Why you might be on the mood swing

This one’s not a fun piece of playground equipment. Mood swings can strike anyone: Here are some of the most common causes for them, and what you can do to get back in balance:

Poor blood glucose regulation: Whenever you’re thinking, your brain is hungry for glucose. It relies heavily on a stable blood glucose level to help you think well. Sharp rises and falls in your blood glucose level can cause big unexplainable swings in your mood; from happy, to elated, to angry, to grumpy; and you may find that the only thing that makes you feel better is a sugary snack. Unfortunately this can set you up for yet another mood swing, as the rapid rise in your blood glucose level is soon followed by a dive. The solution? Eat a protein and fibre-based breakfast, and enjoy a protein and fibre based snack every few hours. Protein and fibre take longer to digest, so your blood glucose level remains more stable.

Hormones creating havoc: Pre-menstrual tension in women can range from mild crankiness for a few days to a very angry mood that seems to last forever and makes everyone around you wish they were somewhere else. Until your period arrives, then all is well again. The cause is often an imbalance between your oestrogen and progesterone levels, where oestrogen has become dominant.  You can help reduce your pre-menstrual tension by including plenty of fibre-rich foods in your diet, especially legumes: They contain lignans, a natural substance that will help balance your hormones. Get sweaty every day with exercise too.

Too much colour (and other chemicals): Although there is still much debate about whether artificial colours and preservatives really are a problem, many parents can attest to the unfortunate effects of highly processed foods on their children’s mood – making them irritable, or difficult to reason with, or hyperactive. This may be because they have a much smaller body size than adults, with a reduced capacity to metabolise food chemicals. If you suspect that your child may be on the mood swing due to additives, try a few weeks without artificial foods of any kind and see how their moods respond.

Stress: Feeling like you’re in a pressure cooker? That can bring on a mood swing. The best remedy is to ‘run it off’ with some sweaty exercise (even though you may feel like you “don’t have time”). We’re genetically designed to get rid of excess adrenaline through physical activity.