When was the last time you felt “HANGRY”? Well, though we at Excelsior American School, a renowned International School in Gurgaon, believe most of you must already be knowing what hangry means, those of you, who haven’t had an encounter with this word as yet, HANGRY is a not so pleasant combination of feeling both hungry and angry at the same time.
Precisely, in a case like this, anger is triggered due to the person in question missing a meal or not being able to find something to eat when he or she may be suffering from hard-hitting hunger pangs. Each one of us has possibly been in that undesirable state multiple times. Isn’t it?
However, you’d be surprised to know that there is science behind you acting in a certain way when you don’t get timely access to food. What happens is that your glucose level in the blood drops. Your brain stops receiving the necessary signals. You start feeling irritable and eventually end up being a hangry soul. Hence, next time you find yourself in a spot, know it’s the food or, rather, the non-availability of food that’s affecting your mood. Hope you now know and also understand why your kids turn grumpy when they feel overtly hungry!
Eat to Live. Don’t Live to Eat.
When our topic of discussion today is revolving around food, we think it would be right to mention the quote, “Eat to Live and not Live to Eat.” At first, this might seem like any other saying; however, scientifically, it has a very deep meaning.
For instance, let’s say you place a plate full of food before your child. When you do so, it is important for you to educate your child on how much intake is the right intake. Ideally, a child should be consuming food up to 80% of his/her hunger. Of course, it is impossible to achieve mathematical accuracy. However, when children start getting a feeling that their tummy feels full, ideally, they need to stop there and then.
This, we see as something extremely important to manage mood swings among children and also to help them develop a healthy relationship with food.
We at Excelsior American School believe it is very important for both parents and children to understand that neither too much nor too little is good for the physical growth and development of the latter, especially with regard to food intake.
Making Healthier Food Choices is Important!
Science says that every time you feel stressed or out of place, you reach out to foods that are high in sugar. Wondering why that happens? Well, the logic is simple. The moment you feel uneasy, you experience a sugar rush and end up eating huge quantities of sugar-laden food, which eventually ends up interfering with your bodily functions. In the case of some individuals, they simply reach out to unhealthy food items like junk food and fried items.
To prevent slippage of this kind, it is necessary that children know how to make healthy food choices. Children need to be made to understand that unhealthy food offers only temporary relief. If they are looking for something lasting and permanent, it is necessary for them to opt for food items that are nutrient-rich in terms of both vitamins and minerals. Making healthy food choices will lead children to feel good overall, which will also reflect in their day-to-day living, general activeness, and willingness to participate in different activities. You’ll see your kids being on their toes constantly, and that too, happily!
To that end, we at Excelsior American School would like to suggest the parents to wear your culinary hats on and experiment around food to an extent where interesting and healthy food items are served. This will help you a great deal in keeping your children in a good mood and will also reflect in different areas of life.
Food and Mood – The Two Sides of the Same Coin
We at Excelsior American School, a well-known International School in Gurgaon, firmly believe that following a fixed diet in terms of the overall nutrient intake is highly useful in controlling a child’s mood swings and ensuring improved focus.
Moreover, food is known to bear a direct relationship with a child’s mental health as well. Ideally, intake of fresh vegetables, fruits, Omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, and seeds is believed to work miraculously well in lifting and controlling a child’s mood.
Food for Thought
Dealing with a child who has been experiencing mood swings can be a rather challenging task. This encounter gets all the more challenging when you do not know the purpose behind a child’s anger. So, make sure to check on the hunger element next time your child feels angry. Feed your child a nutrient-rich meal or snack, and in the next few minutes, you will see that your child is feeling calm and at ease. It is difficult for children to understand triggers like this, which is why it always helps if parents chip in and show direction.
