Diet and Mental Health

 

"To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong." -Buddha

There has long been an interest in the influence of diet on mental health. It is interesting to learn the interaction of the two with stress. Well, the nature of these relationships is not properly understood. Even though links between diet, overweightness and the associated metabolic syndrome (MetS), anxiety, and mental disorders exist, causal pathways have not been established.

Understanding the connection between diet, stress and mood could have significant implications for the treatment of both stress-related mental disorders and obesity.

This write-up intends to help you understand how food may improve your mood.

Can food and drink affect how I feel?

The answer is Yes! To put it in simple words, every individual reacts differently to the ingredients in their diet. But there are some foods and drinks that may distress how we feel, in diverse ways. Let’s talk about food and drink that might disturb how you feel, and has some ideas on how to manage this.

Keep a note of what you eat and how you're feeling. Over time you might realize if what you eat make you feel worse, or better. If give feel more energetic or if your sleep is getting affected and you feel lethargic. Diet and mental health are pretty much linked. There is no denying the fact that what you eat can affect how you feel, think, and deal with anxiety. 

Dietary Outlines Related to Better Mental Health

Studies show that certain dietary outlines may help cut signs of depression, stress, and mood in general. Let’s explicate.

1. For depression: The Mediterranean diet

In the last few years, quite a few studies have noticed the relationship between gut health, dietary patterns, and the risk of depression.

Looking to follow a Mediterranean diet? Increase your intake of fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, legumes, olive oil, and dairy products and limit your intake of fried foods, sweetened beverages, baked goods, processed meats etc.

Keep in mind that deciding on an eating outline rooted in the principles of the Mediterranean diet doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your cultural foods.

To put it simply, your eating habits must include foods that are easy to access locally and meaningful to you personally or culturally.

2. For anxiety and stress: Restrict intake of alcohol, caffeine, and sugary foods

There are a few specific constituents that might worsen anxiety symptoms; like alcohol, caffeine, and added sugars. Research has observed connections between stress and higher consumption of saturated fat, low intake of fruit, and poor diet quality overall.

Did you notice that you’re feeling particularly stressed? If yes, you may need to adjust your diet as part of your treatment plan. You are suggested to cut your intake of alcohol, caffeine, and extra sugars.

In short, select foods that may reduce inflammation and anxiety throughout the body, such as unsaturated fats, fibre-rich fruits and veggies, and bacteria-laden fermented foods.

3. For mental well-being: A nutrient-dense food regime

The most suitable thing you can do in terms of diet, to perk up your mood, is basically to eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of health-promoting nutrients.Researchers are still exploring the associations between food and mental health. Eating a high-quality, nutrient-dense diet helps in improved mood.

Eating a choice of fruits, vegetables, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, pre-and probiotics, minerals, and fibre may help mental health by lowering stress, and bringing down depression.

Support your mental health through diet:

Experiencing symptoms of any mental health conditions? Well, you may need to work directly with a specialist, say a psychiatrist or psychologist, for individualized care.

Alternatively, if you’re simply looking to make some upfront changes to your diet to support your emotional health, here are a few recommendations you can start with.

As you read through these tips, keep in mind that the overall quality of your diet is more influential than any one decision you make in a day. Try to emphasize multiple healthy nutrients rather than just one exclusively.

Foods that lift your mood

Here are some of the nutrients especially allied with mental health. Let’s give you a list of foods they’re found in.

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Walnuts, salmon, herring, chia and flaxseeds, sardines 
• Folate: Rice, fortified cereals, brussels sprouts, spinach, beef liver,black-eyed peas, asparagus
• Iron: Spinach, beef liver, fortified cereals, oysters, dark chocolate, white beans, lentils, tofu
• Magnesium: Pumpkin and chia seeds, spinach, soy milk, almonds, black beans, cashews, peanuts
• Zinc: Oysters, chicken, beef roast, Alaska king crab, pork chops, lobster, pumpkin seeds 
• B vitamins: Beef liver, chicken breast, tuna, salmon, clams, chickpeas, potatoes, bananas
• Vitamin A: Herring, cow’s milk, beef liver, ricotta cheese, carrots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes
• Vitamin C: Orange and grapefruit juice, red and green peppers, strawberries, broccoli

Pack in prebiotics and probiotics

Prebiotics are foods that give nutrition to the bacteria already living in your gut. Probiotics contain healthy bacteria themselves.

A diet that consists of pre-and probiotics supports maintaining a balanced state of stability (homeostasis) in the gut. A few research also recommends they may play a role in the body’s response to stress and depression.

A list of foods that contain prebiotics or probiotics:

• Fermented foods: kefir, yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, buttermilk, sauerkraut, tempeh
• Alliums: onions, garlic, leeks
• Vegetables: asparagus and artichokes 
• Fruits: apples and bananas
• Grains: oats and barley

Fruits and vegetables are rich in many nutrients like fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B, vitamin C, and healthy plant chemicals called polyphenols. Most importantly, they support mental health.

Fuel up with whole grains

Whole grains are cereals like wheat, rice, and oats that are left completely intact during processing. Besides, they contain more fibre and nutrients than refined grains.

Foods and habits that may harm your mental health

• Ultra-processed foods
• Alcohol consumption
• Insufficient sleep
• Irregular mealtimes

Dietary changes to support mental health

• Eat mindfully
• Go easy on yourself
• Start small

Some suggestions of healthy food swaps are:

• Whole foods rather than packaged and processed foods
• Whole grains in place of refined grains
• Whole fruits in preference to dried fruits and juices
• Seafood or lean poultry instead of red and processed meats
• Fermented dairy as an alternative to sweetened dairy
• Fruit-infused waters instead of soda
• Kombucha or herbal tea instead of alcohol
• Herbs and spices instead of sugar and salt

Wrapping up

Willing to make changes to your diet to support your mental health? Start with a few small food swaps and build up from there. It is, however, suggested to consult a health expert before you start practicing this.

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