Manage Mood Swings Through Diet

Don’t be surprised when pregnancy makes you feel as if you are riding an emotional roller coaster. Ecstatic happiness followed by weepy lows may be confusing and frustrating to deal with. You may spend a lot of time asking yourself, “Why do I feel this way?”

The answer is simple – hormones.

While there is little you can do to counteract the deluge of hormones affecting your body and mind, altering the amounts of two simple substances in your diet can help to stabilize your mood swings.

How does sugar affect your body?

Carbohydrates, commonly known as sugar, are a vital part of a good diet. This is particularly important during pregnancy when 50 to 60 percent of your diet should come from complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide a slow, steady source of energy that supplies you with steady blood sugar levels.

Good sources of complex carbohydrates:

• Whole Wheat Pasta
• Grains
• Legumes
• Nut Butters
• Seeds

The carbohydrates you want to avoid are the highly refined sugars such as the granulated sugar that sits in your tabletop sugar bowl. These “simple sugars” are digested easily by the body and cause a spike in blood sugar levels. The spike induces a surge of insulin release into the body that quickly acts to counter the high levels of blood sugar. This is why a “sugar high” is quickly followed by periods of lethargy.

Carbohydrates to avoid:

• Candy
• Syrups
• Sodas
• Processed foods that are high in sugar

How does caffeine affect your body?

Another substance that can increase the highs and lows of mood swings is caffeine. Caffeine acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. It increases your heart rate and raises the levels of adrenaline in your body. While low levels of caffeine may help you to feel more alert, caffeine can increase anxiety levels and induce sleeplessness.

Pregnancy causes the body to process caffeine more slowly so the effects of caffeine last longer than before you were pregnant.

Note: An association has been established between women who have over two cups of caffeinated coffee a day and the risk of miscarriage.

Reduce your caffeine intake:

• Percolate your coffee or steep your tea for a shorter amount of time.
• Switch to caffeine free, herbal teas.
• Experiment with hot drinks such as apple cider, hot herbal teas and warm milk if you crave something warm.
• Drink water rather than sodas or teas. Add lemon or a bit of fruit juice for flavor.

Why is chocolate such a pregnancy no-no?

Fighting your craving for chocolate may be the best thing you can do to reduce mood swings. Chocolate contains the two things – simple sugars and caffeine – that are most likely to affect your highs and lows.