THE mind is an object of mystery to us all.
While neurologists search for answers for in the amazing but strange organ in our skull, we have learnt a few facts.
According to the department of health, an estimated 400 million people worldwide suffer from mental related disorders and these include disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse.
We also know that a bad diet negatively impacts a brain. This is why it is so important to eat a wide range of nutritious food that includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, fish, whole grains, nuts, avocados and olive oil.
As we approach the end of Health Month, SunFood brings you a few ideas of how food can make a good mood.
Renny Letswalo, non-executive chairwoman at Cambridge Weight Plan, said that a balanced diet helps with mental health.
“Diet is linked to the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is involved in learning and processing long-term memory.
“People with healthy diets often have a bigger hippocampus than those with poor diets.
“Science has found strong links showing that food is a powerful tool for people dealing with depression and anxiety.”
The Smiles trial studied 166 clinically depressed people. After only 12 weeks of eating a modified Mediterranean diet, the people’s depressive symptoms were significantly better.
What to eat
Good nutrition starts in the womb. Children born to women who eat lots of processed, fried and sugary foods during pregnancy have children with more emotional problems.
Eating diets low in whole, nutrient-dense foods or diets higher in junk and processed foods during the first years of life is also linked to more childhood emotional problems.
“A diet of 80% plant and 20% animal protein is the healthiest to eat,” Letswalo said.
People who eat lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, fish and unsaturated fats such as olive oil are up to 35% less likely to develop depression.
Research indicates that eating lots of highly-processed, fried and sugary food with little nutritional value may increase the risk of developing depression by as much as 60%.
