Food for Mood!

Nuts for guts. Cauliflower for superpower! Cabbage for above-average!! Bok choy for joy?!?!

Whew….things really escalated there. Glad it didn’t get out of control.

It’s more than just a catchy title, there is overwhelming evidence that a healthy diet is beneficial for our mood and mental health; including depression. [1,2]

The issue with modern dieting is this ‘one size fits all’ approach. There is no one size fits all. Your friends and family are right, you are unique!

Dieting also implies that you are doing something wrong and that your body is wrong. This generally leads to body-shaming, restriction, and feelings of guilt and frustration when we can’t be perfect.

This is harmful to not only the body, but also the mind. It’s not your fault, our culture has shaped these beliefs, but that tangent is for another day.

My goal is to help remove this stigma. Nutrition is about balance, quality, self-care, and being in tune with your body.

Let’s focus on the positive changes or additions to our day, no matter how small. If you eat a big plate of pasta and add kale to it, look at that kale, so beautiful and green.. heck yea! You did that.

This is how we can create lasting change.

So, What Are The Main Dietary Influencers of Mood?

Inflammation is the main influencer, but gut health and blood sugar also have a major impact on mental health.

You will see that while we can discuss each as a separate issue, they are all interconnected.

Inflammation.

Think about when you get an injury like a cut on your skin, inflammation is part of the body’s natural response for healing. It’s necessary.

Just the same as on the outer surface of your skin, you can also have internal inflammation.

Chronic Inflammation.

Where we have issues is when our body doesn’t have the ability or the ‘tools’ to bounce back from the inflammatory state. This puts someone in a constant state of inflammation, aka chronic inflammation. [4]

In a chronic inflammatory state, inflammation travels all throughout the body (systemic inflammation) and can impact areas such as our brain and joints!

It’s not surprising that inflammation has been linked to depression and cognitive decline.

External injuries we can easily feel and see. The issue with internal, low-level, chronic inflammation is that we can’t readily see it. We have to look for the signs.

The Signs of Inflammation.

Irregular bowel movements – constipation &/or diarrhea
Gas and bloating
Brain fog – a sign of systemic inflammation
Systemic pain – in joints or sometimes fibromyalgia (musculoskeletal pain w/ fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues)
Hypersensitivities – look for patterns. Continuing to consume foods that trigger even mild reactions will exacerbate inflammation.
Injury takes longer than normal to resolve [1]

Any or all of the above may be a sign you have inflammation in the body that needs to be resolved.

Power Foods That Fight Inflammation.

Turmeric
Ginger
Cinnamon
Berries
Omega-3 fatty acids
Olive Oil
Nuts & Seeds [1]

Dash, dust, sprinkle, drizzle, smother, glug, plop til your heart’s content!

The Importance of Gut Health.

The gut produces 75% of all neurotransmitters, aka our mediators of mood.

The great news for us; inflammation can be managed through our gut microbiota, and our microbiota can be altered through diet!

Ahhh….food for mood, it’s all comin’ together…

Let’s take a closer look at these neurotransmitters and the relationship between them and our gut. The bacteria in our gut effect the production of neurotransmitters and neurotransmitters, in turn, effect our digestion. Clear as mud?

Dopamine and serotonin are the two main neurotransmitters involved in happiness. [5]

*Important note: I mention some medicinal herbs below. Please speak to your doctor or health professional before supplementing with these. Some may interact with medications and can have adverse effects.

Dopamine.

Also known as the ‘pleasure/reward’ hormone, dopamine heightens our energy and alertness. In digestion, it plays a role in contraction of the colon. [5]

That feeling when you take the first bite of your favorite ice cream; that’s dopamine, baby!

Just for fun, here’s a lil’ side bit of psychology – sugar leads to a dopamine rush because back when we had to scavenge for our food, it was an internal mechanism to alert us that something is good, quick energy.

This mechanism is still in place. The scavenging however, depends on who you talk to.

Unfortunately, sugar also leads to a blood sugar spike, shortly followed by a hard crash. This is not great for our mood and energy. [6]

Healthier options for boosting dopamine:

Protein – meat, eggs, beans, and fermented soy
Beverages – coffee, black tea, and green tea
Herbs – ginseng, nettles, red clover, fenugreek, dandelion and peppermint. [7]
Activities – loud music, fast-paced activity, and live shows (why not all at once?!) [5]

Serotonin.

Also known as the ‘happiness’ hormone, serotonin gives us feelings of well-being, optimism, self-esteem, and peacefulness. In digestion, it regulates motility. [5]

Things to boost serotonin:

Complex carbohydrates – fresh veggies and fruits, especially apples
Natural sweeteners – maple syrup and honey.
Dark chocolate
Herbs – roots of angelica, burdock, dandelion, ginseng, wild yam and black cohosh. *Lemon balm – improves serotonin levels by reducing the turnover rate. [7]
Activities – gentle yoga or tai chi, walking, stretching, being in nature, sunshine, clear skies, prayer and meditation.
- Dark, rainy days reduce serotonin levels. It’s a good thing us PNW natives know how to get out in nature, regardless of the weather. [8]

GABA.

GABA creates the feeling of relaxation….. Oh sorry, fell asleep there. In digestion, it’s involved in intestinal motility and reduces sensation. [5]

Things to boost GABA:

Exercise & physical activities
Herbs – ginkgo biloba (increases GABA and reduces anxiety), and kava kava [7]

Brain Healthy Beverages!

Green tea is high in Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) (put that one in the back pocket for future schmoozing 😉 ). EGCG is an impressive antioxidant that has been shown to improve brain health, reduce inflammation, and aid in weight loss.

About 2-4 cups per day may help to improve your memory.
Keep in mind that green tea, although less than coffee, does still contain caffeine, so it’s not recommend to consume it later in the afternoon as it may interrupt your sleep. [9]

Water – staying hydrated is essential to keeping brain function high.

Golden Milk – Cinnamon and turmeric are touted as brain-boosting spices; they’re rich in antioxidants that may improve memory and boost your mood. [10]

Recipe idea: Golden milk

Instructions:
1. In a saucepan combine 1 cup non-dairy milk (full-fat coconut milk is delicious) with:

½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
Pinch of black pepper
Add honey to taste

2. Warm on low to medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning

3. Once warmed to your preferred temperature, pour in a mug and enjoy!

*Optional additions – cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla. Turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory spice and is what gives this delicious drink a beautiful golden color. Black pepper is an important ingredient because it greatly enhances the absorption of the healing components of turmeric.

Brain Healthy Foods!

Berries – High in antioxidants, berries are good for the brain. The biological compounds found in berries may help to:

Improve communication between brain cells
Boost learning and memory
Reduce inflammation [11]

Avocados – They contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA – another one for the pocket).

MUFA may improve blood pressure and thereby, improve blood flow to the brain.

Dark chocolate (as tolerated) – Cocoa contains antioxidants called flavonoids that are beneficial for brain health.

Flavonoids may encourage neuron and blood vessel growth specifically in the area of the brain involved in memory and learning.
Make sure to grab a dark chocolate that is least 80 percent cacao. [12]

Omega-3 fatty acids – can help improve structure of neurons and have been shown to improve cognitive function.

Sources of omega-3’s:

Fatty Fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring and sardines
Seaweed is a great vegetarian alternative
Nuts and seeds such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds and walnuts.
- Nuts and seeds also contain antioxidants and Vitamin E, both of which are protective for your cells, including brain cells, and may improve cognition. [13]

Recipe idea: Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

1 Slice of bread (Sourdough, buckwheat or gluten-free)
1/2 avocado
Handful of arugula
1 tsp lime
Salt and pepper, to taste dried herb of choice
1 egg (optional)

Instructions:

Toast a slice of bread, mash 1/2 an avocado onto it. Squeeze lime on top, pile with arugula and top with a fried egg if you wish!

References:

Korn, Leslie. Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health – A Complete Guide to the Food-Mood Connection. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.
Li, Ye, Mei-Rong Lv, Yan-Jin Wei, Ling Sun, Ji-Xiang Zhang, Huai-Guo Zhang, and Bin Li. “Dietary Patterns and Depression Risk: A Meta-Analysis.” Psychiatry Research 253 (July 1, 2017): 373–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2017.04.020.
Happiness & Health: The Biological Factors- Systematic Review Article. Dfarhud D, Malmir M, Khanahmadi M. Iran J Public Health. 2014 Nov;43(11): 1468-77
Hakansson, Asa, and Goran Molin. “Gut Microbiota and Inflammation.” Nutrients 3, no. 6 (June 3, 2011): 637–82. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu3060637.
Mittal R, Debs LH, Patel AP, et al. Neurotransmitters: The critical modulators regulating gut-brain axis. J Cell Physiol. 2017;232(9):2359-2372. doi:10.1002/jcp.25518
Alexandra W. Logue. The Psychology of Eating and Drinking. 4th ed. New York, NY: Routledge, 2015.
“Your Brain on Herbs: Neurotransmitters and Nature’s Pharmaceuticals.” Rachelle Robinett Wellness Guide. Accessed September 23, 2019. https://rachellerobinett.com/read/2015/09/22/herbs-your-mood.
Lin, Shih-Hang, Mei-Ling Chou, Wei-Cheng Chen, Yi-Syuan Lai, Kuan-Hung Lu, Cherng-Wei Hao, and Lee-Yan Sheen. “A Medicinal Herb, Melissa Officinalis L. Ameliorates Depressive-like Behavior of Rats in the Forced Swimming Test via Regulating the Serotonergic Neurotransmitter.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology 175 (December 4, 2015): 266–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.09.018.
Wolfram, Swen. “Effects of Green Tea and EGCG on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition 26, no. 4 (August 2007): 373S-388S. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2007.10719626.
Samadian, Fariba, Nooshin Dalili, Fatemeh Poor-Reza Gholi, Mahtab Fattah, Narges Malih, Mohsen Nafar, Ahmad Firoozan, Pedram Ahmadpoor, Shiva Samavat, and Shadi Ziaie. “Evaluation of Curcumin’s Effect on Inflammation in Hemodialysis Patients.” Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 22 (2017): 19–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2017.09.006.
Publishing, Harvard Health. “Foods That Fight Inflammation.” Harvard Health. Accessed July 26, 2019. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation.
Spencer, Jeremy P. E. “Flavonoids and Brain Health: Multiple Effects Underpinned by Common Mechanisms.” Genes & Nutrition 4, no. 4 (December 2009): 243–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12263-009-0136-3.
“Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Mood Disorders – Harvard Health Blog – Harvard Health Publishing.” Accessed June 21, 2019. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-mood-disorders-2018080314414.