Just reading an article on how food affects behaviour in children and adults. No mystery there. But the studies showed :
- Those that had a higher acid load (think junk, processed, sugary, too much proteins, too much coffee and dairy) had a higher incidence of mood disorders – like hyperactivity, poor attention, poor impulse controls
- 33% had a higher risk of emotional problems, fears, worries, down hearted moods and low self confidence
- The higher the acid load the increased risk of increasing the stress hormones in the body resulting in low moods and problem solving skills
If food is so important, why do we struggle with it so much?
It affects every cell in our body, so why is it so hard for some people to change their eating styles?
There are many factors a few are: we are programmed by many things- how we are brought up is one- what did our parents eat/show us/cook for us/teach us about foods. TV programs us / bombards us with ads for fast foods/ uber eats- too convenient/ government health ticks- marketing on helping their agendas keeping us sick.
Realistically- if we look at foods- we need a range of rainbow coloured vegetables – that take up 70% of our plates – 10% of a carbohydrate- starchy veg/ or grain- 20% of protein and fats. Is an easy rough guide. The 70% sounds a lot, different if you are on a stricter regime for a short amount of time – like Keto or FODMAPS. Vegetables create an alkaline environment- reducing the acid. The Mediterranean diet is a great example of this as its anti-inflammatory= alkaline! Acids are inflammatory.
The Gut Microbiome plays a huge role in mood disorders also, and if you have any overgrowths or parasites- these can lead to cravings, bloating, iron issues and more.
So if you have mood issues, inflammation, bloating, stacked on some weight, children misbehaving or anger issues- look at the foods you are eating. Foods are signal to your cells to either promote health or create dis- ease. Choose seasonal, local, organic, grass fed meats, wild caught fish – add healthy fats like olive oil, coconut, avocadoes, nuts and seeds and you cant go wrong. If you are struggling with what to do, how to start- book an appointment and we can help support you on the right path.