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Fuel Your Brain: What Foods Support Mental Health?
If you pay attention, your body will tell you if what you’re eating is good for it or not. You may feel energized after a healthy meal. Revived from drinking a tall glass of water. You may even feel sluggish if you eat too much, and uncomfortable when spicy or fried foods fight back.
What about your mind and mental health? What you eat and drink does make a difference in your mental state, says Mental Health America. Certain foods can help protect your brain. Others can help you stay strong when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed. Foods can provide support for this important part of your total wellness.
Certain food choices can affect your mood and mental health. Some studies show a “food-mood connection.” There are certain nutrients in food that seem to help. They are often found in a healthy food plan, like the Mediterranean diet. The nutrients that can help mood and mental health include:
Omega-3 fatty acids
Folic acid
Vitamin B and D
Magnesium
Tryptophan
While there isn’t a special diet proven to ease depression, WebMD suggests that a healthy diet helps as part of an overall treatment plan. One suggestion: pick smart (complex) carbs. That means whole grains, not cakes and cookies. Fruits, vegetables and legumes have healthy carbs and healthy fiber.
Having a balanced diet, drinking enough water, and curbing or avoiding alcohol and caffeine are important parts of managing anxiety. Eating complex carbs can help keep an even blood sugar level, which can make you feel calm. Eating regular meals can help too, since skipping them may make you feel jumpy, which adds to an anxious feeling.
Foods that may help lower anxiety include:
Leafy greens like spinach and Swiss chard.
Foods high in zinc. Try cashews, beef and egg yolks.
Fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon, which have omega-3 fatty acids.
Probiotic-rich foods like pickles and sauerkraut.
Asparagus and other foods rich in B vitamins, like avocado and almonds.
Antioxidants like beans, fruits, berries, nuts and vegetables.
Foods can improve your stress levels in several ways, says WebMD. Comfort foods like pasta and oatmeal can boost your levels of the brain-calming chemical serotonin. Some foods like oranges can help your stress hormone levels. Overall, a healthy diet can help improve the symptoms of stress by building up the immune system and lowering blood pressure.
Ready to try making new, healthy habits? Try these tips from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
To access the full article on stress and nutrition, click here.
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