Your diet determines your health, so it’s no wonder doctors recommend a healthy diet to prevent heart disease and obesity. Nutritional psychiatry focuses on certain foods to boost mood and reduce anxiety and depression, a niche in medicine.
Dr. Uma Naidoo, director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry, explained that the gut and brain are uniquely interconnected. Though the brain and gut are in separate parts of the body, they are joined by the vagus nerve, which carries signals between them, creating a lifelong “gut-brain romance.”
Image Credit: Pexels/Elliot Ogbeiwi & Pexels/Vlad Chețan
Most serotonin receptors are found in our gut, which is why antidepressants work through them. As a psychiatrist, nutritionist, and chef, Naidoo also gives her patients mental health advice from a food perspective.
Nutrition can fend off depression, anxiety, and other symptoms, “I’m not against medications.” Here are some examples of food as mental health medicine:
Yogurt
Probiotic cultures provide a benefit – they promote healthy bacteria in your gut, and some of these may support depression relief, according to Naidoo. Plain yogurt with berries or cinnamon is an excellent alternative to yogurt with added sugar.
Turmeric
In Naidoo’s book, there are many references to turmeric and its active ingredient, curcumin. She writes, “It adjusts brain chemistry and protects brain cells from toxic damage that results in depression.”
Image Credit: Pexels/cottonbro studio
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is known for its soothing effects. Naidoo recommended drinking one cup a day in the afternoon and the last cup in the morning. Consult your doctor first if you’re taking blood thinners, painkillers, or sedatives.
Avoid Black Licorice
Glycyrrhizic acid, found in licorice roots, is associated with lower testosterone levels. It will probably not be suitable for a date night, according to Naidoo, who also noted that some chewing gums and teas contain it. People may not realize how these things affect them.