What we eat very much affects how we feel and our state of mind. The importance of eating enough food, and the right types of food, is clearly demonstrated by a study carried out by Keys et al back in 1950. In the study, 32 healthy male volunteers were put on a semi-starvation diet for three months. The diet included an intake of 1,600 calories per day and was high in carbohydrates, but low in protein and low in fat. In addition, the volunteers were asked to undertake lots of exercise over the course of the three months.
The findings of this study showed that the volunteers not only developed the physical changes that were expected with the restricted diet, but they also developed psychiatric symptoms similar to those of patients with eating disorders. This highlights that eating sufficient quantities of food, and the right foods, is essential for optimal mental health.
More recent research indicates that prolonged dieting may be a trigger for developing disordered eating patterns. This study by Keys backs up the idea that restrictive diets could indeed be a trigger in the development of disordered eating, as normal thought processes and mental health may become impaired.
If you suffer from disordered eating patterns, please do contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.
Julia
The idea that nutrient deficiencies could play a part in the development and treatment of eating disorders was first put forward in 1979. Of particular interest was the mineral zinc, as researchers noticed that the symptoms of anorexia and zinc deficiency were very similar in a number of respects. The symptoms of both zinc deficiency and anorexia for example include: loss of appetite, amenorrhoea, nausea, mal-absorption, weight loss, depression and anxiety.
Since that time, a number of double-blind trials have shown that those with anorexia are at a high risk of zinc deficiency and that zinc supplementation may be beneficial in treatment. Zinc supplementation has been shown to help decrease depression and anxiety and trials by Dr Carl Birmingham have demonstrated that the rate of increase in body mass of anorexics supplementing with zinc is greater than that of anorexics supplementing with a placebo.
These studies show the important role that nutrition plays in the treatment of eating disorders, and the importance of assessing the intake of micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as the macro-nutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) in restoring health.
If you suffer from an eating disorder, or disordered eating patterns, feel free to contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.
Julia
A number of studies suggest that those prone to anorexia or bulimia nervosa have a special dietary need for tryptophan, which is an amino acid precursor for the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is essential for good sleep and mood as well as appetite control.
One can develop a sub-optimal level of serotonin for a number of reasons. For example, there may be a lack of the raw materials in the diet for serotonin to be made (including protein, zinc and vitamin B6); inherited deficiencies; seasonal variation; lack of exercise; or altered tryptophan metabolism.
In order for tryptophan to cross the blood brain barrier to make serotonin, secretion of insulin is needed. The quickest way to raise insulin is to eat simple carbohydrates, such as dried fruit or unfavourable refined carbohydrates such as chocolate. This may go towards explaining why those suffering with an eating disorder, particularly during a binge, frequently eat simple carbohydrates. The simple carbohydrates provide sugar which triggers insulin secretion and this in turn increase tryptophan and serotonin levels in the brain, which elevates mood, reduces cravings and satisfied appetite.
A key step with nutritional therapy is therefore to look at correcting a serotonin imbalance and to elevate mood using nutrient rich foods and sometimes supplements. For example, supplementing with 5-HTP, plus zinc and B6, may be useful, together with changes to the diet. Ideally the diet should include easily assimilated foods containing good quality protein such as quinoa, fish, eggs, ground seeds and sprouted legumes.
If you suffer from an eating disorder, or disordered eating patterns, feel free to contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.
Julia
Do you have less energy now than you used to? Are you finding it hard to fall asleep, and wake up feeling tired in the morning? Or are you falling asleep in front of the TV in the evenings and don’t have much energy left for life outside work? Are you frequently feeling bloated, or suffering from IBS-like symptoms?
Any of the above could be a result of changes in your body caused by long-term stress. Many vital nutrients, such as magnesium, get reduced by stress hormones. As magnesium is a vital part of energy production in the body, restoring your nutrient balance can make a really big difference to how you feel.
Stress maybe a fact of life, but feeling drained and not having enough energy to spend quality time with your friends and family shouldn’t be. If you think you could benefit from a nutritional assessment to help your body better deal with the effects of stress, contact us for a free no obligation chat to find out how nutritional therapy can help manage the effects of stress.
These foods are all in season, why not boil these beautiful potatoes, chop in some spring onion and radish, then make a light dressing of olive oil and wholegrain mustard and have yourself an easy, tasty little side salad.
Serve with fresh grilled mackerel and not only do you have a balanced meal, but you are including those essential fats only obtainable from oily fish.
Overcoming an eating disorder is a lengthy and often complex process, involving treatment of the whole person, nutritionally, emotionally and spiritually. On a nutritional level there is a huge amount of support that can be provided to help break negative eating patterns and to learn how to have a healthy relationship with food.
A common trait with binge eating, both in those with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, is that sufferers have very sporadic eating patterns. Breakfast and lunch are often skipped or reduced to a minimum, for example, and stimulants such as coffee are relied upon for energy. This leads to a situation of poor blood sugar regulation and binge eating later in the day or during the night which over compensates for the low food intake during the day. This creates a cycle of feast and famine for the body and reactive hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) which then contributes to further binges. Erratic eating also disrupts the normal mechanisms that control hunger and fullness, so these feelings are no longer a reliable guide for when to eat.
A key step to overcoming binge eating is therefore to introduce a pattern of regular eating. This starts with introducing breakfast on a daily basis. Once breakfast has been successfully introduced then lunch is introduced, so gradually building up to three regular meals per day at regular intervals. Two snacks per day are also introduced, as eating little and often and eating the right foods helps to keep blood sugar levels even and therefore reduce cravings for sugary foods and binges. Planning meals also means that individuals are prepared with food choices and less likely to opt for a foods that may subsequently trigger a binge.
In our London clinic I work with clients with eating disorders to slowly introduce changes so that they can establish a happy relationship with food and to nourish themselves back to health. Please do get in touch to find out more about how we can help you, or contact us to book an appointment.
Julia
