Wow. Am I finding that what I eat specifically and quickly affects the way I feel. In as quickly as 15 - 20 minutes immediately following consuming something, I've noticed my mood changes based on what I ate. It's fantastic! It's exciting! It's unbelievable! Duh! It's what Christian has been saying all along.
I guess I see it with my own two eyes, now, every time I glance at my Diet Diary. This is a little journal I've been taking part in the last couple of days, to monitor exactly what foods produce what feelings and states. I know, this might sound weird, but I swear, it's happening to me and it's powerful.
First of all, let me recap quickly and just say that I've eliminated most of the stimulants from my diet completely. No refined sugar. No alcohol. No illegal drugs of any kind. No caffeine. (Coffee was a toughy but getting rid of it has been amazing - once the headaches ended, that is!) As a result, my anxiety levels are MUCH lower now and my energy is up! Thank the Lord in Heaven!!!
Anyhow, back to the "food, glorious ..." - you know how it goes.
I noticed this morning that I was feeling really good after drinking my whole fruit smoothie that I blend up just about every morning. This smoothie has replaced my usual morning ritual of a cup of anxiety invoking java. And the point is I felt amazing - without caffeine!
So then, something else happened to me a bit later. I arrived at mom and dad's house (the usual location I end up spending the day at, in case dad and I need to work) and I noticed I was a bit frustrated with the computer being slow to start up. On the way over, the early morning show on the radio had a debate that I wanted to participate in. I wanted to email them my response to what they were discussing. So I ran inside and onto the computer, realizing it was off. I eagerly pushed the "ON" button and waited... and waited... and waited. As I impatiently watched the monitor slowly turn on and the windows begin to wake, I became more and more irritated. The show was ending and I wasn't going to get across my point. The computer slowly lagged on a screen, then a minute later another necessary window popped up. I knew there were 5 more to go, each taking a couple of minutes spaced between, meaning... I was going to miss my opportunity to send my message! Dang computer! (Pardon my French.)
I was irritated, obviously. But then I had an idea popped into my head. The sugar in the fruit must have amped me up. I wanted to eat something that would bring me down a bit. I had already heard of the subtly sedative qualities of brown rice. But yesterday, I ate some sunflower seeds and noticed I felt the same thing. They brought me down a bit. Granted, this was a very light but definitely a distinct feeling. (I've become very attuned to the subtlety of my states of mind. I've read before that this may have to do with my social anxiety. It makes you very perceptive internally - actually to a fault, in the past. But now, it's become an excellent tool.)
So, I tried the sunflower seeds and what do you know? They brought me down to a great level again. I wasn't agitated any longer. I felt terrific again.
This is a huge revelation and invaluable lesson. So I will continue today and from now on to take heed to which foods I eat and the affect that they have directly and quickly on my mind. Very exciting for me. A whole new direction!
Just so you know, I've learned that fruit has a gentle upper action. (Probably due to the sugar.) Protein in nuts seems to stabilize or drop down and veggies seem mostly neutral. When I continue to learn more, I'll pass on the info to you, so stay tuned!
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Sunflower Seeds have a lot of B1, tryptophan, and Magnesium, which could help the nerves, but it seems pretty quick. Be careful of the placebo effect. But if it works, keep with it. The tryptophan could work pretty quickly though.
ReplyDeleteNext time you feel like a food effects you look up the nutrients in the food and maybe the pieces will come together.
Also, I would advise against the smoothies. It is too much fruit too fast. While fructose is a bit easier on the pancreas too much is not good for anyone.
Yesterday I was looking for some protein at a Whole Foods salad bar but all the tofu had either tamari or liquid aminos. I chose the one with liquid aminos and about an hour later was pretty unsettled. It is like an anxiety and frustration mixed together. It was an old familiar feeling. I stayed with it and watched it. Since I knew what it was it did not bother me. It was pretty fascinating.
Guess having these conditions for so long makes us "old" pros at watching carefully how we feel. Being able to observe a sensation is a far better approach than allowing yourself to get caught up in the feeling, allowing it to control you.
ReplyDeleteIt still is just amazing to me how important food is to mental health. And I'm hoping that eating this way will not only keep me healthier but younger for the long haul too! Can't imagine a healthier way to live.
P.S. - Accidentally signed in as Jaden above, but it's me Jason. (I use Jaden as a business name.)
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