I think everyone can relate to feelings of pre-lunch “hangriness” and post-lunch “brain fog” during a typical workday. Which got me thinking, how does what we eat influence how we feel?
From working with patients, I’ve come to understand that food influences our mood at three time points:
- During the act of eating
- 1–4 hours after eating
- Rest of our life
And herein lies the challenge of behavioral change. Most patients I work with cite difficulties giving up unhealthy food because it tastes good and makes them feel momentarily happy. I completely agree— that’s why fast food continues to sell so well despite years and years of public health efforts to nudge smarter food behavior.
But, focusing solely on how we feel at time point (1) comes at a cost to how we feel at points (2) and (3). (above)
If we eat unhealthily…
At 1–4 hours: brain fog (poor concentration) and fatigue commonly set in
Rest of our life: increased risk of depression, obesity, diabetes, blood clots, and brain and heart disease
Now, at this point, some of you may turn away because you’ve weighed (1), (2), and (3) and are okay with choosing (1) over (2) and (3). Although my recommendation is to reconsider, my place is not to force anyone to change, but only to provide facts and let you decide for yourself. The hardest part is finding a willingness to change, the rest comes easier.
So, how do we condition ourselves to make better choices each time we eat?
- According to habit science, out of sight = out of mind, so in sight = in mind. Keep your healthy options front and center. Plan ahead and meal prep or buy prepared healthy food options for the whole week so eating is as quick and easy as heating food up.
- For two weeks, after you finish eating — whether healthily or unhealthily — take some time to journal about how you feel several hours later. Are you happy, sad, or irritable? Do you feel energetic or fatigued? What foods do this to you? What foods don’t? You’ll gain some insight into foods your body does well with, and as rudimentary as this sounds, it’s personalized medicine :)
- Bring people into your support team. Choose a physician that engages you in motivational interviewing and guides you in evaluating your health metrics (blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc). Partner with a nutritionist if you find nutritional planning too tedious to do on your own or are unsure how to start. Join online communities to be inspired by others and share about your own journey.
From working with patients as a medical student, I can say some of the most rewarding experiences for me came from helping patients gain awareness of food habits, connect nutrition to how they feel, and establish lasting behavioral change. Anecdotally, one patient I saw lost 50 lbs over 8 months and managed her blood sugar well enough she no longer needed insulin. In the process, her mood, self-confidence, and sense of agency improved to the point where she was ready to go back and tackle a college degree she stepped away from due to life circumstances. There is tremendous potential in the simple act of choosing well and eating better.
Thank you for reading and best wishes in your food journey~
