Supporting Your Mood With Food

Did you know what you eat can have a significant impact on your mood and mental health? If you’ve been feeling down, stressed out or moody that is totally normal and I am going to give you some tips to help support your mental health with nutrition.

These tips will help improve your mood, energy and mental clarity.

1) Eat a high fiber diet

Fiber feeds the good microbes in our gut facilitating the creation of serotonin. Up to 90% of this feel good neurotransmitter is made in the gut, an unhealthy gut leads to decreased production and has been connected to low mood, anxiety and poor sleep.

2) Avoid the blood sugar rollercoaster

Avoid refined carbohydrates that will spike your blood sugar followed by a crash. Also avoid skipping meals or intermittent fasting if you have thyroid, adrenal or blood sugar issues. Low blood sugar can be a huge trigger for anxiety, depression, irritability & mood swings.

Focus on quality carbohydrates that are high in fiber like vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains and nuts & seeds.

3) Eat foods high in tryptophan (with carbs)

The amino acid Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin (the feel good neurotransmitter mentioned above), so it is important to including foods like turkey, eggs, fish, chicken, tofu, nuts and seeds in your diet to support your mental health. However, it is just as important to combine those foods with carbohydrates. We need the nutrients from protein to manufacture serotonin and we need carbohydrates to make that serotonin accessible by triggering the release of insulin into the blood which is necessary for amino acid absorption.

4) Eat your (healthy) fats

Especially omega-3 (abundant in oily fish such as sardines, salmon, and mackerel). There is growing evidence to show that people who eat a diet rich in fish are less likely to be depressed. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the basic building blocks of the brain and the majority of us are not getting enough in our diet. I recommend eating fatty fish 2-3 times per week and supplementing with a good quality fish oil. Fish high in omega-3 are also high in vitamin D, another nutrient that is very important for mood and mental health. Other foods containing omega-3 include walnuts, leafy greens and flaxseeds.

Healthy fats also help keep us satiated, balance our blood sugar and are required for healthy hormone production. Healthy fats include, nuts & seeds, avocado, coconut, coconut oil, olive oil, kefir, wild fish and whole eggs.

5) Include probiotic rich foods

Your gut health is intimately connected to your mental health. In addition to eating a diet high in fiber, you can also eat raw unpasteurized fermented foods that are high in probiotics. This will help maintain a healthy balance of “good” microbes in your gut, improve digestion and keep things moving smoothly allowing for the production of serotonin. Some examples of probiotic rich foods include sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, kombucha, kefir, miso and tempeh.

6) Eat your leafy greens

Dark leafy greens are high in folate, the B vitamin required for more than just pregnancy. Research has found low folate levels to be associated with depression, the correlation isn’t clear but folate deficiency may impair the metabolism of serotonin, dopamine and other neurotransmitters important for mood. In general, a diet high in vegetables and fruits has been associated with a decreased risk of depression. Bonus, veggies are also high in fiber and other vitamins, minerals & phytonutrients :)

7) Eat a diet high in antioxidants

A diet rich in antioxidants has also been linked to improved mood and mental health, if you missed it check out my last post all about antioxidants.