August 2, 2017
Have you ever notice your mood change… After a meal?
The FEELS!
Most of us have heard of “Hangry” – so hungry you become angry! I’ve been there multiple times and it’s something I try to consciously avoid. No one wants to see that monster…
Recently, however, I’ve noticed another game changer that has me intrigued. Typically once you’ve tamed the “Hangry” monster you’re home free, but lately I’ve noticed more of a shift after I’ve finished eating…
With my slow transition towards a healthier lifestyle, I’ve been cutting back on meat, dairy and some gluten. I haven’t gone full vegan as I’m not ready to be labeled, so I’m taking it slow and being gentle with myself through the process.
The times I’ve noticed the most change in my mood after eating is when I have poor food combinations. My biggest mistake is mixing proteins and starches, which is so hard to run away from in the Western culture as most options contain both – burgers, eggs and toast, steak and potato, fish and rice etc.
You might think I’m crazy to say those two groups shouldn’t share a plate. That was my exact thought when I first learned about food combining too… Until I learned why.
To break this down for you… let’s talk about how our body breaks down each group.
Protein
- Needs an acidic environment to be broken down in the stomach.
Starches
- Require an alkaline environment for their digestion in the small intestine.
When starches make their way to the small intestine and pass through the stomach, they hinder the secretion of hydrochloric acid (main source used to break down proteins). This interference could lead to toxic material passing through the body due to incomplete digestion.
Therefore, our body is forced to work overtime to digest the combination of proteins and starch. When we poorly combine our meal, the stomach has to secrete more digestive juices to break down the food, and the acidic digestive juices for proteins are neutralized by the alkaline juices required for the starches. In the end, the digestive process can end up taking hours, and plenty of energy leaving us exhausted and most likely confused as to why.
In my personal experience, this process can actually create that “hangry” mentality. As my energy is being drained to try and digest my poorly combined meal, I find myself becoming more and more agitated. Similar to that all too common “hanger” I then find myself reaching back into the cabinet for some type of sugar rush.
Of course, everyone reacts differently to food, and food combinations but this is just what I have discovered. I never used to compare my moods to my meals but what we eat seems to contribute to every other part of our lives, why not also our feelings.
I challenge you to make notes when your mood shifts and what you had eaten prior to that. Take a few moments each day to reflect on how food makes you FEEL. Only then can we make changes to better enhance our daily experiences.
I’d love to hear some of your experiences below!!
