Diet and Mood

Last week, I discussed sugar and its insulin response in the body.  While the focus then was on weight gain and compulsive eating habits, this week I found more related to the same subject.  In an article titled, “Can Your Diet Prevent Mood Disorders,” I learned that the sugars, grains, and starches that raise insulin levels and lead to insulin resistance, are linked to depression and aggression.  This chemical response can happen long before any symptoms of diabetes or pre-diabetes.

As discussed last week, excessive insulin release in response to a high sugar diet leads to low blood sugar levels also known as hypoglycemia.  This causes your brain to release the hormone glutamate.  High levels of glutamate can cause agitation, depression, anger, anxiety, and panic attacks.  While the standard approach for these conditions is to prescribe a medication to suppress the brain chemicals, please remember that the ultimate cause is from diet and lifestyle.

Research shows a strong connection to brain health and a healthy gut.  In fact, the greatest concentration of serotonin, which is involved with mood control, depression and aggression, is found in your intestines, not your brain.  This is one of the many reasons why diet is so important for mental health.  In addition to reducing sugar, there are numerous other dietary strategies that can improve mood.  Hopefully you recall from other articles how vitamin D is critical as a precursor for many other hormones.  Likewise, Omega-3 fats such as those found in fish oil have been found to work just as well as antidepressants without any side effects.  Low levels of Omega-3 fats are associated with low amount of brain serotonin and dopamine and even blood flow to the brain.  All three of these factors are associated with depression and even suicide.

Given this information, the advice seems clear: reduce the sugars and starches and make sure you get proper supplementation of vitamin D and omega 3 fats to enjoy optimal mental health.