Nourishing the Mind: The Use of Functional Foods for Mental Health
Nourishing the Mind: The Use of Functional Foods for Mental Health
Blog Article
Introduction:
The past ten years have seen growing scientific, professional, and lay interest in diet and mental health. In addition to nutrients, growing evidence suggests that functional foods, or food with non-nutrient health-enhancing components, are the key to the future of optimizing mental health. Functional foods are bioactive, nutrient-dense foods containing antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics with the ability to enhance brain function, mood, and brain health.
Functional Foods: An Overview
Functional foods are commonly known as fortified food or natural food that is physiological or reduces chronic disease risk. Even though centuries earlier the word was used (see turmeric as in food of East Asian or as fermented food consumed in East Asia), recent science has now realized how the foods affect brain and thinking processes at cellular biochemical levels.
They are commonly from some categories:
Probiotic foods (i.e., yogurt, kimchi, and kefir)
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acid food sources (i.e., flaxseeds, walnuts, and fish)
Food sources of fruit and vegetable products with antioxidant content (i.e., spinach, berries, and kale)
Food sources of whole grains and complex carbohydrates (i.e., brown rice, quinoa, and oats)
Food sources of amino acids (i.e., eggs, tofu, and lean meat)
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The Gut-Brain Axis and Mood
One of the most fascinating developments in this area will be the finding of the gut-brain axis, a dialogue between brain and gut.
The bridge will probably be of to what extent guts are engaged for mood and emotional euphoria. The "eat to thrive" diet "spending money on a healthy gut microbiome, i.e., fiber vegetables and fermented food," "can be consistent with neurotransmitter building such as serotonin and dopamine "behind mood management."
For instance, scientifically proven, probiotics in yogurt and fermented foods will treat symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing fuel to the gut and calming inflammation. Similarly, prebiotic fiber (bananas, onions, garlic) feeds good bacteria in the colon again balancing this in balance.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Brain Function
But still another class of highly studied functional foods for their application in mind health are the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. They are lipid structural lipids within brain cell membranes with anti-inflammatory action and putative neuroprotection against depression and neurodegenerative disease.
Intake of sardine, mackerel, and salmon fish oil was associated with less depression and greater mental processing. High-grade omega-3 sources like flaxseed, walnut, and chia seeds are taken in plant food diets and could be supplemented in vegetarians even by those allergic to fish.
Antioxidants: Antidoting Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress and body homeostasis created by antioxidant-free radical-induced stimulation lead to all disease such as Alzheimer's, depression, and anxiety. It also reverses free radicals of that type so they never get a chance to hurt the brain.
Fruits like berries, citrus fruits, strawberries, etc., are vitamin C-rich flavonoids—two of the finest antioxidants to start with, leading to memory consolidation and a battle against loss of mind. Seeds, greens, and nuts contain vitamins like vitamin E and selenium, which stimulate the brain.
Amino Acids and Neurotransmitter Synthesis
Amino acids are protein foods and essential to the construction of sleep- and mood-regulating neurotransmitters. Amino acid precursor tryptophan, which is contained in turkey, eggs, cheese, and soy foods, is used in the production of serotonin. Milk, fish, and soy contain the amino acid tyrosine, which is used in the production of dopamine.
These food-protein functional foods can be added to one's diet in an attempt to help provide stability in mood, concentration, and quality sleep—pillars of good mental health.
Functional Herbs and Beverages
In addition to solid food, there are also functional foods such as some herbs and beverages. L-theanine and polyphenol-green tea relax and reduce stress levels. Chamomile and lavender tea calm and offer better sleep with less stress.
Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and holy basil most frequently are found associated with helping the body to adapt to stress and emotional tolerance.
Creating An Aidiologic Diet to Recover Mental Illness
There won't be pill food magic silver bullet to treat mental illness, but whole food consumed in moderation with minimal awareness of functional foods can make the entire situation of mental health a dream. Do these first:
Consume a blend of greens and fruits every day.
Consume 3+ omega-3 foods on some days of a week.
Consume whole foods instead of refined carbohydrates.
Consume fermented foods every day.
Start with a glass of herbal tea to begin to de-stress and relax.
Final Thoughts
The more we learn about mental health, the more we can learn about the amazing things that food can do in what's going on up here in our head and emotional life. Functional foods are an easy, natural, and delicious way to feed your body and brain. By taking that little extra effort with what you eat and incorporating brain food into your life, you can reboot your brain and begin life off-a-bite-at-a-time. Report this page