{"id":20626,"date":"2021-12-14T10:38:46","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T09:38:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/?p=20626"},"modified":"2022-01-03T09:25:38","modified_gmt":"2022-01-03T08:25:38","slug":"eating-for-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/eating-for-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Eating for Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve probably heard of the mind-body connection.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You know there\u2019s a connection between how you treat your body, and how that impacts your mind, and vice versa. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not just what you do with your body that can impact your mental health, but what you put in it that matters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The Gut Microbiome<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One area of health and wellness that has gotten a lot of attention in recent years is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4290017\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">microbiome<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The gut microbiome is a living organism within you composed of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and microbes. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These microbes are essential for all different aspects of your health including your immune system, cardiovascular health, and of course \u2013 your mental health. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factors like stress and your diet can affect these microbes and cause imbalances. This can look like too many non-beneficial microbes or not enough essential ones.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A balanced microbiome is the first step in having a healthy brain-gut connection and balanced mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Nutritional Deficiencies<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another outcome of diet that can impact your health is nutritional deficiencies. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A nutritional deficiency is when you have low levels of essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the most common deficiencies that can impact mental health is:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Iron:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Low iron levels can cause fatigue, making it hard to live your life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>B Vitamins:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Are essential for cognitive function and memory. Low levels of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B vitamins<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can contribute to symptoms of depression.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Magnesium: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This essential mineral has been <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16542786\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to help treat symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, traumatic brain injury, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/postpartum-mood-disorders-beyond-ppd\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">postpartum depression<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and addiction.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Omega 3s<\/b><b>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These fatty acids are now well known for their ability to treat symptoms of depression and schizophrenia.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are just a few of the nutrients that are essential for your mental health. Other ones to keep on your radar are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/what-are-antioxidants-and-why-do-we-need-them\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">antioxidants<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, potassium, selenium, Vitamin A, and zinc.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get a gauge on any deficiencies you might have, you can get your blood tested through your healthcare provider.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>How to Eat For Mental Health<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t have to have a diagnosed mental health disorder to benefit from a diet that supports your mental health. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some important steps you can take to eat a more balanced diet:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Reduce Inflammation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chronic inflammation can cause all sorts of mental health and emotional issues. Some ways you can reduce inflammation is by cutting back on processed sugar and other processed foods, finding out if you have any food allergies or sensitivities, and eating foods like berries, dark leafy greens, salmon, and avocados.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Keep it Whole: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When in doubt, try to eat foods that have fewer ingredients, and are considered \u201cwhole\u201d. This basically means that they come from the Earth and that they aren\u2019t overly processed. Whole ingredients include fruits and vegetables, sustainably sourced animal products, and herbs and spices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Healthy Oils: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some oils are better than others. For the most part, you want to opt for coconut oil, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, and sesame seed oil. Oils that tend to be more processed and can be inflammatory include soybean oil, palm oil, and canola oil.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Animal Products: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to deciding whether or not to eat animal products \u2013 that\u2019s a personal choice. Some people believe that a vegan or vegetarian diet is essential to their mental health, while others say the opposite. Most people lie somewhere in the middle.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating a balanced diet can also help you maintain balanced blood sugar levels. When your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blood sugar<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is off, you may feel spacey, anxious, and tired. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only way to know what works for you is to try different approaches and see what happens.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Trust Your Intuition\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/intuitive-eating\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learning to eat intuitively<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an important part of supporting your mental health and moving through your body\u2019s different needs and fluctuations.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intuitive eating is a way of tapping into your body\u2019s needs at the moment and eating in a way that honours that. Aka listening to your body.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easier said than done sometimes right? <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Intuitive eating can take time to get a handle on, and even then, we\u2019re human, and we\u2019re allowed to make mistakes.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That being said, there are no \u201cmistakes\u201d when it comes to eating intuitively, it\u2019s all a practice and learning process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Your Body, Your Rules<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are so many diets and fads out there that it can be hard to figure out what is right for you. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s the deal \u2013 it\u2019s your body, and your rules.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You get to decide if eating organic is important for your lifestyle if you want to eat animal products, and what eating schedule makes sense for you.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You get the idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Be Easy on Yourself<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to mention that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intimina.com\/blog\/there-is-hope-conquering-eating-disorders\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eating disorders<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are a big aspect of many people\u2019s mental health.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest gifts you can give to your body and your mind is being easy on yourself. Knowing when to fill yourself with veggies, and when to indulge.\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes &#8216;indulgence&#8217; can be the best thing for your mental health, especially when it\u2019s done without guilt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another aspect of being easy on yourself is letting your diet shift and change without feeling rigid around it. You might be craving plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for a period of time, and then you\u2019ll be hit with consistent red meat and fish cravings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s ok to move with these fluctuations. Honouring them means you\u2019re listening to your body\u2019s intuition. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These aren\u2019t hard and fast rules, but important things to keep in mind when learning how to eat in a way that supports your mental and emotional health.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are so many different aspects to nutrition, so take it slow, and try one bite at a time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve probably heard of the mind-body connection.\u00a0 You know there\u2019s a connection between how you treat your body, and how that impacts your mind, and vice versa. It\u2019s not just&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.12 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Eat For a Mental Health? What to Consume, What to Avoid?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One of the biggest gifts you can give to your body and your mind is being easy on yourself... 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