The impact nutrition has on our mental health
With the recent situation we are all facing in today's world with Covid-19, this has provoked levels of panic and anxiety for many people. People have been bulk buying and this has meant certain essential food items have been very difficult to purchase, especially for those individuals with dietary requirements, the elderly, families, caregivers/parents with babies and front line workers working long hours. This led me to think about the importance of our nutritional needs and additionally, the impact nutrition has to our mental health.
Poor diet can impact us both physically and mentally, therefore, by maintaining a well balanced diet you can help to prevent health issues such as cardiovascular disease, bowel cancer and many other diseases (NHS, 2018). It is vital to have a well balanced diet to get the energy you need and allow your physiological process to occur. This also means that your body can allow any physical healing and restoration needed.
Through having a lifestyle that takes care of your body and mind, it is likely you will improve your quality of life too. Your holistic needs are categorised as; emotional, physical, social, environmental, occupational, spiritual and intellectual. Nutrition is just one element of your needs and I believe all our needs interlink, therefore, if you fail to meet your needs adequately, then this will naturally impact other elements in your life. This is something I have researched and also observed with many of my clients.
Malnutrition can have adverse effects on your body's immune system and a person experiencing this will eventually become low in mood, experience weight loss and be more prone to getting colds and other infections. Your body's muscles become weak and malnourished, wounds do not heal well and you can damage your body's ability to function well in the long term (Who.int, 2020b).
Obsession with food can result in obesity or anorexia which according to UK health statistics (Finder, 2018) 67% of UK adult males and 60% of UK adult females were overweight or obese in 2018. There were 541,500 deaths in the UK in 2018, linked to obesity and 10,000 more than in 2017. According to anorexia and bulimia care there are over 1.6 million people estimated to be directly affected by eating disorders in the UK. These disorders are extremely dangerous and if you are suffering from obesity or anorexia getting the right support is key to an earlier recovery (Who.int, 2020a).
When we think about nutrition, often we think about our food intake; however, drinking water is equally important to maintain a balance of body fluids. Your body consists of about 60% water which helps the functions of fluids such as digestion, absorption, circulation, creation of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature (Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, 2008)
Nutrition is crucial for our brains development
There is much more research today suggesting that nutrition isn't just good for the body; it's also great for your brain, too. Psychiatrist Drew Ramsey, MD, an assistant clinical professor at Columbia University said " diet is potentially the most powerful intervention we have. By helping people shape their diets, we can improve their mental health and decrease their risk of psychiatric disorders." (WebMD, 2015)
It is suggested from investigations that having a healthy diet can be a protective and preventative factor for good mental health. There is current research highlighting that having an unhealthy diet is a risk factor for depression and anxiety. Nearly all the current research has been on people's eating habits and any mental health research has focused more on depression and anxiety. There is not much research yet that links the two areas together, although there is a trial to determine this which is now underway.
Roxanne Sukol, MD, a preventive medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic's Wellness Institute says "When we eat real food that nourishes us, it becomes the protein-building blocks, enzymes, brain tissue, and neurotransmitters that transfer information and signals between various parts of the brain and body." This means nutrition is crucial for brain development (WebMD, 2015)
There is neurological findings that show evidence of certain nutrients and dietary patterns are linked to changes in a brain protein which is known to help increase connections between brain cells. It is suggested that eating a diet rich in nutrients such as omega-3s and zinc will boost levels of this substance. There are trillions of good bacteria that live in the gut which fend off any bad germs and keep your immune system strong, helping to tame any inflammation in the body. Foods with beneficial bacteria such as probiotics can help maintain a healthy gut (Gómez-Pinilla, 2008).
A recommended balanced meat-free diet for a healthy body and mind
~Eat at least 5-7 portions of a variety of fruit and fresh vegetables every day
~Choose wholegrain or higher fibre versions with less added fat, salt and sugar (potatoes, bread, rice or pasta)
~Have some dairy or choose unsweetened, calcium and vitamin D fortified versions of dairy alternatives
~Eat beans, peas, lentils (for protein) and include one tablespoon of flax-seed or chia seeds for essential omega-3 fats. Try to eat less substitute meat.
~Choose unsaturated oils, spreads or avocado and eat them in small amounts
~Ensure you are having enough vitamins and minerals, especially B-12 which can be found in nutritional yeast, fortified products or drops.
~Drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 to 8 glasses a day)
My recommendation for healthy eating is taken from the UK websites including the NHS, under vegetarian and vegan (NHS, 2020) and plant-based doctors which are listed below. Having a meat-free diet is a healthier choice and purely recommended by me based upon my own research of healthy eating and mental health. The benefits to having a meat-free lifestyle, in many professionals opinion, including mine, has on your physical health and emotional well-being is significant. If you are considering changing your diet, you should always make an informed choice. Read and understand around nutrient needs of your body and educate yourself to understand the food substances ...
Below are recommended plant-based doctors and The Plant-Based Eatwell Guide (2016).
~Dr. T. Colin Campbell: https://nutritionstudies.org/
~Dr. Danielle Belardo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAIOubRn7L94eGvqUVfo45Q
~ Dr. Milton Mills: https://www.plantbasednews.org/tag/dr-milton-mills
~ Dr. Angie Sadeghi: https://www.livekindly.co/gastroenterologist-vegan-diet-gut-health/
~ Dr. Michael Greger: https://nutritionfacts.org/
~ Dr. Joel Kahn: https://www.drjoelkahn.com/
~ Dr. Neal Barnard: https://www.pcrm.org/
References
Anorexia Bulmia Care (2019) Statistics. [online] Available at: http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/about/statistics [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Finder (2018) Health statistics. [online] Available at: https://www.finder.com/uk/health-statistics [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Gómez-Pinilla F. (2008). Brain foods: the effects of nutrients on brain function. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 9(7), 568–578. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2421
NHS (2018) Healthy eating vegetarians and vegans. [online]https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/healthy-eating-vegetarians-vegans/ [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Plant-based Health Professionals (2016) Plant-based Eatwell Guide. [online] https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/ [Accessed 15 April 2020]
WebMD (2015) Can What You Eat Affect Your Mental Health?. [online] Available at: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20150820/food-mental-health [Accessed 15 April 2020]
WebMD (2020) 6 reasons to drink water. [online] Available at: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Who.int (2020a) Obesity. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obesity/en/ [Accessed 15 April 2020]
Who.int (2020b) Malnutrition. [online] Avaliable at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition [Accessed 15 April 2020]