Course description

Nutrition Psychology;

It is the scientific field that examines the relationship between the human body, brain, and mental health with the outside world, considering biological, psychological, and social variables.

In psychodiet application, both dietary and psychological aspects are taken into account.

Human beings are entities with biological, psychological, and social variables. The human body is healthy when it is a whole in both psychological and physiological terms. If a person wants to make a change in their body, they should not only change their diet but also change their mindset.

The human body continues to survive and gains energy from the food it consumes. While the food provides energy, it also affects many brain functions, including mental and cognitive functions. The impact of consumed foods on both physical and emotional development is becoming more widely accepted. A person's mental state plays an important role in their choice of food.

Feeling weak, exhausted, and tired during the day is in a person's hands, and feeling happy and energetic is also a situation that is in the person's control. The food group consumed can affect a person's life positively, but it can also have a negative impact. Similarly, this emotional state also affects the food group to be consumed. It would be a mistake to think of nutrition and psychology separately.

In line with this information, the foods consumed affect human life both positively and negatively and also lead to psychological changes. These changes have emerged after the feelings the person has lived and experienced. One example of these feelings is the widely discussed "Serotonin Hormone." Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and prevent pain (it is often known as the "happiness hormone"). Most of the serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal system, which not only relates to digestion but also directs our emotions.

The World Health Organization defines health not as the absence of disease or disability but as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.

The Relationship of Diet with Psychology

Psychology is important in the application of the diet. In the weight loss process, the person goes through many different stages, and during this process, the psychology of the person who will apply the diet must be considered. The diet starts with convincing a person, and it is necessary to understand the other party before starting the diet. Therefore, psychological support is very important, especially in the weight loss process.

Stages Involved in the Application Process;

1. Evaluation

In the first stage, the issue of the person's weight problem must be addressed. It should be evaluated whether the issue is related to the person's psychology or if it is caused by a physical problem.

2. Motivation

A motivation source should be created for the person in order to encourage the weight loss process; this will allow the person to accept the diet more easily.

3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Consistency in the person's thought-behavior-emotion triad is examined, and decisions are made based on how effective the relationships between these stages are.

4. Planning

The first three stages are evaluated, and a personalized diet and diet process are planned for the person.