Food and Mood: What they don’t tell you about food intolerance
We’ve all sat around after a big family meal, slowly drifting off into a food coma, furtively unbuttoning our jeans... But when that level of discomfort creeps into your daily routine, even after a quick bowl of pasta or a light salad, it quickly becomes less funny.
Being scared to eat because you don’t know how - or more crucially, why - it’s going to affect your body is no way to live. It’s something I encountered a few years ago when the onset of dietary intolerances turned my relationship with food sour.
I began skipping meals due to a lack of appetite and perpetually feeling devoid of energy - a state which became my new normal. This, in turn, undermined my ability to function day to day, and led me down the path of burnout.
Looking back, it’s strange I didn’t realise sooner that this was diet-related. My body was suffering because it couldn’t receive the correct sustenance. I’d always been able to maintain a healthy relationship with food, so this sudden toxic turn was frightening.
Having reached my lowest point, it was time to act. We all have our ‘Everest’ and this was mine. Getting to the heart of the problem was one of, if not THE, most taxing challenges I’ve ever encountered - and I’ve climbed an actual mountain. If you’re in doubt and worried that your diet is leading you to burnout, my initial advice would be to take a step back, and become more aware of your emotions.
Identify your feelings
Do you feel anxious, isolated, sad, fatigued or lacking motivation? These early changes in mood can often go under the radar. But once you start to notice that something isn’t right, take note. Literally. For me, this started in the form of a food diary: what I was eating and how it made me feel. Recording these daily nuggets aided my ability to objectively monitor how I was doing.
But it can still be horrible taking that first step. For me, this involved going to the doctor to be told I was ‘medically fine’. I had countless tests and was ultimately handed a printout from the NHS website to tackle the problem on my own.
It felt like there was no end in sight. And nobody wants to feel like the ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’. But if you’re not feeling right, then go with your gut and dig a little deeper.
Talk to someone you trust
Coming from experience, in the long run, it’s worth it to combat the overriding feeling of loneliness that comes from not knowing why you’re feeling a certain way. Whether you lean on professional advice or the support of a friend, letting out our feelings can alleviate stress and provide perspectives we may have missed.
After a natter with my Mum, and a renewed frame of mind, I delved into the world of allergy testing and a restriction diet. More than ten dietary culprits were identified (!) but thankfully many of them turned out to be false positives when actually tested through a controlled diet. And even though I now know that I’m resigned to a life without potatoes or tomatoes, in some ways it was worth it - and very much down to the confidence boosting mother-daughter chat.
Find healthy outlets
To combat the decline in my mental health, I adapted some of my favourite pastimes to become my coping mechanisms. These will be unique to everyone, but generally any hobbies, routines or behaviours which leave you feeling fulfilled, relieved and replenished are great outlets. For me this meant:
Cooking: This has always been a destresser for me and I love discovering new recipes. Now I see this as a fun chance to shake things up and reinvent dishes to suit my dietary needs; from learning to recreate favourites like paella or curry, to cementing my love for sweet potato and butternut squash!
Writing: Not only was writing a practical way of keeping a food diary, recording my thoughts and feelings has always been a useful relaxation technique for me. If you’re not keen on physically writing things down on paper, voice notes on your phone work just as well.
In addition, there are loads of accessible sources and an ever increasing amount of research on gut health. Here’s a few to get the ball rolling:
For all things gut health, check out @thegutstuff
Giulia Enders: The surprisingly charming science of your gut | TED Talk
Dr Hazel Wallace - @thefoodmedic (blog and podcast)
Here’s to healthy guts and healthy minds!
About the author:
Caroline Joseph is a writer, marketer and self confessed food freak based in London, UK. When not experimenting with recipes in the kitchen she can be found with her head in a book drinking her 10th cup of tea of the day.
