🥗 Healthy Eating for a Healthy Mind

What you eat affects how you feel! A balanced diet can boost mood, reduce stress, and lower the risk of depression.

🍎 Fruits & Veggies = Happiness

Eating 7–8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily is linked to:

  • 😊 Positive emotions and happiness

  • 🌟 Life satisfaction and optimism

  • 🎨 Creativity & curiosity

  • 💡 Meaning and purpose in life

Why? These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre that protect brain cells, reduce inflammation, and support healthy gut bacteria.

carrots and leeks
carrots and leeks

🍞 Carbs & Your Brain – But Not All Carbs Are Equal

Your brain uses glucose as its main fuel, and carbohydrates supply it. But the type of carbohydrate matters:

  • Whole carbs (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes):

    • Release energy slowly → stable blood sugar

    • Improve mood, reduce fatigue and anxiety

    • Linked to lower risk of depression

  • Refined carbs & added sugars:

    • Cause blood sugar spikes and crashes → irritability, anxiety

    • Long-term: associated with stress, poor mental health, and depression

Examples of refined sugars:

  • White sugar

  • Brown sugar

  • High-fructose corn syrup

  • Sweeteners in fizzy drinks

  • Cakes, biscuits, pastries

  • Chocolate bars

  • Sweets and confectionery

  • Sugary breakfast cereals

Tip:

  • Choose slow-release carbs like oats, brown rice, beans, and whole fruit for steady energy and calmness.

  • Pair carbs with protein and healthy fats (e.g., nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish):

    • Slows absorption → steadier blood sugar

    • Prevents energy dips → better mood and less anxiety

🍬 Why Sugar Isn’t Sweet for Your Mood

  • Added sugars give a quick boost, then a crash.

  • Diets high in sugary snacks and processed foods:

    • Increase stress and anxiety

    • Raise risk of depression over time

the word stop spelled out of marshmallows in a bowl
the word stop spelled out of marshmallows in a bowl
vegetable salad in white ceramic bowl
vegetable salad in white ceramic bowl

🦠 Gut Health Matters – Your Second Brain

Did you know your gut is often called your “second brain”? That’s because it communicates directly with your brain through the gut-brain axis and plays a major role in mental health.

💬 Serotonin Starts in the Gut

  • Around 90–95% of your body’s serotonin (the “feel-good” chemical) is produced in the gut, not the brain.

  • Serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep, and stress response.

  • A healthy gut microbiome is essential for serotonin production and signaling.

🧬 Why Gut Bacteria Matter

  • Gut microbes influence:

    • Mood and anxiety levels

    • Stress regulation

    • Cognition and social behavior

  • They do this by:

    • Modulating serotonin neurotransmission

    • Supporting BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) for brain plasticity

    • Regulating immune function and inflammation

🍏 Diet’s Role in Gut Health

  • Fibre-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes):

    • Feed beneficial bacteria

    • Increase production of short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate), linked to better mood and quality of life

  • Healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, seeds) support gut lining integrity

  • Ultra-processed foods and saturated fats:

    • Increase gut permeability (“leaky gut”)

    • Promote harmful bacteria → linked to anxiety and depression

✅ Bottom line: A healthy gut microbiome = better serotonin production = improved mood and mental well-being.

a man wearing a yellow mask
a man wearing a yellow mask
a close up of a cell phone with a black background
a close up of a cell phone with a black background
vegetable and meat on bowl

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