Introduction:
Today’s article will discuss the deep connection between nutrition and mental health. Some researchers proved an unrevealed connection between our gut and mental health, which you must know to keep your brain healthy.
Let’s explore how what you eat can decide your mental health.
How are nutrition and mental health interconnected?
The Gut-Brain Connection:
Incredibly, the kind of food we eat can affect the connection between our brain and gut.
Our gut has millions of neurons that help communicate with our brain through the vagus nerve and create a solid and bifacial relationship between our gut and brain, meaning what we eat, whether good or bad, can positively or negatively impact our brain.
Happy Gut, Happy Mind:
We can not deny that what we eat directly impacts our physical health, but new evidence on our growing body shows some light on the impact of Diet on mental health.
A nutritious diet such as fruits, green veggies, whole wheat and a good amount of macronutrients(protein, carbs and fats) can promote a diverse gut microbiome to improve our mental health.
In contrast, consuming sugary and processed foods may disrupt the balance of your gut bacteria, ultimately resulting in feelings of anxiety and depression.
The Power of Probiotics:
As we all know, probiotics are beneficial for gut health and essential in encouraging our positive mood.
Researchers also proved that regular Consumption of probiotics could prevent us from the symptoms of anxiety and depression and boost mental health.
Did you know that yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi are the best sources of probiotics?
These foods can support a healthy gut by increasing the amount of good bacteria in your body.
Serotonin: The “Feel-Good” Chemical:
Serotonin is a feel-good hormone; normal serotonin levels make you more focused towards your work, emotionally intense and happy.
It may come unexpectedly, but serotonin is produced not only in the brain but also in the gut.; that is why a healthy diet is vital for a good amount of serotonin production, which can improve our mental health.
The Impact of Inflammation:
Inflammation lasting for a long time is directly associated with mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety.
High Consumption of inflammatory foods like sugar and meat can accelerate inflammation in the body.
While on the other hand, there are some anti-inflammatory foods like green veggies and fatty fish, which you should add to your Diet to boost your mental health in the long run.
The Dark Side of Junk Food:
On some days, giving a treat to yourself is fine, but regular dependency on junk foods can damage your inner health in terms of physical or mental. Eating processed foods Daily can give you symptoms of depression and mood swings.
It would be best to switch your focus towards healthy food choices that can stabilise your mental health.
Mindful Eating for a Happy Mind:
First, we need to understand what mindful eating is; it’s not only linked with what we eat; it’s all about how we should eat.
Unnecessary eating can negatively impact our health, leading to lousy digestion and mood.
You should eat slowly, chew your food correctly, only focus on food while consuming meals and never eat if you are not hungry.
Mindful eating Supports better digestion and improves your emotional state.
Conclusion:
I hope you all understand the relationship between healthy nutrition and mental health. One line you heard is that you are what you eat.
So if you want to prevent yourself from mental health issues, give a healthy dose of nutritious meals to yourself every day and improve your overall well-being.
