Haims: Food, mood, energy — they’re all interlinked

What if your lackluster mood you blame on stress, or the occasional burst of clarity and vigor you feel was more than happenchance? What if this was really related to what you last ate? The food on our plate doesn’t just fill our stomach; it rewires our mood, sharpens and dulls our mind, and sets the rhythm of our day.

The quality of food we eat has a profound causal affect on our overall health and well-being. Scientific research has proven significant links showing that a nutrient-dense and high-quality diet promotes better health outcomes and longevity. Conversely, a diet of highly processed, salt and sugar ridden food, increases the risk of chronic diseases and poorer health outcomes.

When we eat, our bodies break food down into smaller parts like sugars, amino acids, and fats that our cells use for energy and communication. Sugar from carbohydrates raises blood sugar levels, causing the hormone insulin to be released, which helps control energy and mood. Proteins break down into amino acids that help make brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which affect how happy, calm, or focused we may feel.

High quality diets that incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, support stable mood and sustained energy through balanced hormonal and neurochemical pathways. Such foods provide the brain with essential nutrients needed to produce serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which play integral roles in our happiness, motivation, and calmness. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish and nuts improve communication between brain cells, while complex carbohydrates release glucose slowly, preventing the blood sugar spikes and crashes that often cause irritability or fatigue. Fiber-rich foods nourish the gut microbiome, helping bacteria produce compounds that influence mood and cognition through the gut-brain axis. Together, these interactions lend to mental clarity, emotional balance, and long-term psychological resilience.

Beyond basic nutrition, high-quality diets reduce inflammation and regulate the body’s stress response. Diets like the Mediterranean, DASH diet and MIND diet are high in antioxidants and polyphenols that lower cortisol levels and inflammatory markers linked to depression and anxiety. They also help stabilize hormones such as insulin, leptin, and ghrelin, which govern energy use, appetite, and mood. Research consistently shows that people who follow nutrient-rich diets experience fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety and report higher life satisfaction, largely because these diets enhance neurotransmitter efficiency and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. In short, nourishing foods create a biochemical environment that supports both emotional stability and mental focus.

Conversely, diets that are high in ultra-processed foods like refined sugars, and unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fats can disrupt mood by interfering with hormonal balance and neurochemical function. Such foods often cause rapid fluctuations within our blood sugars which impair insulin sensitivity and reduce our brain’s access to steady energy that may lead to a pattern that causes irritability, fatigue, and concentration challenges. Processed diets are also low in key nutrients such as B vitamins, magnesium, and omega-3s, which are crucial for maintaining brain health. At the same time, they increase oxidative stress and inflammation — both of which have been proven to be strongly linked to depression and cognitive decline. Not unexpectedly, this results in leaving our body and brain under constant chemical stress, unable to maintain the steady energy and focus that supports a positive mood.

Further, low-quality diets also harm mental health by damaging our gut microbiome. A lack of fiber and overconsumption of additives and artificial sweeteners reduce the production of beneficial bacteria and increase those that promote inflammation. This imbalance weakens the gut barrier and limits production of chemicals essential for emotional regulation. Eventually, such changes wreak havoc on hormonal signaling, elevate cortisol, and impair neurotransmitter balance — all of which contributes to anxiety, irritability, and depressive symptoms. While high-quality foods create harmony between the gut, hormones, and brain, poor diets introduce chemical disarray, leaving the mind more vulnerable to instability and fatigue.

What we eat literally shapes how we think, feel, and live. Every meal we eat is an opportunity to nourish not just our body, but our mind and spirit. The next time you sit down to eat, imagine the ripple effect of that choice: sharper thoughts, steadier moods, deeper calm, and perhaps even a longer, richer life. Food is more than just fuel — it’s the language through which our body speaks to our mind. Food for thought….

Judson Haims is the owner of Visiting Angels Home Care in Eagle County. He is an advocate for our elderly and is available to answer questions. Connect with him at jhaims@visitingangels.com.