Good Lifestyle

"That your food is your medicine, and that your medicine is your food," said the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, more than two millennia, and it seems that I was very right. However, the consumerism and lifestyle of our time have generated a disconnection between our diet and the awareness that everything that we take to my mouth influences not only in our health, but also in our state of mind.

In addition, the food we ingest also affects mental acuity, concentration and memory, and in general, to our brain functions.

How to detect how food affects us

The easiest way to check how food is affected, it is keeping a record of everything we eat and how we feel after. If we are observers, we will find this relationship easily.

It is also important to keep in mind that many medications have an effect on our brain, and therefore, in our humor.

It is a fact that this relationship between food and our psychic state exists, and that is due to neurotransmitters and other substances that are generated in our organism after consuming them.

Happiness hormones

Neurotransmitters and hormones are created and / or synthesized from food. Serotonin, dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin (also known as "happiness hormone") are some of the main responsible for our moods.

Serotonin not only regulates appetite, digestion and sleep, but also the mood. Different studies show that people with low serotonin levels have depression tables.

Dopamine, on the other hand, in addition to participating in brain functions such as learning, concentration and memory, intervenes in motivation, relaxation and the general sensation of tranquility.

Endorphins are hormones that reduce pain, strengthen the immune system and generate emotional well-being.

Oxytocin participates in muscle contractions, memory and learning, and intervenes in feelings such as trust, generosity, compassion and empathy, as well as in the creation of links and in the regulation of fear and stress.

Food that put you in a good mood

Thus, foods that favor your mood are those that stimulate the production of such substances.

To increase serotonin, it is advisable to eat foods rich in tryptophan, precursor of said neurotransmitter. Some of foods that can not be missing are eggs, turkey and chicken, fatty fish such as salmon, nuts and sunflower and chia seeds, dairy, banana, avocado and whole grains.

To stimulate dopamine, you must include in your apple diet, green tea, black chocolate and red fruits. On the other hand, endorphins increase with the consumption of spicy foods such as chili peppers and peppers, black chocolate and spices such as ginger. They also appear when practicing exercise regularly.

Oxytocin also increases consuming dark chocolate and condiments such as peppermint, parsley and rosemary.

Food that put you in a bad mood

On the other hand, there are certain foods and substances that have the opposite effect on our mood, including artificial sweeteners, refined sugars and transgenic fats.

Coffee and all energy drinks containing caffeine also negatively affect our humor, as this stimulant increases the production of cortisol and adrenaline, substances that are serotonin antagonists.

According to the Gerontologist Juan Hitzg, elevated cortisol generates negative emotions such as anger and resentment, sadness and depression.

Conservatives and additives, as well as they usually cause discomforts such as headache and fluid retention, cause irritability.

On the other hand, very processed and high-fat meals, sugars and sodium contribute to cell inflammation, which is related to depression.

In addition to all the above, high sugar foods cause cerebral deterioration and depression due to the action of lipopolysaccharides and cytokines. Likewise, they cause exhaustion in important neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine.

In conclusion, if you want to have a good mood, it is important that you avoid everything that processed meals, simple sugars, transgenic fats, refined oils and excess caffeine, sodium and sugar.

Healthy and natural foods will not only do wonders for your humor, but also for your well-being.