It can be confusing to know how to improve your diet, especially when it feels like the advice changes nearly every day. Everyone knows that food affects our physical health, but people often underestimate how much it changes the way we feel.
Tips :
Drink more water!!! You probably aren't drinking enough. Dehydration will cloud your mind and you may find it a lot harder to concentrate. Even if you think you drink enough, get up right now and drink more. Your body runs on water. It regulates body temperature, keep joints lubricated, delivers nutrients to cells, and keeps organs functioning properly. If you find it difficult to sleep, you may be dehydrated.
Five a day. Generally, aim to eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Variety is importance in diet in order to get a range of nutrients. Try switching up the things you eat every day to avoid boredom and to keep it interesting.
Eating regularly. If your blood sugar drops, you may feel irritable, tired, and even depressed. Eating regularly, about every 3-5 hours, and choosing slow release foods can help keep your blood sugar steady.
Slow Release Energy. Slow release energy foods are foods that keep you full for longer because they take longer to digest. These are mainly proteins, unrefined carbs and grains, and nuts. Protein takes a long time to digest because of its complex structure.
Carbs are really good for you! I'm talking about complex carbs that are unrefined and unprocessed. For example, oats, whole wheat or multigrain bread, brown rice, barley, and quinoa. Complex carbs are whole grains that haven't been stripped of nutrients. The main difference between a refined and unrefined carb comes down to the way they are processed. In whole wheat bread, the processing leaves the most nutrient-rich parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. In white bread, only the endosperm remains intact. It provides no nutritional value and is digested very quickly, meaning that you won't be full for long.
Sleep. Sleep deprivation may cause you to feel more irritable, angry, and hostile. It has also been linked to feeling of depression. Not only does it affect your mood, but I have noticed that my motivation strongly correlates with how many hours of sleep I get. When you are exhausted, it is very easy to become frustrated with daily tasks such as deciding what foods to eat. It makes it a lot easier to give up and grab an easy snack like chips or something that lacks nutrition. Personally, I feel that I am at my best when I eat a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables, but feeling physically and mentally exhausted makes its difficult to make the right decisions when it comes to food. Its like a domino effect that often makes me feel a lack of control.
There are many reasons to improve your diet other than to lose weight. Overall, it will increase your quality of life. You will see a difference in your mood, mind, body, and skin.
Bibliography
Gordon, Amie M. “Up All Night: The Effects of Sleep Loss on Mood.” Psychology Today, 2013, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/between-you-and-me/201308/all-night-the-effects-sleep-loss-mood. Accessed 1 December 2020.
LaMotte, Sandee. “The importance of hydration.” Harvard T.H. Chan, 2017, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/the-importance-of-hydration/. Accessed 1 December 2020.
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