Diet and mental health

Many of us know that eating a balanced diet is good for our bodies, but do you know it's also good for our minds? More and more research is being done on how food affects our overall mental health and specific mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.

We'll talk about how food affects our mood and how gut health is essential.

What does food have to do with how I feel?

Eating a healthy, nutrient-dense diet can help you feel better, have more energy, and think more clearly. Many things are going on here, from the number of carbs eaten to how not getting enough vitamins and minerals affects mental health. First, let's talk about how essential carbs are.

Carbohydrates and eating a lot of times

Your brain needs fuel to concentrate and pay attention (20 per cent of all energy required by the body is used by the brain). This energy comes from glucose in the blood, and the glucose in the blood comes from the carbs we eat.

When our brains don't have enough energy, we might feel weak, tired, and unable to think well. Ensure you eat often and get some carbs at each meal can help. Sources of carbohydrates, besides starchy foods like pasta and rice, are:

Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and low-fat dairy are all good for you.

When your blood glucose levels go up and down quickly, it can change your mood, making you angry, sad, or even give you anxiety. It is essential to keep the blood sugar level steady throughout the day. Try slowly eating foods that provide you with energy, like oats, cereals, nuts, and seeds, and eat more small meals throughout the day.

Proteins and fats

In addition to carbs, which give you energy, your brain needs amino acids to help you control your thoughts and feelings. Since protein is made up of amino acids, it is essential to eat enough of it. Protein can be found in lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, cheese, soy products, and legumes.

Some people think that all fats are bad for our health, but that is not the case. For our brains to work right, they need fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6. Healthy fats are found in nuts, seeds, oily fish, chicken, avocados, dairy, and eggs.

Our focus on low-fat diets may have hurt our mental health in ways we didn't mean to. About 60% of the brain is made up of fat, and omega-3 fatty acids are needed for neurons to connect correctly.

Vitamins and minerals

When we don't get enough specific vitamins and minerals, our physical and mental health may suffer. The best way to ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals is to eat a varied, well-balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables. Some people may need a supplement, but you should talk to your doctor or a nutritionist first.

A lack of iron can make you feel weak, tired, and slow. Red meat, chicken, fish, beans, peas, and cereals with added iron all have a lot of iron.

B vitamins: If you don't get enough B1, B3, and B12, you might feel tired, angry, or sad. B vitamins are found in foods like meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and cereals that have been added to them.

Folate: You are more likely to feel depressed if you don't get enough folate. Folate can be found in foods like green vegetables, citrus fruits, liver, beans, and fortified foods like marmite.

If you don't get enough selenium, you may be more likely to feel depressed or have other destructive moods. Selenium can be found in Brazil nuts, seeds, whole-grain bread, meat, and fish.

At least seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily is an excellent way to ensure your diet is full of nutrients.

Worried about not drinking enough?

Hydration and nutrition are inextricably linked, but there is so much information that it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and worried. Some people might feel very strongly about these things. The worry that you are not drinking enough water is called "dehydration anxiety." You might be afraid to leave your water bottle at home. Because of this worry, you might drink more water than your body needs, making you sick. The concern comes from not giving your body enough fluids to work well. This kind of constant anxiety is linked to OCD and orthorexia.

Symptoms of dehydration anxiety include keeping track of how much water you drink every day down to the litre, feeling dread when you don't have your water bottle, wondering where to get water, like when you're shopping or travelling and having panic attacks when water isn't easy to get.

Treatment for hydration and nutrition

You can use the recommended six to eight glasses of water per day (about two litres) as a general guideline for how much water you should drink and consider your specific dietary needs. Different people need different amounts of water to stay hydrated, so you should think about your whole life when figuring out how much water you need.

"The colour of your urine can determine how much water you need, along with how thirsty you are." You want your urine to be pale yellow, but taking Riboflavin (vitamin B2) may turn your urine bright yellow. Most fruits, cucumbers, celery, lettuce, courgettes, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, and even salmon and eggs, if they aren't overcooked, have a lot of water in them and can count toward your daily water needs. If you don't eat enough vegetables and fruits, you'll have to drink more to make up for it."

If you think you might be drinking too much or too little water, it might be helpful to talk to a nutritional therapist who can help you figure out how much water you need.

The health of the mind and stomach

It's becoming clear that gut health and mental health are linked. Our gut, sometimes called the "second brain," makes more than 90% of the "happy" hormone serotonin in our bodies. Our stomachs can also affect our immune systems and how well we can handle stress, affecting our mood. A healthy digestive system lets us take in the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients our brains need to grow.

When we are worried or nervous, we often feel it in our bellies. Our digestion can speed up or slow down, depending on our thoughts. To keep your stomach happy, eat a lot of fibre, drink lots of water, and work out regularly.

Fermented foods can help the good bacteria in our stomachs grow, so try to eat them as often as possible. Gut-friendly foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and pulses.

Medications and meals

If you are taking medicine for your mental health, you may need to avoid certain meals. Talk to your doctor about any medication you take and any changes you might need to make to your diet.

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