Good Food For A Good Mood

A patient of mine recently was complaining of years and years of relapsing anxiety and depression that only partially responded to medication. She was struggling at work and with her family responsibilities. She was also in poor physical health after years of poor diet and almost no exercise. She was headed towards Type II Diabetes and her blood pressure was on the high side too. After a lengthy discussion, she agreed to try and improve her diet and start some exercise.

I saw her a month later and unfortunately, she had not managed to keep up a good exercise routine. She had, however, completely changed her diet with the help of a dietician and nutrition coach. This had helped her lose a few kilograms and her blood sugar and blood pressure were headed in the right direction. She was far more impressed with the improvements in her mental health, however. Just two weeks into her improved nutrition regime she noticed a sudden switch. She described it as if someone had turned on a light switch in her head bringing renewed mental energy and a feeling of happiness which she had seldom experienced in years.

It seems kind of obvious really, but there is an increasing body of research that shows a direct connection between mental health and what we eat. The emerging field of Nutritional Psychiatry is a growing discipline that focuses on the use of food and supplements to provide essential nutrients as part of an integrated approach for mental health disorders. Anxiety, depression, and ADHD have all been linked to certain dietary factors or deficiencies. Interestingly, research published just last year would seem to indicate that women are more likely than men to require a well-balanced diet and healthy lifestyle in order to maintain mental well-being. That’s not to say that men are immune but it does indicate that women should take extra care to consume a nutrient-dense diet when considering their own mental health.

So, what should we be eating to look after our mental health? As always, Strove advocates a varied diet rich in whole foods including colourful veg, green leafy veg, whole grains, healthy oils, and lean protein sources. Avoid anything that comes out of a box so as to severely limit or eliminate highly processed foods, sugary foods especially. With those basics in place, you might consider adding some of these specifics to your diet:

• Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish (MASH fish: mackerels, anchovies, sardines, herring), nuts, and seeds.
• B vitamins found in meat, eggs, seafood, green leafy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
• Selenium found in cod, Brazil nuts, walnuts, and poultry.
• Tryptophan found in turkey, beef, eggs, and dark leafy greens.
• Vitamin D from safe sun exposure and found in MASH fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms.

So, there you go, you can eat your way to happiness after all

Dr Jarrad Van Zuydam | Sports Physician