16. Nutrition

Food for thought

Nutrition, like physical exercise, is rather peripheral in positive psychology, which doesn’t really acknowledge that the human body is an integrated system. This means that food and diet is usually considered more relevant to physical health than to psychological health.

Although there still needs to be much more research linking nutrition to well-being and optimum functioning (the positives), there is growing empirical evidence which links what we eat to mental illnesses such as depression and behavioural problems such as ADHD and antisocial behaviour (the negatives). Whilst individual dietary advice can’t be provided in this chapter, it’s worth reviewing recent research and the basic rules of good nutrition.

A diet lacking certain vitamins, minerals and fatty acids such as fish-oil based omega-3 can lead to depression, anxiety, poor concentration and mood swings, as well as increased aggression. In one study, vitamins and other vital nutrients were added to the otherwise very poor diets of young offenders at a maximum security institution. Researchers found that those who received the supplements committed 25 per cent fewer disciplinary offences in custody than those who had been given a placebo. What’s more, serious violent incidents in the prison were reduced by 40 per cent. Another study found that folic acid supplementation significantly improved the cognitive functions that decline with age. Although it is fair to say that scientific tests of individual nutrients often fail to show any positive effect, this may be because they need to be consumed in conjunction with others, as part of a balanced diet. This would explain why there is scientific evidence that the Mediterranean diet is associated with better cognition.

Poor physical health is often a sign that our eating habits need to be improved, and the same could be said of poor mental health. Many of us like to think that we eat healthily, but our memory can easily catch us out. When we record what we eat as we eat it, we’re often surprised, not only by what we eat, but when and how much.

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Food diary

Experts often recommend that people who are hoping to make changes in their lives start by keeping an activity record. By maintaining a simple food diary in your well-being journal over a couple of days you’ll become much more aware of what you are eating, when, and how you feel about it. Once you have a good understanding of your eating habits, you’ll be in a better position to makes some positive changes.

In your well-being journal, create a table with five columns as shown below.

Date/time

Food/drink consumed

Where

Who with

Thoughts/feelings at the time

e.g. 7.30 am

3 slices of white toast with butter and jam, 2 cups of black coffee

In the bedroom, whilst packing overnight bag for conference

Alone

Feeling rushed, didn’t enjoy the food at all. Still felt hungry on the way to the airport.

Keep the food diary with you and fill it in for a couple of days. At the same time as recording what you eat and drink, it’s helpful to make a note of where you were, and who you were with, as well as what you were thinking and feeling at the time. This may help you to recognize certain triggers or patterns of behaviour, which you weren’t previously unaware of.

If these eating patterns and habits aren’t helpful, for example eating when you’re not hungry, eating the wrong types of food, eating too much, eating when you’re feeling stressed or anxious and so on, you can set goals to change them. Try to fill in the food diary as you go – this makes you more aware of what you’re doing as you do it. It’s also very easy to forget if you leave it till the end of the day. Whatever you do, make sure you’re honest with yourself.

What is a healthy diet?

Diets like Atkins, GI or cabbage soup come and go, but one thing that hasn’t changed much in the past few decades is advice about what constitutes a healthy diet.

A healthy diet should draw on all five major food groups:

People are often told to have a ‘balanced diet’, but that doesn’t mean consuming an equal quantity of each food group. The UK’s National Health Service advises that your daily diet should consist of about one third carbohydrates and one third fruit and vegetables. The remaining third should be split between protein and milk and dairy products, with only a very small amount of your daily intake coming from fatty or sugary foods. Eating a balanced diet means that you’re more likely to be getting all the essential vitamins and minerals without needing additional nutritional supplements. Before changing your diet, or if you’re in doubt, you should speak to your GP or a registered dietician.

There are some vitamins and minerals which, when they’re missing from your diet, can cause low mood and other psychological problems.

Mood-boosting vitamins and minerals

Folic acid is found in liver, green vegetables, oranges and other citrus fruits, beans and yeast extract. Folic acid deficiency is linked with fatigue, confusion and irritability.

Iron comes from red meat, dried fruit, lentils and most dark green leafy vegetables. Iron deficiency is linked to fatigue, irritability, apathy, inability to concentrate and increased depressive symptoms.

Omega-3 from fatty fish, such as mackerel, is essential to the development and function of the brain, but often lacking in the modern diet. Omega-3 deficiency is thought to contribute to the increased incidence of depression and anxiety as well as a wide range of developmental and psychiatric conditions, including dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. Research suggests that omega-3 supplementation may have anti-depressant and mood-stabilizing effects. Note that plant-based omega-3 doesn’t have the same benefits, so check food labels.

Vitamin B12 is found in meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese, eggs and yeast extract. Severe vitamin B12 deficiency results in loss of memory, mental dysfunction and depression.

Vitamin C can be found in peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit. In small studies, high-dose vitamin C supplements have been shown to reduce major depression.

Selenium is present in Brazil nuts, fish, meat and eggs. Selenium is an important mood regulator; some studies have shown that selenium deficiency may increase depression and other negative moods.

Zinc is found in meat, shellfish, milk, dairy foods such as cheese, bread and cereal products such as wheatgerm. Depression is a common symptom of zinc deficiency.

If you do take food supplements, stick to the recommended dosage because some can be harmful if exceeded.

Processed foods

One of the contributors to a poor diet and mental health issues is the consumption of processed and refined foods. Researchers at University College London found that eating a diet high in processed food increases the risk of depression, whereas people eating plenty of vegetables, fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression.

Other food and drink to avoid

To ensure that your diet is rich in vitamins and minerals, there are some foods and drinks which are best avoided, or consumed in small quantities.

  1. Alcohol. Ironically, alcohol is a depressant, even though we often drink to make ourselves feel good! According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, alcohol causes more harm than illegal drugs like heroin and cannabis. Many of us drink responsibly, but many of us don’t.
  2. Caffeine. Most people like their caffeine drinks for the buzz it gives them. What they probably don’t know is that caffeine only works because you get a withdrawal effect when you don’t drink it (such as overnight) which lowers alertness and mood, and decreases performance. Having another caffeine drink reverses these effects, but contrary to popular belief it doesn’t actually boost functioning to above your ‘normal’ levels. Some studies suggest that it can also increase anxiety in susceptible individuals.
  3. Ready meals. Whilst some of these may look healthy, don’t be fooled by the labelling. Home-cooked food, free from preservatives and palate-pleasing added sugar, salt and fat, is usually a healthier option.
  4. Fast food. Whilst some fast food outlets have improved the quality of their products, and offer healthy alternatives, this is not true of all of them.
  5. Crisps. Did you know that the British eat more crisps and other savoury snacks per head than any other European country? Crisp consumption is estimated at 150 packets per person, per year. Crisps are full of hidden nasties such as fat, salt and sugar. Recently the British Heart Foundation campaigned to reduce the amount of crisps eaten by children because of the long-term health impact.
  6. Fizzy drinks. Soft drinks are bad for your teeth as well as your blood pressure.
  7. High glycaemic index (GI) foods. These include white rice, many breakfast cereals and cakes. These foods will give you instant energy but this doesn’t last, leaving you feeling hungry and very quickly searching for another snack.
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A little home cooking

Have another look at your food diary. Can you tell roughly how much of your diet comes from processed and refined foods? Over the next week or so, try to alter the balance, so that you eat fewer pre-packaged foods and more raw fruit and vegetables and home-cooked foods. What difference do you notice in how you feel? Make notes in your well-being journal.

If you find this activity difficult, one great tip is to think ahead. Spend some time planning what you’ll eat for each meal in the coming week, and ensure you have all the necessary ingredients by consulting cookery books or online recipes. Write a shopping list and stick to it when you do the supermarket shop or order online.

If you’re not used to cooking at home, it’s also a good idea to stick to quick and easy recipes first, to build up your confidence and skills. If you have kids, involve them in meal planning, shopping, food preparation and cooking. Even simple foods can taste fabulous when they’re homemade and you’ll soon be able to ditch the microwavable foods altogether and give Jamie Oliver a run for his money!

Having fun with food

As well as eating, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy food. You could organize a meal with a difference for a small group of friends. Share the cost and the fun of preparation by asking each guest to contribute one dish – a starter, an accompaniment to the main course or a pudding. Having an overall regional theme, like Mexican, Greek or Indian will ensure that you end up with a table laden with complementary foods, rather than an ill-matched assortment.

Or why not organize a ‘safari supper’ with some of your neighbours, where each course is prepared and eaten in a different house. Again, agreeing a food theme may help ensure that foods are agreeably co-ordinated, although you may prefer the surprise factor! This is also a fabulous way to get to know your neighbours better and build your social connections.

A third activity you can try in order to squeeze the maximum pleasure out of eating (or drinking) is to savour. For more information, research and activities related to savouring, see Chapter 20.

If you enjoy food, you might also explore the Slow Food movement, which promotes a greater enjoyment of food through a better understanding of its taste, quality and production.

Thinking about the human body as an interconnected system means that we need to take into account the impact of what we eat on how we think and how we behave. Food is a fuel, not just for the body, but for the mind as well.

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