How nutrition can positively impact your mental health
(Article for Upwork client)
When you think of meal time do you think of a slab of red meat, vegetables, with a side of mash potato, and bread with some butter?
This meal is undoubtedly a staple in most diets throughout Australia. Did you know these foods that you may perceive as ‘healthy’ may actually be far from it and may make worse mental health conditions such as depression? It’s refreshing to know food and supplements can play a powerful role in improving your mental health and making you feel more alive and healthy. This article gives you the 101 on everything you need to know about using these powerful nutrients and foods to boost your mental health.
Mental Health and Men
Many men unfortunately for centuries have chosen to forgo optimising their health largely due to social constraints such as gender stigma around masculinity. Fact is poor food choices and nutritional deficiencies are linked to mental health problems that can severely impact your quality of life. Conditions that are most prominent amongst men include depression, alcoholism, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. In fact, alcohol use is the leading cause of male disability, disability that can contribute to mental health conditions [3].
There’s Loads of Research! Let’s Review
There is an overwhelming amount of evidence that shows being a man is risky business, risky because you are quite honestly at higher risk of dying. Shockingly these risks to your life are largely a result of modifiable behaviours. It is estimated that one half of men’s deaths every year can be prevented by simply changing personal health habits, and this includes diet.
Additionally, research shows that men have less healthy habits than women and are more likely to be overweight, eat more meat, fat, and salt and less fibre, fruits, and vegetables. To make the situation worse, men believe their health and diet is better than what it is, and also believe they have a lower risk of developing health problems.
The problem here lies in attitudes around health and the implementation of new behaviours that will act as catalysts to amplifying health. As a population group men need to be aware of modifiable health factors that can greatly improve overall health including mental health. Let’s look at some food and specific nutrients that are particularly beneficial in the area of mental health.
Top Foods for Mental Health
To put it very simply; a diet that supports your mental health is a diet that supports your brain. Let’s look at some foods that are proven brain food and great for treating mood disorders:
Fish
fish is high in omega 3 fatty acids, these fatty acids lower risks and symptoms of mental disorders. The brain has one of the highest level of lipids, your brain is literally made of fatty acids so it should come as no surprise that your brain needs fatty acids to function at its best. Also, consider if you are on a low cholesterol or low fat diet, as this may also restrict your intake of important fatty acids that your brain needs and may actually make conditions like depression worse.
Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide a valuable source of glucose. Glucose is our brains primary source of energy. When glucose enters the brain, tryptophan enters alongside it, tryptophan is an amino acid that our body uses to produce happy hormones such as serotonin. Research shows that low carbohydrate diets make depression worse. Choose low Glycemic Index options for a lasting mood balancing effect, these include wholegrains, beans, and most fruit and vegetables.
Protein
Protein foods contain important amino acids that act as precursors to hormones that stabilise your moods and improve your sense of wellbeing. When you provide your body with sufficient protein you are making these amino acids readily available for the production of important hormones like serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and GABA. It’s important to diversify your protein sources, fish is a great option because of the additional omega 3 fatty acids, but also look at including eggs and some plant based options throughout the week such as beans and wholegrains, these not only give you a dose of protein but they also help strengthen your gut health, your gut is additionally a major regulator of the all-important hormone serotonin and is largely responsible for its production.
What Supplements Can Help Support Your Mental Health?
In the world of natural health, there Is a supplement to ease any complaint. It can be confusing sifting through what actually works and what doesn’t. Luckily for you we have done all the research for you, below is a list of supplements that actually have some research to back their beneficial effects on mental health. If you are taking medication always check with your health care provider for contraindications before taking any of these.
Omega 3
We did touch on omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, but you can also purchase in a supplement form either sourced from fish or algae. Omega 3 contains two fatty acids known as DHA and EPA, although both are highly beneficial to the brain research suggests taking EPA at 1.5-2g day for maintaining general health and taking up to 9g/day for those with mental disorders. Be mindful about the quality of your fish oil supplement, ensure you only choose practitioner grade products that have been meticulously tested for mercury, if you get a fish oil supplement high in mercury you will cancel out the effects the omega 3’s will have on your mental health.
Amino Acids
Amino acids essentially act as building blocks to your hormones, when it comes to mood disorders there is a link towards deficiencies in certain hormones including serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and GABA. It makes sense if you provide the body with the tools it needs to make these hormones then your body should make more of these hormones, these hormones can help balance your mood and improve symptoms of depression. The most important amino acids when looking to relieve symptoms of depression include tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and methionine, all in which are available in supplement form.
B Group Vitamins
B group vitamins are a big group of vitamins that your body uses for almost every process in your body. They are particularly beneficial for energy and stress reduction, both of which help reduce your risk of developing mental disorders. Vitamin B12 is particularly beneficial for depression at as little as 0.4mg/day. Folic acid has also been shown to improve symptoms of depression, studies show a 25% lower level of folic acid in individuals with depression, aim for a minimum of 0.8mg/ day. You will find that supplements will contain much more then these levels, as these are B group vitamins your body will simply excrete through the urine what it does not use.
Minerals
Minerals are used all throughout the body, they are involved largely in energy production. Some minerals seem to appear more beneficial to the brain than others; magnesium, iodine, and iron all appear to improve energy production and oxygenation in the brain. Zinc and selenium appear to provide protection from free radical damage to the brain. With mineral supplementation, you can greatly improve the function and quality of your brain cells.
Mental health is a big deal and ensuring your mental health is at its best, is key to maintaining your overall health. Through using a diet and supplement regime suited to your needs you can experience a quality of life you may never have imagined possible, don’t underestimate the profound effect nutrition can have on your health.
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