Mood and Food

How much does your mood affect how your body reacts to food? I’ve thought about this for some time and there can be different ways of looking at it. Simply put, anytime you over indulge the probability of it badly affecting you is likely. For example, eating too many sweets like chocolate can cause a stomachache. But besides some of the obvious, I’ve noticed that when I am in a really good mood I can eat almost anything and still feel fine (specific allergies excluded). Where on some days things like dairy doesn’t sit well with me, but on others (usually good mood days) it’s completely ok. I am no scientist and I am sure there is more to this than my “coincidences,” but what if your body knows quicker than your mind can think it that it will accept foods happily because it itself is happy.

 I can think of occasions where I eat food at a party or on a date where it was going really well and my body didn’t react negatively to it, on the contrary I think I enjoyed the food more. There’s a connection we are not consciously aware of that our body and our mind have. Realizing it and gaining control of what and how much goes in your mouth at what time is the hard part.  Maybe that explains why on most of my enjoyed vacations I ate food with no issues (even a few things I am mildly allergic to).  Dang, I need good vacation soon!

3-Day Juice Fest

I started off on Monday morning with high hopes and a stomach full of juice. The next two days were still filled with juice and only juice. Healthy, you ask? Well as I had come to hear from people most of the results were positive and uplifting. So there I was with a fridge loaded of three days worth (six juices a day) of liquids as my only meals from Ritual Cleanse.

Day 1: Thoughts filled of adventure!
Excitement and whoo-haa surrounded my every gulp. After a morning gym session I was pumped for juice. It didn't hurt that the juices were tasty too, but right around my 4th and 5th drink I began to frown when it was time to take some sips. However I was so glad for my #6 juice that tasted like orchata. Besides that I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

Day 2: I can relate to a fish..
Morning is the easiest. Noon time a bit harder. But nothing like the late afternoon when you're craving all the wrong things like burgers, pizza, sushi, desserts, you name it. But you've come this far, you're not going to give in. Did Rocky mix in pancakes with those raw eggs during his training? No! So neither was I.

Day 3: My thoughts: "Solid food is only a day away"
By this time I can see results: clearer skin, increased creativity, late evening headaches, an overload of dreams, times of having a blank mind, a flatter tummy, and times of stomach aches. The worst of it was when it came time to drink #5 and it was missing. I felt sick with a stomach ache, headache, and trouble sleeping. I could not wait for my day four of actual solid nourishing food.

The day after (day 4) was a relief that it was over and I felt better after eating small bits of food. The experience of a three day juice cleanse was challenging. Every person might react differently to it and as I was going through this with my sister I can tell you that her experience was far more positive with some effects opposite of me. I'm glad and I don't discourage people from trying it, however be aware of all the possible effects. If you can, I think it's best that you cleanse on your days off and stay at home where you can take it easy have access to the bathroom close by.

Cheers (with a juice in hand) to a cleansed new year!