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FEATURED ARTICLE
The Mind guide to food and mood
Excerpt. For the full article, click here
‘I have always felt that my relationship with food has been one where food had the “upper hand”. This has shifted, and my attitude to food is much more controlled, just as a result of having more knowledge about what suits me.’ ‘I forgot about my mood swings – they have almost disappeared.’ This guide explains how food and nutrition can significantly affect your mental and emotional health. It explains which food can cause problems, which foods can help, why and how to change your diet for the better, and where to get help and advice. Can food really affect my mental health? Many people are seeking to take control of their mental health using self-help, and to find approaches they can use alongside, or even instead of, prescribed medication. One self-help strategy is to make changes to what we eat, and there is a growing interest in how food and nutrition can affect emotional and mental health. Scientific evidence to back this up is developing, but there are many challenges for scientists to overcome and, in the meantime, some medical practitioners remain unconvinced of the link between food and mood. Nevertheless, positive responses from individuals who have made changes to their diet confirm the importance of food and nutrition for maintaining or improving their emotional and mental health. For example, a national survey of 200 people looked, in detail, at the sorts of changes some people have been making, and the benefits they are experiencing. Information about this survey is available from the Food and Mood Project. (See Useful organizations, on p. 12, for more information.) 2 In addition to self-help, experienced healthcare professionals may support individuals in making dietary changes, and recommend appropriate nutritional supplementation. The real effects of food on mood demonstrate how it can form part of a more holistic approach to the treatment of mental distress. How does food affect mood? There are many explanations for the cause-and-effect relationship between food and mood. The following are some examples: • Fluctuations in blood sugar levels are associated with changes in mood and energy, and are affected by what we eat. • Brain chemicals (neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine) influence the way we think, feel and behave. They can be affected by what we’ve eaten. • There can be abnormal reactions to artificial chemicals in foods, such as artificial colourings and flavourings. • There are reactions that can be due to the deficiency of an enzyme needed to digest a food. Lactase, for instance, is needed to digest lactose (milk sugar). Without it, a milk intolerance can build up. • People can become hypersensitive to foods. This can cause what are known as delayed or hidden food allergies or sensitivities. • Low levels of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids can affect mental health, with some symptoms associated with particular nutritional deficiencies. For example, links have been demonstrated between low levels of certain B-vitamins and symptoms of schizophrenia, low levels of the mineral zinc and eating disorders, and low levels of omega-3 oils and depression. • A build-up of toxins from the environment, such as lead from traffic pollution or mercury from leaky amalgam fillings, can also affect the proper functioning of the body and brain. 3 What's the psychological relationship? It’s generally accepted that how we feel can influence what we choose to eat or drink (mood to food). What is less well known is how what we eat can affect our mental functioning (food to mood). The use of caffeine is one example of what is a complex relationship. Caffeine, found in tea, coffee, cola drinks and chocolate, is probably the most widely used behaviour-modifying drug in the world. We often choose to drink it if we are feeling tired and irritable, because it can give us a boost and help us to concentrate. Having a cup of coffee or tea also has a lot of positive psychological associations. We meet a friend for ‘coffee and a chat’ or give ourselves a break by sitting down with a cup of tea, and these things are very important. But too much caffeine (which is a different amount for each of us) can cause symptoms, such as anxiety, nervousness and depression. Any exploration into food and mood needs to take into account this two-way relationship and include the psychological aspect behind what we are choosing to eat. How do I find out if food is affecting my mental health? Before investigating the specific foods that could be affecting your mental and emotional health, it’s well worth having a look at what you are already eating and drinking. Usually, the most reliable way of doing this is to keep a food and drink diary every day, for about one week. It seems to work best if you can write down what you eat and drink, at the time you have it. The more information you include in your diary, the more useful it is likely to be. For example, you could also note down the time and the approximate amounts you consume. People are often surprised when they look back over what they have eaten. Greater awareness is an important first step forward. 4 What should I look for in my diet? A fundamental thing for you to consider will be: is there any one food or type of food that I eat nearly every day or in particularly large amounts? The basis of a healthy diet is about achieving a balance between a wide variety of foods, where the variety is spread out over a number of days. Certain foods are eaten on most days, by most people, perhaps because they are generally considered healthy to eat. Unfortunately, these can be the very foods that are having a disguised, yet disabling, influence upon your health. It’s often a combination of eating too much of some foods and not enough of others that is contributing to symptoms such as per day, which is a low-cost, convenient, self-help measure that can quickly change how we feel, mentally as well as physically. If you can’t access professional help, and don’t want to make changes to your diet by yourself, a self-help group may be the answer. For people interested in exploring the relationship between what they eat and how they feel, these can provide much support and motivation. Contact the organisations listed on p. 12, or your local branch of Mind, to see if there are any such groups available for you to join. If not, you may be able to get assistance to start one. Finally, there are several good books and websites that provide useful information. (See Useful organisations, on p. 12, and Further reading, on p. 14.) Are nutritional supplements a good idea? The best source of vitamins and minerals is from a balanced and varied diet of health-supporting foods. However, you may need to supplement your diet with extra nutrients. It’s important to get the correct balance between different vitamins and minerals, and to avoid taking any one nutrient in excess. Nutritional therapists are trained to advise on the use of supplements, and can recommend safe levels of supplementation for individual needs.
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