"Art and Food, how are related?"


Art and food are very much related and one, sometime, can replace the other. The fact is that when an artist creates a painting/artwork/compose music, dance etc., experience those feelings of pleasure which are triggered in the brain by certain food or by listening to certain music. To elaborate in this process, our brains need good amount of Dopamine and Serotonin.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that serves as a chemical messenger in the nervous system and permits individual nerve fibers (neurons) to communicate with each other. The dopamine neurotransmitter belongs to the class of compounds known as monoamines particularly to a subclass of chemicals called catecholamines. Dopamine can act either as an inhibitory mechanism or an excitatory mechanism in the nervous system, depending on the location of dopamine neurons, and the receiving characteristics of the next neuron in the chain. Dopamine is also an important neurotransmitter (messenger) in the brain. Neurotransmitter is a chemical that is released from a nerve cell which thereby transmits an impulse from a nerve cell to another nerve, muscle, organ, or other tissue. A neurotransmitter is a messenger of neurologic information from one cell to another.

Serotonin is as Important, why? It promotes and improves sleep, self esteem, relieves depression, diminishes, cravings, prevents agitated depression and worrying. The serotoninergic system is known to modulate mood, emotion, sleep and appetite and thus is implicated in the control of numerous behavioral and physiological functions.

When we have enough Dopamine and Serotonin, we experience the following.

• Feelings of / contentment/enjoyment/pleasure
• Feelings of affection/attachment/ intimacy/love
• Sense of philanthropy (unselfish concern and feeling compassion for the welfare of others)
• Assimilation of thoughts and feelings

From experience we notice the above when seeing genuine artists are happy creating artwork, have self esteem, in a good mood, excited, energetic, calling for peace, caring for others, attached easily to others, sharing their passion and love even if they do not make enough living from their artwork.!

When we have Deficiencies of both we experience the following:

• Anhedonia (lack of pleasure or enjoyment/satisfaction)
• Lack of ability to feel love, to sense the attachment to others
• Lack of remorse about actions
• Distractibility

But what about the time when artists are not painting or what about the rest of the majority who are not artists? How can they manage the balance of moods, the normal human feelings and needs? Our brains needs good amount of Dopamine and Serotonin which are found in Apples, Banana, Beets, Chicken, eggs, Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Almonds, Chocolate, Bananas, Fish and Strawberries.

From my personal experience I can sit straight for 13 hours painting and forget that I did not have a meal but only some juice or healthy snakes while still feeling, energetic, content, happy and full. Do not take me wrong, I still love and enjoy my seafood dish with a good drink and delicious desserts with amaretto!

©Mona Youssef - Realist fine artist