Did you know that what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain? Are you aware that healthy eating is directly related to positive mental health?
We all know that we need to eat to survive, but what some of us don’t know is that what we eat plays an important role in how our brain and how our body functions. The better that we feed ourselves, the better that we are able to think, speak and function.
At Health Freak Café we base our food philosophy’s around clean eating and giving your body the nutrients that it needs to live a healthy, balanced, fulfilled and more active lifestyle.
One of the main benefits of eating a well-balanced diet is that it provides nutrients (vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) to your body giving you sustained all-day energy, which keeps your brain active and your body functioning optimally.
Good nutrition involves eating high quality, nutrient dense foods, and good nutrition is essential for our mental health.
Research has shown that there is a direct correlation between diets high in refined sugars and processed foods, and impaired brain function. Which leads to worsening of symptoms of mood disorders, addiction, ADHD, anxiety, depression and dementia.
Further to this, overconsumption of high sugar refined and processed foods can compromise the brains cognitive abilities such as learning and memory.
Food can play a vital role in maintaining mental health as well as physical health, and this is where the saying really does ring true “You are what you eat”.
Foods to improve brain function –
- Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish and fish oil, are beneficial to neural functioning.
- Foods naturally rich in magnesium (leafy greens, legumes, seeds and nuts) may help a person to feel calmer.
- Foods rich in zinc such as oysters, cashews, liver, beef, and egg yolks have been linked to lowered anxiety.
- Foods rich in B vitamins such as avocado and almonds.
- Foods high in antioxidants such as berries, nuts, vegetables and other fruits.
In general, eating a nourishing diet gives people an overall sense of well-being, and diet quality is directly related to positive mental health. Look at the foods that you eat as your “brain fuel”, the kind of food and drink that you consume determines the types of nutrients that enter your system, and impact how well your mind is able to function.
Improve your cognitive function and psychological wellbeing by making smart food choices, and build healthy lifestyle habits that can have a long term positive impact on your life.
Choose a gluten free, sugar free, active life, live optimally, and live your life the Health Freak way.