Sugar, Hugs, and a Brew: Bite-sized Mental Health
This week there was a lot going on relevant to mental health. So I thought I would take a short break from talking about my Mood Boosting Method and instead talk about the Blue Monday myth, UK Sugar Awareness Week and how to recreate that feeling you get when you hug someone, without the squeeze.
Brew Monday
The week began with the mythical date that is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year because of the combination of bad weather, long nights and the aftermath of the festive period. There is no denying it has been a tough start to the year for many.
But let’s dispel the myth. In reality, Blue Monday was a marketing tactic by a travel company in 2005 to try and encourage you to book a holiday. And let’s face it, we all know that feeling down and depressed doesn’t just happen on one day of the year!
Happily, the Samaritans are attempting to shift the focus away from the negative into something positive, suggesting that the third Monday of January be called Brew Monday instead. Encouraging folks to grab a brew and talk to a friend to combat feeling blue.
Rachel Emma Philpotts, Nutritionist & Mental Health Expert
Not only can talking help, but the micronutrients in herbal teas can actually have a calming effect on the brain, combatting any anxiety and depression you might be feeling.
Don’t worry if you missed it - it is never too late to stick the kettle on and phone a friend.
National Hug Day
Also, this week, we had National Hug Day. What I wouldn’t give to be able to hug my family right now…. and my friends or even a total stranger to be honest! I just love a good squeeze and I can (modestly) say that I am pretty good at hugs. Despite my small stature, I’ve got ‘The Bear’ nailed!
Where is all this heading? Well, we can’t hug right now can we? So, I thought it might help if I dished out some simple tips of how you might be able to achieve that same feeling, naturally.
The warm glow you feel after a hug is derived around Oxytocin, a complex brain chemical involved in recognising and expressing emotion and seeking reward. Affectionately referred to as the ‘cuddle hormone’, Oxytocin plays a role in human bonding, love, sex and parenting.
We cannot get oxytocin directly from food however the foods we eat can support oxytocin production and stimulate its release:
Firstly, Oxytocin is a protein, made up of 9 amino acids. Two of these amino acids, leucine and isoleucine, cannot be produced in the body and so must be obtained from the diet. Great sources include grass-fed / pasture-reared meat, organic dairy and whole grains.
Dark chocolate (yesssss!) can promote Oxytocin production by stimulating our reward neurotransmitter dopamine. Remember to consume dark chocolate with a handful of nuts to support slower blood sugar release (it’s still Sugar Awareness Week after all - see below!)
Magnesium may also play a supportive role in Oxytocin release. So, consider a nice soak in an Epsom salt bath. Or ensure you eat a magnesium rich diet: Think green vegetables, nuts, seeds. (You didn’t really think you were getting away without me saying ‘eat your greens’, did you??)
Finally, find a way to connect with others. We might not be able to physically hug but we can still feel loved by reaching out to those we care about.
Sugar Awareness Week
This week is Sugar Awareness Week in the UK and you may have caught me talking about this over on my YouTube channel.
You may believe that we need sugar for energy. At a really basic level this is correct. All of the food we eat, once broken down by the digestive system, is capable of being converted into glucose molecules to produce energy. Simple sugars or carbohydrates are the most easily converted into glucose.
But our bodies can only cope with a certain amount of glucose in the blood. To maintain balance our body recognises when there is too much and signals for excess glucose to be converted into fat, and stored for future use. This is a simple explanation as to why too much free sugar can make us gain weight.
Weight gain itself can be enough to make us feel low, however sugar can directly influence our mood.
The research shows that the more sugar we consume, the greater the risk of developing anxiety and depression. Fortunately, the reverse is also true.
Sugar can also indirectly affect our mood via the Gut-Brain-Axis (more about this fascinating connection to come in future blog posts). Excess sugar can detrimentally affect our gut health by feeding unhelpful microbes like yeasts and parasites, disrupting the delicate balance of the gut microbiome. Unsurprisingly, mood disorders and IBS often co-occur, and a high sugar diet could be a contributing factor.
What can we do?
Obviously reducing sugar intake can help to reduce the risk. Most of us know that eating too many cakes, biscuits and chocolates is not helpful for general or mental health even if they do give us a temporary high.
What about hidden sugars?
Historically we have been told that a healthy plate is centred around low-fat carbohydrates e.g. rice, pasta, bread. However, these are all examples of foods containing hidden sugars. They are energy dense, and if left unchecked, can rapidly raise blood sugars and increase glucose conversion to fat.
The solution?
Choose whole grain varieties of carbohydrates, with increased fibre content and always balance carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats. Collectively, this might help to slow the release of sugar into the blood stream.
What about the sugar in fruit?
I quite often get asked about fruit and its sugar content and how this should be tackled. I like to think of fruit as natures perfect package, wrapping natural sugars with fibre and lots of phytonutrients that are health promoting. Fruit should absolutely for part of a balanced diet. But like many things in life you can have too much of a good thing. When consuming fruit, always consider having some nuts to slow down the sugar release and/or opt for low sugar varieties like apples or berries.
As a rule of thumb, when aiming to eat 5-10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, fruit should make up no more than 30% of this quota.
Always Here to Help
If you are concerned about your mood or want some ideas of how you can balance your meals to reduce sugar, drop me an email rachel@re-nutrition.co.uk and I can send you some blood sugar balancing recipe ideas.
And I’m always happy to have a chat. Book in here for a free discovery call.