“As
you know, the brain controls behavior.”
--from
The Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment Diet by Richard S. Isaacson, MD and
Christopher N. Ochner, PhD, 2016
May
is Mental Health Awareness Month. On a
daily and weekly basis, some of the mental health issues I encounter include:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD)
- Anxiety disorders
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Bipolar (manic-depressive)
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Social anxiety
- Schizophrenia
Ten
years ago, if you would have asked me about my knowledge of the above mental health issues, I
would have told you I knew very little about them. In my work today, I am surrounded by clients
with all these diagnoses.
One
reason why mental health issues are more prevalent today is due to increased recognition and awareness.
In some disorders, however, there may be other reasons why they
are increasing: too much intake of added sugars, artificial sugars,
food dyes, and convenience foods containing highly processed and artificial ingredients.
As a
lifelong student of nutrition, I know there is a connection between physical and mental health. The foods we eat are key to both. When was the last time your physician – or
your kids’ pediatrician - asked you about sugar intake, including the artificial
sugars found in diet sodas? When was the last time your doctor prescribed
eating whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables and avoiding added sugars and
processed foods?
As
we learn to feed our brains (and bodies) daily doses of anti-inflammatory foods
(such as green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, purple and blue
vegetables and fruits containing the pigment anthocyanin such as blueberries, blackberries,
black rice, and red cabbage) and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids (such as
wild salmon, walnuts, and flax seeds), we provide our brains (and bodies) with
the fuel to prevent diseases and in some cases, I strongly believe, improve
outcomes of some mental health disorders.
I believe there is a key role in mental health services for talking
about how eating whole foods (whole grains, vegetables and fruits) and avoiding
processed foods and high sugar foods can improve our brain health and our
behaviors.
| Walnut-encrusted salmon |
 |
| Notice how the walnut looks like the brain? God's Pharmacy! |
Here
are 12 foods that contribute to a healthy brain – and body:
- Avocados (these contain unsaturated fats, the “good” fat)
- Blueberries and other blue and purple fruits and vegetables (blackberries,
- Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and watercress)
- Eggs
- Leafy greens (such as spinach, kale, swiss chard, arugula)
- Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts)
- Olive oil
- Quinoa (this seed is known as the “Mother Grain” and is a complete protein)
- Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, hemp)
- Walnuts (and other nuts such as pistachios, pecans, and hazelnuts)
- Wild salmon (and other fatty fish)
- Yogurt
With
love and gratitude,
Nancy
L. Heinrich, MPH
Founder,
Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
