Maintaining a healthy diet is often linked to physical health, but what we eat can significantly affect our mental wellbeing too. A nutritious, balanced diet not only helps the body function optimally but also plays a vital role in supporting brain health, managing energy levels, and reducing stress.
According to Benenden Health, paying attention to eating habits can help safeguard mental health. The healthcare provider offers advice on key eating habits that could make a positive difference to mental wellbeing.
Gut Health: The First Step
The connection between the gut and brain is increasingly recognised, with research highlighting how the gut-brain axis – a two-way communication system – impacts mental health. Poor gut health can exacerbate poor mental health, and vice versa. Therefore, it is essential to prioritise foods that support gut health.
To achieve this, Benenden Health recommends including a variety of plant-based foods in your diet, aiming for 30 ‘plant points’ each week. These points are earned by consuming different types of vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Foods rich in probiotics, such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi, also help support a healthy gut.
Maintaining Balanced Blood Sugar Levels
Balancing blood sugar levels is another key factor in maintaining mental wellbeing. While it’s tempting to indulge in sugary snacks, these can lead to a quick sugar spike followed by a ‘crash’, often leaving people feeling sluggish and low in energy. Instead, opting for slow-release carbohydrates found in wholegrain foods, such as seeded bread, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, helps stabilise energy levels throughout the day.
Benenden Health also advises limiting caffeine and alcohol, both of which can cause fluctuations in blood sugar. Limiting caffeine to four drinks a day, with the last cup before 4pm, and keeping alcohol intake to 1–2 units per day are recommended to avoid the negative effects on energy and mood.
Boosting Iron Intake
A lack of iron in the diet can lead to anaemia, which is characterised by low oxygen levels in the blood and can result in tiredness, weakness, and apathy. To reduce this risk, it is essential to eat iron-rich foods such as red meat, poultry, fish, beans, and fortified cereals.
Benenden Health points out that shellfish like mussels are an excellent alternative to red meat, providing more iron gram for gram. The advice also includes avoiding tea with meals, as it can inhibit iron absorption.
The Role of Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish, have been shown to alleviate symptoms of clinical depression. Incorporating three portions of oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardines into the weekly diet, or taking an omega-3 supplement, can help support mental health. Vegans can opt for algae-based EPA/DHA supplements as a plant-based alternative.
Benenden Health members have access to 24/7 mental health support, ensuring they have the resources needed to manage their wellbeing. For further information, visit their website at benenden.co.uk.
This advice highlights how adopting small but significant changes to eating habits can contribute to improved mental health, making it easier to cope with life’s stresses.
