How are diet and mental health linked?
The relationship between our diet and our mental health is complex. However, research shows a link between what we eat and how we feel.
Eating well can help you feel better. You don’t have to make big changes to your diet, but see if you can try some of these tips:
- Eat regularly. This can stop your blood sugar level from dropping, which can make you feel tired and bad-tempered.
- Stay hydrated. Even mild dehydration can affect your mood, energy level, and ability to concentrate.
- Eat the right balance of fats. Your brain needs healthy fats to keep working well. Avoid trans fats – often found in processed or packaged foods – as they can be bad for your mood and your heart health.
- Include more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. They contain the vitamins and minerals your brain and body need to stay well.
- Include some protein with every meal. It contains an amino acid that your brain uses to help regulate your mood.
- Look after your gut health. Your gut can reflect how you’re feeling: it can speed up or slow down if you're stressed. Healthy food for your gut includes fruit, vegetables, beans, and probiotics.
- Be aware of how caffeine can affect your mood. It can cause sleep problems.
THE BRAINBOW
The Brainbow diet is rich in all the colors of the rainbow and feeds the brain. Research suggests that inflammation underlies depression; to counteract depression, we need to minimize inflammation. We can do this by integrating a diet rich in colorful foods, spices, and herbs into our daily practice. All the Brainbow foods represent different nutrients that quench the inflammatory fires and nourish our neurons so they can communicate better. The idea behind it is that colorful vegetables and fruit contain specific micronutrients that support your health and combat biological stress with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory molecules.
VEGGIES
Vegetables are abundant in dietary fiber, and because fiber has an anti-inflammatory impact, diets high in fiber have been associated with a lower incidence of anxiety, stress, and depression. Important fatty acids are omega-3s. Because of their potent anti-inflammatory properties, they promote mental wellness and lessen anxiety symptoms. The researchers narrowed down the top fruits and vegetables they found to be associated with better mental health and fewer symptoms of depression. These include carrots, dark leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, cucumber, apples, bananas, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits.
NUTRITIONAL FOOD
Regularly choose foods that release energy slowly (rice, oats, wholegrain cereals and breads, and seeds). Stay hydrated (water is best as it doesn't contain caffeine or sugars). Get enough protein-rich foods (meat, fish, eggs, beans, pulses, dairy, nuts, seeds). Reduce/manage caffeine (aim for no more than 2-3 cups of caffeinated drinks a day). Eat brain and heart healthy fats (oily fish, eggs, lentils and beans, soya, nuts and seeds). Get your minimum of 5-a-day fruit and vegetables (for those micronutrients and fiber).
MEDITATION & DIET
Meditation and diet are two essential components of a healthy lifestyle that significantly impact both physical and mental well-being. While they might seem like separate practices, they are closely related and can complement each other to enhance overall health. Balanced Nutrition: Consuming a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals helps improve brain function, enhancing mental clarity and focus during meditation. Avoiding Processed Foods: Foods high in sugar and processed ingredients can cause energy spikes and crashes, making it difficult to maintain the focus required for effective meditation.
CAFFEINE
Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, cola, and other energy drinks. It is a stimulant. This means it can give you a quick burst of energy. But it might also make you feel anxious and depressed, disturb your sleep, especially if you have it just before bed, and give you withdrawal symptoms like feeling irritable or depressed, if you suddenly stop having it. If you think caffeine is affecting your mood, you could try to slowly reduce how much caffeine you have.
BREAKFAST
Avoid skipping breakfast. Breakfast is needed to fuel your body (including your brain) after going without food during sleep and also jump starts your metabolism for the day. Skipping meals leads to fatigue and feelings of brain fog. Try to incorporate a healthy breakfast into your routine. If you’re tight on time in the mornings, grab a whole grain granola bar, yogurt, and a piece of fruit to get you off to a good start.
SAY NO TO DRUGS
The message to "say no to drugs" is a critical aspect of promoting health and well-being in individuals and communities. Understanding the harmful effects of drug use and the benefits of staying drug-free is essential for making informed choices and leading a healthy lifestyle. Addiction: Cycle of Dependency: Drugs can cause physical and psychological dependence, making it difficult to stop using them once started. Health Deterioration: Prolonged drug use can lead to severe health issues, including liver damage, respiratory problems, and heart disease.
LUNCH/DINNER
Avoid high-fat dairy, and fried, refined, and sugary foods, which have little nutritional value. In addition to contributing to weight gain and conditions like diabetes, research shows that a diet that consists primarily of these kinds of foods significantly increases the risk of depression. Try to eat a diet that relies on fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and unsaturated fats (like olive oil). People who follow this kind of diet are up to 30% less likely to develop depression than people who eat lots of meat and dairy products.