Can Food Affect Mental Health?
There's a growing awareness of the connection between our food and our mental health. From gluten-free diets to the impact of processed foods on our mental well-being, food has been linked with a variety of problems. So is food to blame for our mental health problems? And if so, what can we do to fix the issue?
It is also important to remember that just like with any other area of our body, having enough nutrients helps maintain overall wellness. Nutrients come from both dietary sources (food) and non-dietary sources (vitamins and minerals in supplements).
Furthermore, not all individuals respond similarly to the same foods or treatments. What works for someone else’s body might not be effective for yours. An individual’s nutritional needs are unique.
Here we look at the potential effects that nutrition has on mental health, as well as strategies for improving your mental health while using nutrition to treat symptoms.
Effects of nutrition on mood
Nutrition can have an effect on your mood by altering levels of neurotransmitters in your brain.
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that influence emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Certain foods may boost or reduce levels of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, oxytocin, or other substances in your blood.
Serotonin is linked to feeling happy, while cortisol is a stress hormone so lowering one and raising another helps regulate mental health.
It has been found that eating foods high in carbohydrates (like bread) can lead to a decrease in serotonin levels, which could contribute to feelings of depression.
On the other hand, omega-3 fats found in some fish like salmon help create hormones such as DHA that promote relaxation and sleep.
Foods rich in bromelain, a natural compound found in pineapples, may increase concentrations of the feelgood neurotransmitter [serotonin].
Ways to improve your mental health
One of the most important things you can do for your overall well-being is to eat healthy. Consuming enough nutritious foods helps keep your body functioning properly, which has a positive effect on your mood.
Research shows that eating fruits and vegetables every day makes a difference in your emotional wellness and even suggests that eating certain types of fruits and veggies may be more effective than others.
It’s not just what you're drinking but also how you're making sure your body gets all the other necessary nutrients. Nutrient deficiencies are common issues when people don't consume enough fruits and vegetables or don't eat them the right way.
Certain vitamins and minerals help regulate hormones and serotonin levels, both of which can influence mood.
Eat more whole plant foods
Emerging research suggests that what you eat can have an effect on your mental health. Certain nutrients in food may help keep your mood stable, while other nutritional supplements or diets are being studied for their potential to treat specific disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
A few studies suggest that eating a nutritious diet helps maintain healthy stress levels. People who were fed a vegetarian diet had lower blood pressure than those who didn’t receive any nutrition beyond water and sugar. Also, some evidence indicates that omega-3 fats found in fruits and vegetables may reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
However, most research investigating the link between diet and emotional wellness look at only one factor — whether it be through nutrient supplementation, dietary patterns or both. It is difficult to determine how much influence each individual ingredient has without conducting separate experiments with isolated components.
Furthermore, most studies focus on short-term effects, which means they evaluate whether there was a change in emotional wellness immediately after intervention and not if the changes remain consistent over time. Because disease can affect nutrition, results may be influenced by underlying conditions.
It is important to note that we know very little about the complex relationship between our diets and overall health and well-being. More research is needed to establish clear guidelines.
Focus on your gut health
Recent research shows that not only does what you eat matter, but how it impacts your digestive system matters as well. Your gut feels like its own separate entity from the rest of your body so anything related to your stomach or intestines is an important factor in overall wellness.
Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains many organs including your small intestine, large intestine, mouth, throat, and esophagus. The GI system helps break down foods and absorbs nutrients needed for healthy growth and function.
Certain components of food can have a profound effect on your mood and mental health. Bacteria in your digestive system influence hormones and neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Serotonin acts as a calming hormone while GABA promotes relaxation. Dopamine boosts appetite and motivation. When these levels are out of balance, symptoms include anxiety, depression, agitation, excessive worry, trouble sleeping, and overeating.
Eat more fermented foods
Fermented foods are those products that contain microorganisms or lactic acid, which contribute to their flavor. The most common types of fermented foods include yogurt, kefir, pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, and others.
Some studies have shown that eating enough fermented food can help reduce symptoms of depression and stress.
Fermentation is an integral part of nature’s balance system. When you eat fermented foods, your gut bacteria may benefit from the extra oxygen and nutrients in the product as well as the growth factors stimulated by the microbes.
These growth factors play a role in immune function, hormone production, and nutrient absorption.
By improving digestive health and supporting overall wellness, fermented foods can strengthen our mental fitness. — Nutritionist, Clara Chung, MA, RDN, CDT
They can also be a source of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Consuming a variety of fermented foods is one way to enjoy them while still getting benefits.
Try meditation
A growing body of research suggests that what you eat has an effect on your mental health. Certain foods can help improve your mood, while other foods may make it harder to feel happy or motivate yourself to do things.
Meditation is a great way to reduce stress and promote happiness. There are many different types of meditation, but they all focus attention and awareness on a specific thing for length of time.
You can choose to meditate on anything — from breathing to sounds to pictures or even thoughts. Some people concentrate on the breath, which works for some people more effectively than others.
There are several ways to combine meditation with diet. You could try eating vegetables before meditation, singing or listening to music during meditation, drinking tea or water instead of coffee or alcohol after yoga, and practicing gratitude or mindfulness exercises as part of your daily routine.
Talk more
It’s impossible to have meaningful conversations about mental health without talking about how food affects someone. Depression, anxiety, stress — they all seem to come with the territory when you are trying to live life to the fullest.
Depression can easily be mistaken for hunger or thirst at its most basic level. Someone who is depressed may not feel like eating, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t hungry.
However, they might choose to avoid foods due to the way they make them uncomfortable or feel bad after you eat them. Or maybe they over-eat because they feel too much energy to keep up with what they need to do so.
There is evidence that shows that nutritional deficiencies play a major role in symptoms of depression. That’s why it’s important to try to include some diversity in your diet while also making sure you get enough nutrients needed for healthy mood regulation.
Nutritionists say we are an average of 10% calories from sugar (or less) and 20–30 grams of protein per day. Nutrient deficiency is linked to depressive symptoms, so if you find yourself craving sweets or feeling low on energy, consider looking into whether you’re deficient in vitamins or minerals.
We can see that food is one of the most important factors to keep your mental health in mind. For better brain health, try switching up your diet and get enough fruits, vegetables, fish oil, nuts and seeds.
By now, you can understand how important your daily meals are for maintaining a healthy mind. So, make sure to include some of these food items into your diet to start feeling better because from anti-depressants to regulating your stress levels, the ingredients found in these foods will lead to positive change. So keep them in mind when planning your next meal so that you can enjoy optimal mental health.
