How Food Affects My Depression and Anxiety

Food affects my depression and anxiety and not in the best of ways. I haven't always had a healthy relationship with food. For me, I have found that what I eat affects the way I feel, and how I feel affects what I eat. As with a lot of things, it can easily spin into a downward spiral if not watched carefully ("Which Foods Help Your Depression?"). Read this article to learn more about how my food choices affect my depression and anxiety. 

Food Affects Depression and Anxiety

First, I would like to start by saying that I am not a doctor or nutritionist. My goal is to share what my experience has been and to encourage you to explore what works in your life. There are so many theories on what nutritional lifestyles work best, but it is my opinion that food affects us all differently. In my experience, eating less processed food and more plant-based foods have had the most positive effect on me. You may find different things that work for you.

How Food Affects My Depression

One main thing that I have been paying close attention to this year is what food affects my energy levels. Every time I eat something, I try to determine whether I have gained or lost energy from it. For me, when I eat foods that give me low energy, I can become depressed very easily. Of course, there are other variables and my eating habits haven't changed the entire picture. However, I am surprised at how much of a difference it makes. 

How Food Affects My Anxiety

On the other end, some foods actually give me more anxiety. I have found that one of my biggest anxiety triggers has been sweets. When I eat foods that have large amounts of sugar, it makes my heart race, making me feel instantly anxious. Until I started watching the food I was eating, I would have never guessed that it played such an important role in my mood. 

Food can have such a big impact on how we feel ("Diet Plan for Depression and Anxiety"). I think it is so important to really take into account what we are eating as well as how it affects our mental health. 

How does food affect your depression, anxiety and overall mental health?