Changing How We Feel By Changing Our Diets Improves Mood

How Our Diets Impact Our Moods

What we eat can have a significant effect on how we feel. The connection between diet and mood is complex, but researchers continue to find evidence that the foods we put into our bodies on a daily basis directly impact our mental health and outlook.

The Brain-Gut Connection

The human digestive system is lined with over 100 million nerve cells. This extensive neural network connecting the gut and brain is why the two are often referred to as the brain-gut axis. This interconnectedness helps explain why what we ingest affects more than just our physical health, but influences our state of mind as well.

How Food Impacts Mood-Related Chemicals and Hormones

The foods we eat provide nutrients that either contribute to or deplete the chemicals and hormones responsible for regulating our moods. For example:

• Serotonin - Carbohydrates boost production of this key neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, appetite, and feelings of wellbeing.
• Dopamine - Tyrosine-rich foods like eggs, cheese, and meat support dopamine synthesis, which controls motivation and pleasure.
• Oxytocin - Produced when we eat healthy fats like those found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados, oxytocin promotes social bonding.
• Cortisol - Unhealthy high-glycemic foods spike insulin levels, triggering inflammation and stress hormones like cortisol.

Nutritional Deficiencies and Mental Health

Deficiencies in key nutrients can manifest in a variety of psychological and cognitive issues:

• B vitamins - Low levels associated with mood disorders, fatigue, and poor concentration.
• Vitamin D - Deficiency correlates with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression, and schizophrenia.
• Omega-3s - Imbalances linked to anger, aggression, bipolar, and ADHD.
• Zinc - Inadequate zinc associated with anxiety, irritability, and emotional instability.

Eating for Improved Mental Wellbeing

Fortunately, deliberately choosing foods that support healthy neurological function and boost production of feel-good brain chemicals can improve outlook and lift mood.

Choose Complex Carbs

While carbs are essential for providing the glucose that powers the brain, not all carbs are equal when it comes to impact on mental health. The type of carbohydrates we eat significantly influences blood sugar and insulin, which in turn affects mood-regulating neurotransmitters.

Simple or refined carbs like sugar, white bread, and pastries cause blood sugar spikes that rapidly swing emotions. Complex carbohydrate foods like whole grains, beans, lentils, and starchy vegetables provide lasting energy without the mental turbulence.

Up Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake balances out mood-disrupting inflammation in the brain that can lead to depression. The anti-inflammatory power of omega-3s also helps counter cortisol, adrenaline, and other stress hormones.

Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are great sources of omega-3s. For vegetarians, omega-3-rich foods include walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and Brussels sprouts.

Eat More Leafy Greens

Leafy green veggies like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, and broccoli are packed with essential B vitamins that are crucial for cognitive and psychological health. These colorful veggies also provide vitamin C to boost immunity and hinder inflammation alongside vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, and antioxidants.

Avoiding Mood-Disrupting Foods

Just as there are foods that enhance mental health, there are those that harm outlook and mood. Being aware of how these dietary culprits negatively impact emotions empowers us to avoid them.

Cut Back Sugar

A sugary treat every now and then is unlikely to do much harm, but regular or excessive sugar intake promotes inflammation and stress hormones. Over time, consistently overloading on sugar leaves us more emotionally vulnerable while increasing anxiety and depression risk.

Limit Caffeine

The temporary alertness boost from caffeinated drinks often comes at the cost of eventual fatigue and irritation when what goes up must come down. Caffeine also stresses the adrenals and spikes cortisol release while disrupting healthy sleep cycles critical factors underlying stable moods.

Ditch Unhealthy Fats

Hydrogenated oils in fried foods, margarine, and processed snacks block absorption of mood-lifting nutrients while promoting systemic inflammation. These unhealthy fats also displace beneficial monounsaturated fats needed for consistent mental wellbeing.

Eating for Emotional Resiliency

Our dietary choices construct critical neurochemistry that serves either as a sustainable foundation for enduring positivity or erodes emotional resiliency. Deliberately selecting foods that reduce inflammation, balance hormones, reinforce neurotransmitter pathways, and repair gut connections supports stable moods and lasting psychological thriving.

Consistency and variety are key when eating for mental health. While instantly altering emotional states can prove difficult, regularly providing our bodies with the nutritional building blocks of psychological integrity benefits mental wellness over time.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.