Nutrition

Food is medicine for the mind!

My mother was always a great cook and I was fortunate to be fed good nutritious food as a child. In saying that- there was also loads of sugary drinks and home baked cakes, as well as lollies and chocolate. I have always had a sweet tooth and didn’t realise the effect that a high sugar diet has on levels of inflammation and subsequently my mental health and wellbeing.

Our food environment has changed significantly since we were out hunting and gathering. However, human biology has not evolved much at all- certainly not enough to recognise some of the chemicals and preservatives we put into our body as food.

We used to consume wild caught fish and grass fed meat, loads of organic, chemical free, vegetables and fruits when in season. Now we eat processed food, filled with sugar, trans fat, colours, preservatives, and fruits and vegetables covered in pesticides, and herbicides. Processed meat, or grain fed beef, too much dairy, and too little oily fish are a recipe for a mental health disaster- and that is what we have.

The increased prevalence of anxiety and depression in Western populations has run parallel to fundamental alterations to the food supply. Manifestations of mood disorders - including hallucinations and suicidal tendencies- have later been identified as a vitamin B12 deficiency.

Several studies coming out of Deakin University, Mood and Food Centre, have strongly suggested that diets with a high intake of processed food are associated with increased anxiety and depression, while dietary patterns consisting of high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, reduce the risk of mood disorders. This is in line with a Mediterranean- style dietary pattern, which has recently been shown to improve mental health when supplemented with fish oil.

Not only do foods change the health of our brain, but they alter its very structures. New research has found that high levels of Propionic Acid (PPA) — which increases the shelf life of packaged foods, and inhibits mould in processed cheese and bread — negatively impacts the development of neurons in unborn babies. Associate Professor Felice Jacka, director of the Mood and Food Centre, has stated that a diet containing large amounts of highly processed foods, leads to a smaller hippocampus, an area of our brain important for mood regulation. What we eat changes the structure of our brain.

The SMILES trial. Studies supporting benefits of good diet

The SMILES trial, — involving participants suffering major depression,  – looked at the effects of improved diet quality on mental wellbeing. This is the first randomised control trial that has reported that depression is alleviated in those with a better quality diet.

Sixty-seven participants were enrolled in the study, over twelve weeks. The predominant aim of the study was to increase diet quality by encouraging the intake of twelve key food groups (recommended servings in brackets):

·      whole grains (5–8 servings per day)

·      vegetables (6 per day)

·      fruit (3 per day)

·      legumes (3–4 per week)

·      low-fat and unsweetened dairy foods (2–3 per day)

·      raw and unsalted nuts (1 per day)

·      fish (at least 2 per week)

·      lean red meats (3–4 per week)

·      chicken (2–3 per week)

·      eggs (up to 6 per week)

·      and virgin olive oil (3 tablespoons per day).

Extra foods, such as sweets, refined cereals, fried food, fast -food, processed meats and sugary drinks (no more than 3 per week), were significantly reduced. Red or white wine consumption beyond 2 standard drinks per day and all other alcohol (e.g. spirits, beer) were included within an extras food group. Study participants were advised to consume red wine if drinking alcohol, and only drink with meals.

The results are impressive to date, with significant reductions in symptoms, suggesting that improvements to diet quality will enhance the health of our mind and ease depressive symptoms. In addition to this randomised control trial, there are observational studies supporting the notion that the quality of our food impacts the health and wellbeing of our mind.

Quality of food doesn’t only relate to nutritional density, but also variety.

Variety is key

Of course we know that fruit and vegetable intake is related to better brain health, but consuming a variety of these foods is also important. For a healthy mind, high intake, and a large array of vegetables is best. A diet high in white processed foods will need feed our gut microbiome the diversity it needs, whereas a diet with a large variety of vegetables will provide a healthy mix of microbes.

Eating healthy, organic food can be expensive. And cooking from scratch is costly for the time poor. It is highly recommended that you buy organic produce where possible, due to the confirmed detrimental effects of glyphosate on health, but why not consider growing your own food if you have the capacity ? It’s not only healthy, and inexpensive — it’s incredibly satisfying. Eating a ‘mind changing’ diet involves consuming food either grown in the ground, fed by the ground, or living in the sea.

Personally I follow a low carbohydrate diet and will explain why soon, but first let’s move onto the next topic.