Nutrition and the Emotions It is a known fact that many people can experience emotional disturbances if they are suffering from any sort of nutritional deficiency, especially those who are chronically ill and have stressful lives. Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood sugar. This condition is suffered by about 10 per cent of the general population in the Western World. The most common symptoms are anxiety, irritability, tearful outbursts, concentration difficulties, mental confusion, anti-social behaviour patterns, restlessness and phobias. Food allergies/intolerance and emotions are as closely related and often have an almost identical effect on blood sugar as hypoglycemia. And a common type of food intolerance is the 'addictive allergy'. This is where the sufferer will initially get a lift from the eating the offending food, but later experience a great let down and usually start to crave it again. Modern drugs and contraceptives are a part of life, but it is often overlooked that they can actually impair the emotional status of the patient. Many who are on these drugs could do well to supplement their diets with at least the four essential brain nutrients - vitamin B6, B12, folic acid and vitamin C. Needless fatigue, mental confusion, forgetfulness and even anaemia can result from these deficiencies. However, it is strongly recommended that anyone taking prescribed medicines and wishing to begin a program of nutritional supplementation, consult with a nutritionally oriented physician and/or health practitioner. Dieting Crash dieting and rapid weight reduction often has a shattering effect on the nervous system, because it does not give the body and brain the nutrition it needs to maintain equilibrium. When many people think of stress, they tend to link it with external factors, like loss of a loved one, work or family problems and so on. But there is another form of stress that is often overlooked and that is the relationship of your nervous system to what you eat. These two, when coupled together produce a lethal mixture that often leads to chronic illness. As you become more stressed with life, inadequate nutrition prevents you from recovering, leading to more stress as you find it increasingly more difficult to cope with the demands of living your day to day life. You become 'attacked' from both sides as it were - from within and without. The vitamins and minerals that have been found to play vital roles in maintaining the health of the nervous system are - the B group of vitamins especially B1, B3, B6, and pantothenic acid. And the minerals, calcium and magnesium. If dieting, multi-vitamin and mineral supplements, which include all the trace elements, should be used as a routine dietary measure. However, whilst it should be remembered that some people have greater nutritional needs than others, experience has shown that vitamin supplementation can take up to 2 - 3 months to produce dramatic results. Carbohydrates form the fuel for the central nervous system and the B vitamins are considered to be the most successful in assisting the body chemistry with emotional reactions that assist in the metabolism of carbohydrates, which in turn protects the nerves, produce energy and supply essential nutrients to the endocrine system. It has been found that it is best first of all to take a supplement of the entire B-Complex, because the B vitamins work all synergistically to relieve mental stress and enhance our feelings of well being. Then you can add any isolated B vitamin that you may find you have a higher requirement for. Deficiency signs of this vitamin are loss of appetite, mental depression, irritability, confusion, memory loss, difficulty in maintaining concentration. Brain cells get their energy from blood sugar, glucose and the conversion of glucose to energy. This cannot take place without vitamin B1. The vitamin also works as an emotional regulator, giving a lift to those who are tired or depressed and tranquillizing those who need to become calmer. Pellagra, is the niacin (B3) deficiency and dementia is one of its advanced symptoms. Deficiency of this vitamin causes nervous tension, irritability, depression and mental confusion. In some it causes insomnia. The vitamin is important for carbohydrate metabolism and hormone regulations. This vitamin is associated with the adrenal glands and nervous system. If a deficiency occurs, the glands cannot produce the hormones necessary to convert body starch (glycogen) to sugar. The blood sugar will then remain low until adequate nutrition restores adrenal function. This result of this can cause physical and mental exhaustion and also be responsible for the poor absorption of the other B vitamins. A deficiency in B12 can cause anaemia together with symptoms of moodiness and chronic fatigue. In some extreme cases, injections of this vitamin have proved quite effective. Minerals Minerals are vitally important to our health. Symptoms such as cold sweats, sensitivity to bright lighting, restriction of the throat, anxiety, goose flesh, difficulty in handling daily stress, hyperactivity in children, can all be due to mineral deficiency. Calcium exerts a strong soothing effect and assists with the stability of the cell membranes, especially those in the central nervous system, where it aids with the transportation of nerve impulses. A loss of this mineral produces nervous tension and larger losses can produce convulsions. A calcium deficient person is more vulnerable to illnesses and gets fatigued very easily. A low supply to the nerves can cause uncontrollable emotionality. Stress and physical exertion tends to deplete blood calcium which then leads to a vicious circle of low blood calcium producing stress, producing a further depletion of calcium.. It is reckoned that 30% of the general population is calcium deficient and women especially, have a greater need for it with the onset of their menstrual cycles. The mineral is difficult to assimilate needing protein, vitamin D and vitamin C in an acidic environment. Some people need up to 5 times as much as others. Calcium also depletes zinc, so it is wise to take the two minerals as part of your daily supplementation. Magnesium protects the nervous system as much as calcium and is probably even more deficient in the modern diet, yet it is critically important to physical and emotional well being. When being used as a supplement, it is recommended that it is taken at a 2:1 (magnesium to calcium) ratio. Only a slight deficiency of magnesium has been found to cause irritability, belligerence, sensitivity to noise and general nervousness, often referred to as "the jitters". Fortunately, magnesium has been found to produce a calming effect within a few hours of taking it. The calcium-magnesium combination has been used with great success for PMS in women and stress related anxiety in men. Alcohol and stress are known to deplete it in the body.
Derek Ayre, Cardiff. UK. Please note: These pages are for information purposes only, and are not meant to be medical in any way. If you have a medical problem, you are strongly advised to contact your doctor. We do not recommend self diagnosis.
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