How Foods and Beverages May Make You Feel Bad
Just as some foods can help you feel better, others can make you
feel down. Here are ways to reduce the harmful effects of three foods that can
drag you down.
1. Reduce foods high in
saturated fat.
Saturated fat is well known for its role in promoting heart
disease and some types of cancer. Now researchers suspect saturated fat also
play a role in depression.
The link was found in a study called the Coronary Health
Improvement Project, which followed 348 people between the 24 and 81. A
decrease in saturated fat over a six-week period was associated with a decrease
in depression.
2. Limit alcohol carefully.
That “feel-good” drink, alcohol, is actually a depressant. In
small doses, alcohol can produce a temporary feeling of euphoria. But the truth
is that alcohol is a chemical depressant to the human brain and affects all
nerve cells.
Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed, people can go quickly
from feeling relaxed to experiencing exaggerated emotions and impaired
coordination.
It’s no coincidence that depressive disorders often co-occur with
substance abuse, and one of the main forms of substance abuse in this country
is alcohol.
3. Don’t go crazy with
caffeine.
Caffeine can increase irritability a couple of ways.
·
If the caffeine you consume later in the day disrupts your
nighttime sleeping, you are likely to be cranky and exhausted until you get a
good night’s rest.
·
Caffeine can also bring on a burst or two of energy, often ending
with a spiral into fatigue.
Some people are more sensitive than others to the troublesome
effects of caffeine. If you are sensitive to caffeine, decrease the amount of
coffee, tea, and sodas you drink to see if this helps uplift your mood and
energy level, particularly in the latter part of the day.
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