Food ‘n’ mood

You are what you eat. You must have heard that before, but how true is it? Well, here’s the explanation. Your brain is a machine that’s constantly working. Just like every other machine, it needs to be lubricated with fuel. The food you eat not only nourishes your body but also has an effect on the mind. Food rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants nourishes the brain and helps it function at its best. Eating junk food can undo the process. You may have the craving to consume chocolates, pizzas, burgers but do so occasionally. Eating these in moderation will not be harmful. This is when quantity comes into play and is the secret to healthy living. 

Sleep, water, food and exercise are as important for your body as breathing. For a healthy body and mind, a perfect balance needs to be maintained between them. Talking about junk food addiction, nutritionist/ dietician Huda Shaikh says, “Too much sugar tends to give you a temporary high, which makes you crave more, and refined flour is not digested easily, which leads to high insulin/ blood sugar level. This rapid increase in blood sugar level also tends to quickly elevate your energy levels, but then brings them down in a quick span of time, which leads to irritability and annoyance.”

Psychologist and counsellor Kashish Chhabria says, “Usually, people consume a diet high in sugar and salt when they are stressed. They try to fill the emptiness, by filling the void of their stomachs.” She has a few ideas to combat that. “When you feel depressed or you are in a bad mood, distract yourself that moment with a funny video and eat a fruit,” she suggests, adding “This not only diverts your mind but, makes you feel fresh and has a positive effect on your mental health.” 

Many a time, your brain falls prey to cravings and forces you to feed your body unworthy food. “This type of food will not only affect your immunity but also disturb the hormone equilibrium,” says Chhabria. Shaikh also agrees with the fact that the so-called ‘comfort food’ tends to cause the most discomfort by “creating a hormonal imbalance”. 

“The body is designed in the most natural way,” says Chhabria, adding that artificial substances will only decay the fundamental building blocks that help to keep the immunity strong. Therefore she encourages people to start at the ground level. “Schools and colleges should not be providing junk food such as pizzas, burgers, fries, fried rice, noodles and so on,” she says adding that the energy of the students then goes into digesting the food, depleting their focus towards academics, and making them lazy and tired. 

Then what to eat? Both the experts agree that nuts and seeds are the healthiest foods, as they contain omega 3 and fibre. Shaikh proposes that people should follow the Food Rainbow, eating food of all colours. “For example, green leafy vegetables, yellow bananas, red beetroot and so on,’’ says Shaikh. 

Imran Khan, a gym trainer at Residency Club, Pune, quit junk food years ago. “I prefer eating homecooked meals with protein, oats, fruits and anything that helps me maintain a healthy diet. I try to keep my diet as natural as possible because unhealthy food makes me feel sleepy, heavy and resists my movements in the gym,” he says.

After completing a year in hostel, Rahul Venkat, who is pursuing BBA in Manipal, realised the importance of healthy eating. “On weekends, we would mostly order food that would comprise burgers, sandwiches and so on. After consuming junk food I would feel tired the entire day. However, on weekdays when I had healthy food from the mess, I was more productive, energetic and my mood always felt elevated. This taught me how crucial it was to maintain a healthy diet.” 

 So make the right kind of nutritional choices and see the difference it makes to your body and mind.