Nutritional Influences On Mental Health

ndrome, cardiac illness, endocrinal disorders, and respiratory infections due to medications and an adaptation to an unhealthy lifestyle. So it is therefore essential to manage well this increasing trend of mental disorders or else it will disturb the quality of life and lead to more disabled disoriented lives. If not handled properly at the correct time, mental disorders can increase suicide rates and absenteeism from work and disrupt overall human functioning. As May is the "mental health awareness month", this is the ideal time to take extra effort to understand the basics of mental wellbeing.

Also known as psychiatric disorders, are a group of complications which disturbs the power of positive thinking, emotional stability and normal healthy behaviour. Common mental disorders include bipolar disorders, panic disorders, depression, dementia, schizophrenia, and panic disorders.

Neuropsychiatric disorders are some of the most serious societal challenges of the modern era. Data have shown that the burden of mood disorders, stress-induced cognitive vulnerabilities and psychiatric disorders will continue to rise globally over the coming decades. A healthy lifestyle plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy mind. Dietary balance is important to maintain overall good health. Food and diet are key contributing determinants to mental health that need urgent attention. Brain composition, structure and functioning are dependent on the continuous availability of nutrients like lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Food intake and its quality have a direct impact on brain working capacity. The composition of diet affects mental health, mood, thinking power, nerve functioning and behaviour.

Mostly nutrient deficiencies arise due to picky eating habits, and lack of variety in the diet, poor absorption due to medications or bacterial overgrowth, avoidance of food groups due to allergies, intolerance or preference, physical limitations, poor appetite and unhealthy eating habit due to stressful busy lifestyle Deficiency of Vitamin B12 causes fatigue, lethargy, depression, poor memory and also sometimes mania and psychosis. Vitamin B deficiency causes numbness. Folic acid deficiency increases the risk of depression. Vitamin B3 deficiency may lead to dementia. A balanced healthy diet, rich in polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and nutritional supplements including vitamins, improves mental health, including understanding capacity, thinking process, mood and stress management. Nutrients and their role in brain functioning

Provides glucose, which is the preferred energy source for brain nerve cells. Eating carbohydrates triggers the release of insulin that helps blood glucose enter the cells and hence affecting neurotransmitters level in the body. Fat About 35% of the brain/nervous system tissue comprises polyunsaturated fatty acids that include the essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These healthy lipids play an important role in brain signal transmission.

Provide amino acids; the precursors of neurotransmitters, and therefore facilitates neurotransmission and neuromodulation.

Helps the production of several important neurotransmitters and supports normal healthy brain and mental functioning.

Assists in brain cell development and maintaining its integrity. Also crucial for nerve signalling and offers protection at the time of stress.

1. Eat a balanced amount of fruits, vegetables, low-fat fish and dairy products, whole grain carbohydrates, nuts, pulses and legumes
2. Make healthy food choices like replacing refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates, high fat processed junk food with homemade fresh food and high saturated fat with refined vegetable oils
3. Do not overindulge in any particular nutrient and always eat everything in moderation
4. Eat less, easy to grab low nutrient calorie-dense food options
5. Try to set small healthy goals at a time like eating vegetables at every meal and eating two pieces of fruit a day
6. Always start with positive food goals like adding good foods rather than restricting not so good foods
7. Maintain a food diary and try to find out the link between food eaten and the mood felt
8. Identify triggers that increase the craving for unhealthy food options and learn to tackle them with healthy options
9. Build healthy family mealtime relationships and use the eating time to talk to loved ones rather than gazing at distracting digital options

10.Learn to not mix a bad day mood with a good mealtime experience

Eating balanced healthy meals including a variety of nutrients regularly helps build and support strong positive mental health. This also helps maintain a stable mindset during life's major stressful situations. So it is always mindful to proactively identify unhealthy mental health at the right time, take the appropriate expert advice without hesitation and manage life in a better way.