Women Health: How Your Diet Can Affect Your Mental Health

Women have so many responsibilities to take care of. Personal and professional commitments need to be fulfilled on time. But what about health commitments? These either do not exist for women or are never fulfilled.

It is very hard for a female to take out some time for herself and analyze her body and mind requirements. That’s why they often complain of physical and mental problems. Physical problems are mostly attributed to unhealthy eating habits as most of us know that what we eat reflects over our body. But what we don’t know is that what we eat also affects our mental health. Surprise! Here we tell you all you must know about the connection between diet and brain health.

The connection between diet and brain health

There have been lots of research in recent years to find out the connection between diet and brain health. These researches have observed following connections between both:

• What we eat may affect the way we think and feel
• Excessive eating of processed foods such as cakes, macaroni, ice cream, cheese, or chips may be a reason for poor mental health
• Eating healthy food that includes seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats decreases the risk of depression and even suicide
• Nutrition is one of the most crucial factors in the incidence and high prevalence of mental disorders
• Diet is equally important to psychiatry or mental health as it is to body health
• Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet that is basically low in sugar and saturated fats may reduce the risk of depression later in life
• A Western diet that has fewer amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables but is high in saturated fats and red meats may lead to depression

All these findings indicate that there is a strong connection between diet and mental health. This connection is quite similar to the connection between diet and body health. As nutrients in the diet affect different body functions, these will also have an impact on brain functions. So it is obvious that diet would affect brain chemistry and functions as well. Similarly, as an improved diet shows its effect on different body functions, it will also show its effects on brain functions. Nutrition also influences the immune system that in turn affects brain and body health.

Diet impacts your mental health

A nutritious and healthy diet impacts mental health just like it impacts heart or other body parts. On the other side, there are some foods that can cause mental disorders, or can make symptoms worse. So a healthy eating plan may prevent, and treat mental health disorders like depression. Let’s understand how good nutrition impacts brain health:

1. It’s crucial for brain development

Nutritious food nourishes us and forms the protein-building blocks, brain tissue, enzymes, and neurotransmitters for body and brain. Neurotransmitters are responsible for the transfer of information and signals between various parts of the brain and body. So a brain healthy food will keep these neurotransmitters healthy and working to prevent any brain disorder.

2. It puts the brain into growing mode

Nutrients like zinc and omega-3s boost the levels of a brain protein that helps in increasing the connections between brain cells. The increased connections between brain cells facilitate brain growth and keep the brain healthy too. However, a diet high in refined sugar and saturated fats negatively impacts the brain proteins and restricts brain growth.

3. It fills the gut with healthy bacteria

Our gut is full of good bacteria and that is good for our brain too. They not only keep the bad germs away but also check the immune system and help in tame inflammation and regulate mood and cognition. Gut bacteria also help in making brain powering vitamin Bs. A high-sugar or high-fat diet is bad for gut health and, is therefore bad for the brain too.

Foods that are helpful for mental health

You must know about various foods that are good for different body parts, like heart-healthy foods, weight loss foods etc., but least would you know about brain healthy foods. A few changes in your diet may boost cognitive functioning while reducing the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. Here are few brain-healthy foods you must include in your diet:

1. Fatty fish

Brain is made up of fat but our body could not produce essential fatty acids. Wild cold water fish (e.g., salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel) is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Whole grains

Glucose is the primary source of energy for the brain and glucose comes from carbohydrates. Healthy sources of complex carbohydrates include whole-wheat products, oats, bulgur, wild rice, beans, barley, and soy.

3. Lean proteins

Protein is the most abundant substance in the body after carbohydrates. Lean protein sources, like chicken, beans, fish, turkey, and eggs help keep serotonin levels balanced that is associated with depression and other mental disorders.

4. Leafy greens

Green leafy vegetables like spinach, turnip, romaine, mustard greens, and broccoli are high in folic acid whose deficiency is linked with increased rates of depression, insomnia, and fatigue.

5. Yoghurt with active cultures

Yogurt contains probiotics (healthy bacteria) that are shown to reduce stress hormone levels in the body and also affects neurotransmission.

Include all the nutrients in your diet to stay healthy both physically and mentally. After all, it is not just physical health that matters, your brain should also be healthy to let you enjoy life to the fullest.

Going sugar-free to fight depression and anxiety

Going sugar-free has been life-changing for many people as it increases their energy levels and gives them a mood-boost. Leaving sugar can also give you good sleep at night and fight away depression and anxiety.

So, after reading all this about diet and brain health, it must be clear in your mind that the brain also needs nutrition and that nutrition should be brain-friendly. So indulge yourself in healthy eating habits that boost your brain power and keeps mental disorders away. Or if you suffer from any of the mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, or mood swings, just inculcate the brain-healthy foods and see the difference yourself. You may feel tempted to eat unhealthy foods (especially sugar) but resistance is the key to brain health.

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