Eating good food affects your ability to produce outstanding results. Therefore, on that basis ingesting poor food choices is likely to have a detrimental effect on your mental health.
It makes sense that what we put in our body would also impact our lifestyle. Good health describes a condition of optimal well-being. That means the body and the mind, operating in harmony. Both are equally important when defining your health journey.
I’ve seen too many people eating stodge, and not enough vitamins and mineral rich ingredients like cruciferous plants. When I say heavy food, I’m talking about rice, beans, and steak which is very common in Brazil, but I’ve also noticed many restaurant menus lack vegetables with meals. They can be ordered separately, but then it isn’t an item all Brazilians count as have to have unless they were brought up to appreciate the benefits that vegetables provide.
Yes, some meals should be geared to your wishes, and there is nothing wrong with missing vegetables occasionally. The point I’m trying to make is if you consume McDonald’s every day, it is likely you will starve your body of vital ingredients for longevity while also eating the right food reduces many ailments like headaches, stomach upset, depression, and mood swings. Consequently, sticking to fresh foods and not processed is more likely to bring health benefits for a better quality of life.
Cruciferous plants are an extremely important addition to any diet. These include cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, arugula, radishes, watercress, etc. Cruciferous vegetables inhibit cancer but are not consumed by everyone. My father-in-law had cancer and suffered at the end of his life being bedbound. He wouldn’t eat cruciferous veggie apart from broccoli even if you paid him, so it stands to reason that these foodstuffs should be an obligatory part of any diet.
Incidentally, vegetables are defined as the edible portion of a plant. This can include leaves, stalks, roots, tubers, bulbs and flowers. Vegetables offer an array of vitamins and minerals as well as fiber but often lack significant amounts of dietary protein which beans supply. However, beans are classified as legumes. Great for vegans or vegetarians and also the average person, so beans are good for you.
Diets high in refined starches are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. In addition, they can cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then fall sharply. This is especially important for people with diabetes and prediabetes, since their bodies can't efficiently remove sugar from the blood. Bread is the culprit here, as well as too many potatoes. Everything in moderation and a well-balanced diet is the key.
Nutrition-related mood swings are often caused by high amounts of sugar, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates such as donuts, cakes, cookies, and white bread. Many of these foods lack an adequate number of vitamins and minerals, and can cause blood glucose to fluctuate and trigger mood shifts.
My granddaughter is a master at playing the victim to get what she wants. She eats plenty of sugary things, often behind our back. She suffers from mood swings. We are trying to help her stay on a healthy diet of unprocessed food such as meat, carbohydrates, and plenty of rich fruit and veg, with a reduced weekly allocation of chocolate, biscuits, cake, and ice-cream.
It is a difficult task but doable. When there is a will there is a way. If you are having mood swings then you might want to consider adjusting your diet to reflect it.
Have a wonderful day!
Prof. Carl Boniface
Vocabulary builder:
Detrimental (adj) = harmful, damaging, disadvantageous, unfavorable, negative, injurious, (ant) beneficial
Ingesting (n) = eating, feasting, feeding, consumption, swallowing
Stodge (n) = heavy food, solid food, starchy food
Bedbound (adj) = confined to bed, flat on your back