Striving4Zen

Just like what you eat can influence how you feel, how you feel can influence the quality of nourishment that you gain from the foods that you eat. The following are some of the ways in which mood and nourishment are interrelated.

When you feel stressed a cascade of different stress hormones (including glucocorticoids) can be released. These chemical messengers have modulating effects upon a variety of body systems that can impact nourishment. All of us feel stressed at certain moments, but if this stress has become an ongoing, chronic part of our life, the impact on our nourishment can become problematic.

Nutrient depletion and blood sugar regulation

One of the outcomes of chronically increased glucocorticoid levels is potential depletion of certain nutrients, including zinc, potassium, and B-complex vitamins. What this means is that if you experience chronic stress, you will want to pay special attention to these nutrients in your diet. Stress hormones, if excessively secreted over a prolonged period of time, can interfere with the functioning of insulin and promote insulin resistance. Stress can create blood sugar imbalances that have a host of outcomes upon the body, including reducing the ability of cells to be nourished by the glucose provided in the diet.

Having low moods, or experiencing depression, may also impact nourishment. Chronic depression is associated with a variety of nutrient deficiencies, including that of vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, choline, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. A person experiencing ongoing depression would want to take special steps to adjust his or her meal plan in relationship to these particular nutrients.

Benefits of a relaxing meal

In addition to looking at how mood affects nourishment from a biochemical perspective, you can also look at this question from the perspective of personal experience. Think about a recent meal that you ate while being stressed, angry, or anxious. Now think about a meal that you ate when you were relaxed, peaceful, and happy. Chances are in the latter experience you felt better, more vitalized, and more nourished from the foods you were eating and were therefore enjoying the true fulfillment and nourishment from those foods. Remember that your mood is something you don't just experience on an emotional and psychological level, but something that also takes places in your muscles, nervous system, and circulatory system. All of those body components impact your digestion and nourishment.

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Labels: depression, digestion, food and mood, Holistic Health, insulin, living holistically, nutrients, stress