The grub you think will give an emotional lift often leaves you down in the dumps.
The term comfort food is a bit of a misnomer. We indulge in stuff like milkshakes
and cheese burgers to soothe ourselves, but they can actually have the opposite
effect once they pass our lips, and it’s not just because our clothes feel distressingly
tighter. Fast food and packaged pastries can cause inflammation that interferes with
mood regulating chemicals in the brain and can lead to symptoms of depression.
Fortunately, there are plenty of yummy and satisfying options that will buoy your mood
and slim you down.
Habit
Carbo loading
There’s a reason so many so called comfort foods like mashed potatoes and lasagna are carb based. Carbs fuel
the production of serotonin, your brain’s main feel good neurotransmitter, which activates receptors that help
control mood and appetite. But when there is less daylight, you body produces less serotonin, meaning you want
to eat more than the usual in winter to keep your spirits up. But careful, not all carbs are created equal.
The healthy fix
Carbs like whole grain cereal, rice and oatmeal, which are digested more slowly than refined grains, starving off
hunger (and crankiness).
Habit
Reaching for bad fats
Tendency to seek out fattening foods in the winter may be a leftover revolutionary urge, since bulking up gives your
organs insulation from the old and may also bolster your immune system .
The healthy fix
Friend the right fats. Healthy fats that obtain omega 3 are known to support brain cell function and positive moods.
Fish are among the best sources especially salmon and sardines. Low fat milk that’s fortified with DHA is also good
choice and nuts of course.
Habit
Gorging on sweets
Fewer hours of daylight also means your body may be producing more of sleep inducing chemical melatonin, which
can leave you lethargic and craving sugar, a quick source of energy. But high sugar diets are linked to an increase risk
of depression and the sweet stuff causes blood sugar spikes that can make you grumpy
The healthy fix
Get your buzz from caffeine, it was found that caffeine may slash depression risk in women, just don’t overdo it or
consume it too late in the day. If you are not a coffee peron load up on B vitamines (b12, b9) aka folate to help convert
mino acids into the mood and energy lifting neurotransmitter serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine.
