Study: Your food choices can impact your mood
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 23-08-2019
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A new study suggests that what we choose to eat influences our emotional being too. Umadevi Naidoo, director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston said, "Research shows that what you eat does impact your mood."
A study that has been published in the European Journal of Nutrition concluded that when people suffering from depression scored high on the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (eating a diet based on nuts, whole grains, produce, and omega-3 fatty acids), the chances of their depression symptoms recurring for an 11-year period went down.
About 16 other studies were analysed and published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. Covering about 446,000 people, they echoed that people consuming a healthy diet (veggie-based or one rich in fibres) had lower chances of experiencing depression symptoms. While it's difficult to trace till what extent our food choices influence our moods, patterns are emerging from various studies.
It's a common phrase that roughly translates roughly into "are you brave enough (to do something)". Why so? Because our gastrointestinal system is connected to your brain and influences emotions.
When the microbiomes of 2,000 adults were studied, those showing symptoms of depression were found to have lower levels of 'good' gut bacteria. This study was published in the journal Nature Microbiology. Thus, our microbiomes (the good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract) are specifically important.