We’ve all said or witnessed someone express it; “I’m struggling.”
We’re in a mental health crisis. While there has been increased attention to the problem, many will say it’s insufficient. So here we are, working to put all the puzzle pieces together.
What if healthy food was a factor that contributes to a thriving state of mind? What if nutritious food could lessen the thought of “I’m struggling”? We are not indicating that food can cure mental health disorders. However, healthy food can improve cognitive function, focus, and mood.
Up to 40% of the nutrients we eat go to our brains.
Mental health is comparable to physical fitness. To maintain our physique, we must follow workout programs focusing on the total body. And while mental health doesn’t always appear clear-cut, it does have physical stimuli. Our mental health centers on our brain, which keeps all other organs functioning. Mental health is central to our emotions, thoughts, and focus, which ultimately affects our actions, how we move throughout the world, and how we perceive the world and how it sees us.
Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Depression and anxiety increased by more than 25% in the first year of the pandemic.
Ways that Nutrition Can Improve Cognitive Function
Eat Leafy Greens: Vitamin K, iron, calcium, folic acid, and phytochemicals contribute to cognitive function.
Balance Blood Sugar Levels: Eating balanced meals and minimizing added sugars is essential. Excess sugar can cause hormone imbalance, including the stress hormone.
Healthy Fats: The brain consists of fatty acids. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are vital in neurotransmission, mood, and cognition.
Dietary carbohydrates may be significantly related to emotional and cognitive symptoms such as anxiety and difficulty concentrating.
We tend to recognize healthy foods as a contributing factor to our physical health, but it also contributes to mental health. Nutrients feed our brains. Eating better foods will give your brain more nutrients and better cognitive function.
Source: (1) World Health Organization: Mental Health (2) Culinary Nutrition: 16 Mood-Boosting Foods (3) National Library of Medicine: Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and their Metabolites in Brain Function and Disease (4) National Library of Medicine: Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Hypoglycemia Symptoms Improved with Diet Modification