Eat Some Ice Cream: You Can’t Always Be Healthy
I went back and read some of my blog posts from this passion blog and realized that it sounds like I’m preaching that every action that everyone should take should be inherently healthy for them. This is simply false. I know, probably better than most…, that it is not always possible to be super healthy.
That being said, go and eat some ice cream. I find that one of the best pick-me-ups is when I eat something that I think of as a “comfort food.” For me, ice cream or some other type of sweet is always my go-to for when I need comfort food.
Eating comfort foods is actually more important than you’d think. When your brain feels overwhelmed, there is usually a release of a chemical called “dopamine.” Dopamine is an incredibly important neurotransmitter in your brain and it essentially makes you feel happy and aids in improving a person’s attention and motivation.
One of the most glaring examples of when it is crucial for a person to have an increase in dopamine in their brain is when they are stressed. Usually, when someone gets super stressed, they lose their ability to focus and their motivation decreases because they are being overwhelmed. This is especially common in college students, such as ourselves, because there can be times when we’re feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and need a chance to just get away. There might be too much work for people to do, or too much anxiety about an upcoming exam, or even just stress about what to do on the weekend.
So, there is a good reason for everyone to find something that they find as a comfort food. Not only does it help with the stress, but it also makes you feel better because of the release of dopamine in your brain. There is always some way to feel better when you are stressed, and I would highly recommend finding something that allows you to get the release of dopamine.
If you are ever feeling an excessive amount of stress, find a comfort food that can bring you stress relief. I personally try to eat a little ice cream when I feel the stress starting to pile up on me and I find that I always feel a little better after.
Of course, this post would not be complete if I didn’t tell you guys that everything should be done in moderation so that it remains healthy. If you eat too much of any of your comfort foods, it will start becoming bad for you, so just make sure that you do whatever you do in moderation.
October 19, 2020 at 12:10 am
I think doing anything that is considered unhealthy is fine in moderation. I have always felt better after eating something sweet when I was stresses or anxious, but I didn’t know that it was because my brain was releasing dopamine. I guess you can use that as an excuse to not feel guilty after eating something unhealthy!
October 19, 2020 at 12:54 am
I think sweets or comfort food can be one of the best pick me ups in moderation. Whenever I’m stressed or just need a little moment for myself I will eat some dark chocolate and just enjoy it without the worry about “overeating” or not eating healthy. The body definitely should be fueled by healthy things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself and enjoy the sweet things in life!
October 19, 2020 at 1:28 am
I honestly did not know there was a science or like psychological benefit to comfort food. Ice cream is my comfort food as well. I will work on consuming it in moderation.
October 19, 2020 at 3:36 am
YES I am in love with this!! I always am trying to eat healthy foods to make sure my body feels energized and fueled. However, I completely agree, a little cheat day never hurt anybody. The mere thought of ice cream makes me salivate; it is definitely one of the best comfort foods.