Food + Mental Health

Here are some science backed tips that our good friend @aimee.flownaturopathy shared with us of different food to incorporate daily to assist with better mental health. Hope it helps you too!

1. Essential fatty acids or omega 3 fatty acids found in fatty fish such as salmon are great for assisting to relieve depression and anxiety. You can also get it from vegetarian sources such as ground walnuts, ground flaxseeds and linseed. Can also get it from supplements too.

2. Magnesium is good for anxiety. Found in almonds and nuts also in green leafy veg. Magnesium is good because it’s needed to synthesize some of your important neurotransmitters which regulate mood such as seratonan. It helps with muscle relaxation and to relieve tension in general and energy metabolism. You can also get some magnesium supplements.

3. Oats and other slow burning complex carbs are good as they impact seratonan levels. .

4. Berries which have antioxidants which will help dampen down the stress response.

5. Vitamin C to increase immunity. When you’re stressed your glands release cortisol and that depletes your body of magnesium and vitamin C. You can get supplements of this.

6. Folic acids: found in food such as Spinach and lentils which helps keep serotonin levels stable in your brain, alleviating anxiety and keeping your mood steady.

7. Limit sugary food - sugar contributes to inflammation and fluctuations in energy levels.

8. Protein! Triptofan is good for anxiety and an ameno acid found in different animal protein sources. Protein can impact norepinephrine and dopamine levels, which are linked to alertness and concentration. Proteins also take longer to break down which helps keep insulin levels even.

9. Try 6 or more meals instead of 2/ 3 big ones. Keep the same number of calories but try eating more frequently. One or two large meals a day leads to fluctuations in blood sugar and brain chemistry throughout the day.

10. Water: critical for mood regulation and healthy functioning