Summer Self-Care Series:

Nutrition and Mental Health

by Taylor Ureta, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo undergraduate intern, supervised by Dr. Hannah Roberts

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well,

if one has not dined well.”

~Virginia Woolf

Hi Thrivers! Welcome to the fourth  part of the summer self-care series! Over the past few weeks, we’ve discussed how prioritizing self-care practices, such as quality sleep, can enhance both your physical and mental health. This week, we’ll focus on how nutrition and mindful eating habits can be a fundamental part of promoting your physical and mental well-being. 

Choosing Foods That Support Your Mood

Did you know that certain foods can be essential not only for keeping your brain healthy but also for preventing and managing disease (Ohlhorst, 2013)? The foods you choose can provide the body with essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins, which support the body’s various physiological functions. Foods rich in nutrients can enhance cognitive function, improve mood, and increase energy levels, making them crucial for your overall health. Nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, can also protect the body from stress and inflammation, benefiting both your heart and brain health. 

On the other hand, an inflammatory diet pattern–one high in processed foods, red meats, and soft drinks–has been linked to neuroinflammation and may increase the risk of developing both physical and mental health conditions (Lachance, 2015). By reducing inflammatory foods and incorporating more nutritious options into your routine, you can help manage and prevent future lifestyle-related health conditions. Intentionally choosing supportive foods can contribute to long-term health benefits, while also promoting your overall well-being.

4 Different Approaches

The relationship between nutrition and overall health has been a growing area of research, sparking interest in the importance of obtaining adequate nutrition. From the Mediterranean diet to mindful eating, researchers have highlighted several approaches to optimizing our food intake and promoting wellness. Let’s delve deeper into a few of these approaches! 

1. The Mediterranean Diet is inspired by the traditional eating habits of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. In general, the Mediterranean diet consists of eating fruits, vegetables, lentils, nuts, whole grains, extra virgin olive oil, and fish. This dietary pattern encourages healthy unsaturated fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids, and favors foods high in fiber and antioxidants. Ultimately, the Mediterranean diet offers a range of benefits, including supporting healthy blood sugar levels, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, and slowing the decline of brain function with age (Cleveland Clinic, 2024). 
2. The Blue Zones (BZ) are regions around the world where populations are known to live significantly longer than average. Some of these regions include Okinawa in Japan, the island of Ikaria in Greece, and Nicoya in Costa Rica (Pes, 2022). Researchers have identified common lifestyle factors among these populations, including their diet. Like the Mediterranean Diet, the Blue Zone Diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods that are primarily plant-based and incorporate moderate amounts of lean protein and healthy fats. The Blue Zone diet promotes a balanced approach to eating which helps to support overall health and longevity.
3. Personalized Nutrition (PN) involves tailoring dietary recommendations and advice to individual characteristics, such as genetics, metabolism, health status, and personal preferences. Based on an individual’s unique needs and goals, personalized nutrition incorporates scientific evidence to customize nutritional plans that optimize health outcomes and promote behavior changes (Adams, 2020). Personalized nutrition highlights the need for better adherence to dietary and lifestyle goals. 
4. Mindful Eating involves making conscious food decisions, developing an awareness of physical vs. psychological hunger and fullness cues, and making healthy food choices in response to those cues (Warren, 2017). Mindful eating encourages a conscious approach to eating habits, promoting a sustainable, health-conscious diet. By tuning into physical hunger and fullness cues, individuals can better manage their food intake, enhancing overall nutrition and well-being.

You can incorporate any of these approaches into your daily routine in order to experience benefits in both your mental and physical well-being. When choosing foods to support your mood, make sure you listen to your body and find the right approach for you. This might involve experimenting with different strategies to discover what works best with your lifestyle, preferences, and health goals.

Nutritious Summer Options: The Perfect Time

With an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available from farmers’ markets, gardens, and local produce stands, summer is an ideal season to incorporate nutrient-rich foods into your diet. From berries and peaches to cucumbers and tomatoes, these seasonal foods are refreshing and hydrating, making them the perfect choice for hot days. With my favorite fruits in season, I’ve been able to make more mindful and healthy choices when I need a treat.

By making these mindful choices about your nutrition, such as opting for fresh produce and reducing processed foods, you can choose foods that support your mood and create sustainable eating habits for the future. Investing in your nutrition can support a balanced and fulfilling lifestyle while enhancing both your physical and mental well-being!

Have more questions about self-care or feel ready to start therapy in California today? Schedule a session with one of our therapists! You can schedule online here!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post! Have more topics you’d like us to blog about? Contact us and we’ll be sure to include your topic in a future post.

References

Adams, S. H., Anthony, J. C., Carvajal, R., Chae, L., Khoo, C. S. H., Latulippe, M. E., Matusheski, N. V., McClung, H. L., Rozga, M., Schmid, C. H., Wopereis, S., & Yan, W. (2020). Perspective: Guiding Principles for the Implementation of Personalized Nutrition Approaches That Benefit Health and Function. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 11(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz086

Cleveland Clinic. (2024). What is the Mediterranean diet? https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16037-mediterranean-diet 

Lachance, L., & Ramsey, D. (2015). Food, mood, and brain health: implications for the modern clinician. Missouri Medicine, 112(2), 111–115.

Ohlhorst, S. D., Russell, R., Bier, D., Klurfeld, D. M., Li, Z., Mein, J. R., Milner, J., Ross, A. C., Stover, P., & Konopka, E. (2013). Nutrition research to affect food and a healthy life span. The Journal of Nutrition, 143(8), 1349–1354. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.180638

Pes, G. M., Dore, M. P., Tsofliou, F., & Poulain, M. (2022). Diet and Longevity in the Blue Zones: A set-and-forget issue?. Maturitas, 164, 31–37.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2022.06.004

Warren, J. M., Smith, N., & Ashwell, M. (2017). A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutrition Research Reviews, 30(2), 272–283. doi:10.1017/S0954422417000154