What you eat is what you are!
If you eat good food, you will have good health, if you eat bad food you will have bad health. In fact, food is the primary reason for disease. According to the Global Burden of Disease study conducted in 2017, 11 million people die due to dietary risks and 255 million people are living with food related diseases. In 2021, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said 10.6 percent of all deaths in 2021 were associated with poor diet. Poor food consumption does not just risk your physical health but also mental and emotional health.
Poor Food Consumption and Mental Health
There have been a lot of studies that indicate that poor food consumption is associated with mental health problems like depression, anxiety and stress. Eating poor diet increases the risk of various mental health problems. Here are some facts to consider:
- Food-insecurity in children and teens increases chances of mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and even suicidal tendency.
- Food insecurity in adults increases criminal tendency.
- Processed and ultra-processed food will increase the risk of stress, depression and anxiety. They also cause inflammation in the brain and body.
- Eating too much junk food will increase mood swing, depression and stress. A certain study found that if you eat a lot of junk food, you are likely to develop depression by 51 percent as compared to those who do not eat junk food.
- Consumption of lot of sugary foods can cause mood disorders.
Foods to Improve Your Mood
Everyone experiences mood swings now and then. You feel very happy one day and depressed the very next day. There are a lot of things that can influence your mood, for instance weather, your workplace, your home environment, etc. However, not many people realize that food is also one of the major contributors of mood swings. Eating certain foods will make you feel more miserable. The good news is that there are foods that can help you to improve your mood.You need to eat the right food in the right proportion to improve your mood, or mental health in general. For instance, you need to include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, olive oil, and low fat dairy in your daily diet. You need to eat less animal-based food and focus on plant based food. You will also need to include superfoods in your regular diet. For instance, taking saffron, turmeric, probiotics, flaxseeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc. will help you with your mental health and also temporary mood swings.
Eat Fish to Improve Your Mood
Fresh tuna, sardines, herrings, mackerel, and salmon are good foods when you are experiencing mood swings. Your mood can greatly improve if you have at least one serving of fish per week. If you are not a big fan of fish you can make tasty tuna salad and you can even take a can of sardines mix them with mayonnaise and spread on a piece of toast. These make delicious snacks. Your diet should include Omega-3 Fatty Acids to make you feel much better. These kinds of acids improve circulation and provide protection for your heart. Fatty acids are also beneficial for our mental ability and memories. By increasing our supply of Omega-3 by eating fish, we have a great chance to manage depression, including certain bipolar disorders and postnatal depression. It is advisable to include at least 8 oz. of oily fish to your weekly diet. Omega-3 can also be obtained from flaxseed, canola and walnut oils.
A Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Depression
One of the best ways to obtain Vitamin D is through sunlight. During the seasons when sunlight is scarce you can get Vitamin D from egg yolk and fortified foods like margarine, breakfast cereals and milk. It is also a good idea to take Vitamin D supplements. Another nutrient that benefits mood is selenium. Studies have shown that low levels of selenium in the diet can be associated with mood swings, and even depression. Selenium is also an antioxidant that protects brain cells. Taking selenium supplements can be beneficial in the prevention of postnatal depression.You need to eat Vitamin D rich food to improve your mood.
Eating a Full Breakfast
There might be mornings when you are not very hungry and you might not feel like eating, however, studies have shown that if you regularly eat breakfast, your mood will improve and you will have a better memory, more energy to get through your day, and you will feel less stressed out. Besides improving your mood by having some breakfast, you won’t also be starving by lunchtime. So the best thing you can do is to make sure that you have time in the mornings for something to eat to make for a better day. However, you should remember to avoid adding a lot of carbs in your diet, instead focus on protein based diet.
Foods Rich in Selenium Improve Mood
Studies have shown that by eating foods rich in selenium will not only lift your mood, your brain will also develop better thinking power. The foods that contain selenium include Brazil nuts, oysters, albacore tuna, clams, sardines, pork tenderloin, crab, saltwater and freshwater fish, whole-wheat and regular pastas, lean pork chops, chicken (dark and light meat), lean lamb, sunflower seeds, whole-wheat bread, plain bagels, brown rice, oatmeal, flour tortillas, soy beans, eggs, low-fat cottage cheese, tofu, pinto beans, and low-fat yogurt.
Mood Swings and Balanced Diet
In our day to day life mood swings can be very common but what is uncommon is not addressing your mood swings and ignoring the symptoms. In the long run, these mood swings can develop into serious mental disorders. Therefore, make sure that you eat a well-balanced diet and include all that is beneficial for improving your mood and make you feel good and happy.
