Food vs Brain

You know your mind messes with you when it comes to food right? This scientifically proven. There are  psychological reasons why we crave certain foods. Our brain loves junk food. It actually releases feel good hormones including serotonin, when we get a hold of a lot of calories in the form of fast food. This immediately reduces stress and improves your mood. In that sense it affects the brain like drugs do, and sex does, which explains the term food orgasm…but also the almost “addictive” nature of fast food.

There are ways to avoid this addiction. Getting enough sleep is one, we tend to choose fast food when we are tired. Hence the chicken fingers and fries today! Drinking water is two. Water will fill you up, therefore drinking water before you chow down will make you feel full quicker and therefore you will most likely eat less junk. I also read some where that sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger….your brain sometimes gets these two twisted. Next time your stomach growls, try drinking water first.

Since we tend to snack when we are down, de-stressing may help: yoga or meditation. I would meditate right back to the chicken fingers but that doesn’t take much for me. Another way to avoid over eating is to focus on what you eat. Chew your food thoroughly before you take a mother bite, don’t eat in front of the television, just take a minute to pay attention to what your consuming…try to trick your brain like it is tricking you.

Your brain will continue to trick you when you purchase products which are supposably “healthier” such as baked chips for example. We tend to eat twice the portion we normally would. By the time your done you may have well have been eating your old friend mr. potato chip. By eating less of the latter you would accomplish the same thing calorie wise.

Reduced fat is another doozy. The reduced fat is often substituted by another substance such as sugar to maintain the taste and/or texture. Once again you will most likely eat more because of the lower fat content.

Junk and processed foods can mess with your brain and emotions. It gives you a quick fix and most likely makes you feel down later. But food ultimately is just as important to our mental well-being as it is to our physical health. As previously mentioned Food is fun! There will be some Jillian Michaels in my near future though but that is what life is about….eat what you like (in moderation) and exercise. I enjoy a salad just as much as junk food, that may be my saving grace. Although if you want to look like Jillian then you have to cut all the crap out of your diet and exercise. I like my fluff….and my fries!