Food For Thought
Healthy nutrition can be a challenge even without a global pandemic causing food stores to have limited supplies and limited shopping times—with normal staples unavailable. Now that things are transitioning to what we might consider “normal,” this is a good time to reflect on some choices we have made and to better our understanding of how food plays a role in our overall moods.
Take a moment and ask yourself—what foods did I gravitate towards during my stay-at-home orders?
Processed foods;
Shelf-stable items;
Baked goods or ice cream;
Alcohol
Though delicious, reaching for your favorite salty or sweet snack out of boredom or feeling on edge will create a yo-yo effect with your blood sugar. Blood sugar or blood glucose comes from the food we eat and is fuel for the cells in our bodies. When we eat food, our pancreas releases enzymes that help break down that food. One of the hormones that helps our body handle the inrush of glucose is insulin. Insulin is key to managing glucose levels in the blood.
Foods containing simple carbohydrates will cause a spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar, which can increase feelings of anxiety and worsen our mood. One of the ways to decrease feelings of anxiety is by keeping our blood sugar stable. This can be done by not skipping meals, eating protein at breakfast, and drinking enough water—general recommendation is 64 ounces a day (more on this topic to come!)
Folks are feeling a lot of stress right now, and unfortunately the reality is that stress can worsen feelings of anxiety and depression and it also suppresses our immune system. However, there are nutrients found in foods that have been shown to reduce anxiety by helping activate neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. (Naidoo 2016)
Magnesium can found in dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard have. For example, ½ cup serving of spinach contains 78mg of magnesium which has been shown to improve mood.
B vitamin rich foods such as almonds and avocados, have shown to decrease anxiety.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in salmon, tuna, flaxseed, pistachios, and walnuts have been shown to reduce surges of stress hormones.
Consider adding dark leafy greens to at least one meal a day, almonds make a great snack option, and salmon can be added to a salad as a protein source.
While the above foods are great for us, many would not consider them “comfort foods”. However, foods such as dark chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter, and chamomile have also been shown to reduce stress and anxiety.
Another factor in decreasing anxiety is sleep. Sleep is a key component of functioning well and a basic need; like eating, it is vital to the foundation for good health and well-being. Sleep deficiency can lead to mental and physical health problems and increases the risk of injury (looking at you functional fitters).
Alcohol has been linked to disruptions in sleep, the physiological process that occur during sleep, and daytime alertness. Although many people use alcohol as a sleep aid—and though it may help people fall asleep, it also contributes to poor quality of sleep. Studies have shown the impact of alcohol on Rapid Eye Movement or REM cycles: as alcohol is processed and leaves your blood stream your body becomes more alert and disrupts REM sleep. REM sleep is essential for recovery, memory, and learning. REM sleep originates at the base of the brain in a region called the pons by sending signals to the thalamus that are relayed to the cerebral cortex. This stimulates the region of the brain associated with learning. REM sleep is also associated with increased production of proteins (Roehrs and Roth).
There is also evidence that alcohol can disrupt the release of melatonin. Other issues associated with alcohol before sleep include insomnia and sleep apnea. To help prevent sleep disruption it is recommend to stop drinking at least 4 hours prior to sleep. (Piedmont HealthCare)
With all of the current events and impacts to our daily lives there are plenty of reasons to feel frustrated, stressed, anxious, or disheartened. Perhaps we use the weekend as a time to reset instead of a time to invoke our “cheat meals”. Maybe we opt for a bowl of yogurt as dessert instead of ice cream. Maybe we put down our glass of wine before bed and pick up yoga. Maybe we opt for eggs and sautéed broccoli for breakfast instead of a smoothie. Or maybe… we just recognize that the world is a little tilted right now and we are just doing the best we can.
About the author: Sydney Crispin is a Maryland native brought to Mid-Coast Maine by her passion for the outdoors. Sydney is in the process of obtaining her Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. When she is not working with Hurricane Island Outward Bound School she can be found at CJ Strength & Conditioning or with her wife Shelby and pups Riley & Benny outside adventuring.
(Roehrs, Timothy Ph.D; Roth, Thomas Ph.D, Sleep, Sleepiness, and Alcohol Use. NIH. https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh25-2/101-109.htm)
(Naidoo, Uma MD (2016, April 13) Nutritional strategies to ease anxiety. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441)
Piedmont Healthcare: https://www.piedmont.org/living-better/how-does-alcohol-affect-your-sleep