Think of mood like a table with four legs: blood sugar stability, nutrient status, inflammation, and the gut–brain axis. If one leg wobbles, the whole table rocks.
Blood sugar & energy: High-fibre carbs + protein + healthy fats slow the “sugar roller-coaster,” reducing irritability, jittery anxiety and energy crashes.
Key nutrients: Omega-3s, B-vitamins, iron, iodine, selenium, magnesium and vitamin D support brain function and mood regulation.
Gut–brain axis: A fibre-rich, minimally processed pattern feeds the microbes that make mood-modulating signals.
Nutrients set the stage, but how you think about food drives the choices you make on it.
All-or-nothing thinking → all-or-nothing eating: “I’ve blown it” after a biscuit becomes “might as well start again Monday,” which keeps blood sugar and mood on a roller-coaster.
Food moralising (“good/bad”) fuels guilt and rebound eating; neutrality lowers stress and helps you choose from values, not shame.
Restriction → rebound: Over-restricting calories or whole food groups often ends in overeating and energy swings. Flexible structure beats rigid rules.
Stress loops: We eat to self-soothe; the quick lift from ultra-processed snacks drops fast, spiking anxiety and fatigue later.
Environment > willpower: What’s easy and visible gets eaten. Your kitchen, desk snacks and evening routine quietly decide tomorrow’s mood.
Language upgrade: Swap “I can’t have” for “I’m choosing X because I want steady energy.” Micro-choice, macro-impact.
Pause-plan (CBT in 30 seconds): Notice the urge → name the feeling (“tense, bored, anxious”) → pick a bridge option (protein + fibre snack, herbal tea, 5 slow breaths) → decide your next best step.
Hunger/fullness check-ins (1–10): Aim to eat at 3–4, finish at 6–7; keeps physiology and psychology aligned.
Implementation intentions: “If it’s 3pm, then I’ll have Greek yoghurt + berries before the meeting.” Decisions made upstream are easier to keep.
Environment design: Pre-portion nuts, park fruit in sight, move sweets out of line-of-sight, prep a protein for grab-and-go.
Self-compassion ≠ excuses: It lowers threat, steadies the nervous system and helps you return to your plan faster.
Listen to the full episode now to get even more little gems you can action today to improve and protect YOUR physical and mental health.
Applications are open for my Nourish & Flourish programme here is the link with all the deets. https://www.emotionalregulationcoaching.com/
