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Feel As Good As You Look
You might think that a tub of Ben & Jerry’s Half Baked will put you in a good mood, but actually the exact opposite might be true.
A British psychiatric researcher conducted an analysis of the relationship between diet and mental health and concluded that there is a strong link between high sugar consumption and the risk of depression and schizophrenia.
This isn’t the only study to link sugar with mental illness. A 2004 study found that a higher intake of refined sugar and dairy predicted a worse two-year outcome of schizophrenia.
Sugar is believed to affect our mental health in two ways. Firstly, it suppresses activity of the important growth hormone BDNF. Sufferers of depression and schizophrenia are known to have critically low levels of BDNF levels in the brain.
Secondly, it causes a chain of chemical reactions that promote chronic inflammation, something I mentioned earlier. In addition to the countless other problems long term inflammation causes, it also disrupts immune system function, and wreaks havoc on the brain.
Why not try cutting out the sugar and white carbs for a few weeks and seeing if you feel healthier and happier? My guess is, you will!
Fill up on healthy fats, complex carbs, and protein as these are nutrient dense foods. Fruits, especially berries, are a great sweet treat and make a healthy replacement to sugar. Even simply adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to snacks can give the illusion of sweetness without the sugar.
And don’t even think that by switching to ‘diet’ or ‘sugar free’ options you’ll be getting your sweet fix without doing your body any damage.
Once your body adjusts to this new, sugar free regimen, your only regret will be that you didn’t do it sooner.
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