Comfort
food. We’ve all heard of it. We’ve all had those days where we just want
something familiar and comfortable to eat.
In many instances, just the smell of these dishes cooking is enough to
lift our spirits. In some cases, they
are a crutch for us in our darkest moods.
These instances leave no room for doubt that food can affect our
moods. However, comfort food isn’t the only
food that can do so, and in many cases our choice of comfort foods can actually
hurt our mood later on.
In recent years,
there seems to have been a major increase in the occurrence of mental illness
and mood disorders. With this increase,
researchers have begun looking more and more into causes and new treatments. One thing that has seemed to come from this
is a deeper look into the connection between your gut and your brain. Most of us have heard of the Central Nervous
System (CNS), the brain and spinal cord, or the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS),
nerves and gray matter. However, there
is another nervous system that most people never learn about. That nervous system is the Enteric Nervous System
(ENS). The ENS lines our
gastrointestinal tract and help to digest our food by controlling blood flow
and secretions. While this seems pretty
straight forward, this nervous system is so complex that many people refer to
it as our “second brain.” Our gut
communicates with our brain in many ways, so many that science is still trying
to figure out what it’s all about. One
thing that we do know is that our gut is connected to mood disorders and
autism.
In 2013, there was a major study done on mice
that had the same behavioral pattern as humans with autism. These mice were introduced to a certain
strain of bacteria that changed the balance of bacteria in their guts. When this change occurred, these mice showed
a remarkable change in behavior as well, becoming more social and less
anxious. Similar studies have been
performed since, studies that have changed how doctors view both mental illness
and digestive disorders. This change has
led to a trend where doctors are prescribing depression medicine to patients
with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in a hope to improve the communication
between their gut and their brain.
This connection
between our nutrition and our mental health makes even more sense when you
consider the fact that our brains are always working, and like every other organ
or system in our body, our brain needs fuel.
We know that proper nutrition provides the right kind of fuel for our
body to work, but what is proper nutrition for our brain? There have been a number of studies on this
subject as well, and most of them agree that processed foods and foods high in
sugar are the worst foods for your brain.
Diets high in these foods can lead to mood disorders, such as
depression, as well as impaired brain function.
We also have to
remember that our brain is made up of 60% fat, and uses fat as its primary fuel
source. This means that we need to keep
a decent amount of healthy fat in our diets for proper brain
function. This is a primary example of
why “low fat” foods can actually be dangerous for us. Many of the foods that are labeled “low fat”
in the grocery store are actually loaded down with sugar and trans fats to make
them taste better, to encourage repeat purchases.
So what should we
avoid to keep our brains healthy?
·
Sugary Drinks
·
Excessive Caffeine
·
Refined and Sugary Foods
·
Trans Fat – fried foods, margarine, baked goods,
processed snack foods
·
In some cases, Dairy
Ok, now what should increase to provide our brains with the
right fuel?
·
Omega 3 Fatty Acids – oily fish (salmon, trout,
and mackerel), walnuts, flax, olive oil, eggs, and dark leafy greens
·
Whole Grains (in some cases people feel better
leaving these out as well)
·
Fruits and Vegetables
·
Organic and Home Prepared Foods are best!
I hope that I
have given you some “food for thought” in this entry. If you have any questions or comments, please
leave them below in the comments!
Resources:
Dr. Axe: The Gut-Brain Connection: https://draxe.com/gut-brain-connection/
Greatist: How Eating Fat Can Make You Smarter: http://greatist.com/eat/healthy-fats-best-foods-for-brain-health
Harvard Health: Nutritional Psychiatry: http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626
Mental Health America: Healthy Diet: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/healthy-diet-eating-mental-health-mind
Mental Health Foundation: Diet and Mental Health: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/d/diet-and-mental-health
Psychology Today: The Gut-Brain Connection: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201404/the-gut-brain-connection-mental-illness-and-disease
Safe Harbor: The Role of Diet in Mental Health: http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/the-role-of-diet-in-mental-health/
Wellness Mama: Can Your Food Affect Mental Health?: https://wellnessmama.com/31032/food-mental-health/
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