Irritability!

A few times lately, when I've not eaten as soon as I would have liked, I've suddenly become really irritable. Now, my husband might tell you that I'm an irritable person anyway - and if I'm honest he'd be right! But this is a rapid onset irritability that I don't seem to be able to control. Basically, it happens if I get hungry, a feeling that I am not used to experiencing. Most commonly it happens if my planned eating time is delayed in some way. For example, one day recently, dinner took much longer to prepare than I'd anticipated, so I got hungry and started cursing the saucepans! Another day I was trying to prepare a lunch that included tuna, and the cats (eager to get some for themselves!) kept getting under my feet and delaying me - so I shouted at them!

Thinking about this made me realise that hunger is not a feeling I have much experience with - since in the past I have always been a more-or-less compulsive eater and so I've never given my body a chance to be hungry! I could understand it if my body just slowed down when I get hungry, but I don't really understand the irritability. Surely this cannot be a natural response to hunger because irritability and anger use up valuable energy...?

The link above connects to an interesting article in the New York Times entitled "Moody, cranky, tired? Feed me!".