Hormonal impact of diet

Food: not just about calories

Food not see that as a combination of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates is a grave mistake. The power supply has a direct impact on a variety of hormones that affect our health. In fact, our body weight may be in the standards, not our excess power, but that does not guarantee protection against many metabolic or degenerative diseases. We must go further and better food choices to keep the major systems of the body in perfect balance (homeostasis).




Nutrients and neurotransmitters

The production and release of neurotransmitters are related to diet. Thus the choice of food and the time of its decision in the day can affect neurotransmitters and therefore our mental state, our motivation, our attention, wakefulness, etc.

Dopamine and norepinephrine

Dopamine acts as a starter and norepinephrine as an accelerator . We understand the importance of these neurotransmitters in the morning upon awakening. The power supply can have an impact on these. Indeed, a breakfast containing protein sources allows to bring tyrosine, an amino acid precursor of dopamine and noradrenaline.

serotonin

The release of serotonin is linked to the consumption of carbohydrates. A highly carbohydrate meal thus result in a release of serotonin, which in turn will cause drowsiness. Indeed serotonin is the hormone of well-being but also of sleep. It is the precursor of melatonin (which helps stall sleep cycles) and activator inhibitor GABA in the system . Carbohydrate breakfast too is prohibited. Ditto for lunch to avoid the famous pump stroke 14 hours!

Serotonin is made ​​from tryptophan, an essential amino acid. If an animal protein is consumed dinner instead choose fish that is a good source of tryptophan.

Carbohydrates and insulin

Carbohydrates have an effect on insulin since the latter is a hormone that is designed to regulate blood sugar (which lowers it). Although insulin is a vital hormone that plays an important role in anabolism (building and repair of tissues), the excess is very harmful. It facilitates and enables the storage of triglycerides (fats) in adipocytes, cells of fat reserve. In addition, it contributes to inflammation (it increases the production of arachidonic acid from its precursor, the turn arachinonique acid will turn into inflammatory prostaglandin).
Fat and inflammatory mediators

The type of fat we eat has a direct impact on inflammation. Indeed eicosanoids, inflammatory mediators, are made from essential fatty acid [3]. Thus an excess of omega 6 and especially arachidonic acid results in a surplus of inflammation (PGE 2 formation), while sufficient omega 3 and especially those of long chain (DHA and EPA) can greatly reduce the inflammation (training PGE3). Here the quality of fat plays a major role.



Nutrinfo advice

- Eating breakfast moderate in carbohydrates. Avoid breakfast cereals, jam, honey, white bread. Opting for a good source of animal protein: eggs, bacon, ham, cheese. Plant proteins can come and complete: almonds, soy yogurt. A fruit is also possible.

- For lunch bet on vegetables in large quantity, good quality fats (olive, canola and nut first cold pressing), as well as lean meat (chicken or turkey without skin ).

- For snack afternoon opt for dried fruit or dried apricots prunes that will initiate a serotonin secretion kind.

- For dinner instead choose fish. Starchy foods are preferable to the dinner, including their effect on the secretion of serotonin, which in turn will allow the formation of melatonin.

- To minimize hyperglycemia and increased the ensuing insulin secretion, choose carbohydrate foods according to their glycemic index.

- To reduce inflammation (inflammation of low grade gives no pain but it is highly deleterious to the organism) avoid sunflower, corn, soybean and grape seed (omega 6 in large quantities). Totally avoid fatty meats and sausages, arachidonic acid sources. Increase sources of omega 3 and in particular EPA and DHA contained in the fatty fish (3 times per week).