From a young age, we are made to believe that the food choices we make only enhance our appearance and physical wellbeing. But did you know that a nice and well-balanced diet can also boost mental health? Today, there are several diet meal plans that you can leverage to improve your mental health without so much hustle.
On the flip side, the results of poor nutrition or inadequate diet may impair thinking, creativity and decision making. Surprisingly, this can even go to the extent of making you feel stressed, depressed and in the worst-case scenario, can make you dependent on antidepressants.
The topic of diet and mental health is not new as researchers have continually run studies to find the most effective food for mental health. From many research findings, it is clear that one thing that stands between diet plans and mental health is processed foods. The rate at which we consume processed foods has actually positioned and trained our brains to crave them day in and day out.
Anyone willing to gain mental health benefits must therefore cut off the unhealthy foods and shift to nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meat and proteins. The good thing with such a shift is that the brain will, in the same spirit, reprogramme to resonate more with healthier foods. This by itself is an element that can contribute significantly to improved mental health.
Stress And Depression
As mentioned above, poor nutrition may lead to stress and depression, some of the most prevalent mental health conditions. The opposite is also true. Eating the right foods can reduce instances of mind-related conditions such as depression. Research also shows that a proper diet is better than prescription medications in treating conditions such as depression.
Under normal circumstances, processed foods are our favourite anytime we feel depressed or stressed. Sadly, taking these foods only worsens these mind to body conditions and, in some cases, lead to other problems such as excessive weight gain.
To reduce all these problems, you must be ready to shifts to foods such as fruits and vegetables, fish, nuts and legumes. With these foods, your brain will always be protected, healthy and boosted to perform its functions. What’s more, when included in a working meal plan, these foods will work miracles in keeping off stress and depression.
Relationship Between A Healthy Gut And A Healthy Brain
Research shows that there is a strong relationship between the brain and the gut. In fact, there is a very clear interaction between the two, considering that there is a nerve (the vagus nerve) connecting the gut and the brain. Through the nerve, the brain can dictate the type of bacteria that needs to be in the gut at a given time and on the other hand, the gut can alter the brain’s emotional behaviour.
Without a healthy meal plan (processed foods), your gut will always experience discomfort, especially due to altered bacterial activity and this can be extended to your brain leading to conditions such as depression. Eliminating foods with a high amount of sugars and flour can promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut, an effect that will improve your mental health in the long run.
Practice Mindful And Emotional Eating
You have to be conscious not only of what you eat but also how and how much you eat. If you are able to control your eating habits and patterns, it means that your brain is in its optimum health and that it can run all other activities properly. The most straightforward way to improve this is to follow diet meal plans that are specifically tailored to mental health. A good meal plan is a ‘what, how, when and how much’ you should eat.
Food For Mental Health
A well thought of mental health-boosting meal plan should have the following food categories:
• Complex Carbohydrates– Unlike the simple carbohydrates found in many processed foods, complex sugars will keep your brain nourished for a relatively long time. Examples here include beets, millet and sweet potatoes.
• Fatty Acids– These not only boost the working processes of the brain but also that of the nervous system. Fatty acids can be found in fish, meat, eggs and nuts.
• Lean Proteins– These are an excellent energy source that keeps your brain active and always ready to perform its functions. Foods with lean proteins include meat, fish, chicken and eggs.
Despite the goodness that comes with well-structured meal plans to boost mental health, it can still be daunting to find one that really works. The good news is that, At Reubens Gourmet Meals, through a lot of research and rigorous testing, our team of experienced chefs and nutritionists have come up with a good number of diet meal plans specifically tailored to boost mental health. Our plans are not only practical but also come at very reasonable prices. If you want to join the team of people who keep coming back for our premium diet food plans to boost their mental health, just reach out to us and let us help you kick off and fast track your journey to improving your mental health with our top of the pack pre-cooked meal plans.