you give them sugary food, expect them to go all hyperactive for the next few hours.
It is so true how much food can affect our mood and how we feel over all! That is such a cute water bottle!! I try to get in as much water as possible it really helps you to feel better as the day goes on.
It’s hard to remember to drink water though when you sit on meetings all day. You just have to excuse yourself and take a few sips in between to keep hydration. 🙂 This water bottle is great because it can take both hot and cold water. I love it!
That’s why they came up with the term HANGRY. I get so cranky when I’m starving. Almost a different person, haha.
Oh, that’s not surprising! Haha. I know lots of people like that, too.
when im upset, i eat a lot… when i am happy i eat more… hahaha. looks like i need to keep in mind a balance one..
Haha omg, you sound like you want to eat all the time except when you’re in a neutral mood. Stress causes your body to seek sugar as quick fuel for a surge of energy.
I noticed that I don’t eat a lot or at all whenever I’m feeling down. I agree that our emotions are connected to our appetite.
One of the best ways to reduce stress or sadness is with exercise. You can start to think of exercise as not just a chore but a way to feel better. 😉
Moods, behavior of every individual are dependent on the diet or foods they eat. That is correct.
Yes, it goes both ways. If you have mental health issues, it may make it harder for you to eat well. A poor diet may also contribute to poor mental health.
Number four is really true. Just a gulp of water can really refresh you when you are very tired. Thirst is a reason for exhaustion that we do not always think of. Sitting in an airconditioned room for a long period of time is dehydrating.
I can attest to that. When I feel like my mind is too clogged up with ideas, I just drink cold water to clear out the cobwebs in the brain. 🙂
Good tips about food versus mood! But still, some people will link eating junk food to good mood! So this is something we gotta educate and advise against!
Haha that’s right. Junk food is for instant gratification or a sudden boost of energy. However, there is simply no question that eliminating refined sugars and those with high sodium content is the most powerful intervention the average person can make to improve their gut flora.
I have actually been dealing with some dehydration issues lately, and boy oh boy…the headaches are no fun. I know that when I cut sugar and wheat from my diet, my emotions and level of energy are most certainly affected. That ‘Smile’ accent on the water tumbler is very cute.
The accent on the Lock and Lock tumbler can also be changed to sad and surprised emoticon. I got three emotions to replace it with depending on my mood. 🙂
Well, as for me, when eating food, I usually connect my personality to the meal and tasting it gradually conform my expectation. Moreover, it depends on what choice of food you really liked most of the time.
A balanced mood and feelings of well-being can be protected by ensuring that our diet provides adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fats, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and water.
So much truth in this post! I am an emotional eater. I eat when happy, when sad, when bored, as a treat! I could go on and on. And I totally agree that dehydration can lead to low energy AND to thinking we are hungrier than we really are! Cute water bottle!
Thanks for your insight, Lashawn. 🙂 It’s important to eat regular meals throughout the day to maintain blood sugar levels. Take a variety of food to keep your meals interesting and handle emotions better. Yup, the Lock and Lock bottle looks so attractive!
Food is important for our bodies. Have you heard the phrase “hangry?” It means you’re angry because you’re hungry. There is a link between food and emotions! Thank you for sharing your research. I’ll do my best to keep drinking more water and eating less sugar.
Yes, I have read about “hangry” before. It’s not only sugary food that we should avoid but also those that contain high amounts of caffeine.
Coffee, colas, some energy drinks and tea all contain caffeine, which some people use to boost energy levels. However, in large quantities caffeine can increase blood pressure, anxiety, depressive symptoms and sleep problems.
I know these to be true. I can’t concentrate when I’m hungry, and yes our food is connected to our emotion as well.
Consider taking supplements too so your body can get the vitamins and minerals it needs. 😀
Water is essential to keep our body, mind and emotion working on its optimum level. I also bring my own bottle instead buying water outside unless its in a restaurant or cafe then no outside food is allowed.
Great! Keep a water bottle that’s handy to fit in your bag wherever you go. 🙂
That is such a cute tumblr. I love it! and I am not even a huge fan of pink but I like that pink. I find when I eat better, I feel better! Though, I do enjoy wings and such but I surly do love eating healthy. I always feel so great and happy afterwards. Junk food, though it taste oh so yummy… ends up making me feel like poo. Haha
The tumbler is also available in black and white. If you like to be like a girly girl, pink is a good choice. 🙂 I think this color also helps stimulate my brain cells to function at work because I keep looking at it beside my laptop.
Diet can really influence your mood. What’s important is that you’re happy with your food since it influence your disposition and your activities.
True. Introducing changes to food and not sticking with the same food choices all the time is also recommendable. Setting unreasonable targets that completely exclude things like chocolate and crisps will only leave you feeling disappointed when you are unable to meet them. You can try to create a balance by allowing for the odd indulgence within your healthy eating plan.
This totally reminded me that I need to pay the Lock&Lock store a visit soon! Haha! I love their products as well 😀
Yup! We also use a lot of Lock & Lock products because we are sure that the quality is really good and we won’t regret using them.
Wow! this is such a good post. I tend to just eat and eat without really considering the effects of food to one.. this kinda made me aware of my daily intake.. hehe
Thanks, Jeypi. To further help you monitor food intake, you can develop the habit of writing down what and when you eat and how you feel emotionally and physically. This will help you see if particular foods aren’t helpful for you or if you have an intolerance to something.
This is so awesome. I’d love to have one of these in pink for my water and another for my coffee. Also, I’ve been doing a low carb diet for the last 6 months and it has worked wonders for my health. I am working to continually increase my water intake. I am not there yet but I’m working toward it.
Congratulations! 🙂 That’s one crucial step towards health improvement. Having a cute tumbler like this will also help motivate and remind you to drink enough water every day.
Thanks for sharing these info. Never thought that food affects our emotions or maybe this is more accurate for us women lol
Haha, I’m not sure if diets affect women more than men. Let’s research on studies on that. 🙂