Did you now that the food you eat influences your brain chemistry and your mood? When you consume too few of the essential nutrients, your nerves react in ways that affect your behavior. Other dietary variables that can affect your mood include blood sugar levels, fat intake, alcohol, and caffeine. Some of the mood changes resulting from diet include fatigue, 'the blues,' and P-M-S. Some people abuse food as a way of dealing with their emotions. They may develop eating disorders in which they consciously starve themselves or binge and purge their meals. Others eat in response to a mood, rather than in response to hunger. Anxiety, tension, stress, and fear are common causes of emotional eating. Food sometimes replaces love or fun, or it's used as a reward or punishment. To find out whether something you're eating may be triggering certain moods, or to get help with an eating disorder or lifestyle eating change, contact a healthcare professional.
