Monday's Musings: Battling Depression with Clean Eating

Comfort food...it's what we run to when we're feeling down and hope to cheer ourselves up. And it's not usually organic vegetables.

It's usually something like pumpkin muffins, candy, chocolate chip cookies, candy, pasta, candy, chips, pop, a latte, etc.

Would this be enough candy?

But all the sugars, even in chips since they are high carb which equals high sugars when they hit the body, backfire and cause a low after the high. Plus you have the guilty consciense of having just added unnecessary calories and weight gain possibilities to your body. That's not encouraging.

So, hard as it is, I've been working at not baking the chocolate chip cookies when I'm feeling low. Instead I try to go for something like an avocado, or some of those chocolate/coconut/cream cheese/stevia fat bombs that you see all over Pinterest these days. (Our family especially likes the one called Haystacks.) The healthy fats can actually help our brains to work better and that can help the emotions to feel better.

And if you feel like you really want something sweet, try fruit. Yes, it's high in carbs and sugars, too, but at least you're adding some nutrients and fiber that are good for you. How can you not enjoy an apple stuffed with peanut butter (with maybe some cream cheese and a little honey mixed in)?! And you won't have that low after eating sugar.

I've discovered that lattes can be made low-carb, too, so I'm happy about that. And Zevia is a kind of pop that even my finicky child likes. It's sweetened with stevia.

So I urge you to stock your fridge and pantry with healthy snacks/comfort food to go to when you're feeling down and want a little comfort that won't leave you with that sugar high/low effect and will leave your conscience intact.

My other posts on battling depression are here:

10 Steps Out of Depression
Battling Depression with God's Word

Battling Depression with Prayer
Battling Depression with Gratitude
Battling Depression with Exercise