You need to give up carbs! They are not good for you. Ensure that omega 3 is part of your diet. Our product has it in plenty. These are just some of the messages that the American people are bombarded with every day. As part of a concerted campaign to persuade Americans to adopt nutritional habits that are purported healthier, food makers continue to convey these messages. The messages are despite the lack of evidence that conclusively show that the foods hold nutritional value. More importantly, the messages give place too much emphasis on physical health. The American people are not being sensitized on the need to eat healthy so as to preserve their mental health. A review of evidence suggests that for optimal mental health, nutritious food is needed.
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health illnesses in the United States. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, as many as 16 million Americans have experienced a depressive episode (“Mental Health by Numbers”, n.d). This figure indicates that depression is indeed a serious problem. Nutrition holds the key to tackling this condition. Various researchers have established that as they adopt healthier nutritional lifestyles, individuals are able to effectively tackle depression. For instance, Rao et al. (2008) observed that there are some foods which provide nutrients that serve as antidepressants. They are not alone as such organizations have also found that there is a link between healthy diets and reduced prevalence of depression. In an insightful article, this organization cites research which has noted that diets which contain such foods as legumes, grains, cereals and beans help individuals to combat depression (“Diet and Mental”, 2018). The overwhelming amount of scientific evidence shows that as they embrace healthy diets, individuals are able to successfully prevent mental illnesses like depression.
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Fresh and whole foods are the most ideal for those individuals who wish to safeguard their mental health. However, various constraints may limit access to these foods. It is for this reason that such supplements as probiotics have been developed. Evidence shows that these supplements help to promote positive moods and combat stress. In an informative article, Selhub (2015) outlined the benefits of the probiotics. She notes that “eating high-quality foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants nourishes the brain and protects it from oxidative stress” (par. 2). The insights that Selhub shares underscore the importance of healthy foods. Even when they are unable to consume whole foods, individuals can simply use supplements and expect the same positive mental health outcomes that the whole foods would yield. That healthy nutrition is an effective strategy for tackling stress is indeed encouraging. Today, individuals are exposed to various situations that can lead to stress. By simply eating healthy, these individuals are able to preserve their mental wellbeing.
The discussion this far has focused on how nutritious diets help to boost mental health. In order to extend and enrich the discussion further, it is essential to consider the impacts of poor eating habits. Rebecca Clay (2017) focused on this issue in her article. She noted that individuals who consumed foods that were understood to be unhealthy faced a greater risk of developing various mental illnesses. For example, she cites a study which found that after eating foods with high sugar content, children were more likely to develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Clay, 2017). This finding is significant as it shows that failure to adhere to guidelines on healthy nutrition can set the stage for the development of mental illnesses. Even as they adopt healthy diets, individuals need to recognize that it is also critical to shun foods which are known to have disastrous impacts on their mental health.
In order to fully understand the cause-effect relationship between healthy food and mental health, it is helpful to consider emerging trends in psychiatry and mental health practice. As Joyce Cavaye (2018) shares in her piece, nutritional health is rapidly emerging as an effective and widely-recognized intervention for mental health illnesses. According to Cavaye, an increasing number of mental health practitioners are prescribing healthy diets for positive mental health outcomes. For example, practitioners are advising patients with such conditions as anxiety and depression to embrace healthy diets. Cavaye notes further that healthy diets have been linked to improving the outcomes in individuals who have developed Alzheimer’s disease. Essentially, Cavaye confirms that as they consume healthy foods, individuals grappling with various mental disorders can witness improvements in their condition. While she notes that traditional therapies remain the first-line intervention for mental disorders, she predicts that as more practitioners recognize the tremendous impact of nutrition, healthy diets will establish itself as a reliable and effective solution for mental disorders. Instead of waiting for mental disorders to develop, individuals need to be proactive and incorporate nutritious diets into their lifestyles.
In conclusion, it has always been understood that nutritious diets hold the key to positive health outcomes. However, it is only recently that mankind began to gain a full and deeper understanding of the role that these diets play in safeguarding mental health. Nutritious foods have been linked to lower incidences of such mental illnesses as depression and stress. Furthermore, these foods have been shown to improve moods while enabling mental health practitioners to help their patients combat mental illnesses. Given the amount of available evidence, the cause and effect relationship between nutrition and mental health is undeniable. It is important for individuals to leverage this evidence by shunning unhealthy foods and adopting nutritious diets.
References
Cavaye, J. (2018). Why nutritional psychiatry is the future of mental health treatment. The Conversation. Retrieved November 27, 2018 from http://theconversation.com/why-nutritional-psychiatry-is-the-future-of-mental-health-treatment-92545
Clay, R. A. (2017). The link between food and mental health. Monitor on Psychology, 48 (8). Retrieved November 27, 2018 from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/09/food-mental-health.aspx
Diet and mental health. (2018). Mental Health Foundation. Retrieved November 27, 2018 from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/d/diet-and-mental-health
Mental health by the numbers. (n.d). National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved November 27, 2018 from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-By-the-Numbers
Rao, T. S. S., Asha, M. R., Ramesh, B. N., & Rao, K. S. J. (2008). Understanding nutrition, depression and mental illness. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 50 (2), 77-82.
Selhub, E. (2015). Nutritional psychiatry: your brain on food. Harvard Medical School. Retrieved November 27, 2018 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626
