Tag: fight anxiety and depression

Nutrition & Mental Health

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If you know me fairly well, you will know that I am extremely passionate about mental health.  That is because I have noticed a significant improvement in my own mood and mentality since I started taking better care of my body.

I used to battle with depression in my high school and college years and I believe that was mostly caused by the fact that I didn’t sleep well, I didn’t eat nutrient dense foods, I drank too much alcohol and not enough water, and I didn’t participate in a regular exercise program.

Mental illness runs in my family and my father was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 17 years old, so I have really tried to make a conscious effort to improve my own mental wellness as well as the mental health of my family.

Over the last several years, I have noticed more research that has been done on the link between inflammation caused by certain foods in the body and mental illness.

A lack of key essential nutrients is now KNOWN to contribute to poor mental health in people suffering from:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • ADHD

The inflammation that causes these mental disorders starts in the gut and is associated with a lack of nutrients in our food such as:

  • Magnesium
  • Omega-3 fatty acids
  • Probiotics
  • Vitamins/minerals that are essential for our bodies to function properly

Read this article right HERE to learn more.

The following list of foods are the BEST options to help boost mood, cognition, and metal health:

brain healthy foods

1.  Fatty Fish: salmon, trout, and sardines
2.  Coffee
3.  Blueberries
4.  Turmeric
5.  Broccoli
6.  Pumpkin Seeds
7.  Dark Chocolate
8.  Nuts
9.  Whole Eggs
10.  Oranges
11.  Green Tea
12.  Avocados
13.  Beets
14.  Celery
15.  Carrots

Try to incorporate these foods into your weekly diet as much as you possibly can.  In addition to adding these key nutrients from your foods, don’t forget to get outside for fresh air (away from your technology), hydrate your brain with filtered H20, get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and consistently move your body every day.  Do these things and your chances of feeling depressed, anxious, and scatter-brained should greatly decrease.

Got any questions or feedback?  Let me know!