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Depression can feel like a dark cloud, affecting everything from your energy levels to your relationships.
What many people don't realize is that depression often messes with your eating habits, leading to emotional eating, a loss of appetite, or both.
It's a vicious cycle, but it doesn't have to be a life sentence.
Food can be a powerful ally in fighting depression and improving overall well-being.
Believe it or not, the food you eat can significantly impact your mood, energy levels, and overall mental state.
Research supports that there is a connection between food and mental health, where those who tend to eat a diet high in processed foods have an increased risk of developing depression.
That's why today, I want to talk about this connection with nutrition and mental health.
Whether you're looking to improve your mood, support depression, or even shed a few pounds, this diet strategy I'm going to share with you is designed to be a practical and sustainable.
Let's dive in!
You've probably heard the saying before: you wouldn’t put garbage fuel in a high-performance car and expect it to run smoothly.
Your brain works the same way.
The foods you eat can potentially impact how you think, feel, and handle stress.
Think about it: your body and mind are connected.
Simply put: our gut and brain are married to one another.
And marriage is not easy.
They’re constantly working together and what you feed your gut dictates the quality of their marriage.
Provide each the right balance of proper nutrition (and little indulgences from time to time) and the marriage will thrive.
If you want to upgrade your mental game, consider the following we will be exploring in the next section:
With that being said, let's get into the meal plan.
Now that we understand that nutrition plays a large part on our mental health, let's explore a simple plan you can use to make sure you can cover your mental health bases with nutrition.
This plan will not only help with your mood & well-being; it can also help provide you with some practices you can utilize to get in a pretty decent shape as well.
Use the Pareto Principle as a foundation of your nutrition.
80% of your diet should consist of whole, nutrient-dense foods.
20% of your diet should be allotted for deviation from the plan.
Now you can change this variation to a 90/10 rule depending on how strict you want to go.
However, keep the following in mind: As you start to get in the groove of things, and you start seeing progress, you're going to want to get more strict on your diet.
This is where people make a lot of mistakes, and why it's crucial to understand the following.
As you start to add more constraints to your diet, it is possible to develop a risk of an healthy obsession with food.
This is where many bodybuilders or professional athletes get to when they dive deep into their competition time.
It is highly recommended that you incorporate some flexibility in your diet to build a healthier relationship with food.
Simply put: Too strict of a diet will lead to elevated levels of stress and anxiety.
Too lenient of a diet and you won't make progress.
Shooting for an 80/20 ratio will put you in a spot where you will see steady progress.
No need to change the plan if it's working!
To complement the 80/20 rule above, one big part of nutrition for mental health is balance.
Consider operating from a perspective of nutrition being on a continuum.
You want to ask yourself the following:
If you're just getting started, eat more foods that are better and best.
If you're already eating some whole foods, consider adding more of the best to the plan.
Use the 80/20 rule to guide you.
If you're not sure what to eat more of, here's a simple reference you can start with:
- Eat More: Fruits & Vegetables, Fatty Fish, Whole Grains, Chicken, Greek Yogurt, Nuts, Seeds, etc
- Eat Sometimes:Red Meat, Dairy, Cheese, Fruit Juices, etc
- Eat Less: Cookies, Pastries, Chips, Fried Chicken, Processed Meats
Now that you have a few principles down, we can dive into the specifics.
Out of all the clients I've trained who started to get the groove of fitness, many were not eating enough protein.
If you're starting this nutrition journey from scratch, protein should be your top priority.
From the perspective of brain health, proteins are made up of amino acids that support a variety of things, and are especially important for neurotransmitter production.
For example, proteins are broken down into Tryptophan and Tyrosine.
Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin while tyrosine is a precursor to dopamine, and norepinephrine.
These play a large role in mood, well-being, and motivation.
Beyond this, protein helps support various bodily processes, from hair growth to muscle growth or muscle retention.
It also can keep us fuller for longer and is the macro nutrient that has a pretty strong thermic effect.
This means that the body expends more calories to digest it.
So ultimately, protein is great for pretty much everyone.
Now when it comes to how much protein you need, you don't need to eat pounds of meat like professional bodybuilders do.
Just start by having ~1-2 palm servings of lean proteins per meal (chicken, fish, etc).
Usually 1 palm serving of lean animal proteins is around 20-30g (grams) of protein.
Having 1-2 palm servings based on your number of meals should help you hit at least 0.8-1g of protein per pound of bodyweight, which is a sweet spot for those who are actively working out.
Those who are dealing with obesity can have less of this, as eating this much protein when you've got 100lbs to lose kind of sucks.
You can stay on the lower end per meal and possibly even half 0.5–1 palm serving in some meals.
Spread your protein intake throughout meals to support protein synthesis and protein breakdown.
If you put this into practice regularly, you should be in a solid spot!
Over the years, experts have believed that many of those dealing with depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders may not get enough Omega-3s in their diets.
In fact, there are many studies on EPA (an Omega-3 fatty acid) and how it can potentially help with depression and anxiety.
This is because Omega-3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and help with many things: from brain and eye health, and beyond.
While studies vary in the recommended amount of EPA, some studies have reported as low as 1g per day has shown improvements with depression.
When it comes to getting a good amount of EPA in your diet, you can find a solid amount of EPA in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and more.
For reference, a 3-4 oz (palm serving) of salmon should get you close or above that 1g of EPA.
If you'd like to know how much EPA is in one serving of a particular fish, check out the USDA's nutrient database for EPA content here.
Ultimately, get more Omega-3s in your diet with a solid amount of EPA content.
And if eating fish regularly is pricey or it doesn't sound fun, supplement with fish oil.
In my personal opinion, fish oil should be an essential supplement that you should keep in your cabinet.
The amount of EPA will vary in each soft gel (depending on the price), but 1-3 soft gels per day is a pretty solid spot.
Last but not least, fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables not only contain fiber, but contain various micronutrients that support many functions of our body.
While they may not directly contribute to improved mental health, eating fruits and vegetables regularly will benefit your overall health.
And since fiber makes you use the bathroom regularly, your gut might be pretty happy when you implement this practice.
A good ballpark of vegetable servings per day should be 3-5 fist servings.
When it comes to fruits, consider having at least one or two servings per day.
If you don't like the taste of vegetables, know that they're an acquired taste.
I like to sauté them with some spices because they taste better this way.
Alternatively, mix them with a light sauce for flavor.
These 5 steps are meant to be a starting and foundational point for your journey.
Ultimately, the best diet is the one that you can stick with and enjoy, making progress along the way.
However, if you follow these little tips, you won't just experience some improvements in mood & well-being.
You might just find your body composition change as well.
Remember: body and mind are interconnected, and we should consider looking at physical and mental health from a more holistic perspective.
Beyond medication and therapeutic practices, there are other factors we are in control of: from movement, to nutrition, and beyond.
I hope this helps you dial in on your nutrition while you continue to put in the work exercising for mental health.
Remember: you deserve to be happy, and the foods you put into your body may very well dictate that.
Until next time!
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Medical Disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. This blog or the writer is not a licensed healthcare professional, and the content should not be used as a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or advice. Always consult with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or making any changes to your healthcare routine.
In this more hyperactive and information overloaded world, discipline is needed more than ever before.
With more distractions being thrown at us, it's no wonder many of us feel like we lack discipline to do the things we need to do.
There was a time in my life when my self-esteem was non-existent.
I would actively avoid social situations, second-guess every decision, and constantly seek validation from others.
The good news is that I found a way out.
No more complicated routines, no hour-long meditations, no Saratoga water ice-cold face baths. ;)