Healthy diet means a healthy mind

T HE annual Rennafix – Havin’ a Laugh Adventurefest is taking place at various locations around Sligo this weekend. The mission of this local charity is to assist with the promotion of positive mental health through outdoor activities, connecting people and ‘ Having a Laugh’.

We now know how vitally important being active and connecting with others is to our mental health, but we also need to think about what we are eating too.

HOW IMPORTANT IS OUR DIET?

Diet is now emerging as an important part of our mental health.

Good nutrition is essential for our bodies and our minds to function properly.

A healthy diet will not only affect the way we feel but also the way we think!

Up to 90% of heart disease can be prevented through diet and lifestyle and our brain, like our heart and other organs, also requires the right nutrients to function correctly.

In fact the same diet recommended for a healthy heart is also the same diet recommended for a healthy brain.

THE RIGHT FUEL FOR OUR BRAIN

Glucose is the primary fuel source for our brain, however it also requires an adequate supply of amino acids from proteins, vitamins, minerals, essential fats and water in order to function correctly.

Up to 60% of the dry weight of the brain is made up of fat, and the type of fats typically consumed in our modern westernised diet has changed dramatically from that of our most recent ancestors.

We now consume more processed foods containing greater amounts of trans, saturated and omega 6 fats and not enough of the long chain fats called omega 3s.

Long chain omega 3 fats are essential to our diet and our found mainly in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout.

Population studies worldwide show that countries with the lowest fish consumption, also have the greatest rates of depression.

There are many other important nutrients for a healthy mind.

Complex carbohydrates from wholegrains and nutrients such as folic acid, selenium, zinc and B vitamins are thought to decrease the symptoms of depression.

There is growing evidence of the importance of our diet for good mental health and the correct dietary advice should at least form part of the prevention and management of mental health conditions such as depression and low mood.