The diet for mental and physical health that puts the mood in the foreground

Thanks to the deep connection between psyche e supply, mental well-being begins at the table. At the base of the diet with a positive contribution on psychophysical health are the foods of the Mediterranean Diet, the so-called mood food which, unlike comfort food, not only provide momentary satisfaction thanks to their sweet nature, but also act on the emotional state by virtue of their nutritional richness.

Mood can affect eating behaviors, but food also affects mood: “Many scientists have underlined the existence of solid associations between the quality of diet and mental health, reporting evidence that indicates a protective effect of healthy nutritional styles on mood: in practice, proper nutrition can improve mood “, says Giuseppe Fatati, President of the Nestlé Observatory and president of the Italian Obesity Network. “There is an inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and depression or anxiety: the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower the likelihood of developing mental illness in the following years».

A new studio that Nestle commissioned to Toluna on a sample of 2,000 people aged 18 to 64, verified the change in behavior implemented by people in recent months. Changes, mainly due to social distancing, which have not only changed habits, but have caused psychological distress, for many resulting in the so-called “hut syndrome“, That is the fear of going out, of leaving one’s home and one’s comfort zone, a place of physical and emotional safety. According to nutritional psychiatry, recovering mental well-being is possible starting from nutrition. “Food increases muscle trophism and mood and therefore the ability to overcome stress,” says Fatati. “It is important to choose foods from the Mediterranean diet that improve the intestinal microbiota, on which the production of serotonin and consequently the mood depends.».

A healthy diet promotes a healthy gut, which communicates with the brain through what is known as the gut-brain axis. Bacteria in the gut produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and emotions.

The diet for psychophysical health is based on two general principles: the variation and color of food to be able to take as much as possible of polyphenols, rich in antioxidants. Food is not a drug, but it is capable of establishing a virtuous circle of well-being and a healthy lifestyle. A fundamental aspect also in children and young children. Throughout theadolescence, indeed, the prefrontal lobe region is still under construction. This is the area dedicated to processing the acquired data, thinking and identifying the best behavior to keep in certain situations. Here’s why this it is the phase in which to send correct messages also from the food point of view.

Large observational studies may only show correlations between food and mental health, but not causation, which begs the question: which comes first? Do anxiety and depression push people to choose unhealthy foods or vice versa? Are people who are happy and optimistic more motivated to consume nutritious foods?

One studio that shed light on the food-mood connection was published in 2017. A team of researchers tried to figure out if changing diet helped alleviate depression. They involved 67 clinically depressed people and divided them into groups: one was supported by a dietician, while the other who acted as a control, had social support, but no dietary advice. Both groups were used to eating junk food and low-nutrient foods, and all continued to take their prescribed anti-depressant medications. After 12 weeks, mean depression scores had improved in both groups, but to a greater extent in the healthy diet group: about one-third of these people were no longer classified as depressed, compared with 8% of people in the group. control.

Food, therefore, just like other healthy behaviors such as rest, can positively affect psychophysical health. This does not mean that those who follow a healthy lifestyle are necessarily always well, but nutrition is an aspect that we can control and it is a gesture of support and self-care that can be practiced every day.