The topic of mental health is becoming more broadly spoken about and this is a good thing. It is gradually involving broader age groups – varying from small children to elderly populations and, in today’s rapidly changing world, no one seems to be excluded.
But what is the exact definition of mental health? World Health Organisation (WHO) states the following: ‘Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right.’
Re-read the last sentence: ‘Mental health is a basic human right.’ Apart from it being a complex network of various components which together form a picture of one’s mental health, it is one of our very basic rights. And just like the right to life and liberty and the right to education and freedom of expression; right to a mental health means, in my opinion – cultivating it for its greatest health.
I like to think of mental health as a captain of a commercial aircraft. Without a confident, aware and calm captain who excels in leadership and quick thinking skills, the fate of an aircraft might be compromised, for many different reasons. It is those effective leadership qualities that are essential in leading the rest of the crew to safety in any moment of potential crisis.
Now, suppose for a moment that our own ‘inner captain’ or mental health is not at its best due to the unique biological factors or an exposure to unfavourable external situations and circumstances. This will put the ‘passengers’ or the rest of our body at risk. Other biological systems of the body, such as immune, cardiovascular, endocrine for instance might be affected and impaired via complex biochemical pathways. To put it simply, one cannot have a healthy body without a healthy mind.
How do I cultivate a healthy mind?
It is a well-known fact that the food we eat affects how we think and feel and how we perceive the world around us. Hence why, diet needs to be considered a cornerstone for the management of mental health. Conventional approach that so often involves prescribing symptoms relieving medication does not address the root cause of the problem, be it functional or circumstantial. Obviously, there are cases where medications are vital, necessary and benefit patients in many different ways and I hold an utmost respect for the field of Medicine. However, there are many people who find themselves in situations where they end up taking more medications in order to suppress new symptoms associated with even more prescribed medications. This can create an unhealthy vicious cycle and systemic imbalances within the body.
Food for a healthy mind should involve food for a healthy brain. This highly complicated organ is rather greedy when it comes to feeding it the righteous nutrients.
Involvement of Omega 3 fatty acids in brain health and development is one of the most studied interactions between nutrient and mental health. It is for this reason pregnant women are advised to include good quality essential fatty acids supplements in their diet as soon as they find out about the pregnancy. DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), in particular is the most important as it is the most abundant Omega-3 fatty acid found in membranes of the brain cells. Scientists can now point out to the associations between the decrease in dietary intake of DHA and an increase in incidence of depression in developed countries.
The absence of certain minerals and vitamins has also been linked to decline in mental well-being. B vitamins, for instance, are considered crucial in maintaining the management of mental health. They are involved in conversion of carbohydrates into the glucose, therefore maintaining balanced blood sugar levels in the body. If this involvement is disrupted, glucose supply to the brain may be compromised, causing a variety of symptoms ranging from depression, anxiety, poor concentration and mood changes. The important point to mention is that although severe B vitamins deficiency is fairly rare and usually correlates with general malnutrition (e.g. lack of B12 may cause Beri Beri whilst lack of B12 is linked to paranoia and dementia), blood test results that show sub optimal levels can still immensely impact mental functioning and general well-being. Vitamins B5, B6 and B12 are also involved in stress response and copying mechanism, which means that higher the stress, higher the demand for these vitamins for efficient functioning of adrenal glands.
The body also needs adequate levels of Vitamin D for the proper functioning of the brain. Deficiency of this vitamin is associated with SAD (seasonal affective disorder), depression, mood swings, anxiety, sadness, suicidal thoughts, forgetfulness and cognitive decline in elderly. Although the mechanism in which vitamin D influences mental health is still not entirely understood, there is enough scientific evidence to suggest that it plays a role in mental well-being. Remember to get a regular sun exposure as this is the most natural way to get enough of Vitamin D through the skin.
Let’s not forget about Magnesium, which has been found in recent years to act as a mood booster. Getting the recommended amount of Magnesium through diet is possible but can be actually quite challenging, therefore it is a good idea to use a daily supplement. It is a fantastic supplement to use for those with sleep problems and can aid with falling soundly asleep.
Iron deficiency has been linked to worsening of symptoms with low mental health status. Ensuring its proper dietary intake is a must as it is the primary contributor providing the body and the brain with oxygenated blood. One can be deficient in Iron without having other symptoms associated with anaemia (such as fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, weakness, headaches, hair loss) yet present with symptoms of poor mental health. Specifically, Iron is involved in how the body makes neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine.
Another mineral which plays its role in the proper neurological functioning is Zinc. Although a lot of focus is oftentimes attributed to its association with immune defence and skin health, it is a lesser known fact that it can be very useful for our mind. Growing evidence suggests that increased intake of zinc improves mood as well as cognitive functioning. Interestingly, its concentration is particularly high in the regions of the brain that are associated with emotions. Similarly to Iron, Zinc also influences the functioning of neurotransmitters within the brain.
Nutrients & their food sources
| Omega 3 fatty acid | B vitamins | Vitamin D | Magnesium | Iron | Zinc |
| oily fish | whole grains | oily fish | whole grains | red meat | oysters |
| walnuts | beans/lentils | egg yolks | beans/lentils | organ meat | red meat |
| chia seeds | eggs | red meat | green leafy vegetables | poultry | poultry |
| hemp seeds | meat/fish | liver | flax seeds | fish | fish |
| flax seeds | liver | mushrooms | hemp seeds | beans/lentils | whole grains |
| flax seed oil | citrus fruits | fortified foods | pumpkin seeds | nuts/seeds | spinach |
| edamame | avocado | sun exposure | almonds | broccoli | asparagus |
| green leafy vegetables | dark chocolate | sweet potato | peas | ||
| peppers | avocado | beetroot | nuts/seeds | ||
| broccoli | dried apricots | oats |
Does our gut play any role in this?
It certainly does!
Firstly, let’s start with the basics. Every single day, every meal that we eat, has an influence on the microbiota within the gut. It helps it flourish or does the exact opposite. Although I am not an advocate of a strict adherence to a diet without an occasional inclusion of foods that are otherwise known to be harmful to the beneficial bacteria (such as high sugar or low fibre foods); meals should be balanced, nourishing and provide a fuel for the good bacteria at least 90% of time. What is the rationale behind this?
Gut microbiome accounts for approximately 2 kgs of our body weight and plays a major role in how we feel. With its very own nervous system (enteric nervous system or ENS) it is nearly as complex as the brain’s nervous system. A healthy microbiome is essential for the maintenance of the integrity of the enteric nervous system so that the gut can smoothly communicate with the brain. Historically, it has been a well known fact that the brain influences functions of intestinal organs, but the notion that signals from the gut can have an impact on mood, behaviour and neurological functioning was not very prevalent.
Since the brain is wrapped in a sturdy tangled tissue called meninges in order to protect this vital organ, only teeny tiny particles such as pure sugars, minerals and neurotransmitters can pass through and make it to the brain. The clever gut bacteria is capable of producing such particles – these include tyrosine and tryptohpan. Both are amino acids, which are converted to dopamine and serotonin within the brain cells and their imbalance shares involvement in the development of depression and mood disorders. Still, these processes can only be completed if there is a fine balance between the beneficial and pathogenic bacteria within the gut.
Microbiome also produces enzymes that are necessary to synthesise B group vitamins, necessary for the mental well being, as mentioned earlier. How much of these vitamins are being produced depends greatly on the composition of the microbiome. The most powerful tool there is in order to support this composition and to feed the beneficial bacteria is to provide them food in the form of prebiotics. This will ensure that they grow in numbers and populate as much of the large intestine as possible, leaving less space for the pathogenic species.
When you think of prebiotics it is good to think of dietary fibre. In simple terms, prebiotics are the roughage that beneficial bacteria love to eat. These are found in artichokes, asparagus, leeks, garlic, onion, parsnip, cabbage, greener bananas, legumes, whole grains (mainly barley and rye). If you don’t already have a favourite dish using one of these ingredients, now is the time to experiment. Well fed beneficial bacteria will grow in power and your mind will thank you for it.
Because, after all, mental health is our human right.
References:
Anon. Mental health. World Health Organisation. 17 Jun 2022
