Food For Mood

It is estimated that 1 in 6  Americans (this includes children) have a diagnosed mental illness or behavioral problem. New information connecting mental health to diet is surfacing all the time. There are many scientifically researched ways food impacts mood: a healthy gut microbiome leads to better mental health, nutrient deficiencies have been linked to anxiety and depression, gluten can impact mental and physical health, removing sugar creates a more even temperament, herbs can be used to treat anxiety, depression, insomnia, and more.

Causes of mental illness vary widely: trauma, genetics, brain chemistry and other factors. This article is not meant to suggest that diet is the cause for all mental health issues, it is meant to open a dialog about the often overlooked connections between diet and mental illness.

The Gut/Mind Connection

Many people today are struggling with gut issues. Most of them only know they are suffering, they do not know why. Research has shown that fish exposed to glyphosate (the active ingredient in the pesticide RoundUp) develop symptoms that mirror celiacs disease in humans. Also, as the diagram below shows, the incident of celiacs has risen in tandem with increased glyphosate application to wheat crops. This does not take into account the massive amounts of glyphosate used in soy and corn production, and that independent testing showed glyphosate in many processed foods in the supermarket, from Quaker Instant Oatmeal to Cheerios. 

What does this have to do with mental health? Scientific research is illuminating just how necessary a healthy gut microbiome is, not just for physical health, but mental health as well. To have optimum function in the body, mentally and physically, our ability to digest and properly assimilate nutrients needs to be functioning well. This happens in the gut. 

There have been recent studies showing that people who suffer from depression are actually lacking several strains of bacteria that are present in the gut of those who do not suffer from depression. There have also been studies that show behavioral changes in mice when samples from gut microbiota (in this case from a depressed or schizophrenic human) are transplanted into the gut of mice. The mice then exhibited the depressive or schitzophrenic behaviours. 

In the early 20th century a man named George Porter Philips completely cured 11 out of 18 patients suffering melancholia at Bethlem Royal Hospital, (with others showing marked improvement) simply by feeding them diets rich with fish and kefir. This was some of the first recorded evidence that there was a connection between mental disorders and the stomach. 

Imagine the gut as a garden. We can plant seeds (take probiotics, eat fermented foods) but we also have to maintain the proper conditions (stop eating inflammatory foods and make sure there is healing in the intestinal lining) and give the garden what it needs to grow. Sugars and refined carbohydrates make the bad things grow (like candida, for example), while healthy fats (from animals and plants), and fiber from (fruits and vegetables), help the good things grow. It is also important to avoid chemicals (pesticides) and foods that will negatively impact flora. Stocks and broths are nourishing, easily digestible, and healing to a damaged gut. 

Nutrient deficiencies

There are many nutrients linked to mental health: selenium, iodine, zinc, iron, amino acids, folate, vitamin b complex, magnesium, vitamin D and Omega 3’s, and more. Animal products contain all of these vitamins and minerals. Most, but not all of them, can also be found in plant foods. Many functions in the body need specific nutrients to function, like hormone production for example. When these nutrients are not available it can lead to deficiencies that manifest in physical and mental disease.

A 2012 study in Australia found that depression and anxiety were cut in half when beef and lamb were added to women’s diets. They did not find the same results in other proteins, like poultry or pork. The researchers believe that this might have had something to do with the fact that the lambs and cows were raised on pasture, pastured animal products are higher in Omega 3’s. A 2015 study showed a link between adhering to certain diets, a Mediterranean diet being one, and a reduced rate of depression among participants. If people are struggling with anxiety or depression, it is a good idea to get tested for nutrient deficiencies.

Gluten An Often Overlooked Culprit

Gluten intolerance is most often associated with celiac disease, but there is also a type of gluten intolerance that manifests in emotional symptoms. Generalized anxiety, big mood swings, uncontrollable bouts of crying, chronic shyness, tiredness, and many more. A 2012 study states, “Gluten sensitivity remains undertreated and underrecognized as a contributing factor to psychiatric and neurologic manifestations”.  

There is an increasing body of evidence linking gluten with schizophrenia. More than half a century ago the term “bread madness” was coined to describe schizophrenic patients who spontaneously recovered when the gluten containing components of their diets were not available. When tested, people with schizophrenia often have high levels of anti wheat antibodies in their systems, these antibodies are different than the ones that show up in celiac patients, so they are often missed. If trying to avoid gluten to see if it has positive effects on mental health, it is important to remember many animals products available are fed high amounts of grain. Switch to pasture raised meat, dairy, and eggs to avoid gluten entirely. Yes, they are a little more expensive. Medication is also expensive. 

Sugar: Destructive and Addictive

Sugar is one of the most destructive foods in the modern diet, and it is everywhere. It is in foods you would not even think to  look for it, and culturally it is a part of every holiday and special occasion. 31% of adults and 13% of American children have fatty liver disease, caused by eating and drinking excess sugar. It has also been discovered that fructose damages the liver, just like alcohol.  

Sugar consumption has been linked to obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, and heart disease. It also must be remembered that refined sugar is processed to the point that it is of zero nutritional value. The danger of eating too much sugar, especially for children, is that because it causes an immediate spike in the blood sugar and instant energy, it tricks the body into thinking it does not need to eat more food for energy. It is essentially a short cut. This can lead to mental (and physical) illness in the form of nutrient deficiency. People in our country should be eating less food with more nutrient density. The ultra processed foods that are created in a lab to be hyperpalatable make it difficult for people, especially children, to make good choices about food. When given a choice between something sweet and a well balanced meal most children will choose sweets. Is it responsible to allow them to bear the burden of this choice?

Research has shown that sugar may be even more addictive than cocaine. Addiction is a serious disease that changes the chemistry of the brain, encouraging the person who is addicted to continue to pursue the thing that they are addicted to, ignoring harmful consequences. Sugar addiction can lead to binging and withdrawal, just like illicit drugs. Often people who are addicted to sugar suffer ill health consequences, but have a difficult time not eating sugar, even though they know it could be dangerous for them. 

The difficult part of improving mental health with diet is that the foods most responsible for poor gut health, sugar and refined carbohydrates, are not just destructive, they are addictive and overwhelmingly pervasive in our country. It is not uncommon for a person to eat sugary cereal or toast with jam for breakfast, a sandwich or wrap for lunch, and pasta for dinner. If a person is trying to avoid these foods, and avoidance is the best way to not indulge in something you are addicted to, it is nearly impossible because sugary carby treats are everywhere: social gatherings, the office, business meetings, in the front of the grocery store. Imagine if a drug addict had to be constantly inundated with the drug they are trying to avoid every moment of their lives. It would be difficult to find success. As a nation, Americans need to have a reckoning with sugar and refined carbohydrates. Cravings for carbs have been shown to mimic drug addiction in the brain. When we don’t respond to the cravings we will also experience temporary withdrawal. Once past the withdrawal symptoms, the body can begin healing. To parents who feel powerless over their children’s picky eating: if the junk food is not in the house and it is not an option, they will eat other things.

It can be overwhelming to transition to a diet that is free of gluten and processed sugar because the American diet is seemingly centered on those things. Which is why America is also the most obese and mentally ill nation in the world. Another problem could be the reductionist nature of Western medicine. Assessing nutrient levels and looking into a patient’s diet and lifestyle choices should be the number one thing a general physician does. Instead of zeroing in on symptoms and writing a prescription, a patient should be looked at closely, their health history understood. Functional medicine is an emerging field that looks past symptoms and seeks causes of illness, and naturopathic doctors take diet and lifestyle into account when coming up with courses of treatment for patients. 

There are many herbs that can be used to treat a plethora of problems with mood. Contact an herbalist for advice, or learn about herbalism yourself. It is important to seek out the root of the problem causing your anxiety or depression, but while you are working that out, herbs can offer a gentle and side effect free way to adjust your mood. They are also useful during times of increased stress. 

The reasons for mental illness are varied and individualized and so are paths to healing. There is not a magical one size fits all approach. This piece is not intended to further stigmatize mental illness, and this is not meant to be medical advice. It is intended to give hope to people who may feel like they want to look further than their diagnosis. Or if there has not been a diagnosis yet, just the stirring of some uncomfortable feelings, it can perhaps empower people with information they may not have had. Some people may need medication, just like some physical illnesses may require antibiotics. The side effects of many of the medications can be extreme, with not very much information about long term effects. 

When given medications, most people are told to expect to see results in a month or so. Results can also be seen in a month or so if major dietary changes are made. Removing refined carbohydrates and sugars and adding extra animal products and vegetables to the diet for a couple of months seems like a harmless experiment, especially if it could save you or someone you love from a lifetime of dependency on prescription drugs. 

Below are affiliate links for books that would be helpful on your wellness journey.

When making dietary changes, coming up with new favorites is a must. Inspire yourself with a new cookbook. 

This is an excellent resource for traditional food preparation methods. It is also bursting with information about the food system. 

Caroline Leaf is a Neuroscientist who is using her knowledge to help people understand how their brains work and how to take charge of them. There are many videos of her on YouTube as well, to see her live in action is a treat.

Loise Hay’s unique approach connects toxic thought patterns with physical ailments with surprising accuracy. Sometimes the thought pattern is so deeply engrained we are not even aware of it.