We don’t often think about how and what we eat as impacting our mental health. But did you know that about 95% of your serotonin (the “happy hormone”-often the neurotransmitter targeted by antidepressants) is produced in your gastrointestinal tract? And your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells? So, it makes sense that the digestive system doesn’t just help digest food, but also guides emotions. Imagine if you could literally eat your way to a happier version of yourself! That’s what I focus on what clients-how to use food as a source of healing and promoting positive mental health. Important note: even if you eat “perfectly” all of the time (which no one does) doesn’t guarantee any psychotropic medications can be avoided. You should always consult with your doctor.
While I don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all diet (“diet” meaning anything we consume, not the societal meaning of fully avoiding or only eating certain foods to lose weight), there are some general guidelines. For example, many doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians recommend the Mediterranean Diet as it focuses on healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and lots of fruits and vegetables. Even if you don’t strictly follow the Mediterranean Diet, incorporating these types of foods instead of processed, refined, modified, and unhealthy fatty foods will provide much benefit.
Here are some foods I often recommend to my clients who are looking to support their mental health:
· Healthy fats: good for brain health and aiding in digestion. Examples include nuts and seeds, coconut, avocado, olives, and full fat dairy products.
· Complex carbohydrates: regulates metabolism and promotes brain health. Examples include whole grains, beans, carrots, potatoes, peas, wheat, rice, barely, and oats.
· Lean proteins: Animal based: poultry, eggs, dairy, whey, and fish. Plant proteins: Micro-algae, pea, alfalfa, broccoli and cruciferous vegetables, seaweed/kelp, soy, hemp, rice, nuts, and seeds. It is important to note that if you do not consume animal protein, I highly recommend testing your B-vitamins. There are essential amino acids found in animal protein you cannot get from plant proteins. Completing this blood test will help determine if adding a B Complex supplement would be beneficial.
· Fiber: wheat bran, whole grains, oat bran, seeds and nuts, brown rice, flaxseed, skins of many fruits and vegetables, beans, lentils, psyllium husk, peas, chia seeds, and barely.
· Pre and Pro-biotics: can be found in various foods such as raw and cooked onion, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, asparagus, wheat, beans, bananas, agave, dandelion, chicory root, chia, bark flour, psyllium, chia, cactus, bran, oatmeal, yogurt and cheese with live cultures (watch sugar content!), kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and miso, kombucha, micro-algae, brewer’s yeast, vinegars, Yakult, sheep or goat milk, sourdough bread, tempeh. Often, I recommend taking a supplement as well as most people are not able to gain enough from food alone. Most people find the dose between 10-20 billion to be sufficient while others need more or require less based on their diet.
There are also foods I highly recommend avoiding for overall mental health. These include sugar (including artificial sugars), simple carbohydrates (such as white bread and white pasta as these convert to sugar), prepackaged foods, and modified and processed foods. Maybe people have allergies or sensitivities to gluten and dairy (often both) so these may be foods to avoid or limit. Essentially, shop the perimeter of the grocery store! That being said, there many options in the aisles such as quinoa or brown rice pasta and whole wheat and nuts and seed filled breads that are great options.
My work with clients focuses not only on the above foods to include and limit/avoid, but also on those foods and supplements that can assist with specific mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression, sleep, and focus. Limiting/eliminating stimulating foods, for example (coffee, caffeinated teas, alcohol, and spicy foods), help with managing anxiety. Focusing on including anti-inflammatory foods, broths, raw and fermented foods for symptoms of depression. Adding a probiotic to help good gut bacteria flourish and omega 3 source for brain health are always found to be beneficial.