The expert spoke about the effect of food on a person's mood and psyche.

In a state of acute hunger, people may exhibit behaviors similar to alcohol intoxication. Prolonged restrictions often lead to eating disorders and serious psychological problems. On April 26, Tatiana Zakharova, a consultant psychologist with additional specialization in the field of eating disorders, told Izvestia about this.

According to her, the key influence on the mental state is not a specific set of foods, but a person's ability to correctly recognize signals of hunger and satiety, as well as meet the needs of the body. Digestion begins in the imagination: the thought of food triggers physiological processes in the brain, including salivation. A conscious approach to nutrition, when a person chooses food according to taste, smell and texture, naturally leads to a balanced diet without strict restrictions.

The expert explained that in the context of the cultivation of dietary culture, the imposition of proper nutrition, and the rejection of certain foods as potentially dangerous to the body, people are guided by externally prescribed food programs that do not correlate with the body's natural signals.

"I am a proponent of a conscious attitude to nutrition. If a person does not like broccoli or nuts, with all their potential benefits for the body, then it's better for him to eat something that is less useful, but he likes it more, because this way his brain fixes the satisfaction of a certain need for the product," Zakharova said.

The psychologist added that severe dietary restrictions are also dangerous — the brain perceives a lack of food as a threat to survival, switching to resource-saving mode. This leads to a slowdown in metabolism, decreased cognitive function, and increased anxiety.

"Brain neurons consume a lot of glucose and are not able to store it in reserve. If, due to dietary restrictions, glucose levels fall below the limit, the brain slows down other body functions, such as reproductive, and insulin gradually stops being released," the specialist said.

In addition, Zakharova warned that with a strict diet, the metabolism slows down significantly — the heart rate decreases, blood pressure drops, and digestion slows down. At the same time, cognitive abilities decrease.

"My colleagues describe cases when their patients in a state of acute hunger and low sugar levels were mistaken for people in a state of alcoholic intoxication [...] That is why any restrictive diets, interval nutrition, hunger strikes often lead to the saddest consequences, including the development of RPP," the psychologist—consultant added.

It is equally important that the emergency mode, which triggers the brain in conditions of unsatisfactory nutritional needs, significantly increases anxiety and vigilance. This is necessary for a person to understand that he needs to eat, otherwise the body will be in mortal danger.

Moreover, following strict diets leads to the fact that brain signals about danger remain unheard. As a result, anxiety reaches a fairly serious level and can become a separate psychological problem.

Zakharova noted that nutrition should be conscious, regular, balanced and — last but not least — as diverse as possible.

"I am in favor of the mandatory inclusion of vegetables and fruits in the daily diet. But, I repeat, those that you like and are not a contraindication in the presence of diseases. At the same time, inclusion in the diet is precisely a supplement, and not a mono—diet of vegetables and fruits," the psychologist noted.

She clarified that fruits, vegetables and nuts should be a "healthy substitute" for some treats. It is possible and necessary to allow ourselves a portion of some favorite dessert after the main meals, because often when we forbid ourselves, more serious problems associated with compulsive overeating begin.

Earlier, on April 23, Daria Pronina, an endocrinologist at the Sberbank Health medical company, spoke about a safe way to lose weight by the summer. She explained that with healthy weight loss, a person should lose 0.5–1 kg per week, but if it takes more than 1 kg, it often happens due to loss of muscle mass. In addition, it is worth carefully approaching weight loss in the presence of chronic pathologies.