Eat your feelings
We all know that following a healthy diet can positively impact our physical health. But did you know that it can also help to improve our mental health?
Serotonin is considered our ‘happy chemical’. Serotonin is created throughout the body, including in your GI tract and our brain, with most of it being produced in our GI tract. Serotonin helps to regulate your mood, appetite, memory and even sleep – all things that can be affected by our mental health. Because of the significant impact that serotonin can have on our wellbeing, and the majority of it being produced in our GI tracts, it is important that we pay attention to what food we are putting into our bodies.
I am not here to say that if you change your diet, all your mental health issues will go away. However, it can increase your energy and make you feel more alert which can assist you in combating any of your mental health issues.
There are several studies to suggest that a Mediterranean diet can have a positive impact on your overall health-related quality of life (HRQL). Meaning it not only boost your physical health, but also your mental health and can help combat against different diseases.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. It also includes a moderate intake of red meat, poultry and dairy, as well as a low intake of any added sugars.
The foods listed above are high in healthy fats, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and are low in sugar. There are a variety of benefits to this diet which include healthy digestion, decrease risk of obesity, increase in mental clarity and increase in energy.
The Mediterranean diet does not serve as a way to lose weight, but as a tool to increase our overall health. While weight loss may occur depending on what our diet looks like prior to starting a Mediterranean diet, the goal is to increase our overall health.
It is important to remember that our mental health can be positively impacted when we take care of our physical health. That means giving our bodies the proper fuel to stay energized and healthy. One way to do this is by watching what we eat. Studies have suggested the Mediterranean diet can be a good place to start when trying to achieve overall health and wellbeing.
I encourage you to make some shifts in your diet and see what kind of impacts it has on your mental health.
Resources
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232248
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149090
Bonaccio M, Di Castelnuovo A, Bonanni A, et al. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a better health-related quality of life: a possible role of high dietary antioxidant content. BMJ Open 2013;3:e003003. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2013- 003003