Areas of Practice

  

Nutrition as Mood Shifter

  

I encourage all of my clients to notice how what they are eating affects their moods. Of course, if you’ve been eating the same kind of foods for a long time, chances are you won’t notice that your fatigue, irritability, hyperactivity or poor concentration is related to your diet. Ask your physician for blood and hair analyses to determine nutritional deficiencies, or heavy metal intoxication if you suspect a problem. Most doctors do not administer these tests as part of their routine care. Though the tests may cost you some money, it may be cheaper in the long run than taking prescription medication to undo what you keep doing.

Food allergies, sensitivities, caffeine, alcohol, refined sugar, simple carbohydrates, and vitamin/mineral deficiencies have all been linked to mood issues. Wheat gluten sensitivity, for instance, has been linked to depression. Diets high in processed foods usually lack essential vitamins and minerals, while diets consistently high in sugar (e.g. refined flour breads and pastas, sweets, sodas, alcohol) create imbalances in blood sugar levels and mimic anxiety symptoms.

If mood issues are a problem, talk to your physician. Naturopathic, Ayurvedic or Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors are particularly trained in using individualized nutritional remedies to bring moods back into balance. Generally, most medical providers agree that we should all consider making half of our daily food intake fresh fruits and vegetables, with the other half abundant in complex carbohydrates (e.g. whole grains). Animal protein in routine amounts over 10% of daily food intake has been shown by research conducted over the past few decades to be strongly linked to anxiety and a host of other common medical conditions, such as cancer and heart disease. With that in mind, aiming for 1 cup of each color of the rainbow in your daily fruit and vegetable selections offers a healthy variety of needed vitamins and minerals, as well as plant protein sources.

Call me today at 303.547.8327 to schedule your free initial 30-minute consultation and learn more.