One of the first things to go when we’re in heartbreak is our diet. We will do anything to feel better, and that includes eating all the foods we know are bad for us. But if you make some small adjustments to your diet, you can eat your way to happiness.

I did it.

My go-to feel better food is sugar. I now know that it’s an addiction, but back then, all I could do to feel better was dive into sugary food, the chai latte’s, the occasional dark chocolate (that’s supposed to be good right?). I would binge on desserts before I ate food. I would eat cake and cookies late at night. I would convince myself that dried fruit was a healthy snack but found out that they are like candy. Then I would throw the occasional salad in there somewhere to convince myself I was eating healthily.

Why do we do it?

We do it to numb. The feelings of sadness are sometimes too much, and all we want to do is not feel bad. Some of the more common numbing foods include:

– red wine

– chocolate

– ice cream

– cookies

– sugary drinks

– creamy hot drinks

We also do this because we want to feel happy again. Our feel-good neurotransmitters tend to decline when we are in heartbreak grief. Neurotransmitters such as oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine help us feel good but are also crucial for keeping us healthy. Producing these feel-good chemicals is vital to our wellbeing.

The foods listed above give us a quick fix good feeling with the sugar intake. But this over time can cause severe problems and more importantly it can repel the love you so need.

Eating sugar of any kind leads to blood sugar imbalance. Low blood sugar can cause a drastic change in your mood. When your blood sugar drops, you become hungry, irritable, lack concentration, and you start to crave carbs to increase your serotonin production. And the vicious cycle repeats.

HOW TO AVOID SUGAR ADDICTION:

1. Start your day with 20 grams of protein. Protein slows down the rate of sugar absorption in the blood, and this ensures your body gets what it needs in a balanced way.
2. Eat something every few hours to avoid any spikes in blood sugar levels.
3. Eat some protein with each meal and snack.
4. Reduce or eliminate sugary drinks and snacks.
5. Replace the “white” stuff (white bread, white pasta, white rice) with whole grains.

WHY ARE PROBIOTICS SO IMPORTANT?

Probiotics help our gut microbiome stay balanced. We have good bacteria and, harmful bacteria which our body is continually trying to keep things in balance. And probiotics aid our gut by promoting this balance. More importantly, there is tons of research to show that our gut health dictates our mental health.

We now know that 80% of our neurotransmitters form in the gut. So, if we are eating foods that create an imbalance of harmful bacteria (such as Candidiasis) via sugary foods, we guarantee a low production of our happy neurotransmitters, ensuring that we’ll continue to feel unhappy.

But when we eat foods that promote good bacteria and eat probiotic food and supporting supplements, you help your gut produce those happy neurotransmitters.

FOODS THAT PROMOTE GOOD BACTERIA:

• Greek yogurt
• kefir
• sourdough bread
• kimchi
• miso
• sauerkraut
• chutneys
• kombucha
• probiotic supplements

Eating foods high in sugar is something we all do more often than you think. It has become an epidemic because we are all in heartbreak to some degree. Sugar is the greatest quick fix addiction that our society has. But over time, it can cause more harm leading to serious health issues, as we see with diabetes.

To avoid this, start eating foods that are guaranteed to make you feel good. By practicing good eating habits and picking those foods that promote a healthy gut, you will produce more of those happy neurotransmitters. And that’s how you eat your way to happiness.

xo