Jun 25, 20204 min read

What Everyone Should Know About Food And Psychology

“As is the food, So is the thought”. Personally, I am a big foodie and loves to try vast varieties of food items.

Earlier, I used to think that food which we consume only affects our physical appearance and our structure but after making a lot of research and experiencing a bit of it myself, I found that the food that we munch also decides that how our brain will function.

Our brain functions 24/7 even when we are asleep. This means that it needs fuel to work continuously.

Take the example of an expensive car, which quality fuel you will use in it?? Of course, premium quality fuel you will use in it. If you will use low-quality fuel in it, then it can cause damage to the engine of the car.

Likewise, the fuel that the brain needs come from the food we eat. As it is working hard, it also needs premium quality food. By premium quality, I don’t mean that go to the market to purchase expensive food items rather than it means munching nutritious food.

Do you know that excessive consumption of junk food is not good for the brain??

When the low premium quality fuel enters the brain, then it has very little potential to get rid of the brain. The ‘low-quality fuel' means processed or refined foods such as diets which are rich in refined sugars.

It will not only cause diabetes in the body of the person who consumes it but it even causes worsening pathological conditions like stress, depression and inflammation.

The food is among one of the factors that decide our nature, mood, behaviour and health. Even, your food and eating habits decide the amount of success and happiness you will earn in life.

When we consume our food as per our requirements, then we will definitely earn success in life because the right kind of food in the right amount not only revitalize energy but also improves our concentration power and makes us happy too.

We all are aware of our diet better than a nutritionist because our brain is sharp-witted enough to remind us about this, which means we have self-discipline.

Once you accomplish this self-discipline in your life, then you just have to practice and implement on a daily basis. So, guys try to attain self-discipline if you need good mental and physical health.

It is scientifically proven that vegetarian eaters lead a more peaceful life than non-vegetarian eaters.

Have you seen the documentary "The Game Changers" ( on Netflix)? , if not go and watch it!! You will definitely come to know about the advantages of vegetarians have over non-vegetarians. Many athletes also follow a plant-based diet which helps them to improve their performance.

It is because a plant-based diet is low in saturated fat and is free of cholesterol due to this more oxygen reaches the muscles. Thus, increasing their output.

So, from today onwards start consuming more amount of vegetarian food and less amount of non-vegetarian food.

It has been noticed that people who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, etc, they indulge more in criminal activities because excessive drinking has the power to lower down the inhibition and increases aggression in one’s mind.

I have personally noticed that when I usually feel exhausted after work, consuming pomegranate or an apple provides me with immediate soothing effect. You can also try this out!! It is because fruits contain minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and iron which fills our body with nutrients, that ultimately helps to burst fatigue throughout the day.

Food Items

Now, I am listing some of the food items that you should consume to improve your mental health:

Glucose: It fills our body with energy and it’s a good fuel for the brain. For example Salads, Rice, Oats, Barley and Soybeans.
Antioxidants: It helps to balance oxidative stress as it can cause damage to the brain. For example Fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables such as Spinach, Broccoli, Lentils, Turnip etc.
Fatty Acids: It increases our memory power. For example Walnuts, Flax seeds, Salmon and usage of coconut oil while cooking not only improves memory power but it is also good for gut due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
Amino Acids: Intake of a protein-rich diet helps to improve our concentration power, uplifts mood and improves our sleep. For example Legumes, Beans, Yogurt, Avocado etc.

Impact of Diet on Mental Health

Diet is crucial for the growth of the brain: Foods rich in Omega -3 and zinc helps in the growth of the brain protein which ultimately increases the connection between the brain cells. On the other hand foods rich in refined sugar and high saturated fat has a negative impact on the brain.
Diet is crucial for a healthy gut: It is true that good eating habits promote the growth of healthy bacteria which will ultimately lead to a healthy gut: These bacteria are present in our intestines which keeps a check on our immune system. So they reduce the chances of inflammation in our body. Diet rich in Probiotic helps to keep our gut healthy. For example, Yoghurt that contains live bacteria in it helps to keep healthy bacterial balance in the gut.

CONCLUSION

So, we conclude that our dietary pattern has a direct impact on our psychology. Our brain depends on the right nutrition. So don’t ever try to jumble that right nutrition otherwise, it will cause serious pathological conditions.

So from today itself munch more vegetarian food and less non-vegetarian food so has to remain healthy.

“People eat meat and think they will become strong, as an ox, forgetting that the ox eats grass”.

-By Pino Caruso