From infancy we were taught that good nutrition helps us to look and feel better physically. What we can always tell is that a healthy diet has a huge impact on our mental health. A healthy and balanced diet can help us to think positively. and feel very alert. It can also improve concentration and attention span.
On the other hand, malnutrition can lead to fatigue, difficult decisions, and slower response times. In fact, junk food may increase stress and even cause depression.
One of the major health risks is public dependence on processed foods. Full of flour and sugar, these foods train the mind to crave more nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Many of the digested foods we eat are highly addictive and stimulate dopamine levels in our brain associated with happiness and reward. Start changing the physiology of the brain when you eliminate excess sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet.
Nutritional Psychiatry
Mental health problems are far more common than you might think in the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 50 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lives. In 2018, “mental illness, such as depression, is the third leading cause of hospitalization in the United States for people aged 18 to 44 years.”
These shocking statistics, coupled with the fact that Western foods are often filled with junk food, scientists are wondering if the two are related. Does food affect the brain in the same way that it affects the body? To find out, researchers began studying the relationship between diet and mental health nearly a decade ago.
Food and Mental Health
Recent research has focused on the link between healthy eating and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. Although no definite link between diet and mental health has yet been found, evidence remains.
At the moment, we know that healthy eating affects brain health:
- Promoting brain growth.
- Modification of brain proteins and enzymes to increase neurotransmitters, which are the links between brain cells.
- Increase in good intestinal bacteria. This promotes a healthy gut biome, which reduces inflammation. Inflammation is known to affect both consciousness and spirit.
- Increased serotonin levels by various dietary enzymes improve mood.
We know that a nutritious diet produces changes in brain proteins that improve communication between brain cells. However, high-fat diets and refined sugars have been shown to have a very strong adverse effect on brain proteins.
In addition, a diet high in sugar and fat reduces the risk of developing intestinal infections. The results of some studies have shown that sugary foods can worsen the symptoms of schizophrenia. The negative effect of sugary foods from sugary foods / beverages on long-term mental health suggests that lowering blood sugar may be associated with better mental health.
Mental Health Foods
It seems logical that the best nutrition for the body is also what promotes brain health. They really help prevent depression.
Nutrients that may support brain health include:
- Iron: Iron deficiency plays a role in stress.
- B12: A 2013 report published in Current Psychiatry found that “low levels of B12 and homocysteine levels increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and are associated with a 5-fold increase in brain level. atrophy “.
- Zinc: Low levels of zinc can cause depression.
- Omega 3: It can improve mood and improve memory and thought processes.
- Vitamin C: A study by Ramsey and Muskin found that “vitamin C intake is very low in older people (≥ 60 years) with depression.”
Eating nutritious foods such as grains, raw vegetables, colorful vegetables, beans and legumes, seafood and fruit improves overall health, including brain health. The Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which eliminates sugar, significantly improved symptoms in patients participating in nutrition and mental health.
Eating nutritious foods such as grains, raw vegetables, colorful vegetables, beans and legumes, seafood and fruit improves overall health, including brain health. The Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, which eliminates sugar, significantly improved symptoms in patients participating in nutrition and mental health.
The next time you eat fried food and soda, ask yourself if it is right for your brain. Remember: every bite is important!