Food and Mental Health [Infographic]

Earlier this month, I wrote about food to avoid when depressed. To recap, you should avoid processed food, caffeine, soy, trans fat, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners. That post is by no means an exhaustive list of food to avoid if you know that you have depression, but it’s a good place to start.

Today, I found an infographic focusing on the topic. Titled “It’ll Go to Your Head: Food and Mental Health”, the infographic basically mentions certain kinds of food that affect the state of our mental health.

Here’s a text summary of the graphic.

Summary

Mental health at a glance

1 in 5 Americans have mental illness
16 million Americans have major depression
Depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide
60% of people with mental issues do not seek help

Food that help balance chemicals in the brain

Fatty fish – the good kind of fat; examples are salmon, sardines, mackerel, and sardines
Whole grains
Lean protein – fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, and beans
Yoghurt – probiotics
Leafy greens

Food to avoid

Just like I mentioned last time:

Sugary drinks
Too much caffeine
High-fat food

An important detail to remember: do not skip breakfast! Even if you are a “no breakfast person”, you really ought to eat something in the morning especially if you suffer from depression. The reason for this is that breakfast stabilizes sugar and metabolism rates, leading to better mental balance. Do you want to feel mentally better? Eat breakfast.