THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 13, 1995 TAG: 9507120038
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: FITNESS QUEST
SOURCE: BY MARY FLACHSENHAAR, SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Long : 172 lines
WE ARE WHAT we eat.
More than we thought.
The link between diet and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis has been established. Now a hefty portion of research indicates that what we eat influences how we feel mentally and emotionally.
While the research has just started to simmer, some in the field are already convinced that food and mood go together like bacon and eggs, like burgers and fries.
``The food-mood question is not an issue to be debated - it is a truism,'' said Dr. Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatric researcher with the National Institutes of Health, the federal agency that does biomedical research. Rosenthal is the author of ``Winter Blues'' (Guilford, 1993), a book that examines the effects of the seasons on mood disorders and eating habits.
The food-mood connection is being analyzed in research labs and applied to real life in the offices of mental-health professionals and dietitians, in college classrooms where a new subject called ``wellness'' is being taught, and in articles in lifestyle and health magazines.
It doesn't take a PhD. to conclude that eating ice cream makes most of us happy. And that getting on the scale after eating it makes most of us sad. But the food-mood link is much more complicated than that simple scoop.
Here is a sample from the smorgasbord of current findings:
If you eat a lunch too rich in carbohydrates, too low in protein, you might doze through a business meeting at 3. ``Carbos'' elevate the levels of the brain chemical serotonin, which makes you calm and sleepy.
If you must have chocolate for a late-afternoon snack, you might be fighting depression more than hunger. The compounds in chocolate produce an endorphin release in the brain that has a powerful analgesic effect.
If you are a Type A or highly stressed person, you probably have lower magnesium levels than your Type B, or more relaxed, buddy. Stress triggers the release of the stress hormones, which increase magnesium loss. You may need more foods rich in this mineral, such as nuts, wheat germ, bananas and leafy green vegetables. VICIOUS CYCLES
Certain foods can make us susceptible to certain moods. And moods, such as feelings of irritability, depression or stress, can set off cravings for specific foods. It doesn't take long for a cycle of negative moods and unwise food choices to become habit, according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Somer.
With research on the food-mood connection now on the front burner, consumers can use the freshest nutritional information to make sensible changes in eating habits, says Somer, the author of the new book ``Food & Mood'' (Henry Holt and Co. Inc., 1995). The result, she says, will be improvement in memory, energy levels, sleep patterns, weight management and attitude.
``For a long time, I've been listening to people complain about how fatigued and irritable they always feel,'' said Somer, who writes books and magazine articles on nutrition. ``As I listened, I was also tracking all the food-mood research that started about 15 years ago for a nutritional periodical I edit.''
Somer stirred together her personal and professional findings. The result was ``Food & Mood,'' an easy-to-digest blend of science text, summaries and interpretations of current studies, and consumer tips including menu plans, recipes and resource lists.
Her advice for the kitchen begins with reports from science labs, where the body chemicals that influence appetite have been put under the microscope in recent years.
The four brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, that regulate our emotions, hunger, moods and behavior are serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and acetylcholine. Manufactured directly from food components, these neurotransmitters are sensitive to food intake. They are just a few in what Somer refers to as the large ``stewpot'' of chemicals and hormones that influence what and when we eat.
A sampling from the stewpot:
Studies by Drs. Richard and Judith Wurtman at the Massachusettts Institute of Technology in Cambridge indicate that carbohydrates elevate brain levels of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, reduces pain and appetite, calms you and improves your mood. A carbohydrate-rich snack such as crackers and fruit might alter brain chemistry enough to provide temporary relief from mild depression.
Dr. Sarah Leibowitz, a professor of neurobiology at Rockefeller University in New York City, has pioneered research in the brain chemical galanin, which triggers the body's appetite for fat. Galanin levels rise when estrogen levels are high, which might explain the cravings for sweet and creamy foods associated with premenstrual syndrome.
A study at the University of Massachusetts in Worcester showed that healthy people who took a drug that blocks acetylcholine flunked a memory test but passed the test when they took a drug that increased levels of this neurotransmitter, which is important in memory and general mental function. Wheat germ, brewer's yeast and eggs are good sources of choline. FEAR OF FOOD
In a nutshell, cravings often have a basis in biological need, experts say. And a corollary: Too much or too little of some nutrients can strongly affect whether we are happy or sad, calm or irritable, sharp or dull.
There is a danger in squeezing too much of this message into a nutshell, Somer warns.
``There are no quick-fix foods, no power foods,'' she said by phone from her home in Salem, Ore. ``Sound bites may sound good but they don't tell the whole story. Most people need to reprogram their whole eating style. Start eating better, and pretty soon you won't have cravings for foods like chocolate and coffee.
``A lot of this is actually common sense.''
Making gradual changes in eating habits is critical, Somer says. In her book she often points out that when people attempt restrictive diets or reduce fat and sugar intake too quickly, they upset appetite-regulating brain chemicals, setting the stage for the extreme behaviors of fasting and feasting. This can result in obsessive eating, fear of food and anger.
The wiser route is to go slowly, occasionally giving in to the cravings for the sweet and creamy or caffeine-rich foods and drinks that have become habit. As you gradually reform your eating style, these foods will become less appealing, Somer says.
Patience is a necessary ingredient because adapting new food habits could take as long as a year.
``The first step in undoing the harm done by fad dieting is to just say no forever to any restrictive diet that reduces daily energy intake below 1,500 calories,'' says Somer, who is convinced that most healthy people need at least 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day of nutrient-packed, low-fat foods.
That news should put most of us in a good mood.
That good mood will get even better, promises Somer, if you follow these guidelines from ``Food & Mood.'' In a healthy but fatigued person, these few simple changes may be all it takes to feel, work and sleep better:
Eat several small meals and snacks, maybe five or six a day, each containing some protein and some complex carbohydrates. The body is better able to absorb and use nutrients and maintain stable levels of blood sugar and nerve chemicals when nourished with frequent, moderate-size meals rather than ``three squares.''
Research shows that people who eat this way maintain a more even temperament; are less prone to fatigue, insomnia and depression; maintain a better weight; and are less susceptible to disease than those who eat three times daily.
Eat breakfast, always. It boosts your energy for the rest of the day, breaks the fast-and-feast cycle, prevents fatigue and helps improve mood. Make it light, limit the fat and include a protein-rich food and a carbohydrate-rich food. Meals with a mix of protein and starch maintain blood sugar and energy levels for up to four hours. Some examples: oatmeal with a little wheat germ, low-fat milk and a banana; or a bagel with low-fat cheese and fruit.
Limit caffeine to no more than two servings daily of coffee, tea or cola. Although caffeine provides a quick boost in the first hour, that boost is followed by mild withdrawal symptoms. Those who ingest more than moderate amounts of caffeine tend to sleep less soundly and become dehydrated. These conditions lead to fatigue and irritability.
Limit sweet and creamy or sugary foods to one serving daily. Reducing sugar is one of the most important factors in achieving mood and energy control. Within 10 to 15 minutes after a sugar fix, blood sugar rises to above-normal levels followed, within 25 to 40 minutes, by a dramatic drop to subnormal levels and a crash in mood.
Limit fat to 25 percent of calories while simultaneously eating more fruits, vegetables and grains to increase your intake of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Do not eliminate fat from the diet. It is necessary to help the body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, supply the essential fat called linoleic acid and add variety to the diet.
Increase your water intake to at least six (8-ounce) glasses a day. Low-grade dehydration from not drinking enough fluids is one of the most common causes of fatigue.
Consider taking a moderate-dose multiple vitamin and mineral supplement if you consume fewer than 2,500 calories daily. Somer's review of several national nutritional surveys indicates Americans don't consume adequate vitamins and minerals for optimal mood, energy and mental function.
``Only if a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet for a woman is nutritionally perfect will she get the zinc and iron she needs,'' Somer says. ``And I've never found a woman's diet that's nutritionally perfect.'' ILLUSTRATION: ADRIANA LIBREROS/Staff
by CNB