Many of us experience lethargy, lack of drive, low energy, trouble sleeping and general malaise during the winter months where the cold weather and dark days reduces our access to natural Vitamin D, movement, and helpful bacteria for our microbiome. We accept that we will experience this, but few of us actually consider ways to mitigate our mental health symptoms through methods we can control. In this article I hope to convince you of the importance of brain supporting foods in improving your mental health, and show you quick and easy ways to get started.
The evidence: scientific studies are now showing that food improves brain health and therefore, decreases mental health symptoms. According to Dave Ramsey, a Nutritional Psychiatrist, and author of Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety (2021), food impacts your brain in several ways. First, nutrients are the building blocks for your brain’s structure (neurons, glial cells, blood vessels and capillaries, signaling molecules and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, and cell receptors). Second, excess inflammation, which decreases the optimal functioning of the brain, can be greatly reduced by choosing foods wisely. Third, the microbiome (the landscape of bacteria in our guts) influences mood and cognitions. Your brain uses 20% of what you eat. The neurotransmitters that you are likely familiar with (dopamine/serotonin) are made from the proteins and amino acids you eat. Minerals help the neurotransmitters. And the list goes on and on… It’s simple when you think about it, right? If you are not eating foods that feed your brain, you are going to be vulnerable to poor brain health, and by proxy, poor mental health.
However, it’s not that simple. We are often entrenched in daily habits that prevent us from consuming whole, healthy foods – particularly, eating out, not cooking at home, snacking instead of eating whole foods, eating convenience foods that are typically highly processed, toxic, and lacking in nutrition. Some of us have food sensitivities or dietary choices that make finding suitable replacements complex. Others feel stuck in their belief that cooking whole foods is too time consuming or doesn’t fit their budget. In my work with health coaching and mental health clients alike, I have often found myself breaking down the necessary steps for clients to take on this overwhelming task that is often multifaceted.
One helpful approach in adjusting your diet to eat more brain health supporting foods is to consider food categories. Dr. Ramsey and his colleagues combed the research to identify the most critical nutrients for brain/mental health, evaluated foods for the presence of those nutrients, and then developed an evidence-based list of top food categories to include in your diet. These were selected based on the volume of the most important nutrients for brain health.
The best foods to lift depressed mood and calm anxious mood (Ramsey 2021 p. 101-114):
Ø Leafy greens – 2 to 3 cups daily. Examples are kale, spinach, collard, chard, watercress, beet greens, and seaweed. Nutritionally dense and low calorie, greens are an easy food to chop up and throw into whatever meal you are eating – smoothies, soups, one pot meals. They are thicker than lettuce so can withstand a little heat. I usually chop and add them at the end of the cooking cycle so they don’t cook down too much. If you prefer to eat them on their own, it’s easy to slice down both sides of the vein and then chop into large chunks, stir fry with your broth of choice, garlic, salt and pepper. A favorite of mine is to add them to a pot of mushrooms cooked in butter right before they are ready to eat. If it seems daunting to meet the daily requirement, try finding an organic, well sourced greens powder. I have used both Truvani’s Greens + Proteins drink and DoTerra Greens. I like both for different reasons, but I will share that I did some urine strip testing with the DoTerra Greens and my body was highly alkaline (A GREAT THING) within a few hours after drinking the powder.
Ø Rainbow fruits and vegetables – 2 to 3 cups per day. Examples are avocado, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, berries, oranges. Each of them have unique flavonoids and carotenoids based on their color, as well as fiber, and are anti-inflammatory. You can eat them raw dipped in hummus or your favorite dressing, or you can stir fry, steam the. My favorite way to serve bell peppers is to chop in large chunks, toss in a sheet pan with chunks of onion, add avocado oil and Italian spices and roast at 425 degrees. You can also find delicious already roasted red peppers in jars and serve alongside jarred olives, artichokes, prosciutto, salami, or other nitrate and preservative free meats.
Ø Seafood – 2 to 4 servings per week. Oysters, mussels, shrimp, anchovies, sardines, salmon, cod and other fish are full of important nutrients such as B12, selenium, iron, zinc, and protein. I love to bake cod or other white fish dipped in gluten free bread crumbs, flour, garlic and paprika (bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes). My family’s favorite is to slice the large pieces into smaller chunks and serve as a fish taco dinner (corn or wheat soft tacos both work well depending on your preferences). You can add purple cabbage and carrots mixed with a mayonnaise base, stir-fried onions, avocado, cilantro, even mango. It’s delicious any time of year and a great way to get a variety of the brain healthy foods in one meal.
Ø Nuts, beans, and seeds – ½ to 1 cup of nuts or beans daily and 1 tablespoon of seeds per day. Seeds are easy to add to salads (pumpkin, chia, hemp) or even to smoothies (chia or hemp). Don’t fret about canned beans – they are convenient and you can find organic, non-BHA canned beans. Nuts can be challenging because of sensitivities, but there is usually one that is better than others in that case. I am sensitive to almonds, so I use cashews as a staple instead.
Ø Meat – 3 servings per week of beef, chicken, or other animal meat. Meat is an optimal source of B12, iron, and protein, and the nutrients are more bio-available than from plants. Grass-fed, organic, and humanely raised is important to consider. Although it is more expensive than other meats, it is more nutritionally dense and therefore you need less of it. If you round out your meals with plants and healthy grains, you will be quite satisfied and you will be eating less meat anyway. Choose grass-fed beef for fewer calories and fewer Omega 6 fatty acids. It is hard for vegetarians and vegans to get the required nutrients in their diet without meat, so if you don’t eat meat, please consult with your health practitioner about replacement foods and supplements. It’s worth mentioning, though I am still researching good local sources so I am far from an expert on the subject, that liver is the optimal meat to include in your diet – pate, chicken liver meal, or adding ground liver to your existing ground meats.
Ø Eggs and dairy – 5 to 7 eggs per week; 3 to 5 servings of dairy. Eggs are a complete protein and nutritionally dense while being easy to prepare in various methods (boiled; poached, fried; scrambled). When I was eating eggs (before realizing I’m highly sensitive), I loved making a quiche/frittata type meal with leafy greens added to it. Whole dairy foods, especially fermented foods such as yogurt (unsweetened) and kefir are a wonderful way to add good bacteria to balance out your microbiome. Their reputation for being pro-inflammatory primarily comes from the sourcing – reduced fat and highly processed milk and other dairy products are not nutritiously helpful and lack the beneficial bacteria as well as contribute to inflammation. Some people are sensitive to cow dairy, so consider other dairy as well (goat or sheep).
Ø Good microbiome bugs – 3 to 5 servings of fermented foods per week such as miso, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, and sourdough bread. My daughter and I find adding a tablespoon of Kimchi as a side to any meal is a convenient way to add fermented foods.
Ø Dark chocolate – 3 to 5 three ounce servings per week of cocoa beans, nibs, or dark chocolate (or a tablespoon of cocoa powder). Choose a source that is at least 70% cocoa and cocoa is the main ingredient. Beware of chocolate bars with high sugar or unhealthy fats such as safflower oil, sunflower oil, vegetable or canola oil (these are toxic to the body due to how they are processed for consumption). Chocolate has flavanols, magnesium, and polyphenols. There are countless studies about the benefits of chocolate: drinking a chocolate beverage high in cocoa improved memory markers; eating cocoa reduces inflammation; 25 grams per day of polyphenol-rich dark chocolate reduced salivary cortisol as well.
Getting Started - Prioritization:
Now that you know what food categories you should be eating, it’s time to begin. Everyone is unique in how they need to approach diet changes, but as a holistic health coach, I find that typically most people will stick to diet changes if they start slowly and make small changes one after the other rather than making all the changes at once. This group tends to get overwhelmed with change and loses momentum quickly if too many changes occur at once. If this sounds like you, I recommend picking one food category per week (maximum) to focus on improving. Once you have made daily habits, created recipes that you enjoy, it will be easy to keep going the following week while you add the next food category. You may be the opposite, however – are you the cold turkey type? If you need to feel immediately better to be motivated to keep going, you might need a different approach. In that case, you will want to do some very specific meal planning to design meals that incorporate all the required servings for each day. This takes time and planning ahead, patience, a new grocery list, and likely replacing some pantry items.
If you are interested in identifying which nutrients have the most deficits in your body (allowing you to tailor your approach to target those specific ones first), consider asking your physician to test for those nutrients that are most commonly associated with mood difficulties: Vitamin D, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, 12, thiamine (Vitamin B1), vitamin A, folate (Vitamin B 9), iron, zinc, iodine, potassium, selenium.
Boosting mood with Essential Oils
While you are working on increasing the aforementioned foods, consider adding essential oils to your daily habits for some quick and powerful mood boosting. Although you don't eat them per se (though some can be consumed internally), they are powerful tools made from plants which contain bioactive compounds that not only impact mood, but also protect your cells from free radical damage. There are over 300 scientific studies on the use of essential oils for depressed mood (see several in the Resources section). Even the famous Mayo Clinic acknowledges the use of essential oils for mood boosting.
My favorites are citrus and mint/herb oils such as Wild Orange, Peppermint, even Rosemary; however, many studies have shown lavender and bergamot (traditionally viewed as calming oils) to help with lifting depressed mood as well. Essential oils are easily absorbed through the skin, so you can also dilute 2-3 drops of oil with a drop or two of carrier oil (such as olive oil, jojoba or coconut oil) and rub on your temples, soles of the feet, or wrists. Use the oils for mood benefits at least 4 times per day. I love to combine wild orange, peppermint, and frankincense when I need a quick pick me up. Put one drop of each in the palm of your hand, cup your hands over nose and inhale deeply. AMAZING!
Don't let your mood keep you feeling stuck and stagnant. Change is around the corner. The sky is the limit with what you can achieve with the right information, tools, and plan. I'm here for ideas, support, or inspiration, too!
Much Love,
Aimée
Resources
https://doterra.me/DEKGQ0(aroma essentials collection - a collection of carefully selected oils to lift mood, energize, reduce anxious or sad mood)
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