Our mental health is an important link to our quality of life and often plays second fiddle to our physical health. Have you ever wondered if your diet quality impacts your mental health? Or are you seeing a link between lowered mental health and extra challenges this brings to eat well. If you experience lower energy or motivation thinking about food can become frustrating, let alone the planning, preparing, and cooking involved with it. It may seem exhausting and overwhelming and lead you to choosing the most convenient, familiar option available – or you may skip eating all together. Sound familiar?
Poor mental health, in any form, can significantly impact your ability to carry out daily activities, including meal planning, shopping, preparing, cooking, and eating. Low energy and lack of motivation could be getting in the way of these activities, but numerous other factors may also be at play. You may experience an increased appetite from medications essential for the management of your mental health, leaving you feeling hungry ALL the time. Or maybe your low mood reduces your appetite and overall interest in food. Or the emotions you experience impact your eating patterns and your tendency to emotionally eat. You could be on multiple medications and constantly struggle with constipation. You may be overwhelmed knowing that your medication could alter your blood chemistry putting you at a greater risk of high cholesterol, heart disease and type II diabetes. This long list of barriers (plus more) adds to your already low mood, making it hard to break free from this endless cycle.
This tells us that poor mental health can negatively impact your diet. But did you know the reverse is also true? Diet can impact your mental health. There is a lot of emerging research around this topic, and we can now confidently say that improving your overall diet quality may improve your mental health. In fact, a recent Australian Study found that participants who experienced major depressive episodes had a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms when their diet quality improved. And 32% of these participants achieved remission criteria, which is very promising research! (Jacka 2017). Not only does improving your diet quality have the potential to boost your mood, but the benefits can further extend to supporting the prevention of those common comorbidities associated with poor mental health, including high cholesterol, heart disease and type II diabetes.
Now you know that improving your diet quality may improve your mental health. But how do you do that when your poor mental health is getting in the way of this change? That’s where we come in! Our dietitians at Optimum Intake can support you to achieve improved diet quality, that is often as a result of us helping you add in foods rather than taken them away. We add foods with specific nutrients to help boost your food quality, all while keeping it to simple, affordable options. We help by breaking it down into small achievable steps that suit you and your lifestyle. We can provide you with practical ideas and equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to maintain these changes long term, even when you are battling your mental health. You are not alone, and we are here to help. Contact us now via phone or email to find out more or book an appointment with one of our Accredited Practising Dietitians.
Ph: 0499 008 451 or visit the contact page to get in touch.
