Our Mental Health and Diet Are So Related! |

Mental health and diet are most definitely related. As you’ve heard your whole life, you are what you eat and what you choose to consume can help keep you healthy and full of mental as well as physical energy.

Here are some mental health and diet examples to consider…

Including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables in your diet can help keep you mentally alert because these vegetables are excellent sources of the essential micronutrient choline.

Cervical-cancer While we make small amounts of choline in our own bodies, we produce less of this nutrient as we age and it becomes important to include choline-rich foods in our diets as we get older.

Other than the cruciferous vegetables, good sources include peanuts, soy products, beans and eggs.

Sesame Oil

The diets eaten in the Far East, particularly China, are thought to play a role in the longer average life spans in this part of the world.

Sesame oil is one component of the Chinese diet which many nutritionists believe to be responsible. In traditional Chinese medicine, sesame is used as a tonic for the liver, kidneys and digestive system.

The basis for this is that sesame oil contains phytic acid, an antioxidant compound which is known to help regulate cholesterol levels and is thought to help protect against cancer.

Other than having some health benefits, sesame oil also tastes great in many dishes. Make an attempt to include sesame oil and sesame seeds in your diet to make sure you get more phytic acid.

Mushrooms

In China, Korea and other Asian countries, mushrooms are an important food crop as well as being thought to have medicinal properties. Of the 700 edible species of mushrooms known to man, there are many which have beneficial effects on human health.

Some are thought to help reduce the pace of the aging process, especially shiitake, maitake, reishi and wood ear mushrooms.

Most mushrooms are good sources of minerals, amino acids, vitamin D, polysaccharides, sterols, coumarin and other compounds which can help regulate blood glucose levels, strengthen immune function, regulate cholesterol levels and help prevent viral infections and certain cancers.

Green Tea

Green tea contains antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols which are believed to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, promote mental health clarity and provide other benefits as well. Try to drink at least two cups of green tea daily to get the maximum benefit of this healthy tea.

Eat Local And Organic Whenever Possible

It’s always a good idea to eat food which is produced organically by area farmers. This food be fresher and retain more of its nutritional content since it doesn’t have to spend as much time in transit.

Organic foods are also free of the pesticides and chemical preservatives found in many of the foods at grocery stores. These foods are less nutritious than food which has been organically grown and should be avoided in favor of local, organic food whenever the option is available to you.