Ma'at E's Mental Health Message

Food really does affect our mood. We all know that when we eat a candy bar the sugar among other substances inside it affects how we feel. There is an almost immediate sense of eurphoria or elevation that comes from the sugar turning in to glucose and acting as fuel for the brain. The high is great, but it soon turns to a low as the sugar causes a quick spike in blood glucose levels and then drops off leaving us feeling a lack of energy. Now if sugar can do this so can many other substances we injest and research is plentiful to support that fact. The point of knowing this information is to encourage us to begin to be more thoughtful about the things we eat and how they potentially can affect our mood. We can start by simply paying attention to how we feel when we eat something. Take the next five days and keep a journal of how you feel before and after you eat each meal. Try different types of meals vegetables proteins verses meats, candy or carbs. Do your own research by simply paying attention so that you can know yourself. Take those observations with you the next time you visit your nutritionist or doctor and ask lots of questions.