We are what we eat?

It's a skeptical statement for me. Practically I know how food affects our mood and health. But theoretically there is more to the story. 

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The connection between food and mood

We all know that our gut is the primary source of emotions. I am very well aware of the limbic system in the brain but according to research the gut plays a vital role in determining our mood. 

What do I want to eat when I'm feeling low? A dairy milk would suffice.
Why? We eat it, and almost instantly, we feel better. These good feelings arise partly because pleasure hormones (like dopamine) are released in our brains when we consume high calorie food. 

To answer this question, I went online and read something. According to Indian Philosophies all of us have three Gunas. Guna is a sanskrit word that means quality, peculiarity or attribute. Where do these come from? It is believed that these gunas are present in everyone and everything, all living and nonliving things. Their portions and intensity are different but they are there in everything. According to this philosophy, there are three Gunas: Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These gunas are present with us from birth and affect every aspect of our lives. 

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Food for the soul. 

Sattva is associated with harmony, balance, joy, and intelligence. It is believed that if we consume a Sattvic diet which is full of fresh fruits and vegetables, wholemeal breads, pulses, grains, sprouts, nuts, seeds, herbs, milk etc it  will nourish qualities like delight, happiness, peace, wellness, freedom, love, compassion, equanimity, empathy, friendliness, focus, self-control, satisfaction, trust, fulfillment, calmness, bliss, cheerfulness, gratitude, fearlessness, and selflessness. 

The second is Rajas. it is a state of energy, action, change, and movement. The nature of rajas is of attraction, longing and attachment and rajas strongly bind us to the fruits of our work. Consuming a Rajasic diet that is full of overly spicy food, fizzy drinks, sugary foods and too much chocolate. These foods give us a lift in energy but ultimately we feel increased stress. A predominantly rajasic diet hampers the mind - body equilibrium, feeding the body at the expense of the mind. 

Tamas, is a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity, and materiality. Tamas manifests from ignorance and deludes all beings from their spiritual truths. It is assumed that eating a tamasic diet consists of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, stale fruits, processed foods, alcohol, cigarettes and drugs. These foods do not lift our energy or our consciousness; in fact they pull us downward into laziness and inertia. Living on this diet will lead to complaints like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. We feel unmotivated and careless.  

In the modern times, vegetarianism and veganism is on the rise as it is not only beneficial for the individual but also for the ecosystem. The basic principle behind this is to eat our food with gratitude and awareness. 

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Empirical evidence

Researchers at the McCombs School of Business, Austin, conducted multiple studies where they tried to derive a correlation between rajasic diet and aggression. 

• They found that people who consume highly spicy food rated themselves high on being aggressive. 
• In the second study they found that people who eat spicy food are likely to perceive greater aggression in others.
• Even the visual exposure to spicy food triggers aggressive intent in participants.

Based on this it can be concluded that consuming a Rajasic diet can make us aggressive, dominating and excessively futuristic (i.e., focusing too much on the future, rather than on the present). In very extreme cases, Rajasic tendencies can lead to violent behavior.

It is not always dark. 

1. People dominated by Tamasic tendencies are typically lethargic, dull, low-activity people who are dwelling in the past and more emotional and moody than usual. On the positive side, however, they can also be the calming influence in some situations, and, in general, may exhibit stronger bonds of love and affection.
2. On the positive side, Rajasic tendencies drive action, dynamism, planning and thinking. But on the negative side, they can push us to extremes, making us aggressive, dominating and excessively futuristic

The real question is, Knowing this, how can I make better choices about what I eat?

We know the secret now. The challenge is to make the right decision. 

For instance, if I have a presentation in the next 15 min and I am unable to keep my eyes open, I would opt for a coffee, right? The focus here is on the instant energy but also being aware of what will happen when the coffee effect washes away.
If someone asks me how we can make food choices enhance the quality of our relationships? I would suggest that they eat mindfully and be grateful. I read somewhere, “the mindset while eating is more important than the food I am eating.”

I believe that we are what we eat. What do you think about it? Share your thoughts with us. Contact our customer wellness managers on our toll-free number 1800-833-8747, visit us at www.transformhappily.com or reach us at transformhappily@gmail.com. 

Let us help you transform, happily and blissfully!