As part of National Nutrition Month® celebrations occurring throughout the month of March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shines a one-day spotlight on the invaluable work of registered/dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). This year, RDN Day will be celebrated on March 12th. That’s today!!
Every year, the Academy highlights a special topic during National Nutrition Month. This year, March 1st marked the start of the month’s theme of Food Connects Us.
Throughout our lifetimes, we make connections to people, places, and things. And for many— to food. The connection between food and culture is entrenched in our everyday lives. We all have some connection to foods growing up in our own homes. Many of us still fondly remember foods that are connected to our heritage. For me, I grew up in a Greek household so I was engaged in a Mediterranean diet long before it was popularized by science. My grandmother and dad emigrated to the U.S. in the 1930’s. With them, came their culture and recipes from their small village in northern Greece. I never noticed that my food was different than friends’ meals until I was old enough to spend time at their homes. In my schooldays, we went home for lunch everyday so I never got a sneak peek at lunch boxes in the schoolyard. And many a day, bean soup was on the lunch menu. But the smell of freshly baked bread that accompanied it made it a-okay. I was just telling one of my patients the other day, that even though I know dried chickpeas are an ideal snack, my “connection” and memory to them was from annual family gatherings where dried chickpeas sat out in a crystal serving dish as appetizers—unsalted and unflavored—no thanks!
We also connect to the environment when we care about how foods are grown and prepared. I’ve discussed ultra processed foods in the past and we know this topic will continue on in the news as we move toward a cleaner diet in this country. With the winter behind us, it’s time to look forward to nicer weather and local farmers’ markets popping back up. This is where we can support our local small businesses and connect with their commitment to grow healthier, more sustainable foods.
Biology plays a critical role in the connection of food and mood. We all know what we feel like (hungry, hangry, lightheaded, tired…) when we miss a meal. That’s our body telling us it’s time to eat! Our brains need a constant supply of fuel, which comes in the form of sugars that get broken down from all foods, and not just carbs. Our blood sugars (glucose) go up and down in response to the foods we eat. Our mood swings also correlate to blood sugar swings. Staying on track with the timing of breakfast, lunch, and dinner can offset these blood sugar swings.
Here’s some more biology. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter produced in your gastrointestinal tract (aka gut) that helps regulate sleep and appetite, and can mediate moods. Because of this, serotonin is often referred to as the "feel-good" neurotransmitter. It influences emotions, well-being, and happiness. Many foods contain an amino acid, tryptophan, that helps your body produce serotonin. Eating foods rich in tryptophan can help improve your mood. Eggs, milk, cheese, fish, nuts, seeds, spinach and turkey are all good sources of tryptophan, so eat up!
There’s also a behavioral connection between food and mood. For some people, certain foods carry happy or sad times in their memories. Stress, poor sleep, tiredness, and being overworked can play a significant role on how we respond to how we eat. Emotional eating for comfort and relief of stress can be coping mechanisms that can lead to unhealthy eating patterns if not treated. There are dietitians that specialize in treatment plans for these behaviors. They employ mindful approaches to situations and help to identify triggers that set off disordered patterns of eating.
On that note, let me underscore the value in making a connection, and building a relationship with a Nutrition Expert. Registered Dietitians/Nutritionists (RDNs) are the experts in the field of nutrition. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, assembling more than 112,000 credentialed nutrition and dietetics practitioners. Note, that many dietitians have established their own private practices with niche specialties, such as cardiovascular disease (high cholesterol, hypertension), gastrointestinal health (IBS, IBD, GERD), kidney disease, eating disorders, and diabetes to name a few.
Preventative care is available under most health insurance plans; these render no co-payment for services for the most part. Call your insurance carrier and ask what wellness benefits you have under your own plan.
Happy National Nutrition Month!
In Good Health,
Sophie
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