What you think you have vs. What is actually going on
Skipping meals.
Forgetting to eat because you are too “busy.”
Waiting too long to eat.
Using substances during the day to cope with your mental health issues.
Girlfriend. Get yo’ shit together + eat.
You are riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day but for some reason don’t expect your moods and mental health to ride along with you?
Stable moods require stable energy.
Waiting too long to eat, not combining foods appropriately or not eating enough sets off a stress response…ALERT! ALERT! I’M IN A FAMINE! HELP!
Your body literally panics.
What does this look like?
Blood sugar drops > Cortisol rises > If not given the food it needs your body goes through a stressful process of tapping into protein stores to turn them into glucose (a survival mechanism) > the more this happens your body ends up in chronic fight or flight mode continuously pumping out stress hormones
This then depletes your body of minerals. The very minerals we need for good mental health.
Your digestion then suffers due to not getting the energy it needs to break down food well.
Your hormones are trashed due to lack of nutrients, minerals and a compromised liver/ gut.
Your thyroid and metabolism suffer because your liver is too busy trying to make glucose out of other resources (and air) rather than converting thyroid hormones.
Your mental health then goes down the toilet.
Ways to balance your blood sugar:
+ Eat before you get hungry
+ Always combine carb, protein and fat
+ Eat every 3 hours, for some this might be every 2
+ Eat upon waking
+ Move your body often throughout the day
+ Caffeine after a meal always!
+ Limit alcohol
+ Get your minerals, gut and hormones checked!
+ Eat food that actually nourishes you, not what diet culture tells you to eat
Anxious or depressed? Eat more + often.
ADHD and PMS? Eat more + often.
Moody? Eat more + often.
Stressed? Eat more + often.
There are MANY layers to mental health and this is just one that is so often overlooked.
Don’t suppress with alcohol, psychedelics, CBD, or whatever other substance you are using to cope. It will come back ten fold in other ways. Your body is speaking to you, listen.
Not medical advice. Nutrition POV.