Yesterday started off with some caregiver issues for my mother – I was frustrated because it was 9 am when a caregiver finally came to dress her for breakfast. So, when I got a call that there was a private room available at a facility that we have been on a waiting list for, I was ecstatic! I had a huge smile on my face knowing I wouldn’t have to deal with the lack of ability to care for my mom where she is currently living. When I got the call a few hours later that the room was no longer available because they had a current resident that needed the extra level of care, I swung low. In the past, I probably would have reached for the nearest chocolatey cookie or candy bar and would have been gorging the rest of the afternoon, feeling depressed and miserable, taking it out on unsuspecting family members. The craving was there, I wanted that sweet yummy treat to sooth myself. But I reminded myself that while it may feel good in that moment, I needed to remember the sugar crash that will inevitably happen soon after I indulge. After closing my eyes and taking several deep breaths, I reached for some blueberries and macadamia nuts instead. I was then able to think more clearly about the situation. Instead of getting angry and flying off the handle, I realized that something better is brewing for her.
People reach for sugary treats all day long – breakfast cereals, donuts, candy bars and granola, cookies and crackers, ice cream. We call them ‘comfort foods’, reaching for them in times of emotional pain, the daily pressures of a job, caring for young kids, or supporting aging parents. Maybe you just need a pick-me-up to get you to the end of the work day before homework and dinner duties take over. As the name implies, many think it brings them a comforting energizing feeling after eating them.
Think hard about the last time you ate sugary treats. Maybe you felt happy, relaxed or energetic right after that Ding Dong or licorice. But how long was it before you reached for another? And then another? Did you start to feel irritable and anxious, pessimistic, or cranky and short fused? What you don’t realize is that eating those fast-acting carbs TEMPORARILY makes you feel amazing but then the crushing low creeps in, causing you to reach for more. Can you see the vicious cycle here?
7 Ways Sugar Impacts Your Mood
High sugar diets…
1 …cause a cycling between high blood glucose levels (sugar high) and low blood glucose levels (sugar crash) has a profound effect on our mood. Sugar acts like a drug, triggering the brain’s reward neurotransmitter dopamine. Once it is gone, you crash and crave more to continue to have that high feeling.
2 …can inhibit our bodies’ ability to make serotonin, the ‘feel good’ hormone. (Supplementing with tryptophan may help with our ability to make this hormone)
3 …suppress brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), a protein critical for brain health. It acts as a natural antidepressant. Without BDNF, our brains can’t form new memories and affects our learning capabilities.
4 …lead to depletion of essential nutrients, including chromium. Chromium is needed to escort glucose into our cells for energy and without it, glucose may be stored as fat.
5 …use up mood enhancing B vitamins, so you need to consume more to metabolize the sugar and maintain a happy attitude.
6 …may exacerbate vitamin D deficiency, which has been linked to depression and other mental health problems. Deficiency in vitamin D can have a ripple effect on calcium absorption too.
7 …guzzle through the body’s magnesium stores used to stabilize blood sugar. Blood sugar stabilization is the body’s first priority so when it is used up, it can’t be used for other processes. like decreasing stress, anxiety and depression (magnesium is known as the ‘mood mineral’). This explains why Epsom salt baths can be so calming!
Detox from Sugar
Do you suspect that sugar may be causing your mood swings, depression or anxiety? The best way to find out is to eliminate it from your diet and see if your symptoms improve. You may find other benefits from eliminating sugar as well. You’ll sleep better, have less joint pain, and you’ll be able to notice and enjoy the natural sweetness of real food like berries, nuts and green vegetables.
Taming that sugar monster and crazy cravings can be hard to do. If you want support, check out my 5-week nutrition class that includes a 3-week sugar detox.
