On the Coast – Families Issue 101 I August/September 2019 | Page 15

satisfies our cravings, and gives us an
energy surge but it inevitably falls away,
leaving you feeling bad. In addition,
sugar can trigger the “reward system” in
your brain- Dopamine, like a drug might,
leaving you feeling worse off without it.
In general, avoiding blood sugar spikes
and drops will help to keep mood swings
in check. We all recall feeling “hangry”
at one time or another, I often see this
as a trigger for frequent tantrums and
outbursts in children. Slow releasing
energy foods such as wholegrains, nuts
and seeds are key to avoiding this.
Protein-rich foods, whether they be
plant or animal based are also essential
to a good mood. They contain amino
acids for the brain to manufacture the
chemicals that regulate our thoughts and
emotions.
Foods containing “good fats” such
as olive oil, avocado and nuts also
contribute, as our brains need fatty acids
to function.
A largely overlooked factor to all this
is water. A person who isn’t properly
hydrated will struggle to concentrate and
may feel sluggish.
A word on coffee – we all love it’s
ability to pick us up but many feel it
makes them anxious or depressed, and
it can have a real impact on quality of
sleep, so its important to be honest with
yourself about how it makes you feel.
However, I personally don’t believe
that this is the extent of food’s power
to impact our mood, or mental health.
Although my initial experience with the
health world was motivated by my desire
to help my then 6 year
old son, I did find a lot
more than ingredient
lists and vitamins
along the way. I found
my home. My calm in
the storm. I found that
through being forced
initially to make the
foods I had always bought
from the supermarket myself,
I developed a connection. Not just
to food, but to life.
I remember dragging my son into the
veggie patch to help me one evening,
when he was at his most anxious,
because I just didn’t know what else to
do to help him. Not only did his mood
brighten, but he started postulating
about life and the universe in the oddly
profound way only small innocent
children seem to manage. I’ll never
forget his conclusion, that our society
was going off the rails because of our
disconnection with the things that
humans were designed to do. He said
that we are no longer growing our food,
preparing our food, spending time in
nature etc, all the things our ancestors
were forced to do. He decided that this
disconnection is what leaves us all with
that feeling that something is missing.
Of course you’ve probably heard this
theory many times recently on various
Clare Marcangelo is a local registered Nutritionist and former Early Childhood practitioner who
specialises in children’s health. As a mum herself, she knows how hard it can be to make even the
smallest of changes to a family diet.
Caring for you and your family
“high quality health care”
• Implanon & Mirena insertion and removal
• Qualified registered nurses and midwife
• Antenatal care and postnatal care
Netflix documentaries,
but to hear it put so
simply from a small
child set a lot in
motion for me back
then. I realised that
the reason I felt
better when I was
gardening, (which I’m
not very good at), or
waiting patiently for my
home made yoghurt to ferment,
was because I was doing what I was
designed to do. For thousands of years,
we needed to utilise all these skills in
order to survive, and it makes sense
that after only a half century or so of
using them less and less, we may have
retained these instincts. Perhaps it’s the
same reason we may laugh at our male
counterparts when they display their
simple joy over building an addition to
our house, or BBQing our dinner. We
may no longer need these instincts to
survive, but maybe we do need to stop
ignoring them, in order to feel connected
and purposeful.
Next time you feel at odds with
yourself, a bit flat or anxious, why not
try baking your family a cake, or plant
some herbs in your back yard? The smell
alone of either of these things is likely to
lift your spirits, and you might find what
you needed.
P: 4356 2500
A: 3 Mary Mackillop Drive Woongarrah
W: www.warnervaledoctors.com.au
P: 4356 2555
A: 3/1 Bryant Drive Tuggerah
W: www.marinersdoctors.com.au
• Women’s health services
• Occupational Therapists
• Skin cancer checks
• Travel vaccinations
P: 4352 8600
A: 37-41 Canton Beach Rd Toukley
W: www.toukleydoctors.com.au
• Immunisations
• Family health
• Paediatrician
P: 4352 8688
A: Shop 1071 Westfield Tuggerah
W: www.tuggerahdoctors.com.au
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER – ISSUE 101
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