Balancing Your Mood: Part 1, Food
October 2001



You’re In Charge of Your Mood
I never used to think about my mood. I took it for granted that a mood simply was. Now I realize that most of my emotions, energy highs and lows correlate with my food, thinking patterns, and exercise. The trick is taking responsibility and knowing that I can control my mood.

As the seasons change and daylight decreases, we may want to curl up nightly in a comfy chair with a good book and a pint of ice cream. Transition into autumn is perhaps one of the most important times of year to take care of our bodies. As we become less active outdoors, we may have less energy and even feel depressed. It takes time to adjust, so empower yourself with the knowledge of your best foods for good moods.

Know How Foods Affect You
Food is powerful and can be your ally or enemy. Aside from fat, carbohydrates, sodium and the like, foods have other important elements to take into account.

There are many qualities to consider about food . . . energetic properties, whether it is fresh or packaged, whether you have a food sensitivity, the frequency of your meals. All of these can contribute to low energy, eating disorders/ overeating, depression, swinging emotions and anger. Do you ever complete a meal followed by indigestion? Do you have that 3pm energy low that leaves you wanting to lie down under your desk for a quick nap? Do you find yourself craving sweets and breads even when you’re not hungry?

Take Time To Learn About Your Body
Conduct a self-experiment and start a food journal. This is to track your energy and mood after each meal to identify patterns. About 20-60 minutes after you have eaten, take a few moments to write down everything you ate since your last meal. Get specific . . . write down everything. This is for your eyes only! Then write down how you feel . . . tired, energized, cranky, sad, bloated, hot, cold, etc. If your mood shifts a couple hours later, write it down. It need not be Pulitzer Prize material, simply quick notes. Do this for about two weeks.

You will likely see patterns emerge. How do you react to packaged foods, sugar, pasta, dairy, salt? What happens when you forget to eat for several hours? How do you feel? Food sensitivities can be subtle . . . many people are not aware of them until they start paying attention.

This doesn’t mean that you will never eat your “sensitive” foods. It is about balance and awareness and timing. If you are under a great deal of stress and life change, you may wish to steer clear of those foods and beef-up on the ones that make you feel good. A good start is to eat more fresh veggies and fruits as well as “whole” grains such as Millet, Quinoa, Brown Rice, etc., and less packaged foods.

If you discover a food you think you might be sensitive to, leave it out of your meals for 2 weeks. See how you feel without it, then after 2 weeks try adding a small amount of it back in and see what happens.

An excellent book — Potatoes not Prozac by Kathleen DesMaisons addresses sugar sensitivity with regards to addictions, depression, overeating and eating disorders and provides a Seven-Step Plan to create balance.

close window