We think about the brain as distinct from the body, but the brain relies on the rest of the body, not just for nutrition, but even for the hormones that regulate your mood.
Serotonin, an important hormone for mood, is primarily made in the gut. This is just one sign that the connection between what we eat and how we feel is more important than we had previously thought.
There is still a lot to learn, but we do have some idea about how diet impacts your brain, and in today’s blog post, we present five things you need to know about the relationship between nutrition and mental health.
1. Polyunsaturated Fats and Depression
Early research shows that you can experience some reduction in your depression symptoms if you are eating adequate levels of polyunsaturated fats.
These include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential kinds of fats that many people don’t include in their diets. You can get more of these fats by eating nuts, seeds, and fish. If you have a nut allergy or you are a vegan, you can source polyunsaturated fats from soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil.
2. Vegetables and Legumes
Certain vitamins, including vitamin A, potassium, and folate, are linked to mental health.
Sufficient intake of these vitamins can lead to less psychological distress and fewer depressive symptoms. Many vegetables and legumes–especially those that are different colors as color can indicate the major vitamins in the food–are packed with these vitamins. You can also take a vitamin test and supplement the vitamins that you cannot get in your daily diet.
3. Reduce Added Sugar
The largest impact of sugar on mood seems to be that post-sugar crash.
However, according to Harvard Health, there are other detrimental mental health effects of having too much added sugar in your diet. They recommend that you cut down on added sugar to protect your brain. That means lowering the levels of bread, baked goods, cereals, and pastas in your meals.
4. Increase Zinc to Lower Anxiety
There’s a strong connection between anxiety and lowered zinc levels.
Monitor your daily zinc intake so that your body can draw on old stores of this trace mineral.
If you don’t get enough zinc every day, your body cannot draw on old stores of zinc, as it has no way to store it as it does other vitamins and minerals.
So, it is essential to get enough zinc per day, ideally from cashews, beef, egg yolks, and other natural sources.
5. Your Diet Should Be Targeted for You
If you’re looking for the best diet, you won’t find it.
Every person is unique, with unique physiology, conditions, needs, and preferences. The best diet for your mental health should be tailored to your needs and one that you can consistently follow through on, so it doesn’t add to your stress.
We hear about the mind/body connection all the time, but the influence of nutrition isn’t always factored in. Each day, we are discovering just how important it is to our overall well being.
The Chicago Mind Solutions Difference
Chicago Mind Solutions works with individuals, offering neuropsychological testing and non-invasive treatment for many mental health conditions. For more information about our treatments and teletherapy options, please contact us at (224) 723-5050 or email info@chicagomindsolutions.com.
