The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

Posted on: Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021

February is heart and stroke awareness month. An important part of heart and stroke awareness is the role of nutrition and a healthy diet. Nutrition is as important to mental health as it is to heart health. Our brains are always active. The brain manages our physical functioning along with our mental functioning. As our brains are always at work, it is important to properly fuel them.

We really are what we eat!

A healthy balanced diet is a key to proper fuelling of the brain. Healthy and nutritious meals positively impact brain functioning as they provide the proper vitamins and nutrients that the brain needs. On the other hand, an unbalanced and unhealthy diet that is high in sugars has been correlated to lower brain functioning and negatively impacting one’s mood and eventually overall mental health. 

If you struggle with low mental health such as constant sadness, negative thinking, insomnia, irritability, etc., a quality diet may be an excellent place to start in your healing journey. A healthy diet will contribute to healthy brain functioning which promotes healthier mental health. Diet may not be the whole solution to your mental health struggles but can be an excellent place to begin to take care of yourself.