Mindset is Everything but How Does It Relate To Nutrition?

If you have been following me for a while you already know that I teach the importance of connecting the mind and the body. You can’t truly achieve your wellness goals without working on both. Well, the same goes for how we look at nutrition.

The mindset we have will directly affect how we choose to fuel our bodies. I chatted with health coach Kimberly Daly of Mama Love, LLC to breakdown mindset and food.

NMFIT: What is the connection between mindset and food?

Kimberly Daly (KD): Food is deeply connected to our emotions, memories, and mental wellbeing. We celebrate life’s happy moments with dinner out, cake, and cocktails. And on a metabolic level, the calories we take in kickstart a process that engages the liver and releases feel-good hormones in the brain, like dopamine and serotonin. So, when we’re feeling down, food—especially, sugar—is often what we reach for to feel better. It reminds us of better times and literally gives us a hit of happiness.

But eating your feelings and riding the sugar-high roller coaster can set you up for some serious health issues, including weight gain, metabolic syndrome, even diabetes. That’s why it’s so important to be mindful of what you’re eating, and why.

If you’re experiencing depression or anxiety, it’s a good idea to talk to a psychologist or social worker who can help you organize your thoughts and get medical attention, if necessary. And from there you might notice a pattern of unhealthy habits that can exacerbate negative feelings, like not dealing with daily stressors, not getting enough exercise, and not sleeping enough. And that’s where food can go from contributive to corrective.

NMFIT: If you are struggling with maintaining a healthy lifestyle are there certain ways to approach food more mindfully?

KD: Instead of using food to simply feel good at the moment, you can use it to help correct the nutritional imbalances and underlying lifestyle issues that are amplifying your negative emotions and bad moods. 

Exercise is known to boost endorphins, but it’s hard to work out when you’re low on energy, so make sure you’re eating at regular intervals and getting enough protein throughout the day. Reach for healthy, whole-food sources, like nuts, beans, lean meats, and reduced-fat dairy. 

Skimping on sleep has been shown to put the body in a state of stress and increase your risk of depression and anxiety, so aim for seven to nine hours of snooze time. If you have trouble falling asleep, you might benefit from eating foods rich in omega-3s, magnesium, and melatonin, a hormone naturally produced by the body that helps regulate sleep. Tart cherries, almonds, walnuts, and wild-caught salmon should all be on your grocery list.  

You can also use food to help you destress. Don’t get me wrong, stress eating and emotional eating are unhealthy. Period. But there are nutrients in food that can help your body manage the hormonal response to stress. Anti-inflammatories and adaptogens found in herbs and spices, like turmeric, ginger, holy basil, and chamomile, are great examples. And, when eaten mindfully, even something sweet, like an orange wedge or a piece of dark chocolate, can help you recenter and come back to the present moment. It’s all about being in control—place that square of chocolate on your tongue and use all of your senses to be in the moment. Being present allows your mind to relax, for the cortisol and adrenaline levels to ease up, and for your body to recognize there is no imminent danger, no bear to run from.

NMFIT: What foods boost mood? What are healthy comforting foods? Foods to turn to when depressed.

KD: There’s no doubt that carbs can boost your mood by directly impacting the release of insulin and serotonin, so the first thing to consider when you’re upset or down is: Are you hungry? When was the last time you ate? We all joke about being hangry, but there’s truth to it. And if you’re not careful, a low carb eating plan can do a number on your emotions. That’s why eating more often throughout the day—whether that means more small meals or more big snacks—is key. And adding nutrient-dense, vitamin-packed carbs to those meals can help, too.

One of the healthiest, most comforting foods you can reach for are sweet potatoes. Not only are they high in fiber, which has been shown to support the good bacteria in your gut and improve your emotional wellbeing, but they’re loaded with beta carotene, an antioxidant that has been linked to higher levels of optimism. Just be sure to opt for a medium, sweet potato roasted with olive oil, instead of that slice of sweet potato pie to keep the sugar in check.

Learn more about Kimberly and Mama Love by visiting @MamaLoveProtein

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