Food Choices and Mental Health

“Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food” -Hippocrates

Food and nutrition have an effect on emotional and mental health. Have you ever felt moody after skipping a meal or sad because you haven't had your morning coffee? What we eat and how often we eat can have an impact on our mood, our energy level, and our mental health.

We have a few explanations for this relationship. Fluctuations in your blood sugar are affected by what and when we eat. Changes in blood sugars can cause changes in our mood and energy. Brain chemicals, like serotonin and dopamine, influence the way we feel. These chemicals are affected by what we've eaten. Also, low levels of vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids can affect mental health due to the symptoms of specific nutritional deficiencies, like of B-vitamins, zinc, and omega-3s.

The foods that are known to have influence on mood are alcohol, sugar, caffeine, chocolate, wheat and dairy. Besides limiting these foods and beverages, there are several other changes you can make to your diet that can improve your emotional and mental health.

• Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day and stay well hydrated.
• Eat a well balanced diet with 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Don't skip breakfast or any other meals throughout your day.
• Eat meals at regular times each day.

Make an appointment with your local registered dietitian if you have any nutrition concerns or need help eating a well-balanced diet.