Can Your Eating Habits Impact Your Mental Health?
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Diet has long been recognized as a critical factor in mental health and wellbeing.
However we are becoming increasingly aware of the critical role that nutrition plays in mental, emotional and social well-being.
Find out more about the connection between nutrition and mental health, particular dietary patterns that may enhance mental health and actions you can take to promote mental well-being.
In the past psychiatric therapies such as counseling medication and occasionally hospitalization have been used to treat mental health issues.
These days a new field called nutritional psychiatry focuses on how nutrition and diet impact mental health. Through dietary and lifestyle modifications it seeks to support the treatment of mental health conditions.
The gastrointestinal system also known as the gut is intimately linked to the brain and may be impacted by the foods you choose.
Trillions of living bacteria live in the gut where they perform a variety of bodily tasks including the synthesis of neurotransmitters which are chemical messengers that control mood, emotion appetite, sleep and pain.
The gut has been dubbed the second brain because of the complex web of interactions between the two. The two are related and this relationship is formally known as the gut-brain connection or gut-brain axis.
According to some research the foods we eat have an impact on the health of the colonies of gut microbes which in turn affects our brains and consequently our mental and emotional well-being.
Dietary habits are associated with better mental health
The best diet to help elevate your mood might be a nutrient-dense well-balanced diet.
For example there is evidence that eating more fruits and vegetables is associated with better mental health, reduced stress and increased life satisfaction.
Think about emphasizing the consumption of whole foods that are rich in nutrients including fiber protein and healthy fats.
The Mediterranean diet might be a good starting point if you’re unsure of where to start. A diet similar to the Mediterranean is advised by some researchers and health organizations to promote gut health and reduce the risk of depression.
For example, a 2019 review found that a diet low in red and processed meats and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes was linked to a 10% lower risk of depressive symptoms.
A Mediterranean diet calls for consuming more of the following foods.
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Fish
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Olive oil
- Dairy products
A Mediterranean diet restricts:
- Fried foods
- Processed meats
- Sweetened beverages
- Baked goods
Additionally take into account picking foods like these that may lessen stress and inflammation all over the body.
- High fiber foods
- Fruits and vegetables
- Unsaturated fats
- Fermented foods
Giving up your traditional foods is not necessary when adopting an eating pattern based on the Mediterranean diets tenets. Find out more about adding a Caribbean flair to the Mediterranean diet for instance.
Basic Dietary Advice to Promote Mental Well-Being
Here are some dietary suggestions to promote your mental health and overall wellbeing.
Keep in mind that the total quality of your diet has greater influence than any one choice you make in a given day. Try not to concentrate on just one healthy nutrient at a time but on a range of them.
Consume a lot of nutrients.
Here are a few foods that contain these nutrients and some of the nutrients that are most prominently associated with mental health.
- Flaxseed walnuts, salmon herring and sardines are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
- Folate can be found in black-eyed peas spinach asparagus rice beef liver fortified cereals and Brussels sprouts.
- Iron-containing foods include tofu white beans, lentils spinach dark chocolate beef liver oysters and fortified cereals.
- Almonds, cashews, peanuts black beans, soy milk, spinach, pumpkin and chia seeds are good sources of magnesium.
- Zinc-containing foods include lobster Alaska king crab beef roast chicken pork chops oysters and pumpkin seeds.
- Vitamin B: clams tuna salmon chickpeas potatoes bananas beef liver and chicken breast.
- Cantaloupe sweet potatoes carrots ricotta cheese cows milk herring and beef liver are good sources of vitamin A.
- Vitamin C-rich foods include broccoli strawberries, orange and grapefruit juice and red and green peppers.
Put Probiotics and Prebiotics in There
Probiotics actually contain good bacteria whereas prebiotics are foods that nourish the bacteria that are already present in your gut.
Prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods support gut stability and homeostasis. According to some research they might also influence how the body reacts to stress and depression.
These are a few foods that contain probiotics or prebiotics.
- Yogurt kefir buttermilk kimchi sauerkraut tempeh and kombucha are examples of fermented foods.
- Leeks onions and garlic are alliums.
- Asparagus and artichokes are vegetables.
- Bananas and apples are fruits.
- Barley and oats are the grains.
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Consume a range of vegetables and fruits
According to research, eating more fruits and vegetables is linked to lower levels of psychological distress and depression but higher levels of optimism and self-efficacy.
According to a review, these raw fruits and vegetables are the best for improving mental health.
- Berries
- Citrus fruits
- Dark leafy greens
- Carrots
- Bananas
- Apples
- Grapefruit
- Lettuce
- Cucumber
- Kiwifruit
Use Whole Grains as Fuel
Cereals that remain completely whole throughout processing such as rice wheat and oats are known as whole grains. As a result they are higher in fiber and nutrients than refined grains which are made by discarding certain plant parts.
A study that involved over 3000 adults discovered that a higher intake of dietary fiber was associated with a lower risk of psychological distress, anxiety and depression.
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Use Whole Grains as Fuel
Cereals that remain completely whole throughout processing such as rice wheat and oats are known as whole grains. As a result they are higher in fiber and nutrients than refined grains which are made by discarding certain plant parts.
A study that involved over 3000 adults discovered that a higher intake of dietary fiber was associated with a lower risk of psychological distress, anxiety and depression.
The field of nutritional psychiatry is intriguing and has the power to change our perception of mental health.
Emotional control and mental health management may be significantly impacted by the state of our gut and the bacteria that live there.
A well-balanced nutrient-rich diet can promote gut health but ultra-processed foods should be avoided as they are linked to negative effects.
To improve your mental health start with a few minor dietary adjustments and work your way up from there.
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