The Mood Food Connection

Yes, foods affect your mood.

When  tempted to eat what we euphemistically call “comfort food,” men and women are essentially on an equal basis:

Both sexes react to the stress of a bad commute, bad weather, difficult days at the office, unruly children, or an argument with their spouse by reaching for their favorite fattening nosh.

Is this a bad habit?

You bet. And here’s why.

There is, of course, no specific definition for comfort food. Mashed potatoes and meatloaf may come to mind to many, but perhaps it is just fair to say that what qualifies is any food which gives you comfort, and that could be anything from udon noodles to potato chips. It’s also important to know that certain foods—chocolate being one—will cause our bodies to release mood-elevating hormones which can trigger a “reward” mechanism, thereby making these foods more tempting than others.

As it pertains to moods, however, what comfort foods do is to offer a distraction from something that causes us concern or unhappiness. That distraction is relatively brief; whether it’s a bowl of chocolate ice cream or mashed potatoes, once we are finished eating, whatever was troubling or upsetting to us comes back into focus.

Now, on top of our worries is the added concern and guilt of having overeaten.

What becomes quite obvious, once you stop to consider this cycle, is that there must be a better path to lasting comfort than one that goes through your kitchen. Here are six ideas that will help you to break that mood food connection:

1.  Be aware of your eating patterns.

For a week, keep a simple record of what you eat, and when you eat. Learning to separate our actual physical hunger from emotional hunger is key to breaking the mood food connection.

2. Eat healthier snacks.

Once you know what you’re consuming, you are ready to make a plan to avoid the pitfalls of mindless eating. Seeing when you tend to snack, should help you to better prepare for those times with healthy snacks that are at the ready. Whether that’s a handful of baby carrots dipped in a low calorie dressing, apples, bananas, a handful of cashews, or many other choices, the point is to reach for food that is good for you as opposed to food that is not.

3.  Don’t buy junk food for your fridge or pantry.

Your best defense against comfort food, which in many cases is also junk food, is to not buy those products in the first place. If you have potato chips, cupcakes, ice cream, and more in the house, there is a good chance you’re going to eat it. Do yourself a huge favor; keep the bad stuff out of the house.

4.  We all know the warning: “Don’t Drive Drunk.” But, you probably never heard the expression “Don’t shop in a funk.” The same goes when buying food. Hitting the grocery store when you’re down and thinking about comfort food is an invitation to buy many of the wrong things. Do your grocery shopping only when you’re in a positive frame of mind and there’s a good chance you’ll shop far more wisely.

5. Replace bad habits with good habits.

There’s a good chance that for years you’ve reached for that chocolate ice cream when you’ve been down. Instead, when you’re feeling down, pick up that iPod and head out the door for a walk. Go to the gym, or go for a bike ride. Any kind of exercise gets you out of your troubles, and can act as a real mood enhancer. That bowl of ice cream, that couch, and that same sitcom episode shown once again are not going to brighten up your day.

6. Reach out to family and friends.

Humans ar,e for the most part, social creatures. We take comfort in talking through our frustrations and concerns. Think of a good conversation with an old friend as comfort food for the soul as opposed to comfort food for a stomach that is already full.

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Tick tock...tick tock...

MVL Valetine’s Day Countdown Tip # 15:

The Focus Is On Togetherness

One of the big mistakes couples make is taking Valentine’s Day for granted. You or your partner thinks: “We love each other 24/7, therefore Valentine’s Day is for amateurs” or “I say ‘I love you’ all the time. Why do I have to make one day more special than all the rest?”

The answer to that question is very simple: Because it will mean a great deal to your partner.

Yes, your partner knows you love him and her. And yes, he or she sees this in a multitude of ways, in your many random acts of passion. But if you conveniently “forget” February 14th as the official day of love, what you demonstrate to your beloved is that you aren’t’ willing to go that one extra step to acknowledge them (privately, not necessarily publicly) for what they mean to you.

This isn’t a Hallmark moment. It’s a personal moment. So take that one day to do something that will touch the both of you for the rest of your lives.