Starting off on a brand-new weight loss program can be a tricky thing; a food regimen that is vastly different from your old eating habits may cause or create a subliminal melt-down in most cases. Because our bodies react to these types of changes, often in negative fashion, mood swings are likely to occur. Online horror stories abound when it comes to people cutting calories and feeling so hungry that the world will end if they don’t eat something immediately. Sound familiar? Those who starve themselves in the interest of losing weight will likely experience certain degrees of sporadic behavior, mainly because they’re adjusting to the chemical and physical changes taking place in the brain and the body.

Irritability ranks at the top of the list when switching over to healthier dietary habits, and rightfully so. These types of foods are a far cry from burgers and fries and truth be told, it’s not much fun at all, yet it needs to be done.

One of the first side-effects of starting fresh and healthy is getting a slight case of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Over time, your body adapts to the high caloric content via weight gain that can result in contracting type II diabetes. By cutting caloric consumption in half, or more, blood sugar levels are likely to drop and cause the brain to overcompensate, thus sending signals throughout the body that it needs more glucose to resume normal cognitive function. As a natural reaction, the body produces cortisol in order to supply the brain with minimal amounts of glucose.

Often times this can be the result of skipping a meal, which is merely one of the bad eating habits to avoid. It’s also not a very good idea to starve yourself, as your stomach rumbles and growls for good reason when you’re hungry; ignoring the natural signals of your internal system may end up causing problems down the road. If and/or when your body’s telling you to eat, a small snack may help to tie you over until the next meal is scheduled

Straying from your dietary routine can also disrupt brain chemistry. It’s a good idea, if possible, to stick with scheduled meals as often as you can. Adequate nutrition—or the lack thereof, is yet another issue that can affect mood stability. Deficiencies in iron, folic acid, and thiamine have been known to cause altered or erratic emotions. The B vitamin group is essential to maintaining energy levels, and amino acids are crucial to attaining normal cell, muscle, and tissue function. In most cases, a once-per-day multiple vitamin dosage will take care of these deficiencies.

If you’re not in a better mood already, following some or all of these tips may help to stabilize your serotonin levels.