根据一个survey, 38% of adults eat unhealthy foods or overeatduring periods of stress. While it might seem like a pint of ice cream or bag of chips offers temporary relief,new researchreveals that eatingjunk foodcould negatively impact your mood.
THE STRESS-APPETITE CONNECTION
Research显示压力与较高的脂肪摄入有关。皮质醇水平的尖峰（压力时）increases appetite. That can create a bigger problem when you reach for fried, salty or sweet foods that have little nutritional value and a lot of excess calories, explains Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, author of “Total Body Diet for Dummies.” These foods increaseinflammation和cause yourblood sugar to spike, which can tank your mood.
Factors such as oxidative stress, inflammation and insulin resistance can trigger brain changes associated with depression; diet can combat these mood-altering brain changes. While the foods you choose have an impact on your mental well-being, the reverse is also true: Your mood can influence your appetite.
HOW IT DIFFERS FOR MEN AND WOMEN
Men and women had different responses to poor eating habits, according to thestudy, published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience. “Mental distress in men was associated with the least healthy dietary patterns [and] women were less likely to experience mental well-being compared to men if they didn’t follow a healthy diet and lifestyle,” explains researcher Lina Begdache, PhD, RD, assistant professor at Binghamton University.
“A healthy diet and exercise are needed for both genders. [But] women may need to pay closer attention to their diets and exercise as they may be more sensitive to dietary variations.” This may be in part because women’s brains have more neural connectivity (or regions) between cortices, making a healthy diet even more important for their mental health, says Begdache.
THE BEST DIET FOR IMPROVING YOUR MOOD
Begdache发现Mediterranean diet与更大的心理健康有关，尤其是在女性中。2018年literature review支持这一发现：遵循严格的地中海饮食的人，其中包括大量的鱼类，坚果，蔬菜和水果，与那些吃得很高的西方饮食相比，被诊断出抑郁症的人的抑郁症风险低33％。加工的肉，反式脂肪和酒精。
THE BOTTOM LINE
Eating ahealthy, well-balanced diet和spending time in naturecan help improve well-being and alleviate depression. It’s also important to find控制压力的生产方法. Instead of heading to the kitchen in search of something sweet or salty the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, try journaling, reading a book or calling a friend. “Moving your body with bursts ofphysical activity is good at alleviating every day pressures和stress while also keeping your waistline in check,” says Retelny.
