Food for Thoughts
What you eat has a huge impact on your mental health. The chemicals that control your thoughts and emotions rely on protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy carbohydrates and healthy fats. The Standard American Diet is very high in unhealthy fats and carbohydrates and has too much protein. In Integrative and Functional Medicine, there are five diets you will hear about: The Mediterranean Diet, The Paleo Diet, The Low Glycemic Index Diet, The Ketogenic Diet and The Atkins Diet. Different diets are recommended based on your lab work and your mental health symptoms.
Over the next few weeks, I am going to dedicate some time to discussing diet and mental health. I believe that education is very important to healing. Now more than ever, we have access to so much information on the internet. Some of it is good and much of it is bad. There are a lot of fads out there. A lot of the health information on the internet is more about profits and less about helping people find true health.
When I discuss diet on this page, the focus will never be on how much you weigh. With time, proper nutrients, proper amounts of activity and better brain chemistry - I believe that everyone can start to achieve a weight that is better for their frame. One of the reasons I like to shift the focus away from body weight is this topic carries a lot of shame. People feel blamed for their body weight and appearance - it is viewed as a lack of discipline and control. In the United States our food has become altered with a lot of chemicals. Those chemicals make you crave more food so that you spend more money and make companies rich.
When you have low levels of the chemicals in your brain that make you happy, people tend to consume foods that release happiness chemicals in their brain. Those foods tend to be unhealthy carbohydrates and fats - these foods contain a lot of calories and can contribute to excess weight. Unhealthy carbohydrates and fats can cause a lot of inflammation in your body. Inflammation raises your cortisol levels. Cortisol is the fight or flight hormone. Cortisol makes you feel anxious and can cause weight gain. It can become a never ending spiral.
The struggle with weight has a lot of different variables beyond just calories in and calories out - especially when you are faced with a mental health condition. Many of the medications for mental health conditions can cause weight gain. The good news is, there are plenty of delicious AND nutritious meal options that are scientifically PROVEN to improve your mental health. Those diets also have the added benefit of promoting weight loss. When you are contemplating a diet for better mental health, speak with a professional who has trained in nutrition.
As you are adopting a healthier lifestyle, choose recipes that are easy to store and prepare. When you are struggling with a mental health condition, you often have little energy to prepare nutritious meals. If you can afford a meal service, that is often very helpful. Crockpot or Instapot recipes are excellent. If you can throw a bunch of ingredients in to one pot, turn it on and walk away - you will be more apt to continue cooking. Frozen fruits and vegetables last long and are less expensive. They are wonderful options for recipes with low inflammation and high nutrition.
Tomorrow’s blog post will discuss the building blocks for your brain chemicals and how to get them in to your diet. If you would like more information, diet is always a part of your treatment plan at Sacred Art Integrative Psychiatry. We have openings available. Call us at 414-242-6453 to schedule your appointment today!
