During the pandemic, many of us have slipped into bad habits – including unhealthy eating. According to the health provider Bupa, approximately two in five Brits eat ready meals every week. Unhealthy dieting can have several adverse effects on our mental health, explained Aimee Newton, a Hull-based dietician for Spire Healthcare.
Newton has identified five crucial areas that are easy to work on but may be damaging to our mental health.
Dehydration
Dehydration, Newton explained, can “obstruct” the brain’s production of the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin.
“The body needs water to transport amino acid, tryptophan, across the blood-brain barrier to convert it to serotonin,” she explained.
Her advice is to drink lots of fluid, as this will help the brain produce energy and promote serotonin production.
READ MORE: Diabetes type 2: The ‘best’ chocolate to manage high blood sugar – the facts
“The gut microbiome helps turn the food we eat into different molecules which enter our bloodstream and communicate with the brain,” explained Newton.
“Some of these are neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which can then influence mood and behaviour.”
As a result, she suggests that people “avoid overly restrictive diets” as variation in your diet promotes gut bacteria diversity.
Although there are some studies using animals to highlight links between the gut microbiome and mental health, it is “too early” to “make conclusions”, Newton explained.
Vitamin deficiencies and refined diets
A deficiency in vitamins B6, B12, folate, and vitamin D are all linked with having a low mood.
Moreover, processed foods that are common in western diets, such as sugar, fat, and refined grains are “closely associated” with depression in some studies, explained Newton.
“Combining a mood-boosting diet with walks in nature, time spent in sunlight, exercise, meditation, and stress management is likely to have maximum impact,” she said.