How does your food make you feel? You may not give it much thought, but how you feel right now is partly determined by what you eat.
This is not to say that a chocolate bar will make you feel better. Chocolate bars have a more direct effect on the brain’s reward centers.
But in the long run, diet can affect emotions in many ways, from changes in the size of mood-related regions in the brain to changes in how brain cells communicate with mood-altering bacteria in the gut. increase.
We now know that our diet can even affect our risk of developing depression. Changing a bad diet works like an antidepressant, and in some cases more effective.
This is the result of an important study by the Food and Mood Center at Deakin University in Australia. In this study, called the “SMILES” trial, people with moderate to severe depression and inadequate diets were fed a modified Mediterranean diet (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds). , filled with extra virgin olive oil). All were very high in fiber (50 g per day), plus 7 sessions with a nutritionist or 7 counseling sessions with a trained researcher. continued.
You may not give it much thought, but how you feel right now is partly determined by what you eat.
In the ‘SMILES’ trial, people with moderate to severe depression and inadequate diets were given a modified Mediterranean diet (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil). Rich, fiber — 50g a day) and 7 sessions with a nutritionist — or 7 counseling sessions with a trained researcher.
The findings were astonishing. After 12 weeks, one-third of those who ate the Mediterranean diet were in remission from their depression, compared with only 8% of those in the control group.
I definitely don’t recommend that people with depression abandon their medication in favor of a new eating plan, but I see no harm in improving their diet while continuing to take it. We’re doing it, and we’re seeing some pretty big improvements.
So why might the Mediterranean diet help someone with mental health issues?
Food affects our moods in several ways, including structural ones. A healthy diet promotes the growth of the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in regulating memory and emotions. This was highlighted in her 11-year study in The American Journal of Medicine, published in 2018, of more than 400 women. Women who ate a typical Western diet high in processed foods and red meat had smaller hippocampi on average than women who ate a healthier, plant-rich diet.
Diet also affects our neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new connections. Research shows that people with depression tend to have lower levels of a protein that promotes neuroplasticity (brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), which helps new nerves develop.
However, a proper diet appears to increase BDNF levels. In one of his three-year studies, people who ate a Mediterranean-style diet (particularly rich in nuts) had a “lower risk” of having lower BDNF levels than those on a low-fat diet. I understand.
There is another important factor. intestinal microbes. We are learning more and more how important they are in regulating our emotions.
People with depression tend to have low gut microbial diversity. Interestingly, when researchers took stool samples from depressed patients and administered them to mice, the animals began to show signs of depression. A review of 21 studies (mainly animal studies) published last year in BMC Psychiatry found that it produced anxiety and depression in rodents. Transplantation of a healthy community of microbes can alleviate these symptoms.
Gut microbial health also appears to influence the response to stress. This was neatly demonstrated when the researchers gave brain scans to 36 women, a test that identified emotions on people’s faces (if this sounds like a strange test, it’s full of fear). An angry face and having to work under time constraints can both cause stress).
Participants were then given either a fermented milk product (containing live ‘good’ bacteria) or a non-fermented milk product twice daily for two weeks. The control group received nothing. All then had their face test redone.
big reveal? Women who drank fermented milk had less activity in areas of the brain that oversee the processing of emotions. This means less stress when testing.
We can’t guarantee that you’ll feel better this way right away, but there’s evidence that if you stick with it for at least eight weeks, you’re likely to feel a difference.
Most ‘wasabi’ in the UK is horseradish, not true wasabi (Wasabia japonica). Not only is real wasabi expensive, but it loses its flavor quickly, so it’s best eaten raw, and it’s hard to use as a seasoning. Unlike hot peppers in your mouth (up to capsaicin).
Must Try: Fruit ‘N’ Flax Porridge
This simple breakfast promotes digestion and follows the principles of the Mediterranean diet. Cook it on the stove or leave it in the slow cooker overnight and you will wake up to the scent of cinnamon and apples.
4 servings
- 2 diced apples
- 1 cup jumbo oats
- ½ cup flaxseed
- 2½ cups milk of your choice
- 2 cups of water
- ¾ cup dried fruit
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Serving Instructions: Top with nut butters, bananas, berries, walnuts, grated carrots, flaxseed, yogurt or maple syrup.
Fry the apples and cinnamon in a little olive oil until soft and place them in a large pot with the other ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until oats are cooked.
Participants were then given either a fermented milk product (containing live ‘good’ bacteria) or a non-fermented milk product twice daily for two weeks. The control group received nothing.
Cook on the stove or leave overnight in the slow cooker to wake up to the scent of cinnamon and apples.
SLOW COOKER METHOD: Combine all ingredients, add a pinch of salt to a ceramic bowl inside the slow cooker, and leave on the lowest setting. Cover and simmer for 7-8 hours. Add extra milk if desired and stir well to combine (including the dry parts on the sides).
ASK Megan
I have tried everything to help my IBS. Excessive flatulence has ruined my life for the last 30 years. My doctor suggested a low FODMAP plan and yoga – this helped a little but I’m still in pain. , I can no longer do what I want to do.
A name and address were provided.
Thank you for your hard work for a long time. Flatulence is a normal process and, in fact, may be a sign that your gut bacteria are well nourished.
Foods that are difficult to digest in the upper intestine, such as onions, reach the large intestine where they are fermented.
Of course, too much (i.e. more than 20 times a day) can be a hassle. Smell (unpleasant enough for others to leave the room); and/or inability to control it (flatulence incontinence).
You need to identify which of these will affect you the most. If you have too much, fermentable carbohydrates (or FODMAPs, foods that are difficult to digest in the upper intestine, such as onions, enter the large intestine where they are fermented). (doing) for a short period of time or by a dietitian who investigates food intolerances.
For odors, find out how much and what kind of protein you consume. Too much red meat and protein supplements can cause problems.For flatulent incontinence, daily pelvic floor exercises are most effective.
Contact Megan Rossi
Email [email protected] or write to Good Health, Daily Mail, 9 Derry Street, London, W8 5HY. Dr. Megan Rossi is not available for personal communication. Replies should be in general context.Always discuss health concerns with your doctor
