World Health Day 2023: What is Role of Diet in Mental Health? Does Anxiety Lead to Over Eating? Experts Speak!

World Health Day 2023: The food we eat affected our mental health in ways we don’t even understand. Experts have unraveled the nuanced effect of diet on our mental well-being, and how we can work to control it.

Mental health is a sensitive topic that requires more candid conversations. Mental health is not just about anxiety, depression or other issues, it is also about how we nurture and nurture the brain or mental health. Just like we make efforts to stay physically fit, we also need to understand how we can stay mentally fit. And dietary habits are one of what we have to do. We all know that eating well is good for our body, but did you know that it also affects our mental health? Well, it’s very nuanced and here’s what the experts have to say about it.

4 Ways Diet Affects Mental Health

Diet has a complex relationship with mental health and mental health disorders. Speaking to india.com, Dr Aparna Ramakrishnan, Consultant Psychiatry, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Mumbai, explained how diet and mental health are linked:

1. Stress can lead to increased overeating (including binge pattern) and decreased motivation to exercise, which in turn can lead to obesity and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing depression, anxiety disorders due to social/functional impairment and body image issues.
2. Depression and anxiety disorders are often associated with sleep and appetite disorders, which in turn affect eating behaviors, weight, and health.
3. Diet changes also affect the gut microbiome, which has an impact on mood.
4. Excessive caffeine consumption can also aggravate anxiety levels.

Does increased stress, pressure or anxiety lead to increased consumption of unhealthy foods or vice versa?

There is often a two-way relationship between stress and diet. Stress causes changes in eating habits that lead to health problems, including obesity, which can further increase stress levels, shared Dr. Aparna Ramakrishnan.

Dietitian Shreya Singh says: “Stress and anxiety can reduce appetite. The nervous system sends messages to the adrenal glands about the kidneys to pump out the hormone epinephrine (also known as adrenaline). Epinephrine helps trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response, a physiological state revived and temporarily suspending eating. But if stress and anxiety persist, then it’s a different story. The adrenal glands release another hormone called cortisol, and it increases appetite and can also increase overall motivation, including the motivation to eat more. Once the stressful episode is over, the cortisol level should drop, but if the stress doesn’t go away, the cortisol may remain elevated.”

Why do we need comfort food when we are stressed?

Stress-induced elevations in glucocorticoid secretion can heighten emotions and motivation. Hyperpalatable foods (energy-dense foods high in sugar and fat) can serve as “comfort food” that serves as a self-medication to allay unwanted distress. People with high cortisol reactivity report snacking more in response to daily stressors. Stress increases ghrelin levels in the body, and ghrelin is involved in the stress-induced increase in food intake

What is the gut-brain connection?

Did you know that 90% of serotonin is produced in our gut? That’s how it is! Our gut not only digests our food, but also has a huge impact on our emotions. Cross communication between the brain and the gut occurs through multiple biological networks: nervous system, hormones, neurotransmitters, immune system. Microbial changes in the gut can influence brain physiology, mood, behavioral and cognitive functions.

The gut is often called the second brain. Your health has a direct implication in communication with the brain through the gut-brain axis. A healthy intestine produces several neurotransmitters that transmit signals to the brain through the vagus nerve. To nurture gut health, you have to nurture the gut microbiome,” said assistant Dr. Richard Lobo. Vice President, Head of Innovation and CQH at Tata Chemicals Limited. Foods like artichokes, bananas, onions, and chicory are good sources of prebiotic dietary fibers, which positively influence the gut microbiome. There are various foods and drinks available that also contain these fibers.

According to Dr. Vaibhav Chaturvedi, a consultant psychiatrist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Indore, the good bacteria in our gut play a crucial role in the production of these chemicals. Foods that can help regulate our Gut-Brain Axis are prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are special fibers that help good bacteria grow in our gut. Probiotics are live microorganisms that can be found in foods like yogurt or in supplements

Our brain needs healthy fats to function well, and we can find them in foods such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, oily fish, avocados, milk, and eggs. But we should avoid trans fats found in processed or packaged foods because they can be detrimental to both mood and heart health. By eating a healthy diet, we can help our gut and brain work together to make us feel good both physically and mentally.

Food and Mental Health: 5 tips to regulate eating habits

1. Eat a healthy diet like apples, garlic, onions, bananas, and curd.
2. Keep hydrated
3. Eat the right balance of fats
4. Include more whole grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet
5. Include some protein at each meal