Food
science nerd here again. I really wanted to write a blog about the
connection between the way we feel, the way we eat, and the way they are
intimately related. Too often, we engage in “stress eating;”
and I wanted to shed a little light on what exactly occurs hormonally
to cause the desire for “comfort foods” under times of stress, and the
effect it has on our bodies. Recognizing the relationship between the brain and the gut is essential to taking control over stress eating.
 | |
| Here comes the serotonin! |
Your brain relies on the autonomic nervous system to regulate
involuntary, life sustaining functions. You may have heard the term
“second brain” before, referring to the gut. This second brain is truly
an integral part of your autonomic nervous system, called the “enteric nervous system.”
Different foods entering your digestive system will elicit different
hormonal responses, many of which are very complex. One of these
important hormonal reactions involves serotonin, and includes the communication between the gut and the brain.
Serotonin is the “feel good” hormone that helps to
regulate hunger and mood. Serotonin production increases with light
exposure, meaning that shorter days in the fall and winter, and greater
darkness exposure, can minimize the serotonin levels in your body,
causing seasonal affective disorder (SAAD) and depression. When you are
stressed/ anxious, your digestive system hears all about it from your
brain; and likewise, your brain is going to hear all about it from your
digestive system. Your gut contains 100 million neurons- more than your
spinal cord! And it also contains more than 80- 95% of your body’s serotonin. There is no “second brain,” there is one brain, but it is a double headed monster!
Have you ever felt your stomach turning when experiencing anxiety
over public speaking? Have you ever felt that you needed “comfort food”
when you were stressed out? When you are stressed out, your brain
activates a chemical network to accelerate your heart rate and cardiac
output. These comfort foods are often high in fat and simple
carbohydrates; foods which elicit high amounts of serotonin release,
which counteract the excitatory chemical network, and provide a calming
effect instead. Unfortunately, comfort foods don’t include lots
of complex carbs, fruits and veggies; simple carbohydrates, or those
high in sugar and less nutritious, are the carbohydrates which elicit
the greatest serotonin production. When experiencing anxiety, your brain
tells your gut that it needs a happy hormone (serotonin) “pick- me- up,” and your gut responds by saying, “give me some sugar!” That
is kind of why the cheesecake looks better than the berries in that
moment. The gut then also releases ghrelin, a hunger stimulating
hormone, which urges your brain to make the decision for you-
“cheesecake it is!” One study (link below) revealed a link between
heightened ghrelin and the increased appeal of choosing fatty foods over
healthy foods.
Unfortunately,
the simple carbs are a quick fix, and will not elicit long term
serotonin production. Under times of high stress, we have a simultaneous
influx of cortisol, a stress hormone, and also fat
storage hormone. So let’s recap: on a very base level, we have stress/
low serotonin; therefore, we have cortisol heightened and ready to store fat. Then, we have the rude, obnoxious ghrelin , telling us to eat the cheesecake. Boom, here we have stress eating for a short term quick serotonin
fix, and simultaneously heightened fat storage. We feel better for a
little while, and then almost immediately, regret and more stress.
 |
| Regret and more stress |
 | |
| Don't end up like Chris! |
Acknowledging the enteric nervous system and having an appreciation
for the way that the food we eat affects our mood is very important for
getting a handle on well being, especially around this time
of year, and keeping our diets under control.
Knowledge is key; combative techniques are necessary!
The next blog will include several ways to increase your serotonin naturally, and promote happiness and healthiness 
Knowledge is power. Eat healthy AND eat smart :)
Violate the dress code. ALWAYS!!!!!
Betsy Lane
Some sources- I try to provide links, but many of
these are not available publicly in full text. However, there is
still many reliable (.gov/ .edu) sites with information about serotonin,
SAAD, and the ENS! Happy reading!
ghrelin study: http://www.jci.org/articles/
Seasonal Affective Disorder: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Enteric Nervous System: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/
No comments:
Post a Comment