Mental health and mental wellbeing have become words you might be hearing quite often nowadays. Have you thought about the status of your mind lately?
Do you experience any of these symptoms?
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Sleeping problems
- Mood swings
- Memory and concentration problems
- General blues and low feelings
You may not suffer with diagnosed depression or other mood disorders, but that doesn’t mean you’re your mental health is not at risk. It is worrying to think that we are passing this off as ‘normal’ given the business of our daily lives. In this article, we’re taking a deeper look into how nutrition can support mental wellbeing and brain function.
Improving mental wellbeing is not only about nutrition of course, but the foods we eat do make a difference. Nutrition should support other methods such as psychological support if required, and other wellbeing strategies like gentle exercise, meditation, yoga and spending time doing things that genuinely make you happy.
Below are 5 Nutrition Tips to support Mental Wellbeing
- Complex Carbohydrates to Fuel the Brain
Carbohydrates are the brain’s primary source of fuel and choosing the right source of carbohydrates is important to give the brain the energy it needs to function optimally. We want to feed the brain without causing blood sugar imbalance. Carbohydrates break down into sugar, which is absorbed into the blood stream, resulting in raised blood sugar levels. When eating a high-sugar food or a simple carbohydrate (breaks down into sugar very quickly), the blood sugar levels rise quickly, and then fall quickly. This often leaves one feeling tired, moody, and unable to concentrate. Choosing complex carbohydrates and foods high in fibre assist in slowing the release of sugar into the blood, resulting in more stable blood sugar levels. By managing blood sugar levels, one should feel the positive effects of sustained energy and balanced mood throughout the day as well as decreased carbohydrate and sugar cravings.
Our Top Tip: Protein and fibre assists in slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream – ensure your snacks and meals contain a combination of high-fibre carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats to support blood sugar control and feed the brain.
Foods to Fuel the Brain: Wholegrains, lentils, beans, nuts, and vegetables.
- Essential Fats to Nourish the Brain
The human brain is approximately 60 percent fat. To function optimally, the brain needs to maintain this level of fat and the foods we eat play a role in this maintenance. If you look at the “brain” supplements on the market, you’ll see that they’re made up of predominantly Omega 3 Fatty Acids. The brain needs essential fatty acids to function properly and because the body doesn’t produce them internally, we need to get them from the diet.
Our Top Tip: Add a sprinkling of chia or flaxseeds to your breakfast, salads, and soups to load up on omega 3s.
Foods to Nourish the Brain: Food sources of omega 3 fatty acids include flax, hemp, pumpkin and chia seeds, walnuts, and oily fish like salmon and sardines. Eggs and Lecithin are specifically good fats for brain protection.
- Protein for Brain Functioning
Firstly, protein is vital is assisting the body with blood sugar balance, as we have seen… but protein is also an important component in the brain’s ability to work properly. A protein-deficiency may show up in the form of depression, apathy, lack of motivation and the inability to relax. This is because amino acids found in protein make up the brain’s neurotransmitters, which send messages in the brain. While some amino acids are produced by the body, there are a number of amino acids that can only be found in the foods we eat.
Our Top Tip: Include a combination of plant-based and lean animal-based protein sources in the diet to ensure you are consuming the full range of amino acid in a bio-available form.
Foods for Brain Functioning: Quinoa, tofu, lentils, lean animal sources such as fish and chicken.
- Vitamins and Minerals to Protect the Brain
Specific brain-boosting vitamins and minerals include B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, and manganese. Over and above other reasons, these nutrients have high antioxidant properties, which serve to protect the brain and repair any damage caused by oxidants (think smoking, alcohol, sugar, and stress). Including a wide range of fruits and vegetables in the diet assists the body in obtaining enough of these nutrients.
Our Top Tip: Add a wide variety of seasonal, organic (where possible) fresh produce in your diet to ensure you are getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
Foods to Protect the Brain: Organic, free-range chicken, nutritional yeast, berries, tomatoes, peppers, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish.
- Be Happy to Help the Brain
We can follow all this information to the T and we can meditate all day long, but what really makes you happy? This looks different to everyone. Try to identify the people, places, activities, and foods in your life that you feel truly make you happy.
Our Top Tip: Take a step back and think about something that provides long-term happiness. i.e. binging on sugary things may give you a temporary feeling of happiness, but spending a quality morning on the beach may provide you with a long-lasting feeling of joy and recuperation. It’s different for everyone, what makes you happy?
Overall, nutrition should play a complementary role in mental wellbeing and has been well researched to support people with varying symptoms related to the brain. You can use nutrition if you already experience symptoms of imbalance, or you may wish to use nutrition to boost your brain further especially during times of stress or when cognitive performance is especially important.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure mental illness. If you are suffering with your mental health, please contact your healthcare provider
