Food And Mental Health

For the majority of the world, food is simply a means to satisfy your hunger.

We tend to eat food at our pleasure and most of us disregard what kinds of food that we put inside our body. While disregarding the kind of food you eat has a negative impact on your overall health in the long run. However a lesser known fact that many are unaware of is that the kind food you eat also plays a role in determining the overall state of your mental health.

According to science, the way this works is that, serotonin a neurotransmitter in the body that helps regulates sleep and appetite, inhibit pain and mediate pain is produced mostly in the gastrointestinal tract. The gastrointestinal tract is also lined with a millions of nerve cells, or neurons, which not only digest the food but also guide your emotions as well. Studies have also shown that people who consume supplements containing good bacteria were found to have their anxiety levels, stress and the overall mental health better than those who did not take such probiotics.But, it is also important to note that there is no substitute for nutrient rich food and even the best of probiotics cannot replace it. In this current age, where mental health is garnering so much attention for all the right reasons, we need to ensure that we along with friends and family are in good mental state. We also need to recognize those in need of help but may not be speaking publicly about their mental state. As small a thing as the food you consume may possibly have a ripple effect in improving your mental state.

Some may be led into thinking that eating only the food you like is the key to improving your mental health but that is not the case. Nutrient rich, organic, low-fat and low-sugar foods have been found to produce the best results. Milk, cheese, poultry are foods rich in vitamin B are said to fight depression. Similarly, iron-rich foods such as meat, dried fruits and breakfast cereals have shown to help regulate the mood.