Week 2.5: Down -0.8

It's not outstanding, but it's not nearly as bad as it could have been. I still hit my at least 3x/week gym goal, tried yoga, and cooked a new recipe. However, I had a really rough, emotional week. And what happens when you have one of those? Toast. Doritos. Wine. Chocolate. This week one of my best friends from early childhood was diagnosed with cancer in his chest -- a mass the size of an orange pressing against his lung, making it nearly impossible to breathe. He's now being treated a MGH and the prognosis is good. But cancer is cancer and there's no guarantees.

And so clearly I ate a pile of carbs to make my body produce seratonin. Therapy Eating.

Research has proven that certain foods produce “feel good” chemicals like serotonin and endorphins in our brains that can literally be addictive. High sugar and fat combinations (e.g. ice cream, chocolate, doughnuts, cakes, and pies) can boost endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are our body’s natural pain killers; they produce a feeling of relaxation and even euphoria. Foods high in refined carbohydrate (e.g. white breads, pastries, chips, sodas, and candy) cause an increase of serotonin production in the brain. Serotonin provides sedation and calmness. Unfortunately, these “quick fixes” are brief. And over time – just like in other addictions – we may require more and more of the “substance” (high sugar/fat foods) to produce the desired effect. (from the Diet Channel)

Any suggestions for serotonin/endorphin replacements?