Nutrition for Overall Well-Being
Healthy habits for mental health
Nutrition is not only important for physical health, but also has significant effects on mood and mental well-being. Lacking certain nutrients may impact the quality of our mental health. Americans are often deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids and patients experiencing mental health issues are often exceptionally deficient.
Nutrient dense foods
Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, and magnesium deficiencies seem to be some of the most common and have been linked to symptoms of depression, diabetes, heart disease, and bone health. Eating a diet rich in these vitamins and minerals may help improve associated symptoms or prevent worsening of chronic conditions.
Ideally, eating a well-balanced diet that includes lean meats, fish, eggs, and olive oil; green leafy vegetables like spinach; whole grains like quinoa; nuts and seeds like walnuts, almonds, and flax; and a rainbow of other fruits and vegetables will ensure that you are getting good sources of all essential vitamins and minerals.
What about supplements?
But let’s be honest, there are often days that including as many of these items just is not possible. Supplements can help to meet some of these requirements and often effectively reduce patients' symptoms.
You can improve physical and mental health by focusing on their nutritional well-being. Encouraging people to give priority to health-promoting diets and attempt to limit caffeine, exclude or reduce the intake of processed foods, soft drinks, and refined sugars can promote physical and mental health.
Providers within mental health services have a crucial role to play in assisting such change and reminding their patients of the importance of pursuing a healthy and balanced diet.
Click to learn more about our personalized nutrition counseling or request an appointment online today!
Helpful resources on nutrition
Evidence of the Importance of Dietary Habits Regarding Depressive Symptoms and Depression
The Impact of Nutrients on Mental Health and Well-Being: Insights From the Literature
Food for thought: the importance of nutritional well-being during COVID-19
Nutritional therapies for mental disorders
Healthy eating tips for the whole family
About Two Roads Wellness Clinic
At Two Roads Wellness Clinic, we want to help you find the path that makes a difference in your life. We’re an integrative health clinic offering a vast array of services including, mental health treatments such as EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), expressive arts therapy, family therapy, medication management, primary care, integrative nutritional support including genetic nutritional counseling, life coaching, massage therapy, physical therapy, infrared sauna services, community education and outreach, and more.
The Two Roads Wellness Clinic team of therapists, medical and nutrition staff, massage therapists, life coaches, physical therapists, and emotional support animals are ready to help you find an integrated approach to your wellness. To schedule an appointment, visit our contact page, to get started at one of our convenient locations in Champaign, Danville, or Mahomet.