You are what you eat is one of the most literal things you will hear. From mental to physical health, what you eat will encourage healing, be the most powerful form of medicine or feed disease, and be the slowest form of poison.
970 million people worldwide struggle with mental health, resulting in approximately 8 million preventable deaths annually (1). Many people fail to realize that proper nutrition affects everything, not just your physical health but your mental health too. If your diet isn't correct, or you’re experiencing deficiencies, you can't be the best possible version of yourself, meaning mental health may also be impacted. Proper nutrition filled with antioxidants, protein, and occasional carbohydrates is vital for mood-boosting and overall brain health.
The brain directly influences the gut and the intestines, associating anxiety with stomach problems and vice versa (2). When something transpires, inducing substantial mental or emotional pain, it's called a "gut-wrenching" experience for a reason.
Disguised in the walls of the digestive system, this "brain in your gut," also referred to as the enteric nervous system (ENS), is revolutionizing medicine's interpretation of the links between digestion, mindset, health, and even the way you think. The ENS may activate substantial emotional changes overlooked by individuals struggling with irritable bowel syndrome and functional bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, stomach upset, and pain. The brain and the gastrointestinal system are informally connected, resulting in heartburn, abdominal cramps, or loose stools (3).
The gastrointestinal tract is hypersensitive to emotions such as anger, anxiety, sorrow, and contentment — all of these feelings, amongst many others, can initiate symptoms in the gut. Therefore, an individual's stomach or intestinal distress can be the reason or the consequence of anxiety, stress, or even depression (4).
Mainstream medicine is catching onto the gut-brain connection, and it's becoming more common to see antidepressant medication prescribed to treat bowel disorders (5). To learn more about the gut-brain connection and how to heal your gut, check out Earthley's Gut Health Support Guide, which I co-wrote. For now, let's discuss how diet directly correlates with mental health.
Blog Table of Contents
Foods To Add To Your Diet
Beta Carotene
Beta carotene is the pigment in a plant that gives it a vibrant red, orange, or yellow color. Beta carotene is considered a provitamin A carotenoid, which means the body can convert it into vitamin A. Beta carotene is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants can help fight damage from harmful free radicals. The buildup of free radicals has been linked to chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Beta carotene has been linked to better cognitive function, better skin health, protection against lung cancer, and protection against age-related macular degeneration (6,7,8,9).
Apricots
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Carrots
Cayenne
Chili pepper/powder
Cilantro
Collards
Coriander
Marjoram
Paprika
Parsley
Peaches
Peas
Pumpkin
Red and yellow peppers
Romaine lettuce
Sage
Spinach
Sweet potato
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the safest and most effective nutrient you can add to your diet. The benefits of vitamin C are quite surprising, from protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin conditions (12). Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant that can help fight damage from harmful free radicals, which have been linked to chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Basil
Black pepper
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cherries
Chili pepper/powder
Cilantro
Dill weed
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Marjoram
Oranges
Parsley
Peppers
Potatoes
Strawberries
Thyme
Tomatoes
Turmeric
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a vitamin that dissolves in fat and is usually found in animal products, but it's recommended to avoid animal products and to adopt a plant-based lifestyle if mental health is something you struggle with. Vitamin E is another antioxidant required for the proper functioning of many organs. It slows down the process of damage from harmful free radicals, which has been linked to chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease (15).
Asparagus
Avocados
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Chili
Garlic
Ginger
Mangos
Nuts
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pumpkin
Red peppers
Seeds
Spinach
Thyme
Vegetable oils
Wheat germ
Foods to Avoid in Your Diet
Refined Sugar
Refined sugars come from sugar cane or sugar beets, processed to extract the sugar. Not only does consuming sugary foods put at-risk individuals on the fast track to developing diabetes, but sugar has been directly linked to causing and contributing to already existing depression (18). In a 2017 study, researchers found that sweet foods and beverages' sugar was directly related to common mental disorders and depression (19).
Processed Foods
Processed foods are loaded with sodium and phosphorus. Studies demonstrate excessive consumption of processed foods may damage the kidneys (20). Additionally, research suggests that eating a diet high in processed foods increases the risk of depression (21). Processed foods include processed plant-based foods such as mock meats or cheeses.
Other Suggestions To Try
Heal Your Gut & Eat Fermented Foods
Studies have found a link between gut health, probiotics, and consuming fermented foods had an anxiolytic effect (22). If you need help healing your gut, I highly suggest Earthley's Gut Health Oil. If you want to learn more about probiotic strains, check out my blog, The Importance of Probiotics, before purchasing a probiotic. But I use and highly recommend Garden of Life's Probiotic Collection.
Adopt A Plant-Based Lifestyle
An 18-month study consisting of randomized controlled trials featuring a plant-based nutrition program was conducted in 2013. During this study, researchers learned that a plant-based diet improves body weight, plasma lipids, and in those with diabetes, glycemic control. They also learned that the plant-based group experienced reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue and boosted overall productivity and well-being (23). Keep in mind there are several types of plant-based lifestyles, but not all of them are healthy, check out my blog, Why Adopt A Plant-Based Lifestyle, to learn more.
Here’s a fantastic success story about Jane Green and her battle with depression and anxiety before proper nutrition:
When Jane Green was 14 years old, she was walking offstage from a tap dance competition when she collapsed.
She couldn’t feel her arms, her legs, or her feet. She was hysterically crying, and her whole body was hot. She was gasping for breath. She blacked out for 10 minutes and when she came to, her mom was holding her. It took 30 minutes for her heart rate to calm down enough so she could breathe.
Green was having a panic attack — her first one, but not her last. Her parents took her to the doctor, who diagnosed her with anxiety and depression, and handed her a prescription for a antidepressants.
“I’ve had good times, but I’ve also had really low points. Sometimes it got to the point where I didn’t want to live anymore,”
More doctors’ visits also revealed she had an irregular thyroid, which didn’t help with Jane’s anxiety. She started seeing a therapist at 20, which helped — but only so much.
At 23, after a particularly hard visit with her doctor who told her there was nothing that could be done about her symptoms, Jane had a meltdown in front of her friend Autumn Bates.
Bates was a nutritionist who had overcome her own anxiety issues by changing her diet. She convinced Jane to switch up her diet to see if it made her feel any better.
Green already ate a fairly healthy diet, but dinner was often unhealthy takeout. Sugar was a daily must-have, with candy throughout the day and ice cream at night.
Bates gave Green some new guidelines:
No grains
No dairy
Less sugar
More healthy fats
Medium amounts of protein
Most importantly, lots of vegetables.
“For the first three days, I thought I was going to die,”
But after a few days, she started noticing her energy levels soaring.
“I wasn’t focusing on what I couldn’t eat — I was focusing on how great I felt physically, which made me feel better mentally and emotionally,”
“I stopped getting the crazy highs and lows from sugar. I actually have bowel movements now, which makes such an impact on my mood.”
As for those anxiety attacks?
“I haven’t had an anxiety attack in months,”
“I’m completely off my antidepressants, which I 100 percent attribute to my diet and lifestyle changes.”
Check out Jane Green's Full Story here.
⚠️ Warning: The Holistic Hipppie is not a functional medicine practitioner. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or replace medical guidance. The Holistic Hipppie assumes no liability for the application of the information discussed.
How do you support your mental health?
