Sometimes you're "hangry", other times maybe a little sad, and then there are times when you're just tired and grumpy.....and you think to yourself, that crock of creamy mac-n-cheese will cheer me up. But wait, those loaded fries that your roommate is eating smell like just the thing, or maybe you lean towards the sweet side of things and you reach for that freezer door, and the next thing you know, that pint of ice cream is no longer. And for a moment, all is right in the world....
Well as the saying goes, it's too good to be true, and in reality, the "fix" is only temporary. Science is proving that processed foods not only take a toll on our health, but on our emotional well-being. Take a glance at some excerpts from a recent article in Psychology Today: Comfort Food for Good Moods. Can You Get There on a Plant-Based Diet.
The Food-Mood Link
The article discusses the impact refined starches and sugars have on our immune system, ultimately triggering the release of small proteins, cytokines, that produce inflammatory reactions and conditions such as cardiovascular disease and arthritis.
What does this have to do with our mental health..
Psychobiotics to the Rescue
While stress and processed foods may impair our microbiome (live gut bacteria), probiotics found in fermented foods (and the Daily Uplifter) and tryptophan, found in nuts, grains and greens, foster the production of neurotransmitter regulators, such as serotonin, in our "gut -brain" that help regulate our mood.
Food for Thought