Last update: June 17, 2015
Have you ever heard the phrase "man is what he eats"? There is nothing more true and underrated. Surely you have read in a thousand different articles that you must eat healthily, that fast food is bad, that you must not overdo it with sugars, and so on. Hundreds of products are offered to you every day so that you can achieve the so-called ideal diet.
However, rarely are we aware of what we eat and why we eat it. We pay attention to these things only when we want to reduce our weight or when we are sick: for most people, nutrition is much more a matter of taste than careful analysis. In doing so, we don't think that how we feel is likely influenced by what we eat.
What we eat tells us about our emotions
We are more inclined to eat certain foods and reject others, but we are not aware of why we do it. We also often change habits: there are times when we would kill for an ice cream and others when the taste of the dessert disgusts us. What are the mechanisms at work in these cases?
Scholars argue that there is a direct relationship between the amount of energy that we believe necessary for our body and the tendency to consume certain products. The taste for coffee, black tea, green tea or meat is associated with an internal perception that we are lacking in energy. The passion for sweets and alcohol, on the other hand, represents the feeling of having excess energy and therefore needing to compensate for the anxiety that has been generated in us.
The consumption of these foods, which apparently help us regulate energy, causes an alteration of the PH in the blood, which means the latter becomes more acidic. It is at this point that, from a physical point of view, digestive problems appear and, from an emotional point of view, irritability, depression, anxiety and fears increase.
Experts also proved that humans are looking for sweet flavors when they experience feelings of abandonment or lack of affection: it is not uncommon to try to alleviate periods of existential crisis through the consumption of chocolate.
Several studies have been carried out on the so-called "junk food”, Characterized by very strong flavors, but also by the very low intake of nutrients. The results indicate that those who lean towards this type of diet are in search (unconscious) of a state of indifference: they do not want to think or feel, they prefer to stay away from everything, avoiding observing the surrounding environment. It is a kind of protective barrier to evade internal feelings that do not make them feel good.
Eating to be emotionally balanced
Nutrition is a great help to achieve the famous balance between mind and body, which the ancient Greeks talked about so much. According to experts, the group of foods that most of all contributes to the stability of emotions is that of cereals. They are rich in vitamin B, which acts directly on the nervous system. Frequent consumption of cereals has been shown to affect the reduction of anxiety and a positive attitude towards life.
Certain foods, consumed in an exaggerated way, increase the production of adrenaline, deconcentration and the tendency to want to flee. This group includes stimulants (coffee and tea), alcohol, refined sugars, white flours, whole milk and certain fruits with a strong flavor such as pineapple, banana, avocado, mango, papaya and coconut.
Other foods, ingested in large quantities, cause an effect of passivity, desire for isolation and difficulty in action. These are saturated fats, salty and dry cheeses, eggs, sausages and salt.
Foods that can be eaten regularly to balance emotions and keep the body healthy are dried fruits, fresh vegetables, vegetable proteins, cereals, wholemeal pasta, fish and seafood.
We also advise you to eat calmly and possibly in good company: this will increase the nutritional power of any food.
Image courtesy of Juan RamĂłn RodrĂguez Sosa
