The world can present us with serious situations of intellectual aptitude, forcing us to consume pre-cooked foods quickly. But do any of those old-fashioned convenience foods have a negative effect on our intellectual well-being?We asked the experts.
By eating regularly, you’ll keep your blood sugar levels steady. So why is this a smart thing to do? When blood sugar drops, it leads to fatigue and irritability, and inconsistent blood sugar levels have even been linked to mood disorders, adding to depression and anxiety. If your blood sugar rises, a drop will follow and you will face those problems. Therefore, eating irregularly can cause more damage than simply leaving you with a noisy belly.
Nutritionist Sonal Shah explains: “If you feel hungry during the day and this affects your mood, concentration and energy levels, it’s important to eat at regular intervals. Eating every 3 to 4 hours is a good idea to save energy levels. due to a drop in blood sugar levels.
But the Nutritionist Resource member cautions that this doesn’t mean you have to eat all the time: “It’s not ideal to snack frequently throughout the day, as this talk doesn’t allow appetite and insulin hormones to be optimally regulated. “
Dehydration can have an effect on your intellectual well-being by making it harder for you to think clearly and concentrate.
Shah says, “Dehydration is perceived in the body as a stressor, leading to symptoms of lack of energy, lack of concentration, confusion and irritation. Brain cells need water just like the body, which is why dehydrated people are more vulnerable to intellectual stress. Water helps blood flow, so if there is enough water to help flush toxins out of the body, one feels weak.
“Dehydration can also lead to cravings for bad foods like potato chips, subtle carbohydrates, and beverages containing alcohol and caffeine, which have diuretic effects on the body. Alcohol reduces cognitive function by dehydrating the body, as it needs water to expel alcohol from the body. bloodstream, leading to hangover symptoms the next morning. Sugar-laden soft drinks can give you a quick boost of energy, which alerts you intellectually, but this is followed by a sugar crash that leads to a lack of energy and intellectual fatigue.
Felice Jacka, Professor of Nutritional Psychiatry and Director of the Food and Nutrition Clinic
She explains, “Extensive and consistent studies tell us that healthier nutrition protects against depression. Since depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, it is necessary to perceive this.
“In fact, those links are observed after taking into account vital points that can affect nutrition and intellectual fitness, such as schooling and income, other fitness-related behaviors, and body weight. More recently, evidence from randomized controlled trials tells us that helping others with depression who improve the quality of their diet can reap great benefits in their fitness and intellectual functioning. In those tests, the nutrition that had the greatest benefits was one designed to mimic a classic Mediterranean nutrition, rich in total grains. vegetables, fruits, fish and olive oil.
Shah adds, “Balanced nutrition nourishes the brain, offering it the nutrients it needs to maintain a positive mood and signaling pathways between brain cells for optimal brain function. The nutrients needed to maintain a healthy brain and brain are so vast that it is vital to eat varied nutrition and supplement nutrients that are low or absent in nutrition.
Recent studies tell us there’s an explanation for why we’re tempted to consume those carb, sugar, and fat products when we’re tired. If it’s a short-term or one-time problem, it’s unlikely to cause long-term problems, but if it persists, it can turn into a chicken-and-egg situation.
“Certain foods can have an effect on digestion and make you feel bad, and this is very similar to mood,” Shah says. He continues: “An example is the feeling of uncomfortable bloating, which leads to emotions of slowness accompanied by mental confusion. , which then impairs intellectual clarity. It swings back and forth, so if you’re feeling tired, with that low intellectual focus, anxiety, irritation, and mood, you can opt for subtle foods that are low in nutrients and minerals, giving you a quick, short-lived effect.
The same applies to dining comfortably when you’re stressed. ” Comfort food is an emotional dinner, and the triggers and reasons vary from individual to individual. . . Food doesn’t deserve to be used as an avenue to emotions. It takes time to deal with eating behavior and behaviors, and I would suggest going to therapists to identify the reasons for them and cure them,” Shah continues.
Although there is a link between normal intake of processed foods and moodiness, it is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect.
“Foods and beverages with added sugars, such as soft drinks, are very problematic for fitness. Numerous studies from around the world show that nutrition is superior in those types of foods, as well as those with added fats, salt, and highly processed foods. flours — is linked to poor intellectual fitness, as well as obesity, core diseases, diabetes and other conditions, Jacka said.
Professor Jacka goes further: “In animal studies, sugar and ‘Western foods’ cause behavioural and cognitive problems, at least in part due to a negative effect on a component of the brain called the hippocampus. We also show that poor nutrition is strongly related to a smaller hippocampus in humans, while healthy nutrition is connected to a larger hippocampus. The hippocampus is a key component of the brain involved in learning and memory, as well as intellectual health, so it has vital implications. for other people from the formative years to old age.
Shah adds, “Breaking away from processed nutrition involves changing taste buds so that they feel less excited about junk food and start craving healthier foods. . . So it’s a lifestyle replacement and a more in-depth investigation of why the user is looking for a safe food in the first place. Ask yourself: is it tension at work, anxiety, depression, or lack of motivation?
In recent years, the role of the gut in the fight against depression has been the subject of much clinical research. Smart nutrition, especially varied and in plants and seeds, has been linked to reduced degrees of depression in numerous studies. Conversely, nutrition low in variety and fiber has been linked to an increased risk of depression. “The link between nutrition and temperament has been demonstrated by recent randomized clinical trials in humans,” said Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London. writes in his e-book Spoon-Fed.
“Considerable efforts have been made lately to support studies in this area around the world,” says Prof. Jacka. “Diet is one of the most important factors in the health of the gut and its bacteria (and it happens very quickly), while we also have a positive impact on the health of our gut and its bacteria. We now know that gut bacteria (microbiota) play a critical role in the fitness of our immune system, our metabolism, gene expression, and intellectual and brain fitness.
We know that the gut is particularly affected by excessive alcohol consumption. “Excessive alcohol consumption appears to damage the gut lining, which can herald inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, increases the risk of developing a multitude of diseases, adding to depression.
Professor Jacka describes his work in treating people with depression by changing their nutrition and lifestyle. “In our SMILES trial, which is the first randomized controlled trial to seek better nutrition in people with moderate to severe clinical depression, we showed very large results. Benefits for depressive illness by adopting Mediterranean-style nutrition over a three-month period. We also showed that the further people advanced in their nutrition, the greater their depression became.
“Lately we have been working hard to help make adjustments to the physical care formula in Australia to ensure that other people with depression have access to help for their physical behaviours, i. e. their nutrition and physical activity, as a core component of their treatment. »
Should you replace your nutrition if you’re concerned about your intellectual health?”Look for a therapist to help you with your intellectual health, along with a nutritional therapist who can slowly help you reshape your nutrition, why balanced nutrition is important, and dispel any concerns,” Shah says. “You can’t make changes to a nutrition if the individual doesn’t have the intellectuality or motivation to implement them step by step. Carrying a magazine is useful because some days the user may feel more motivated than others, and carrying it along with a food diary can raise awareness about spaces to paint,” she concludes.
If you are concerned about your intellectual health, assistance and assistance is available.
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