In some studies, healthy eating — fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains — was in fact linked to lower risk of depression and even suicide.
“Although the determinants of mental health are complex, the emerging and compelling evidence for nutrition as a crucial factor in the high prevalence and incidence of mental disorders,” researchers wrote in a review of the connection between food and mental health published in the medical journal Lancet, “suggests that diet is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology.”
Here are some nutrition-based tips on how to improve your mental health:
AVOID:
- refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries
- French fries and other fried foods
- soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
- red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
- margarine, shortening, and lard
INCLUDE:
- tomatoes
- olive oil
- green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
- nuts like almonds and walnuts
- fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
- fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
References:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(14)00051-0/fulltext
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/diet-affect-mental-health-link-food-brain/story?id=53387207
