Foods to Fuel Your Mood to Better Health
By Sabine Dorothy Docteur
When it comes to our nutrition, we are aware of the way that it affects us physically. There are obvious results of eating diets full of junk foods and processed foods; our body reacts in a negative way. The physical effects can be easily seen most times with excess weight gain, fatigue, and even possible chronic conditions. But what about the mind? Although, we cannot see the exact effects that unhealthy foods have on our minds, there are signs that can provide us a clue. Eating plant-based foods has been shown to reduce the risk of mental health issue such as depression. It is essential to look at the way that unhealthy choices affect our minds and how the right type of nutrition can serve as a prevention for better mental health.
Mind Your Eating
The most important thing to remember when it comes to the foods that we intake, is that it is not just food, but it is supposed to serve as fuel for our bodies. It is the same thing when it comes to the mind. The mind needs the proper fuel to function and to be in a better mood. There have been studies showing that there are strong links between the gut and the brain. The types of bacteria that exist in our guts based on the foods we eat can tremendously affect our mental health. To move toward a healthier lifestyle, it is crucial to take in foods that are not inflammatory and that will not disrupt our natural bacterial flora.
Plant-Based Prevention
There are various styles of eating, but there are specific ones that work as prevention to dangerous diseases and help to preserve our health. One particular style is plant-based eating, which is not completely vegetarian, but primarily vegetables and grains as meals. With this type of eating, meat is not necessarily eliminated, but the vegetable portions are maximized. This style of eating has been shown to lower depression, as well as decrease incidences of cancer, heart disease and hypertension. When there is the opposite type of eating, such as a diet full of sugar, fat and processed foods, there is an increased risk of depression and heart disease. Prevention is always the answer when it comes to health, because if you never arrive at an unhealthy point, there will be no need to seek treatment.
In order for us to be at our optimum best self, it's paramount to be mindful of how we feed our bodies and minds. The type of eating in which we engage will determine our mental health as well as our physical health. Because we don't want to run out gas mentally and physically, let us use the right fuel that will give us better mileage for the long run!
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Happy Valley, Ore.