Psychotherapy
Self-Help Plymouth
DIET
The food we put into our bodies effects how we feel, and often we fall into bad habits and choices. Fast food is the most common dilemma, feeding the craving for food without giving our bodies the vitamins and nutrients we need to be healthy.
Falling into bad habits of eating the wrong food this is common for everyone but for those with mental health issues the food we eat could have a more negative effect on our minds and bodies. Foods high in sugar and caffeine may be having a negative effect on moods and anxiety levels.
Specific foods/ingredients and their Effects...
SUGAR
Adding extra sugar to food in order to enhance the taste is a habit many people have fallen into. Our bodies don’t need the added sugar, as energy is found in other places such as carbohydrates. Added sugar in small amounts won’t have a large effect but in excess can lead too:
Hypoglycaemia!
Sugar levels in the blood rising and falling rapidly in unison with mood swings means a person can feel fine on minute then week, anxious and craving sugar. This surge of highs and lows in sugar levels causes physical effects of stress
This process day after day damages the pancreas, making it oversensitive and overreact to any sweet food. Excess insulin is then produced, leaving the body without enough energy.
High Sugar Energy boost Absorbed into blood Pancreas then produces insulin
without enough energy. This process continues, leaving the person feeling listless, nervous and anxious.
In order to overcome the pancreas producing too much insulin to combat the high levels of sugar, the adrenal gland produces Adrenaline to offset the high levels of insulin. The adrenaline is released into the blood to help the liver restore its glucose in order to not be continually eating.
Adrenaline produces its own mini stress response:
1. Heart beats faster
2. Heart beats harder
3. Slight dizziness
4. Nausea
5. Panic
The adrenal stress response also adds to the feelings of anxiety and panic.
CAFFIENE
Caffiene is the most common legal stimulant used in everyday life.
This stimulation found in tea, coffee and energy drinks can leave you feeling anxious and depressed with no ability to switch off. Stimulants are the most detrimental when had last thing at night as they greatly effect sleeping patterns and the ability to sleep. Caffiene also has withdrawl syptoms which emphasises and enhances mood swings.
PROTIEN
Protiens such as meat, eggs and certain vegetables contain amino acids which are nessesary in the brain to regulate thoughts and feelings.
Amino acids from food get converted in our brains into neurotransmitters and end up as the hormone Adrenaline. Adrenaline causes our 'fight or flight' response. When not adressed, elongated periods of stress can lead to heart disease.
Other food with benefits to the body:
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Antioxidant rich food (blueberries, kidney beans, cranberries etc.)- improve memory.
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Vitamin E high foods (spinach, almonds, tofu etc.)- decreases appearance of aging and helps protect again heart disease.
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Omega-3 fatty acids (oily fish)- increase brain function.
Tips to Improve your Diet!
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Cut down on sugary foods- replace them with nuts, seed, fruit and vegetables.
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Reduce the amount of stimulants consumed- such as tea, coffee and alcohol. Replace these with water or low sugar juices.
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Increase the amount of protein in your diet- try adding more meat poultry and eggs. If you don’t eat meat there are plenty of vegetables high in protein, such as beans, kale, spinach and broccoli.
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Eat regular meals the avoid energy surges and lows, which effect mood.
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Add more fruit and vegetables to your diet.
Foods to be Wary of on Psychiatric Medications-
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Fermented, pickled, cured, hung, dried or matured food- when the food is then exposed to air a substance called Tyramine increases in high levels. The combination of Tyramine and MAOIs can be very dangerous.
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Salty Foods- lithium is affected by the amount of salt and liquid in the body. If lithium gets to high it can be dangerous.