Medical Nutrition Therapy for Mental Health

Can Nutrition really help us when we deal about Mental Health? So let us learn something new today and let’s talk about the correlation of your food and mood.

• Have you ever felt hunger because of having a long test in school?
• How about feeling headaches when you haven’t eaten any meals yet?
• Have been on mood swing because you feel bad about something but after eating an ice cream your mood change?

If yes, then It is a perfect example that there’s indeed our gut does affect our mood or mental health.

For today’s post, we will dig deeper between our Brain and Gut Connection through Medical Nutrition Therapy. It mainly focus about the significant role of nutrition for your Mental Health.

BRAIN – GUT CONNECTION

The brain, gut, and gut microbiota are all interconnected. The connection between them is known as the Gut-Brain Axis which it is the biochemical signaling that take place between the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system in our body.

The brain chemicals like hormones and neurotransmitters sends messages to the gut for motility, secretion, nutrient delivery and microbial balance. While the so-called gut’s gate keepers or the gut microbiomes, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, it influences the mental state, emotion regulation, neuromuscular function and regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis.

NEUROCHEMICALS IN REGULATING YOUR MOOD

Neurochemicals play an important role in regulating moods. These are small organic molecule or peptide that participates in neural activity. There are 3 who plays the part.

SEROTONIN

It regulates the mood, appetite, sleep and memory. So to can increase the serotonin level on your brain you must take food that contain Tryptophan, Magnesium, Zinc, Folate, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.

NOREPINEPHRINE

It regulates your sleep, attention, focus, emotion, alertness and energy. It is produce from dopamine so food that rich in dopamine precursors can boost its production.

DOPAMINE

It regulates pleasure, reward, motivation, learning, memory, attention and coordinates movement. It increase its production when eating food that contains Tyrosine, Copper,Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, Niacin and Folate.

MENTAL HEALTH NUTRITION THERAPY

Eating nutritious and balanced diet can really improve your mental health. We cite some of the key nutrients that you can significantly influence your state of mind. These are the Food for the Brain that you can try yourself.

• Carbohydrates increases the release of insulin that lets the blood sugar enter the cell for energy and it also triggers the entry of tryptophan to the brain. Please note that the carbohydrates must be with low glycemic index or more of complex carbohydrates.
• Protein supplies the amino acids that produces the neurotransmitters such as the trytophan (serotonin) and tyrosine (dopamine).
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids (DHA & EPA) is a lipid-rich component of the brain which also important for your brain function.
• Vitamin B Complex (B1 B2, B6, B12, Biotin, Folate, Niacin) in your food intake may help also for your energy and nerve function.
• Vitamin C is the co-factor in the synthesis of neurotransmitters that coverts dopamine to serotonin. It also help to have better absorption of Iron.
• Water and Electrolytes. Moods are sensitive to change in hydration state and independent of cognitive performance thus keeping yourself hydrated with enough electrolytes in your body plays an important role to improve your mood.

FOOD TO CONSIDER TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Carbohydrates	Potato, noodles, whole grains, saba, banana, squash, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, sayote, togue, avocado, guava, melon, mangoes and beans.
Protein	Tryptophan – whole milk, tuna, chicken, whole grains, chocolate, banana Tyrosine – beef, lean pork, fish, chicken, tofu, whole milk, cheese, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grain
Omega-3 Fatty Acid	fatty fish, shellfish and fish oil
Vitamin B Complex	Milk, egg, cheese, organ meats, red meat, chicken fish, shellfish, dark green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, mushroom
Vitamin C	Guava, papaya, guyabano and bell pepper
Calcium	Milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish (fish bones), tofu
Chromium	Whole grain, green beans, potato, eggs, beef, oysters
Iodine	Fish and shellfish, dairy products, iodized salt
Iron	Red meat, green leafy vegetables, beans and lentils, whole grain bread, tofu
Selenium	Whole grains, dairy, meat, fish (tuna), and shellfish, eggs, legumes, nuts and seeds
Magnesium	Dark chocolate, avocado, legumes, tofu, whole grain, nuts and seeds, fish, banana, green leafy vegetables
Zinc	Shellfish, meat, legumes, nuts and seeds, dairy, eggs, whole grains, potatoes, dark chocolate
Copper	Oysters, whole grain, legumes, nuts and seeds, potatoes, organ meats, green leafy vegetables

RECOMMENDED LIFESTYLE

Aside from eating nutritious and well-balanced meal, your lifestyle thus matter too. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, finding a hobby, socialize, avoid smoking and alcohol and give time for meditation can also help with your mental health.

Mental Health should be a in holistic approach to fully management it properly. As a Dietitian, our role is to give proper nutrition that will improve someone mood while other allied profession can also assessment and other guidelines they need to apply for our clients. Improving one’s health is not a one man team but it should be a collaborative management from different factorial procedure.

In terms of Mental Health Nutrition, we must consumed more of whole grains, nuts and seeds, fish and shellfish, eggs, read meats and a generous servings of fruits and vegetables and lastly, we must hydrate ourselves. We must also consider our lifestyle by exercising regularly and manage our stress.

 

source https://betterweightloss.info/medical-nutrition-therapy-for-mental-health/