Food and eating – more than just nutrition
When we eat, the "reward systems" in our brain are activated and hormones that make us happy are secreted. This is for the sake of your survival, simply to make us want to eat again. In addition, our eating habits can both affect, and be affected by, our mental and social needs.
How you eat can be related to how you feel mentally
What and how you eat can have a great effect on how you feel and cope with your studies. It can be difficult to manage good eating habits when you are stressed, anxious or depressed, but that is when you really need it the most. Students often have strained economies, which also makes it challenging to eat a good, varied diet. Both what we eat and the amounts we eat can affect when we are not feeling well.
What you choose to eat has a direct and long-lasting effect on the most important organ in your body: your brain. So what kind of food puts you into a coma after lunch? Or makes you restless when it is time to sleep?
This film "How the food you eat affects your brain" gives you an overwiev. The film is about five minutes long.
Read more on food and health
Food habits, health and environment (Swedish Food Agency)
If your eating habits have become problematic
If your eating habits have changed significantly over a long period of time, this may, in turn, upset how your reward systems work, which makes it harder to get back to good eating habits. Being very strict with your diet, and perhaps also your exercise, can increase the feeling of control and relieve discomfort such as anxiety and restlessness in that moment, but if it leads to negetive effects on other parts of life, you may need to do something about your eating habits. It is a good idea to review whether the demands and the burden that your studies create for you are reasonable or if there is something you need to change.
Do you feel that you have a problematic relationship with food and eating that affects your life in a negative manner? You are always welcome to contact the Student Health Service.
