Me, Food & Body Brain Alliance
For nearly four decades, I was a sheep–blindly following diet culture’s herd mentality. I counted points, logged calories in apps, and readied my restaurant menu order before even walking through the door. I clung to the hope that the next diet would finally unlock lasting health and happiness. Each promise of control through restricting “trigger foods” only fueled the same exhausting cycle of fluctuating weight and emotions.
I might have stayed on that uncertain and emotional yo-yo rollercoaster indefinitely, but six years ago, everything changed. Within a single year, I lost my mom–my confidant, cheerleader, and best friend–underwent a hip replacement that sidelined me from working for five months, lived through a global pandemic, and enrolled in school for five years to earn a psychology degree at age 50 while working full-time. Throughout it all, I carried an additional 40 extra pounds on a body already heavy and weary.
Amid those challenges, school became more than an academic pursuit; it became a mirror reflecting to me that dieting was not the answer. As I worked through my program, a clear pattern emerged: nearly every paper I researched and wrote circled back to how food influenced my brain, body, and mood. I learned how certain foods can sharpen or cloud memory, and how they directly influence hormones that drive motivation, endurance, and even joy. That’s when it hit me: for decades, I had fueled myself with foods that were actually working against me. I had never truly stopped to consider the profound connection between the brain and body.
Recognizing that disconnect in my own life sparked my curiosity about the bigger picture. What I found confirmed what many of us already suspect: the foods we lean on for comfort or convenience often do more harm than good. By now, we all know the drill–refined sugar, processed foods, fried meals, and too much caffeine or alcohol aren’t doing our health any favors. Sure, they can lead to weight gain and issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease; however, what’s even more eye-opening is what researchers are now finding, especially for women. These foods are also linked to cognitive decline, cancers, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s.
The impact of food isn’t only long-term; it shows up in how we feel every single day. Our blood sugar regulation can spike and crash due to refined carbs and sugary foods, leading to irritability, fatigue, and mood swings. You can help avoid those spikes and crashes by choosing balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats– foods that steady your blood sugar and keep your mood on a more even keel.
Through my research, I discovered that food shapes the very neurotransmitters in the brain, the chemical messengers that drive mood, focus, and motivation. For example, amino acids from protein-rich foods serve as the building blocks for serotonin and dopamine, which are associated with happiness, motivation, and a sense of calm.
