How to Eat for Better Emotional Health

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Health experts warn that a lingering effect of the coronavirus pandemic could be a mental health crisis. While therapy and medications for stress and anxiety are often necessary, the foods you eat can also play a role in your well-being.

An American Psychiatric Association poll released in March found that 36% of Americans felt the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic was having a serious impact on their mental health. People were most worried about their finances, the risk of themselves or a family member contracting the virus, and the possibility of becoming seriously ill or dying.

The gut-brain connection

The gut has been called the “second brain.” And we recognize the link between the two even if we don’t realize it: You may feel “butterflies in your stomach” when you’re nervous or “go with your gut” when you make an important decision.

Naidoo said the two are connected physically and biochemically via the gut-brain axis, the complex communications network that links the emotional and cognitive centers of the brain with intestinal functions.

Foods that can hurt mental health

Fried foods, processed foods, trans fats, nitrates and foods high in salt, saturated fat and refined sugars can worsen depression, anxiety and stress.

“If you’re eating processed foods and fast foods every day, that’s basically making the bad gut bacteria thrive, and that’s when you start to run into problems with inflammation,” Naidoo explained.

Too much caffeine and alcohol may also make you feel worse mentally but are usually OK in moderation. Drinking 400 mg per day or less of coffee shouldn’t have an impact on anxiety, Naidoo said.

People respond to alcohol intake differently, but generally, four drinks a day for men and three for women is considered heavy drinking.

How to start eating for your mental health

To shift your diet with mental health in mind, Naidoo suggests starting small. Trying to change too much too fast can be overwhelming and diminish results. “Slow and steady change over time will start to build that healthy gut and basically start to build on the healthy nutrients that are good for your brain,” she said.

Begin with a diet self-check. Write down what you ate over the past 24 to 48 hours, circle the foods that are unhealthy, and then decide on one simple change you can make. You don’t necessarily have to give up some of your favorite less-than-healthy foods, though.

Taking steps to improve your diet for your mental health is especially important today, she said, as the effects of the pandemic will persist. Concerns over jobs, finances, food insecurity, gaps in children’s education and more will take a toll.

A healthy diet can help mitigate or buffer one from these types of effects as it sets the stage for a beneficial gut microbiome and less inflammation, both of which are tied to mood, anxiety, depression and even sleep.

Begin with a diet self-check. Write down what you ate over the past 24 to 48 hours, circle the foods that are unhealthy, and then decide on one simple change you can make. You don’t necessarily have to give up some of your favorite less-than-healthy foods, though.

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Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!   4月14日,美利坚合众国宣布将从今年5月1日至9月11日撤出在阿富汗的所有驻军。同日,北约也表示将与白宫军方协调,开始撤军。 2021年是阿富汗战争爆发20周年。实际上,从苏联入侵这个可怜的国家的1979年12月24日至今,这里的冲突一直都在持续。 北约和美国的计划是什么?阿富汗局势未来又将如何变化呢? 关于美国宣布撤军的最后期限,阿富汗总统阿什拉夫·加尼说,阿富汗政府尊重美国政府在商定的日期之前撤军的决定。 来自美联社的消息称,5月1日之前驻扎在阿富汗的美军有2500名,远低于2011年高峰时的11万(2002-2020驻阿富汗美军数量变化见下图)。