Eating Well For Better Mental Health

Studies have shown that what we eat has a serious effect on our mental health. It is vital to know what foods will help improve our overall health and well-being.

Poor eating habits can lead to a build-up of bad chemicals in your body and can lead to poor physical and mental health. Most people think about diet when it comes to their waistline, however your mental health depends heavily on the foods you consume. Foods can contribute to: Better memory, happiness, a stronger immune system and increased energy levels.

Everyone needs to eat, and food can be a very powerful lever for mental health. Here are some foods that are known to improve your mood and overall mental health:

1. Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that promote brain health. These nutrients play an important role in helping prevent depression and anxiety disorders. They help people sleep better at night, lower stress levels, decrease inflammation throughout the body, and improve memory function.

2. Fruits, Vegetables & Whole Grains:

These foods contain a variety of nutrients that can have a positive impact on your mood, such as Vitamins C and E, folate, magnesium, and potassium.

Whole grains contain B vitamins that help convert food into energy for the brain and keep it functioning properly.

Nuts are rich in magnesium and potassium. Both minerals are important for brain health by helping you maintain proper fluid balance in your body and help regulate nerve impulses.

3. Dark Chocolate

The cocoa in dark chocolate helps boost levels of serotonin—the feel-good chemical—and dopamine—the reward chemical—in the brain, making it a mood booster that can improve your sense of well-being without causing an energy crash later like other sugary treats might do (such as candy bars or cookies).

Why the relationship between mental health and diet is important.

Many people are surprised to learn that what they eat has an impact on their mood, but when you consider that your brain is made up primarily of fat and cholesterol, it is not surprising at all. In fact, your brain uses about 20% of the calories you consume for energy. If you are eating a diet high in unhealthy fats or sugars, that can contribute to depression and anxiety by making your brain less efficient at processing information.

Eating mindfully instead of emotionally can help you avoid binge eating and make better decisions about what you put in your body that will better fuel your brain.

Being mindful with your diet.

When most people eat, they aren't thinking primarily out of function and craving—they are just hungry and want to fill their stomachs. But when you are mindful of what you are doing, it becomes a much more deliberate act. Taking the time to choose healthy foods and plan out meals helps ensure that you are making nutritious choices for your body and brain.

Mindfulness also involves being aware of how food makes you feel mentally, emotionally and even physically. This means paying attention to your cravings and hunger signals so you can make healthy choices without falling into old habits or bad habits like emotional eating (or binge eating).

Eat a balanced diet.

Balance your diet by eating a variety of foods from each food group every day. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins in your meals to get all the nutrients your body needs to function at its best. Food is brain food and it's time we eat accordinly.