Is what we eat important to our mental well-being?

We all know that fuelling our bodies in the best way has to make sense, after all we fuel our car and our phones with what they need to operate and wouldn't expect to them to operate if we didn't. So why is it so difficult to do the same for ourselves and does this affect our mental health?

I don't think there are enough results from research yet to really answer this and more research is needed to understand the link between food and mental wellbeing, but I believe there are a few important things to note...

Epidemiological research has noticed that sticking to healthy or Mediterranean dietary patterns—high consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and pulses; moderate consumption of poultry, eggs, and dairy products; and only occasional consumption of red meat—is associated with a reduced risk of depression. There may be more than one reason for this. Studies have found that Mediterranean dietary patterns can reduce markers of inflammation in humans. The opposite effect of high calorie meals high in saturated fat appear to stimulate immune activation. These inflammatory effects of a diet high in calories and saturated fat have been proposed as a way in which the Western diet may have detrimental effects on brain health, including cognitive decline, hippocampal dysfunction, and damage to the blood-brain barrier. As many mental health conditions, including mood disorders, have been linked to heightened inflammation, this mechanism also presents a pathway through which poor diet could increase the risk of depression.

There is also lots of research happening looking at gut health and the relationship to our mood. It would appear that this can be a contributing factor.

This healthy way of fuelling our body, goes hand in hand with physical wellbeing, but can be difficult to maintain for many reasons. There are obvious factors such as finances, time, medication and physical wellbeing, hormones, age and our general human need to "comfort eat" that may play a role in this.

I believe that it may all come down to being as simple as moderation. We all enjoy a treat and this can be an important part of our lives and should not be underestimated. Helping ourselves to live well in the best way that we can will change daily and we have to just do the best that we can each day.