Have you ever wondered the role your diet plays in your mental well-being? Here’s what to eat as part of your mental health care plan.
The expression “you are what you eat” has some truth to it when it comes to your mental health care plan. Many of us have experienced, in some capacity, how different foods can make us feel good or bad after eating it.
We’ve all heard by now that good nutrition is good for our mental health. Evidence even suggests that a series of mental health issues are influenced by our diet and exercise.
Our understanding of the linkage between diet and mental health is growing rapidly. We now know that food plays a very important role in both short and long term mental health and can help manage and prevent certain mental health issues from depression to schizophrenia.
Studies suggest that a diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is an effective aspect of any mental health care plan.
Through a diet providing adequate amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fats, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and water can increase and protect feelings of well-being and a more balanced mood overall.
Nutrients Are Good For Your Brain
Nutrients from our food interact with the chemicals in our brain to keep us going throughout the day.
It stands to reason. then, that different food with different nutrients interacts with our brains in very different ways. It is important to eat a variety of healthy foods including fresh fruits and vegetables each and every day.
Carbohydrates increase serotonin, a brain chemical that is released when you’re tired. Perhaps that’s why people crave carb based meals when they’re under stress or depressed.
Protein-rich foods increase tyrosine, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which help to increase alertness and energy throughout the body.
In addition, certain healthy fats (like omega-3 fatty acids) become part of the membranes of brain cells that control many brain processes.
Poor nutrition or lack of a variety of healthy foods can contribute to depression and other issues by limiting the availability certain nutrients or increasing the release of undesirable chemicals.
There may have been a time when food and mood weren’t thought to be related at all, but now that we know what a drastic effect what you put in your body has on your mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being, we can take the appropriate steps moving forward in our nutritional mental health care plan.
Deficiencies Are Bad For Your Brain
Significant nutrient deficiencies are generally rare, but that doesn’t mean that being low in certain nutrients can’t take its toll.
It’s important to note the different negative effects that certain deficiencies can have on one’s mental health.
Thiamine (also known as vitamin B1), for example, is found in certain legumes, seeds, and fortified grains, and is necessary for maintaining energy supplies in the body and coordinating the activity of nerves and muscles. Thiamine deficiency can, therefore, lead to weakness, irritability, and depression.
Folate (also known as vitamin B9), is found in leafy greens, legumes, and fortified grains, is essential for the process of red blood cell production, in helping to prevent homocysteine build-up in the blood, and in allowing nerves to function properly. Folate deficiency can, therefore, result in depression, apathy, fatigue, loss of sleep, and difficulty concentrating.
While there are plenty of vitamin supplements available, there is no research to suggest that they have the same effects on mental health and depression.
Vitamins and minerals that you take in through food are more readily and efficiently absorbed than those obtained through supplements.
The best course of action is to eat a wide variety of healthy foods, including proteins, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Through this dietary health and mental health care plan, you will certainly obtain the nutrients necessary to support a healthy body and mind.
Your Nutritional Mental Health Care Plan
Moving forward with your nutritional mental health care plan, try to avoid sugary drinks, skipping breakfast, and having lunches and dinners containing high-fat dairy products, fried, or sugary foods.
In contrast, work towards increasing your water intake, incorporating a healthy breakfast into your daily routine, and relying heavily on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and unsaturated fats.
People who follow this very basic nutrient-rich dietary regimen are not only healthier physically, but are also around 30% less likely to develop depression than those who eat lots of saturated fats and dairy products.
We know that what we eat can have a significant impact on how we feel, but when we eat is just as important.
If you’re experiencing low energy or dips in mood throughout the day, it can often be attributed to poor meal timing. Skipping meals, for example, can contribute to mood swings caused by fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
In addition, food restriction can lead to binge eating, which can lead to bigger emotional responses, poor concentration, and stress.
Depression is a common symptom amongst those with eating disorders who frequently restrict food or binge eat. Thus, the optimal way to fuel your body for your best physical and mental health is to space meals and snacks three to four hours apart and choose a healthy protein source at the heart of each meal.
Make a healthy diet and exercise plan and stick to it
This is one of the best things you can do for your state of mind and mental health.
Next time you eat something healthy and next time you eat something unhealthy, take note of how you feel afterward, as this can be a great motivator to continue on a healthy track.
Don’t forget that it all comes down to how you feel, both physically and mentally. When you’re changing your diet, removing or adding new things to your diet, pay attention to the difference it makes. Some people feel more alert and happy when they remove dairy from their diet, and some choose to lose grains.
Find what works for you and you will find your best ever body and mind, and don’t hesitate to speak to a nutritionist to find the best possible nutritional mental health plan for you.