How Your Diet Can Affect Your Mental Health
by Spectrum Mental Health | 20th May 2021
Ever hear the expression ‘you are what you eat?’ We all have, and the expression has a lot of merit, especially when it comes to mental health.
Nutrition Psychiatry is a relatively new field and studies are still underway on the link between mood and food. However overall case studies are revealing favorable findings.
In short, a healthy diet filled with nutritious food, goes hand in hand with maintaining a positive mental health space. Improving your diet has been proven to improve your mood, it will give you more energy and help you think more clearly!
Here’s how it works.
Mood Food
Your brain is always at work, even when you are asleep. All this constant work needs fuel to power it up. The food you consume directly affects the structure and function of your brain and therefore your mood.
“Eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress — the “waste” (free radicals) produced when the body uses oxygen, which can damage cells.” (Selhub, E 2015)
These nutrients are needed for the brain to function optimally, our bodies will crave these sources if nutrients become depleted.
Eating guilty pleasure foods such as take-away, chocolate, crisps and other trans fatty acids and empty calories will give you a quick dopamine hit, which is why we indulge and convince ourselves they make us feel good. But do not be fooled! Although it will give you a quick hit, the pleasure is short lived and eventually leads to feelings of guilt and an eventual crash which results in low mood.
This is why it is important to maintain a healthy diet in relation to the food pyramid as recommended by the HSE.
Listen to Your Body
If you are in any doubt, track your mood with a food journal. Write down the types of food you are eating and the serving sizes, use the pyramid as a guide and track how it affects your mood throughout the day. Track if you have more energy levels, if you are tired, if you feel bloated or anxious or exhilarated and more energised.
Make notes of the foods and eating habits that make you feel good and tailor your diet based on your findings.
Getting acquainted with your body and learning what food works for you is optimal for both your physical and mental health.
Behaviour Change from Diet
Diet alone should not be used as a treatment from depression, anxiety and other mental health related illnesses.
Although there has been proof that a healthy diet helps in maintaining a healthy headspace, the research on nutritional psychiatry is ongoing. Therefore it is key to track your own food consumption and mood on a personal level.
There are positive side effects of a healthy diet in regards to lifestyle change, which in turn gives you more positive mental health. For example, individuals on healthy diets are more likely to engage in activities and behaviours that are also linked with a reduced risk of mental health conditions, like engaging in regular exercise, practicing good sleep patterns, socialising more and refraining from smoking or drinking alcohol.
For those of us looking to lose a few pounds, we might look into weight loss groups in our community. Which can offer a safe space to discuss body image, eating habits and diet with peers facing the same issues. A community working towards a collective goal, gives us a sense of purpose.
These good habits also evoke feelings of belonging, support and encouragement. All of which fulfill social, physical and emotional needs.
Next Steps
As you can see, it is all connected - diet, lifestyle and mental health. If you are looking to adjust your diet to improve mood, the team here at Gourmet Fuel are here to help. Our meals are designed by nutritionists to provide you with all of the nutrients you need for optimizing your diet, mood and energy levels.
You could also continue to use your food journal to track your body's response to the dietary patterns and highlight any positive findings.
If you are struggling with ongoing mental health issues or eating related disorders and would like to talk to someone about it, you can avail of online affordable counselling sessions with a food specialist at Spectrum mental health. Just call 01 6111719 or email hello@mentalhealth.ie. Be safe and mind your mind.