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You must’ve heard the saying, “You only live once”, people often take this saying as a free pass to indulge in whatever things they crave – especially fast food. When you think about it, the greasy slice of pizza or the thought of a juicy burger gives you immediate happiness. But, do you there is also a catch? The way fast food is made and its high-calorie nature makes it one of teh most harmful foods to intake in teh long run.
Yes, we all have heard about the quote “You are what you eat.” After all, growing up, our parents put great emphasis on the importance of eating healthy green vegetables or consuming fresh fruits. Now that we look back, we can all agree that the advice was more than just making us overcome our picky eating habits. It was more about growing up to become a healthy person in the future.
Science has proved that our mental well-being is closely linked to our gut health. This article will help you navigate through the pitfalls of fast food and how it can impact your mental health.
Your gut is responsible for almost 95% of serotonin production in your body. Serotonin is the hormone present in the body that is responsible for our happiness and overall mood. If the gut is being fed all kinds of fast food and nothing healthy, serotonin production will be decreased and your happiness will take a hit.
Very few people are aware of the connection between the brain and the gut. When foods that are low in nutrition and high in calories are consumed, your gut sends neural signals to the brain that affect your mental health negatively. According to research, when depressed people’s diet was observed, it was seen that their nutrition was made of poor food choices, not adequate at all. Poor food choices, in turn, lead to low levels of serotonin.
When serotonin levels in your body take a dip, research indicates that individuals might exhibit suicidal tendencies. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid foods that are unhealthy such as those high in salt, sugar, saturated fat, and other added preservatives that are harmful to your body.
Serotonin is like the happiness boost that is necessary for your body to function properly. It’s like your body is a well-oiled machine and someone takes away the one clog that’s keeping it together. When the clog is taken away, the machine starts acting up and eventually, it falls apart. The whole factory shuts down. Hence, it is crucial to see what food you eat to maintain the levels of serotonin in your body and avoid the collapse of a well-oiled machine.
Now that we know the connection between the gut and the brain, it is evident that a low level of serotonin leads to depression. When a person complains about symptoms of depression, a psychiatrist suggests medicines that are serotonin inhibitors such as Fluoxetine so that your mood remains good throughout the day. Moreover, they also suggest activities that naturally produce serotonin in your brain.
Eating fast food can have adverse effects on the symptoms of depression because of low levels of serotonin. Gastrointestinal symptoms are also one of the most common symptoms of low serotonin. Eating huge amounts of processed food such as cereals, high-fat dairy products, candies, processed meats and more have the tendency to make you more and more depressed.
We all feel a little down in the dumps in our life. That usually happens because of our bad eating habits and lack of self-care. So, it is necessary to focus on yourself and cater to the symptoms of depression.
When we talk about the connection between the health of our gut and the human brain, it is necessary to note the negative effects of bad nutrition on learning and memory problems. Do you find yourself in a position where someone told you to do an important task but you forgot to do it? Seems very normal at first but when it becomes a habit, it’s a problem.
Foods that are high in sugar and saturated fat have the tendency to hinder memory. This was observed in a study conducted among children where it was found that foods low in nutrition deteriorate the healthy functions of the brain.
According to Harvard Health, scientists found in an experiment that individuals who ate the most junk food experienced cognitive decline at a rate of up to 28% with no prior symptoms of dementia. The participants involved in the experiment filled out several food questionnaires and went through cognitive tests. It was found that the participants who ate the most junk food had problems recalling, word recognition, and other cognitive abilities.
Healthy foods that are high in Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and potassium have the tendency to affect the brain in a positive manner. The diet we consume is largely related to our cognitive abilities and as mentioned earlier, we are what we eat.
So before you take another bite of your burger, think about the effects it might have on your brain.
Unhealthy eating patterns cannot be good for your health. A high intake of sugar and a low intake of fiber might affect your body in a negative way. A study conducted in Spain proves that university-going students observe severely unhealthy eating habits which lead to anxiety.
A study suggests that low selenium intake has reported negative effects on mood which is linked to anxiety. Selenium is an important part of our body and foods with traces of selenoproteins reflect different important functions. Anxiety is a common problem among our population and most students and office-going people experience severe anxiety.
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The use of caffeine and nicotine, low blood sugar in the body, and poor hydration can help increase the symptoms of anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety are linked with several physical illnesses and paying attention to what we eat is the first and most important thing. Eating foods that are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Magnesium, Zinc, and Vitamin B can help counter the symptoms of anxiety.
A common misconception is floated that fruit juices are good for health. In reality, whole fruits contain more fiber, and drinking fruit juice indicates that you are drinking sugar without any fiber. It is suggested that you eat whole fruit instead of consuming juice as it can contribute to the symptoms of anxiety.
What you eat directly impacts your anxiety. It is important to maintain a healthy diet and prevent these mental conditions from happening. So, it is advised to avoid drinks that are supposedly high in sugar such as sodas. White bread should also be avoided as it can turn into sugar inside our bodies because of the absence of fiber.
While junk food might give you internal satisfaction, it has the tendency to make you more and more irritable. Junk food has the capability to fill you up faster than any other food. It gives you instant satisfaction and makes you feel full in a matter of minutes. It is known that you might get addicted to instant gratification leading to you becoming impatient. That is why people who eat a lot of junk food have problems switching to salads as they are not as fulfilling.
Do you ever find yourself in a fast food restaurant waiting impatiently for your order? You see the waiter passing by with a tray of burgers and curly fries and you immediately imagine that it is your order. But no, that order turns out to be someone else’s. This makes you irritable and pisses you off that it’s taking so long. Even though all food takes this much time, this especially feels like a long time. Why? Because fast food makes you impatient.
Imagine yourself sitting in the comfort of your bed watching the most exciting TV show and suddenly, you’re hungry. You think to yourself that you have all the ingredients in your home that can make a tasty dinner. But, you choose to order takeout. Ordering takeout involves the least amount of work. So, you pick up your phone and order the most delicious fast food. You are aware that the food you ordered is bad for your health but you saved time. This only tells us that we are becoming increasingly impatient and lethargic. It all depends on your way of thinking and how much work you can put in for yourself.
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All anyone can think about these days is how they look. Having an unhealthy diet has the capability to lead to body image problems and low self-esteem. Poor body image is a common factor leading to mental health problems like eating disorders and depression. A mental health condition known as body dysmorphia is a common side effect of weight gain and obesity. This happens due to the consumption of junk food which leads to obesity and weight gain. The high-calorie nature of junk food is the main culprit.
Body dysmorphia causes a person to constantly check the mirror and see how many flaws they have in their body. People who have body dysmorphia cannot stop feeling ashamed or embarrassed about how they look and avoid social interactions because of it. They see defects and flaws in themselves that others couldn’t even see.
Eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa involve eating abnormally large amounts of food in a short timeframe and experiencing binge eating behavior. This eating disorder has a huge tendency to make you feel bad about your self-esteem and can also lead to suicidal behavior. Eating huge amounts of junk food can also have the same effects on your self-esteem.
To avoid such instances, one should be very careful with the consumption of fast food which is particularly unhealthy. Avoiding high-glycemic foods such as cornflakes, white bread, potatoes, fruit juices, and others can help you counter the effects of low self-esteem and make you feel good about yourself. It is important to exercise self-control in order to maintain an appropriate amount of self-esteem. It is important to have a healthy amount of self-esteem as it is the epitome of our self-confidence and makes up the majority of our personality.
Fast food has the potential to make you feel hyperactive or leave you with a jittery feeling. Foods high in Sodium Benzoate may increase the risk of obesity, stress, and, wait for it, ADHD. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental disorder that includes inattention and hyperactivity which makes you feel uneasy and impulsive. It involves moving too much or speaking without thinking. Junk food sends you on a “high” which imitates the symptoms of ADHD. Research suggests that beverages rich in Sodium Benzoate have the tendency to exhibit symptoms of ADHD.
Another study suggests that food additives can worsen the symptoms of ADHD in children. Children are known to have a natural energy that adults mostly lack. When children are given foods rich in Sodium Benzoate, it increases their energy which makes them hyperactive. If these symptoms of ADHD go on for a long time, they can reach their peak and turn into severe mood swings. When a person feels that they can’t seem to get a rest or feel hyperactive, mood swings can come next making them mentally unstable. Increased irritation and feeling uneasy are the most common effects of junk food.
Proper appetite and food intake can decrease these symptoms. Avoid sugar intake, beverages rich in sodium benzoate, processed foods, and high-calorie foods to counter the effects of ADHD and hyperactivity.
To conclude, fast food has several effects on the mental health of a person, mostly the bad effects. It is necessary to remember that our eating habits define the respect we have for ourselves and our bodies. Eating healthy is a lifestyle and it is in our control. From short-term effects to long-term, eating healthy can make you lead a life that can make you feel good about yourself. Choose to be healthy and make good choices in your life. In this way, you can deal with all the problems of the world.
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