Are You Feeding Bad Moods?

By Kathy L. O'Brien
Special to the Herald
(From the issue of 2/27/03)

Adult rates of depression and anxiety have tripled since 1990 (Mood Cure, Julia Ross). Many are suffering from bad moods that seem to have no explanation, while countless others are seeking help through drugs.

What has brought about this rise in depression? It may seem simplistic to suggest that much of the problem is caused by dietary deficiencies. Yet for many people, addressing diet is the beginning of relief.

Our bodies make brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) if given the building blocks to do so. These neurotransmitters trigger positive moods. The building blocks are amino acids that make up proteins. For example, if we lack the amino acid tryptophan, we cannot make the neurotransmitter serotonin. This lack results in being negative, worried, irritable, sleepless and having cravings.

Negative feelings are not always indicative of neurotransmitter deficiencies. There are times when it is appropriate to be "down," and the source of troubling emotions is known. However, when a person begins to cry or yell over minor things, is overly critical, anxious, sleepless, tense, and lacks energy or concentration consistently, he or she may be deficient in neurotransmitters, which means a deficiency in amino acids.

Apart from poor diet, low neurotransmitters are caused by stress, lack of sun and exercise, consumption of stimulants or aspartame, or inherited genes. Whatever the cause, addressing diet is essential. Although supplements and/or medications may be necessary and helpful, they do not satisfy the body’s requirements for food.

Regarding diet, we need to address two aspects: getting good food in and junk out. Good foods, addressed in my last article (ACH 2/13/02), include whole-grain foods, proteins and fats.

The "bad mood" foods include highly processed vegetables and grains and their oils. The top two are white sugar and flour (white trash). Both start as plants complete with fiber, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Processing alters them to be only part of the whole. These incomplete substances are absorbed into the blood too quickly because they lack the fiber and other nutrients that slow down the change to blood sugar. The body reacts by secreting insulin (a storage hormone) that lowers the blood sugar. The result is a rollercoaster effect of high and low blood sugar with corresponding high and low energy level and mood.

The best way to regulate mood and energy is to eliminate white sugar entirely and to limit white flour products (breads, pasta, crackers, etc.). In their stead, I suggest Rapadura sugar (a less processed sugar) and sprouted grain breads, usually found in the frozen food section of grocery stores, that are flourless. Incorporating other grains to limit wheat consumption is also helpful.

Bad fats also contribute to bad moods. Since the 1950s, we have been consuming an unprecedented amount of omega-6 oils such as corn, cottonseed, canola, soy and sunflower oil. While some of these oils are necessary, most people consume too much. These oils that go rancid easily and are ruined by processing, often resulting in hydrogenated or trans-fats found in margarine, salad dressings, peanut butter and packaged foods. Trans-fats prevent the brain from using the good fats which leads to mood disruption. To properly feed your mood, avoid hydrogenated oils and limit omega-6 oils. Use butter, olive oil, and flax seed oil (one tablespoon/day).

O’Brien is a Certified Nutritional Consultant at the MARQ Health Center in Annandale. For more information or to register for the Healthy Eating Seminar Series, call 703/916-8116.

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