Unlocking the Hormone-Food-Grief Connection: How They Interact and Impact Your Health

Hey there, friends! Today, let's talk about something super interesting: the way our hormones, food, and grief can all affect each other. Yep, you heard that right! Turns out, what we eat and how we feel can have a big impact on our hormones, especially when we're dealing with grief. Let's dive in and learn more about this fascinating connection.

1. Meet Your Hormones: First things first, let's get to know our hormones. These little guys are like the bosses of our bodies, telling us when to eat, sleep, and even how we feel. Some key players include insulin, cortisol, and serotonin. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar, cortisol is our stress hormone, and serotonin is our mood booster.

2. How Grief Affects Hormones: When we're grieving, our hormone levels can go a bit haywire. Cortisol, our stress hormone, goes up, which can make us feel more on edge and anxious. At the same time, serotonin, our mood booster, may go down, leaving us feeling sad or down in the dumps. It's like a rollercoaster ride for our hormones! I must admit when my mom died I was mean or as my husband like to say “spicy”. I really couldn’t get a handle on my emotions at all most days.

3. Comfort Food Cravings: Now, here's where things get interesting. When we're feeling sad or stressed, it's natural to reach for comfort foods, like chocolate, chips, or ice cream. These foods often contain sugar, fat, and carbs, which can give us a quick boost of feel-good hormones, like serotonin. So, in a way, we're using food to help regulate our mood during times of grief. My co-workers knew me so well they got me Sympathy ice cream , each time I ate them the slogan soothed my soul while the ice cream comforted my mind.

4. The Sugar Rollercoaster: While comfort foods might make us feel better temporarily, they can also send our blood sugar on a rollercoaster ride. When we eat sugary or high-carb foods, our blood sugar spikes, giving us a burst of energy. But soon after, it crashes, leaving us feeling tired and craving more sugar. It's like a cycle that can leave us feeling even worse in the long run. After a stressful day at work, I have to force myself to eat healthy because the sugar crash is often worse than the bad day at work.

5. Nourishing Your Body: Instead of relying on comfort foods to cope with grief, it's important to nourish our bodies with foods that support our overall well-being. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help stabilize our mood and energy levels. Plus, these foods provide essential nutrients that support our hormones and overall health.

6. Finding Balance: While it's okay to indulge in comfort foods every now and then, it's important to find balance and moderation. Pay attention to how certain foods make you feel and how they affect your mood. And remember, it's okay to seek support from friends, family, or a therapist when you're dealing with grief. You don't have to go through it alone!

So, there you have it! The fascinating connection between hormones, food, and grief. By understanding how these factors work together, we can make healthier choices and better support our bodies and minds during difficult times. So next time you're feeling down, reach for a nourishing meal or a chat with a friend. I promise, your body and mind will thank you.

Grieving with Grace,

Monique Hayes, M.Ed, Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist