Diet Affects Mental Health, So You Don't Get Wrong Follow The Right Guidelines

Illustration of explanations and diet guides that affect mental health (Freepik/rawpixel.com)

YOGYAKARTA Eating patterns not only affect physical health, but also social, emotional, and mental. Many studies show a connection between diet and mental health. There is also a field of nutrition psychiatry that examines how diet and nutrition affect people's mental feelings. This field supports the treatment of mental health conditions with changes in diet and lifestyle.

Before exploring how diet and mental health correlate, it is important to understand that foods that are eaten have a big effect on the digestive system. The digestive system or often called the gut, is home to trillions of living microbes. These microbes have many functions in the body, such as synthesizing neurotransmitters that send chemical messages to the brain to regulate sleep, pain, appetite, mood, and emotions.

The above is an illustration that the brain and digestive system are related. Research reported by Healthline, Monday, February 26, also shows that the food we eat affects the health of the gut microbial colony, which then affects the brain, mental health, and emotional.

Based on research evidence, certain diets help reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and mood. Here's the explanation.

A study found that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and low-fat meat are associated with 10 percent lower probable symptoms of depression. The Mediterranean diet is also recommended by several health agencies to support the health of the intestines and reduce the risk of depression. It is important to note that the Mediterranean diet limits the consumption of fried foods, processed meat, roasted foods, and sweet drinks.

There are several certain substances that can worsen symptoms of anxiety, including caffeine, additional sugar, and alcohol. What's more, research shows anxiety and high intake of saturated fat, poor diet, and low intake of correlated fruit. So if you are stressed and anxious, reset your diet. Reduce drinking coffee, eating additional sweetened foods, and multiply foods rich in fiber, unsaturated fat, and fermented foods that contain bacteria.

A diet that helps improve mood, is to eat balanced foods. Although it still requires deeper and more thorough research, some studies support high-quality diets and nutritional denses to improve mood.

In addition to implementing certain diets or diets, it is also important to record drugs that must be taken regularly in your treatment process. This is important because there are several drugs that interact with certain foods. Therefore, if you are taking any drugs to deal with mental health conditions, it is important to consult a doctor who prescribed it.

Some of the nutrients most related to mental health and the type of food, among others as follows:

In addition to the list above, it is important to complete the menu of eating with prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are foods that provide bacteria in the intestines. Foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics include fermented foods, garlic, shallots, fruit leaves, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

In living a healthy diet for the sake of mental, physical, emotional, and social health, it is important to be relaxed with yourself. Changing your diet is not instant, so don't be too harsh on yourself which actually fails the pleasure of dieting. Plus, it's important to enjoy every food you eat. Next, start from a small change and make a varied menu to keep your diet fun. Lastly, it's important to monitor your progress, both indiet and mental health.