There’s no doubt that what we eat affects our mood and how we feel. The Standard American Diet is full of refined sugars and flours, trans-fats and other chemicals and preservatives. This causes inflammation and disrupts our neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers in our body. This in turn can cause our mental health to suffer. So, what can we do to support our bodies with feeling good and maintaining positive mental health?
I already mentioned some things not to eat, but what can be added to what we ingest? We know that 95% of serotonin (the feel good hormone) is found in the gut, so it’s important to keep our gut happy. These cells containing serotonin are affected by what we eat. We can add different types of fermented foods to diversify our gut microbiome. Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, natural yogurt, and kefir provide probiotics for colon health. And to take this a step further, we can add prebiotics to our diet as well. This is what promotes the good bacteria in our gut, it’s basically food for these good bacteria. Supporting the good bacteria, helps keep the bad bacteria from taking over. Prebiotics are indigestible fibers in foods such as bran, oatmeal, psyllium, raw and cooked onion, leeks, garlic, asparagus, beans, bananas, dandelion, and chia seeds. Did you know that our brain is made up of 60% fat. You can support focus and mood by eating plenty of good fats such as avocados, walnuts, raw butter, eggs, olive oil, and coconut oil. Avoid inflammatory oils like canola oil, vegetable oil, corn oil, and trans-fats, which are found in a lot of packaged foods. Eat all the colors of the “brainbow”. Eat whole, nutrient dense foods from an array of colors. This is where we get our micronutrients from. Vitamins and minerals are the “sparkplugs” that make many functions happen in our body. There are a variety of nutrients that act as antioxidants that can assist in reducing inflammation. Berries, spinach, kale, dark chocolate, beets, green tea, and broccoli are all high antioxidant foods, to name a handful.
Eating a protein rich breakfast supports energy and alertness. Balancing blood sugar can balance mood. Reduce or eliminate refined carbohydrates and increase animal and plant proteins to support a stabilized mood. Add foods such as yams with butter, salads with homemade dressings topped with hemp oil or olive oil and sea salt. This supports the adrenal glands and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Anxiety, worry, inability to focus, irritability, hyperactivity, and depression can all actually be from high or low blood sugar levels. Food sensitivities and allergies can increase inflammation and affect mental health. Common food allergies include dairy and gluten but can include eggs, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish and could include any food depending on the individual. Symptoms can be from mild to severe and may take years to realize what foods are causing a sensitivity.
I’m always here to answer any health/nutrition related questions, so just pop in and let me know how I can help you feel better through food.
-Kathy Swelstad
Grand Junction Nutritional Therapy Practitioner