Good Mood Food

Have you ever considered which eating habits and specific foods might help you to feel happier and more energized?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain. Since about 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells, or neurons, it makes sense that the inner workings of your digestive system don't just help you digest food, but also guide your emotions. What's more, the function of these neurons - and the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin - is highly influenced by the billions of "good" bacteria that make up your intestinal microbiome. These bacteria play an essential role in your health. They protect the lining of your intestines and ensure they provide a strong barrier against toxins and "bad" bacteria; they limit inflammation; they improve how well you absorb nutrients from your food; and they activate neural pathways that travel directly between the gut and the brain.

Studies have shown that when people take probiotics (supplements containing the good bacteria), their anxiety levels, perception of stress, and mental outlook improve, compared with people who did not take probiotics. Other studies have compared "traditional" diets, like the Mediterranean diet and the traditional Japanese diet, to a typical "Western" diet and have shown that the risk of depression is 25% to 35% lower in those who eat a traditional diet. Scientists account for this difference because these traditional diets tend to be high in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, and fish and seafood, and to contain only modest amounts of lean meats and dairy. They are also void of processed and refined foods and sugars, which are staples of the "Western" dietary pattern. In addition, many of these unprocessed foods are fermented, and therefore act as natural probiotics. Fermentation uses bacteria and yeast to convert sugar in food to carbon dioxide, alcohol, and lactic acid. It is used to protect food from spoiling and can add a pleasant taste and texture.

By enjoying a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, wholegrain cereals, legumes, low-fat dairy, lean meat and/or oily fish, you can prevent and improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

A well balanced diet means that your body will have all the nutrients it needs for good health, including good mental health. However, a healthy diet is about more than just nutrients.

Studies that show a link between diet and mental health have found associations with whole dietary patterns, not just specific foods or nutrients. That means that there is no superfood for mental health; rather, it is important to eat a balanced diet.

The diets that seem to provide the most benefit for mental health are those that are considered to be 'traditional diets'. These include the Mediterranean diet, Norwegian diet and Japanese diet.

Some components of these diets that may be important for mental health include:

• Healthy fats like the ones found in fish and extra virgin olive oil. These fats have been shown to be important for our blood vessels and our brain, and may have an important anti-inflammatory effect that helps to prevent depression

• Wholegrains such as brown bread, rice and pasta. These fibre-rich foods can promote the growth of good gut bacteria that may have a positive effect on mental health

• Fruit and vegetables. These colourful components of the diet contain a wealth of important nutrients including antioxidants that help to prevent cell damage

• Fermented foods like yoghurt can also help to encourage the growth of good gut bacteria that positively impact on mental health

• Nuts, seeds and legumes. These powerhouses of the diet are good sources of plant-based protein, healthy fats and fibre

Make better nutrition choices to live longer and better

Folate in spinach can boost those mood-controlling neurotransmitters in your brain

For a moment of calm, eat a banana for its potassium and serotonin

Grumpy? Shift that mood with some berries

Adding protein to your meals can help slow the absorption of carbohydrates in your blood and increase the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, which may improve your mood and energy for several hours after eating

The vitamins folate and B-12 may help ease depression. To add folate to your diet, try these foods:

• broccoli
• lentils
• oatmeal
• oranges
• dark leafy greens

Vitamin D may help relieve mood disorders, such as seasonal affective disorder. To get your daily dose of vitamin D

• low fat milk
• egg yolks
• soymilk

Foods, like complex carbohydrates, that contain soluble fiber can slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and increase serotonin, the "feel good" chemical, both of which decrease mood swings. You can find healthy amounts of fiber in:

• oats
• beans
• pears
• peas
• Brussels sprouts

Start paying attention to how eating different foods makes you feel - not just in the moment, but the next day. Try eating a "clean" diet for two to three weeks - that means cutting out all processed foods and sugar. Add fermented foods like kimchi, miso, sauerkraut, pickles, or kombucha. You also might want to try going dairy-free - and some people even feel that they feel better when their diets are grain-free. See how you feel. Then slowly introduce foods back into your diet, one by one, and see how you feel.

Beyond mood and general well-being, the role of diet and nutrition on mental health is very complex and has yet to be fully understood. However, research linking the two is growing at a rapid rate. In recent years, evidence shows that food can contribute to the development, prevention, and management of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety disorders.

Researchers are also taking a closer look at why diet may influence mental health. Studies are exploring diet's effects on gut microbiota (organisms in the intestinal tract), neuroplasticity (brain's ability to modify structure, wiring and function), oxidative stress (cellular damage) and chronic inflammation.

Following a healthy eating plan can keep you energized and help you to feel your best. While good nutrition is an important component of your emotional well-being, it is not a substitute for proper medical care and treatment.

The best way to maintain both physical and mental health is to eat a diet that mainly consists of real food, rich in plants and made from scratch.

Happy eating!

Love,

Sophie & Ellie x

Sources:

Harvard.com

Jun S Lai, Sarah Hiles, Alessandra Bisquera, Alexis J Hure, Mark McEvoy, John Attia (2014)

"A systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary patterns and depression in community-dwelling adults" The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 99, Issue 1

mentalhealthfirstaid.com

betterhealthvic.gov.au

healthline.com