It happens so easily.
We oversleep, shut off the alarm and roll over, or just invest a bit too much extra time tackling a bad hair day. What do you do when you find yourself running late in the morning and need to get out the door quickly?
You might grab some coffee and maybe a donut, or decide to skip breakfast entirely. You know the consequences will catch up with you eventually. We deny doing it ourselves but enjoy a bit of tattling to our friends about how our loved ones adopt a bad attitude and grumpy behavior when they are forced to skip a meal.
We profess mock judgement about how our hungry spouse or child gets impatient, mean, and irritable saying, “They just get so hangry.”
When you are low on food for whatever the reason, it messes with your mood. Hunger can definitely bring you down. The fix for those struggling with chronic food insecurity is not as simple as laying their hands on a candy bar.
For many, not taking in enough food is a way of life and it creates complications that can harm body and mind. The reality is that the intricate relationship between food insecurity, poor nutrition, and mental health is undeniable. When you can’t get your hands on good food regularly, it not only affects your physical health but also takes a toll on how you feel inside.
When we don’t have enough food, it’s not just about feeling hungry all the time. It’s a bigger problem caused by things like not having enough money, transportation obstacles, or simply not having reliable access to nutritious meals.
The result is in general to eat poorly. When we don’t have enough food, we often end up eating whatever we can find, which usually means grabbing cheap, processed foods that aren’t good for us.
These foods are high in things like sugar and unhealthy fats, and they don’t give our bodies the nutrients they need.
Nutritional deficiencies affect our mood. Not having enough of the good stuff in our diets, like omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and vitamin D, can adversely affect brain function and overall mental health.
These nutrients help keep our brains functioning properly and our moods balanced. When we don’t get the right nutrients, it can make us feel foggy-headed and have trouble thinking clearly. Poor nutrition can impair cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, and problem- solving skills.
The result can be decreased academic and work performance and diminished overall quality of life. It can also make us more prone to feeling down, anxious, and stressed out.
When we’re stressed about not having enough food, it adds another layer of worry to our lives. And when we’re feeling down, we might turn to food for comfort, which can create a cycle of emotional eating and that can make us feel even worse. What we eat is just as important as how much we eat when it comes to mental health.
Emotional eaters tend to crave unhealthy foods when feeling stressed or down. While these comfort foods may provide temporary relief, they can actually enhance mood swings and make anxiety and depression worse in the long run.
A pattern of an unbalanced eating can generate a never ending cycle. When you’re low on food, it messes up your eating routine. You might end up eating at weird times, stuffing yourself when you finally get a meal, and skipping meals altogether.
When you’re struggling with not having enough food, you might resort to unhealthy ways to cope such as emotional eating and relying on cheap, unhealthy foods. But here’s the kicker – those coping mechanisms keep a person stuck in a cycle of poor nutrition and make mental health go downhill.
It’s happening right here in our own neighborhoods. Many people have to rely on God intentionally and specifically when He invites us to pray, “Give us this day, our daily bread.”
We can see how not having enough food affects children and teens. When they can’t get enough nutritious meals, it messes with their ability to learn, concentrate in school, and feel good about themselves. It’s tough to stay positive and focused when you’re dealing with hunger.
Older adults who struggle with not having enough food can feel lonely, sad, and forgetful. It’s hard for them to stay mentally sharp and happy when they’re worried about where their next meal will come from.
Food insecurity and poor nutrition form a deeply interconnected web that weaves its detrimental effects into the fabric of mental health. Breaking this cycle requires addressing the root causes of food insecurity. We can begin by promoting access to affordable, nutritious food.
Diet has the power to either heal or harm the body and the mind. By prioritizing nutrition and mental health as intertwined components, we can strive towards a healthier and more equitable future for all.
I am reminded of Jesus feeding the five thousand. They had five loaves and two fish. When there was no way, He made a way.
God can empower us and direct the course to helping feed body, mind, and spirit.
Janet Mills is the director of Cassville Pantry, located at 800 W. 10th St. in Cassville. She may be reached at cassvillepantry@ gmail.com or 417-846 7871.
