Food, Mood & Relationships

Circle of Wellness — Mental
Food, Mood & Relationships
Kim Edmundson, R.N.C.P., R.h.A.

Your mood has a great impact on the relationships in your life, but have you ever thought about how the foods you have an impact on your mood?

The food choices you make determine your level of energy and mental activity, as well as the overall state of your physical and mental health. How so? You have probably heard the saying “garbage in, garbage out”. That old adage is very true.

When you fail to provide the required nutrients your body needs on a daily basis, your body falls out of balance and begins to weaken, creating an environment for disease. When this happens, you may start to feel tired for no reason, become depressed, be unable to handle stress, have severe food cravings leading to weight gain, suffer often from colds and flues, develop allergies, suffer from headaches, or even have digestive and bowel problems.

These issues, and many other diet related health conditions, can affect your relationships with your family, friends and co-workers.

We live in a fast-paced world, full of fast, frozen and packaged foods. Unfortunately, most of these convenient food choices do not provide the nutrients our bodies require to function at their best.

What is the solution? We need to start to assess how much (or how little) healthy food we consume on a daily basis. How much food do you eat that does not come out of a cardboard box, can, carton, package, freezer or restaurant?

When you eat a natural diet, consisting of good quality whole foods, you have a better chance give your body its daily required amounts of good fats, complex carbohydrates, high quality protein, vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber. By adopting such a diet, not only will you allow your body to function effectively, you will strengthen your immune system and enhance many other aspects of your life.

There are many options for healthy eating. Start by cutting back on anything white in your diet. This includes sugar, white bread, white rice and potatoes. Increase your daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Ensure you are getting high quality protein every day. This can include baked meats (not fried), nuts, seeds and legumes. Include essential fatty acids or “good fats” daily. These are essential because your body can’t produce them itself. Most importantly, increase your daily intake of fibre and water.

Once you are eating healthier, your overall health will improve; you will feel better, and this will have a positive impact on your interpersonal relationships. You are worth it!