Are you grieving and experiencing low energy and motivation to get through the day?
Grief can be disabling feeling that consumes all aspects of our lives. Especially when dealing with the loss of someone important to us, it is easy to let this sadness take over everything, including our diet. Binging on unhealthy comfort food or not eating at all are very common ways of dealing with grief. These unhealthy eating patterns can feed into the feeling of lethargy that is often accompanied by grief.
Although grief isn’t something that can be solved like an equation, there are steps that you can take in your diet to help improve your mental clarity, mood, and sleep quality. Having a healthy body and brain are essential components to healing the heart.
Download this free 1-week meal plan first!
1. Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is essential in mood-stabilizing, promoting feelings of happiness, and sleep quality. Low levels of serotonin are known to be associated with depression and other disorders. The amino acid Tryptophan is what is synthesized in the brain into serotonin. Therefore, consuming high protein foods that contain tryptophan, along with complex carbohydrates to ensure uptake, can help generate more serotonin in the brain. The process also requires iron, zinc, B vitamins, and healthy gut flora. Synthesizing serotonin from your diet is not a simple process, nor will it take away heartache, but being conscious of the food we feed to our brain can help combat feelings of lethargy and lack of motivation. Foods that contain Tryptophan include meats, fish, animal products, nuts and seeds, and even chocolate!
2. B Vitamins
Although low energy can be due to many different factors when dealing with grief, it is important for your body’s energy production that you are keeping your B vitamin levels at healthy values. There are 8 different B vitamins that are found in a variety of foods. However, consuming B vitamins doesn’t necessarily give you an energy boost as a cup of coffee would. The vitamins need to be maintained in your daily diet at their required levels in order for your body to break down glycogen stores into glucose, which is how your body produces energy. If you stop nourishing your body with food choices containing these vitamins, you may notice an energy deficit. Good sources of B vitamins include whole grains, meat, animal products, legumes, seeds and nuts, dark leafy greens. and many fruits.
3. The Colors of the Rainbow
Do you feel more excited to eat food when it is a diverse set of colors? This may be because seeing colorful food can chemically increase your happiness, through the release of serotonin! Not only do you feel happier when you eat colorful food, but you are also contributing to your health as colorful food like fruits and vegetables have many healthy nutrients and antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight inflammation in your cells to keep your body healthy. So, eating the colors of the rainbow is extremely beneficial for both your mental and body health! Some even say that various colors can excite our brain in different ways.
Conclusion
Ready to combat grief with the power of nutrition but don’t know how? Make sure to download the sample meal plan to help you kick start your mood with colorful, healthy, and fun food options! This meal plan includes high protein, colorful, gut-healthy, nutrient-rich foods along with some beneficial herbal teas.
Grief can be disabling feeling that consumes all aspects of our lives. Especially when dealing with the loss of someone important to us, it is easy to let this sadness take over everything, including our diet. Binging on unhealthy comfort food or not eating at all are very common ways of dealing with grief. These unhealthy eating patterns can feed into the feeling of lethargy that is often accompanied by grief.
Although grief isn’t something that can be solved like an equation, there are steps that you can take in your diet to help improve your mental clarity, mood, and sleep quality. Having a healthy body and brain are essential components to healing the heart.
Download this free 1-week meal plan first!
1. Serotonin
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is essential in mood-stabilizing, promoting feelings of happiness, and sleep quality. Low levels of serotonin are known to be associated with depression and other disorders. The amino acid Tryptophan is what is synthesized in the brain into serotonin. Therefore, consuming high protein foods that contain tryptophan, along with complex carbohydrates to ensure uptake, can help generate more serotonin in the brain. The process also requires iron, zinc, B vitamins, and healthy gut flora. Synthesizing serotonin from your diet is not a simple process, nor will it take away heartache, but being conscious of the food we feed to our brain can help combat feelings of lethargy and lack of motivation. Foods that contain Tryptophan include meats, fish, animal products, nuts and seeds, and even chocolate!
2. B Vitamins
Although low energy can be due to many different factors when dealing with grief, it is important for your body’s energy production that you are keeping your B vitamin levels at healthy values. There are 8 different B vitamins that are found in a variety of foods. However, consuming B vitamins doesn’t necessarily give you an energy boost as a cup of coffee would. The vitamins need to be maintained in your daily diet at their required levels in order for your body to break down glycogen stores into glucose, which is how your body produces energy. If you stop nourishing your body with food choices containing these vitamins, you may notice an energy deficit. Good sources of B vitamins include whole grains, meat, animal products, legumes, seeds and nuts, dark leafy greens. and many fruits.
3. The Colors of the Rainbow
Do you feel more excited to eat food when it is a diverse set of colors? This may be because seeing colorful food can chemically increase your happiness, through the release of serotonin! Not only do you feel happier when you eat colorful food, but you are also contributing to your health as colorful food like fruits and vegetables have many healthy nutrients and antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight inflammation in your cells to keep your body healthy. So, eating the colors of the rainbow is extremely beneficial for both your mental and body health! Some even say that various colors can excite our brain in different ways.
Conclusion
Ready to combat grief with the power of nutrition but don’t know how? Make sure to download the sample meal plan to help you kick start your mood with colorful, healthy, and fun food options! This meal plan includes high protein, colorful, gut-healthy, nutrient-rich foods along with some beneficial herbal teas.
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