{"id":1470,"date":"2020-11-03T11:39:48","date_gmt":"2020-11-03T11:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tghd.flipside-staging.com\/?p=1470"},"modified":"2023-02-28T16:43:47","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T16:43:47","slug":"nutrition-and-our-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theguthealthdoctor.com\/nutrition-and-our-mental-health","title":{"rendered":"Nutrition & our mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"

World Mental Health Day 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our mental health and emotional wellbeing are just as important as our physical health. Anyone can experience challenges with mental health and, with the huge impact of the global pandemic and lockdown affecting us all, it\u2019s never been more vital to break the taboo surrounding mental health and support each other.<\/p>\n

How can nutrition support our mental health?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods with the vitamins and minerals our bodies need is really important for our energy, brain function and mood. In fact, some studies have shown that what people eat is associated with the prevention and reduction of depressive symptoms, and simple diet strategies could be really useful as an add-on to therapy.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just about the nutrients themselves – we have an emotional connection to our food and it\u2019s just as much about enjoyment too. There\u2019s certainly no need to cut out your favourite foods or deprive yourself for good health. What\u2019s important is our diet as a whole and getting plenty of variety (there\u2019s my inclusion not restriction<\/em><\/strong> motto again!).<\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s still early days in the research, there\u2019s pretty convincing evidence that keeping our gut bacteria well-fed can positively influence our mood. It\u2019s all down to the gut-brain axis, the constant communication between our gut and our brain. Their favourite food? Whole plants, full of FIBRE!<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no single nutrient or diet that can prevent or treat mental health conditions (diversity really is king), however, there are a few key nutrients that are worth considering to make sure you\u2019re getting enough:<\/p>\n

Carbohydrates (glucose)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Glucose (aka blood sugar) is key to keep our body working and to supply our brain with enough energy, while not having enough can make us feel tired and experience brain fog. We get the glucose we need from common carbohydrate foods, including fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, as well as dairy (fermented is my go to). Generally speaking (because everyone is different), it\u2019s a good idea to enjoy breakfast (even if it\u2019s delayed a few hours – it\u2019s more about the quality than timing) and regular meals to maintain our glucose supply. More research is needed, but it\u2019s been suggested that not eating enough carbs (e.g. a high protein or keto diet – our brain can run on ketones, but glucose is generally it\u2019s preferred source) can lead to low mood in some. Just another reason I don\u2019t recommend cutting out carbs!<\/p>\n

Iron<\/strong><\/p>\n

Low levels of iron can make people feel weak and tired all the time and for some can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, where there aren\u2019t enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. It\u2019s recommended that men over 18 and women over 50 need 8.7mg a day, while women aged 19-50 need 14.8mg daily.<\/p>\n

To get your iron from your daily diet, incorporate a variety of fish, beans and pulses (such as red kidney beans, edamame beans and chickpeas), nuts, dried apricots, fortified cereals, poultry and some red meat into your diet.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re 100% plant-based, keep in mind that our body doesn\u2019t absorb the iron in plant foods as efficiently, so include a source of vitamin C (such as tomatoes, peppers, oranges or strawberries) to help with absorption and get the most out of your plant-based iron foods.<\/p>\n

B vitamins<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not getting enough B1 (thiamin), B3 (niacin) and B12 in particular has been associated in some studies with feeling depressed, irritable and tired. For adults aged 19-64, the daily recommended intakes are:<\/p>\n