How Food Affects Your Mood

When you look at the end of your fork ask yourself, is this what I want to put in my brain? More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates — the father of modern medicine — suggested that all disease begins in the gut. No wonder why nowadays experts and nutritionists are mainly focused on what people eat as a critical factor for our health and wellbeing.

Drew Ramsey, a psychiatrist in New York, author of “Eat Complete – The 21 Nutrients That Fuel Brainpower, Boost Weight Loss and Transform Your Health“, goes a bit further. He believes our brain burns more of the food we eat than any other organ. It determines if we gain or lose weight if we’re feeling energetic or fatigued if we’re upbeat or depressed.

We need to start thinking of strengthening the brain – he said- if we want to improve our mental health. Failing to provide the brain with the variety of nutrients it needs, it makes depression worse.

Dr Ramsey’s book, in particular, explores the role the human brain plays in every part of our life, including mood, health, focus, memory, and appetite, and reveals what foods we need to eat to keep our brain—and by extension our body—properly fueled. And guess what? Processed or deep fried foods often contain trans fats that promote inflammation, believed to be a clue of depression.

“Eat Complete” includes 100 appetizing, easy, gluten-free recipes engineered for optimal nourishment. It also teaches readers how to use food to correct the nutrient deficiencies causing brain drain and poor health for millions.

For example? He suggests to Start the day with an Orange Pecan Waffle or a Turmeric Raspberry Almond Smoothie, and the Vitamin E found in the nuts will work to protect vulnerable brain fat (plus the fiber keeps you satisfied until lunch). At lunch, Garlic Butter Shrimp over Zucchini Noodles and Mussels with Garlicky Kale Ribbons and Artichokes will stimulate the growth of new brain cells, as the zinc and magnesium from the seafood will help.

Want to slow down your brain’s ageing process? Indulge with a cup of Turmeric Cinnamon Hot Chocolate, and the flavanols found in chocolate both increase blood flow to the brain and help fight age-related memory decline.

We may think a Snickers bar, pizza or bowl of chips will cheer a tough or tiring day. But the truth is that if we’re looking for more sustainable boosts to our emotional wellbeing, there are better ways to eat ourselves happy.