Exploring the Role of Nutrition in Managing Mental Health Disorders

You have been told since childhood that eating healthy makes you feel and look your best. It’s not frequently mentioned that eating well has a big impact on your mental health as well. You can feel more alert and think clearly if you eat a nutritious diet. Additionally, it can increase focus and attention span. On the other hand, a poor diet might cause exhaustion, mental health disorders, stress, malnutrition, etc.. The use of processed foods by society is one of the main causes of health problems. These foods with excess sugar and wheat make your brain want more of them than nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables. Many of the processed foods you consume are quite addicting and activate your brain’s dopamine regions, which are linked to reward and pleasure. You must quit consuming unhealthy foods if you want to stop yearning for them.
The relationship between nutrition and mental health is becoming increasingly clear. It is very important to understand the role nutrition plays in managing mental health. Maintaining a balanced diet reduces the risk of developing mental health disorders. Therefore, it is essential to know the role of nutrition in managing mental health disorders and maintaining mental health so you can make a better decision when it comes to your eating cycle and how it affects your overall well-being.

What is nutrition?

You have heard that eating nutritious food or consuming nutrients helps you manage your mental health and overall well-being. But do you know what is nutrition? And what nutritious food you need to consume? Let’s discuss that.
The simplest definition of nutrition is consuming a consistent, well-balanced, healthy diet. Nutrition is a physiological and biochemical process through which you consume food to sustain. It gives you nutrients that can be broken down to produce energy and chemical structures in your body. A healthy diet helps your body function. The nutrients your body needs to maintain your brain, muscles, bones, nerves, skin, blood circulation, and immune system are found in the foods you eat. Eating a healthy diet also helps you in preventing many diseases.
Broadly, there are two types of nutrients:
o    Micronutrients: These are the nutrients that your body requires in small amounts for healthy development and growth. It involves vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are essential for brain health and for the production of neurotransmitters, while minerals are responsible for mood regulation.
o    Macronutrients: These are the nutrients your body requires in larger amounts for energy production. These are the building blocks of muscles and tissues and provide energy in the form of calories. This category involves proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Proteins are vital for the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and emotional response. Carbohydrates stabilise blood sugar levels. Fats reduce inflammation.

What are the mental health disorders?

Mental health is your physiological, emotional, and social well-being. Your mental state affects how you handle stress, anxiety, and sadness. Mental health disorders affect the way you think and behave. They alter your mood and make it difficult to function. There are many mental health disorders that you may come across at one or the other time. Some of them are:
o    Anxiety disorders
o    Depression, bipolar disorders
o    Obsessive-compulsive disorder
o    Personality disorder
o    Post-traumatic stress disorder
o    Schizophrenia
o    Eating disorder
o    Mood swings
o    Antisocial personality disorder

What is the role of nutrition in managing mental health?

As discussed, nutrition/nutrients help you manage all the mental disorders that are discussed above and help you maintain a stable and healthy mind. Let’s see some of the benefits of nutrition for your mental health.
o    Improves brain function and synthesis of neurotransmitters
o    Reduce oxidative stress and inflammations, contributing to better mental health
o    Supports a healthy gut microbiome
o    Prevents nutrient deficiency and other linked health disorders
o    Regulates and stabilises blood sugar levels and prevents mood swings
o    Keeps you hydrated, which is essential for maintaining optimal mental well-being
o    Maintains overall physical health along with your mental health

Conclusion

To sum it up, nutrition maintains the relationship between diet and your mental health. It implies that the meals you take affect your mood, thoughts, and behaviour in either a positive or negative way. So, you have to be conscious of your diet and how it impacts your mental well-being. Nutrition helps maintain excellent mental health and protects against mental health disorders and conditions. So, choose your diet wisely!