Infano brings to you 10 Days Of Mental Health in collaboration with The Logical Indian in lieu of World Mental Health Day on October 10. Nutritionist Zehra Aliakbar tells us the connection between food and mental health.
Mental health is an intrinsic part of health. It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Handling stress, relating to others, and making choices are determined by mental health. Hence it is aptly said that there is no health without mental health.
Though mental health is mainly determined by a range of socioeconomic, biological, and environmental factors, surprisingly it can also be influenced by access to food and overall diet quality and our mental health can, in turn, affect eating habits.
Acknowledging the connection between food and mental health
While it’s widely known that nutrition plays a key role in a person’s physical health, it directly affects emotional well-being, too. Most of us have often experienced that we turn to less healthful foods, such as sweets or highly processed snack foods when we are angry, upset, or stressed. Moreover, mental health can make adhering to a healthful diet more difficult when one is on antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications that tend to increase appetite and cravings.
On the other hand, what we eat directly affects the structure and function of our brain. Let’s know the science behind this.
There’s a relationship between our brain and our gastrointestinal tract which is home to billions of bacteria that influence the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin (carry messages from the gut to the brain).
Eating healthy food promotes the growth of “good” bacteria, which in turn positively affects neurotransmitter production. A steady diet of junk food, on the other hand, can cause inflammation that hampers production. When neurotransmitter production is in good shape, your brain receives these positive messages loud and clear, and your emotions reflect it. But when production goes awry so does your mood.
Put simply, your brain should not be deprived of good-quality nutrition.
Food habits that aggravate stress and depression
Sugar and processed foods are known to cause inflammation throughout the body and brain, which may contribute to mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. When we’re feeling stressed or depressed, it’s often processed foods we reach for in search of a quick mood booster. A cup of coffee stands in for a pick-me-up break and a complete breakfast of fresh fruits and vegetables is replaced with high-fat, high-calorie fast food. A pint of ice cream rescues us from slipping into low woes.
This hinders us from adopting a healthy diet leading to emotional eating and unwanted health hazards.
Foods for mental health
The cycle of food affecting mood and vice versa is a vicious one, but it can be overcome by practicing healthy and mindful eating.
Certain nutrients in food promote emotional wellbeing. These nutrients include;
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, canola oil .
- Folic acid : broccoli, spinach, sprouts, citrus fruits, nuts
- Vitamin D: besides sunshine which is the main source you can also rely on fatty fish, mushrooms, egg yolks.
- Magnesium: greens, nuts, beans and whole grains.
- B vitamins: green vegetables meat, milk ,cheese, eggs
- Tryptophan: helps raise serotonin which is a mood stabilizer and is found in milk, nuts and seeds, chicken, cheese, oats.
Modification in eating habits
- Include alternative sources of carbs like Quinoa, millet, beets and sweet potatoes which has more nutritional value and greater satiety than the simple carbohydrates found in sugar and candy.
- Always make sure your food contains good sources of protein like chicken, meat, fish, eggs, soybeans, nuts and seeds.
- Fuel your brain and nervous system with healthy fatty acids. You can find them in fish, meat, eggs, nuts and flaxseeds, olive oil, coconut oil and avocado. This will support your brain function.
- Staying well hydrated with atleast 8 glasses of water daily.
- Do not skip meals. Never.
- Be mindful of your caffeine and alcohol intake. Both can directly impact your mood or anxiety level.
- Abstain from processed snack foods, such as potato chips, which can impair your ability to concentrate. Pass up sugar-filled snacks, such as candy and soft drinks, which lead to ups and downs in energy levels
- Instead have a healthy snack when hunger strikes, such as fruit, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, baked sweet potatoes. This will give you more energy than packaged products.
- Develop a healthy shopping list and stick to it.
- Don’t shop while hungry, since you’ll be more tempted to make unhealthy impulse purchases.
- Be mindful of where and when you eat. Don’t eat in front of the television, which can be distracting and cause you to overeat. Instead, find a place to sit, relax, like in your balcony and really notice what you’re eating. Chew slowly. Savor the taste and texture.
- Try eating with your family or friends. A good company always adds spice to food and mood. Mealtime is family time
Over time, healthy eating, along with regular exercise and medication, helps to overcome any treatable mental disorder. Incorporating good-for-your-mood foods into your diet may take some extra effort, but it’s all worth it because all minds matter.
This article has been authored by Zehra Aliakbar. She is a Pharmacist and Nutritionist and blogs at the3gsofnutrition.wordpress.com