Here’s a new (ish) phrase to add to your wellness lexicon: nutritional psychiatry.
In 2015, a team of researchers concluded that “the emerging and compelling evidence of diet as a determinant of the high prevalence and incidence of mental disorders suggests that diet is as important in psychiatry as it is in cardiology, endocrinology and Gastroenterology “. In other words, diet can have a huge impact on mental health.
In the years since, studies have linked dietary support to improved responses to disorders such as addiction, anxiety, ADD / ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia. Even if you don’t have a mental health disorder, some thoughtful refueling can do wonders for your mood. It’s ironic, considering the amount of time, money, and online research we invest in pills, powders, and adaptogens, but the simple things you put in your fridge, pantry, and stomach alone can make a world of difference matter in your health and happiness.
So how do you start How should you know which foods actually work? Focus on nutritious foods.
In a recent profile for Bon Appetit, Lisa Ruland recommends: “Nutrient-rich foods – those filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, probiotics and prebiotics, and proteins – while reducing nutritionally” empty “foods.” Concentrate especially not processed foods that are full of preservatives, fillers, or artificial sweeteners. You squeeze A) literally your brain and B) trigger a devastating looping effect as your microbiome teaches itself to long for more.
Instead, eat “colorful”. Your plate shouldn’t be a sea of caramel brown. Eat a variety of fruits, make vegetables the star of a meal every now and then, focus on proteins like salmon, tuna, shellfish, grilled poultry, pasture cattle, cut down on caffeine and alcohol, turn to olive oil instead of butter , Fill your intestines with yogurt, kimchi and sauerkraut, prioritize healthy snacks like oats, nuts and seeds and hydrate them.
Ultimately, a bowl of almonds is not going to cure any mental disorder or bring you the best Tuesday ever. But the inclusion of nutritional psychiatry provides a steady addition to your other proactive coping methods – medication, meditation, talk therapy – while promoting all sorts of other healthy habits like consistent exercise, good sleep, and work-life balance.
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