HAPPY FOOD
Mental health isn’t just mental, it’s
physical too! The influence of what we
eat on our brain function is huge
WORDS KATE ORSON
W
hen it comes to
emotional wellbeing,
we often think
of the things we
can do to help
ourselves mentally. Whether it’s seeking
counselling, journalling, or trying other
methods, it’s often about addressing
the mind, focusing on our thoughts and
emotions and trying to process them.
However, with mind and body being
so closely interconnected, physical
wellbeing is essential for our mental
health, too. Exercising is an obvious mood
boost, but what about the food we eat?
If you feel depressed, anxious and
stressed, could diet be a factor? Karen
Preece Smith is a nutritionist who helps
people facilitate meaningful, targeted
dietary and lifestyle changes to restore
balance to the body. She explains: “Diet
plays a huge part in our mood. All our
neurotransmitters [chemical messengers,
some of which influence our mood]
are made from protein, so making sure
we eat adequate protein daily really
helps. Neurotransmitters are shaped
like tadpoles with a long slippy myelinsheath tail. These tails are supported by
omega-3, so if we keep these levels topped
up through our diet or supplements, it
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actually enhances communication of
the neurotransmitters with each other.”
One of the main culprits for poor
mental health is inflammation, which is
caused by factors such as stress and poor
diet. Inflammation can alter the levels
of the neurotransmitters and negatively
affect parts of the brain involved in
emotions, such as the hippocampus
and the prefrontal cortex. Inflammation
can also cause other symptoms, such
as fatigue and interrupted sleep, which
all play havoc with our mood. It can
start to be a vicious cycle where we
eat sugary foods for a quick fix of high
energy, which quickly leads to a crash.
Making changes isn’t always easy
when energy and motivation is lacking.
However, with a little conscious
attention and slow, gradual steps, it
can seem more manageable to make
positive changes to harness the power
of food to transform your mood.
If you feel depressed,
anxious and stressed,
diet could be a factor
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What to avoid
Perhaps the first place to start is to
consider the foods to avoid. Preece Smith
advises: “Sugar is one of the key drivers
of inflammation, so avoid processed
sugars where possible. Alcohol and
caffeine when drunk in excess can
cause anxiety and dehydration too.”
Try to cut out the items that quickly
give you energy and then a later crash,
such as fizzy drinks, white bread and
sugary snacks. Even fruit juice, which
HAPPY
FOODS
Avocados – high in magnesium. A
magnesium deficiency can cause
an imbalance of gut bacteria.
Bananas – high in tryptophan
and folate. Low levels of folate
have been linked to depression.
Beans – rich in tryptophan and
magnesium. Low magnesium has
been linked to depression.
Berries – the flavonoid
anthocyanidin found in berries
also reduces inflammation.
Dark chocolate – full of
flavonoids, which increase blood
flow to the brain and reduce
inflammation. It does also
contain caffeine and sugar so
eat as a treat, to avoid crashes.
Mushrooms – high in vitamin D.
Oats – high in fibre to help
regulate your blood sugar to
avoid energy crashes. It’s also
high in tryptophan.
Salmon – high in omega-3s,
which are good for the brain.
Walnuts – high in omega-3s.
might seem healthy, doesn’t have the fibre
to fill you up, so it can cause your energy
to spike, then quickly leave you hungry
and tired, which can affect your mood.
Artificial trans fats have been linked to
depression (trans fat is labelled as
partially hydrogenated oil on ingredient
lists). They are found in processed
foods like biscuits, cakes and some ice
cream. Artificial colours, sweeteners and
preservatives have also been linked to
mood disorders. Avoid ultra-processed
food and check the ingredients.
Foods to eat
“To support our emotional health we want
to eat foods that reduce inflammation, like
food from the Mediterranean diet – oily fish,
lean meat, plenty of colourful vegetables
and extra virgin olive oil,” says Preece Smith.
In one study, participants with depression
were divided into different groups. One
group was given guidelines and counselling
to eat the Mediterranean diet, and one
was not. Those who ate the Mediterranean
diet showed significant improvements.
A diet full of whole foods that are rich
in fibre enables the body to absorb food
sugars more slowly to avoid energy crashes.
That means plenty of fresh fruit and
vegetables; nuts, seeds and wholegrains
like rice or quinoa; and legumes, such
as beans and lentils. Make sure you
also include protein with every meal.
The brain is actually made up of
60% fat, so the healthy fats found in
the Mediterranean diet help healthy
brain functioning. Avocados and
eggs also contain good fats.
Tryptophan is an amino acid that is
used to make neurotransmitters. You
can find it in dairy, meat like chicken
and turkey, and oats and quinoa.
While we are told to eat five servings
of fruits and vegetables a day, upping
your intake even more could be highly
beneficial. One study looked at young
adults and found that those who ate seven
to eight servings of fruit and veg reported
more positive emotions than those who
didn’t. The researchers analysed the
results to show that the positive effects
were noticeable the next day, showing that
it was the healthy foods that caused the
positive emotions, and not vice versa.
When it comes to eating fruit and
vegetables, you may have heard of ‘eating
the rainbow’. Different coloured fruits and
vegetables have a different nutritional
make-up, so variety can help ensure you
are eating adequate amounts of the full
spectrum of vitamins and minerals.
Antioxidants can help to reduce
inflammation. You can find them in large
amounts in berries, leafy green vegetables,
and herbs and spices like clove, cinnamon,
peppermint, rosemary and oregano.
Adding that touch of extra flavour to your
dishes means your body, as well as your
taste buds, might just thank you for it.
You may have also heard the gut
described as a ‘second brain’. Having a
Making
changes can be
overwhelming,
so ensure you
start small
This list highlights just a few. For
more information, check out The
Happiness Diet by Tyler Graham
and Drew Ramsey, MD, and The
Mind-Gut Connection by Emeran
Mayer, MD.
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PSYCHOLOGY NOW
HEALTHY
CHOCOLATE
RECIPE
This is a healthy alternative
to sugary snacks when you
want a sweet treat
. 70g cocoa or raw
cacao powder
. 40g cacao buer
. 20g almond buer
. 100g dried fruit of
healthy balance of bacteria in the gut
is essential for healthy functioning to
avoid anxiety and depression. Eating
probiotic food can help with this, such as
live yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut and miso.
Prebiotic foods can help too, as they feed
the bacteria in the gut. Examples include
onions, garlic, bananas and tomatoes.
Fight food cravings
What about those moments when
you feel tired and stressed, and want
to reach for the cookies? How can
you resist the food cravings that
lead to unhealthy food choices?
“You can’t really!” says Preece Smith. “It’s
genetic that when we are stressed we crave
sugar as it’s fast fuel for the brain. Knowing
this can help. You can try something
that will satisfy your food cravings, but is
healthy. Try something rich in tryptophan
like Greek yoghurt with some fresh berries
[antioxidants] and dark chocolate shavings
[magnesium], or freeze a banana and blend
with peanut butter for ‘nice cream’!”
Step by step
Making changes can feel overwhelming,
so start small. “Change one thing and keep
it consistent,” says Preece Smith. “Maybe
it’s limiting coffee to two a day before
midday, or drinking a glass of water on
waking, before checking your phone. Start
small and then habit-stack new healthy
habits to the ones you already have.”
Other little steps you might take are:
swapping white pasta, bread and rice
for brown. Making small changes can
start to create an upward spiral moving
towards greater health and happiness.
Cooking is a form of self-care and selflove, but at the end of the day it might
PSYCHOLOGY NOW
be the last thing you feel like doing. This
can be another vicious cycle, being too
exhausted and stressed to cook, and
opting for unhealthy foods, which lead
to more exhaustion and low moods.
Preece Smith’s advice is simple, “Don’t
cook! Use a food delivery service. I
love ByRuby Foods, Kurami and Field
Doctor. Or if your energy improves,
buy a chicken breast to cook or some
eggs and a packet of microwaveable
rice and frozen veg to make a meal.’’
Keep a stash of healthy food in the
freezer, and if you opt for a takeaway, tweak
it to add a healthy touch. For example, if
you have an Indian, cook your own brown
rice at home. Or if you are craving pizza,
see if you can find a delivery service that
offers wholemeal or sourdough bases, and
chop up a quick salad to have with it.
However, if you can find a way to fit
cooking into your life it could actually help
your mental health. In a survey of 8,500
adolescents in New Zealand, researchers
found that self-reported cooking ability was
positively associated with better family
connections, greater mental wellbeing, and
lower levels of self-reported depression.
Cooking therapy is being prescribed
by some therapists to help with mental
health issues. If making food feels like an
overwhelming frenzied rush at the end of
the day, then maybe try batch preparation
on a good day, or when you have more
time. A Saturday or Sunday afternoon
spent ‘slow cooking’ can be a relaxing
thing to do. Pop on an uplifting podcast,
or something that makes you laugh, and
prepare your ingredients without rushing.
Curries, chilli or ratatouille are ideal
for preparing in large quantities. Veggie
versions can last for three to four days in
your choice. Dates
or figs work well.
. 5g chia seeds
. 5g linseeds
. 30g nuts
Boil water in a saucepan.
Put the cacao buer in a
heatproof bowl above the
saucepan and melt.
Finely chop or blend your dried
fruit. Add to a separate bowl.
Chop nuts and add to the bowl
along with the seeds.
Add the cocoa powder
and almond buer to
the bowl and mix.
Pour in the melted cacao
buer and mix thoroughly.
Spoon the mixture into
an ice cube tray.
Freeze the chocolate for ten
minutes and then leave to set in
the fridge for a couple hours.
Remove the chocolates from
the tray and store in some
Tupperware in the fridge.
the fridge, or frozen for three months. Keep
anything with meat or dairy in for less.
Whatever you do, find a way that works
with your circumstances and lifestyle. Just
grabbing a banana instead of a packet of
crisps makes a difference. The main thing is
finding a way to harness the power of food
to boost your mood. Whatever form that
takes can look different in each of our lives.
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© Gey Images / Anna Ivonina / Irina_Strelnikova
HAPPY FOOD