Did you know that two mood-altering drugs are contained in the top two things purchased in American supermarkets?

They are:

1. Sugar

2. Caffeine

Does that surprise you? Let’s look at each one a little more closely.

Sugar depletes your body’s store of vitamins and minerals without giving you any benefit in return.

High sugar consumption can lower IQ, result in anxiety, lead to hyperactivity and aggressive behavior,  make you tired, and/or make learning difficult.

Sugar reacts with proteins, forming little plaques known as AGE (advanced glycation end products).

Dr. Mark Hyman says “these crusty sugar-protein combos gum up your brain, leading to dementia, and damage most cells and tissues along the way.” Cut down on sugar or eliminate it entirely!

Caffeine is known to increase anxiety and depression. Everyone knows how caffeine can result in increased alertness and wakefulness, faster and clearer thought flow, and increased focus.

However, in great quantities, it results in insomnia, agitation, tremors, and even rapid breathing.

Caffeine can stimulate the heart and dilate the blood vessels. This can eventually contribute to an increase in blood pressure.

It certainly fits into the description of an addictive substance, including withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings.

Dr. Hyman states that both of these “drugs,” as he refers to them, damage your brain.

Addiction to them seriously damage it. The more frequently you partake of them and the longer you use them, the more damage they do. Moderate use is okay, but regular indulgence is a guarantee of premature brain aging and mood disorders.

An easy solution is to adopt  healthy substitutes.

Begin to train your body to enjoy fresh fruits in place of sweetened desserts and drinks. I find that when I stop eating cookies, the pineapple or strawberry I snack on tastes really, really sweet!

Use honey in place of sugar and slowly reduce the quantity you need. You will train your tastebuds to require less.

Substitute green or decaffeinated herbal tea for caffeine drinks. Again, you can train your tastebuds to prefer something different – especially when you are already health-conscious and motivated to improve your health.

You definitely want to be taking the best vitamins for your brain too. 

I think I’ll go enjoy a fresh strawberry and a cup of tea, and relax knowing that my brain is being protected and my good mood being well-supported!

What things are you doing to support your brain and your moods?

 

First published: Oct 2013

Updated: Jan 2019