THUNAIWhat Is Nutritional Psychiatry, and Can It Help You Feel Healthier?
The link between what you eat and how you feel is stronger than ever. Food and mental health are connected to each other, and certain foods can even improve happiness. Nutritional psychiatry is a growing field that helps us understand the relationship between nutrition and mental health.
As a result, some psychiatrists now use nutrition as part of the treatment strategy for various mental health conditions. Here’s an overview of some recent research, particularly for depression.
Inflammatory foods are tied to higher depression risk:
Research has long indicated that a typical inflammatory Western diet, which includes sugary drinks, refined grains, fried food, processed meat, high-fat diary, and sweets, is associated with an increased risk of depression.
Anti-inflammatory fats, including omega-3s from foods like wild salmon, and monounsaturated fats from avocado and extra virgin olive oil, are also tied to a reduced depression risk, as well as lower blood markers for inflammation. Certain antioxidants, including flavonoids (found in berries, beans, citrus, and apples), are also inversely associated with depressive symptoms.
Certain foods help keep depression at bay:
Fish may also offer protection for women. In the 2020 study referenced above, women who ate fish twice a week or more had a 25% lower risk of depression compared to those who ate fish less than twice a week.
Eat foods that include magnesium, folate, zinc, and vitamins D, B12, and B6, as a shortfall are known to increase depression risk. Magnesium is found in pulses (beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas), nuts, seeds, whole grains, and dark chocolate. You’ll also find folate in pulses, in addition to leafy greens, raw beets, citrus, asparagus, and broccoli. Zinc-rich foods include vegetarian baked beans, pumpkin seeds, and cashews.
Vitamin D is in salmon, sardines, eggs, and mushrooms exposed to UV light, although a supplement is typically required to achieve a healthy blood level of this nutrient. B12 is in animal-based foods and fortified nutritional yeast, and B6 is in chickpeas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas, salmon, and tuna.
Dietary changes can make a difference:
A high adherence to dietary advice for depression has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing depressive symptoms—including closely following a Mediterranean diet. This eating pattern is rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, nuts, pulses, and olive oil while severely limiting processed foods. In some populations, simply eating more fruits and vegetables has resulted in a 19%–23% improvement in mental health.
One 10-year study also found that among women, depression risk decreased with increased caffeinated coffee consumption. Researchers say the effect may be due to caffeine’s psychostimulant effects, including improved brain function, plus increased sensations of energy and well-being.
Probiotics, either taken alone or combined with prebiotics, might help to ease depression symptoms. This is because of the gut-brain connection. Positive changes to the type and balance of gut microbes has been shown to help reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and elevate mood.
Better nutrition helps everyone:
The food/mood connection is unquestionable. Even if you aren’t being treated for a mental health condition, improving your nutrition can help you cope with stress—something we’re all dealing with these days. And improving your diet for better mental health offers other positive outcomes, including potential weight loss, and improvements in immune function, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure, as well as insomnia.
To learn more about personalized nutritional psychiatry, consider scheduling a consultation with a registered dietitian. While a dietitian can’t diagnose or treat you for mental health conditions, she or he can collaborate with your doctor and educate you about the connections between certain foods, nutrients, eating patterns, and your mental health.