Have you ever experienced the lethargy and energy-zapping that comes from a tasty but bad-for-you meal? Highly processed, high fat and high sugar foods can taste delicious, but they aren’t the most nutritious choices. Under the best of circumstances, eating poorly might only affect your waistline but under difficult circumstances, eating poorly can make it harder to cope.
Our bodies use food as fuel. Choosing good food helps everything run optimally. Whole foods rich in vitamins and minerals and free from chemicals and preservatives contribute to a healthy mind and body. When we choose the wrong foods, our bodies suffer and that affects things like our:
- Mood
- Mind
- Stamina
- Coping skills
Eating well under difficult circumstances can help keep your mind clear and focused. This is very important when times are hard. Clear thinking helps you cope with stress, solve problems, make better decisions, and avoid depression. Here’s how.
Eating right feels good.
It’s plain and simple that eating well feels good. Your body is designed to digest whole foods and runs most efficiently when you choose the right fuel. Eating healthy combinations of foods gives your body energy rather than zapping it. Eating well feels good physically and mentally because your mind doesn’t have to overcome the sluggishness of high-fat, high-sodium intake.
Eating right promotes good functioning.
Eating right helps your body function the way it was designed. From a healthy heart rate and blood pressure, to dependable and good digestion, eating right makes it possible for your body to work well. In addition, eating right helps your body maintain a healthy sleep/wake cycle. Eating poorly can affect digestion, elimination, and make it harder to sleep.
Eating right clears your mind.
There is a connection between bouts of depression and eating an unhealthy diet. It’s difficult to know which comes first – eating poorly or depression – but the two are interconnected. While difficult situations may contribute to feeling symptoms of depression, eating right can help battle the depression and lessen the intensity and length of time depression exists. Eating a good diet helps keep the mind clear and more effective at coping with stress and solving problems.
The proverbial statement ‘You are what you eat’ directly applies to being brave. What you choose to eat during intense situations will either contribute to bravery or feeling overwhelmed and incapacitated. Choosing the best available options for food when you are managing difficult situations will help ensure you face the challenges with the best possible mindset.
