arts&life
eat right now
A
Stacy Goldberg
Columnist
62
ccording to the National
Institute of Mental Health,
one in six adults in the
United States (44.7 million adults
in the year of 2016) struggled with
mental illness. However, consid-
ering that stigma gets in the way
of reporting such challenges, these
numbers are likely underestimated
reflections of reality. In an effort
to de-stigmatize mental health
struggles, NBA stars Kevin Love,
DeMar DeRozan and Kelly Oubre
Jr. openly broke their silence and
spoke out about their own battles
with depression and anxiety.
“Mental health isn’t just an ath-
lete thing,” DeRozan told The Star.
“What you do for a living doesn’t
have to define who you are. This is
an everyone thing. No matter what
our circumstances, we’re all carry-
ing around things that hurt — and
they can hurt us if we keep them
buried inside.”
Often enough, being strong is
entangled with invulnerability.
Therefore, discussing topics relat-
ing to mental health that might still
be viewed as a “taboo” in today’s
society, especially in athletics,
encourages people to be willing
and open to reaching out for help
without feeling shame or guilt.
“I didn’t want people to perceive
me as somehow less reliable as a
teammate, and it all went back to
the playbook I’d learned growing
up: Be strong. Don’t talk about
your feelings. Get through it on
your own,” Love told The Players’
Tribune.
Mental health, mood and well-
being are not only affected by
physical and psychological factors,
October 18 • 2018
jn
but also by proper nutrition. The
human brain is constantly switched
“on” — processing thoughts, emo-
tions, movements and endless
physiological processes 24/7, which
showcases the importance of prop-
erly nourishing and fueling the
brain through one’s diet — whether
you are an NBA athlete, a parent,
a student or just a living, breathing
human being.
Nutrition directly alters brain
function, affecting mood, energy
and mental health. For instance,
consuming highly nutritious foods
packed with vitamins, minerals,
fibers and antioxidants protects the
brain against oxidative damage and
procures it with good quality fuel
to properly carry out its functions.
On the contrary, feeding on
nutrient-poor foods will only tam-
per with brain and bodily process-
es, eventually worsening symptoms
of mood disorders. One’s good
mood results from specific chem-
icals influencing neural responses
in the brain. Factors such as fibers,
probiotics, healthy carbohydrates,
amino acids, vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants have been report-
ed to possess mood-enhancing
properties.
Below is a list of “Good Mood
Foods” scientifically proven to
ameliorate mood by relieving
stress, anxiety, promoting produc-
tivity and releasing mood-boosting
neurotransmitters (dopamine,
oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins,
catecholamine) in the brain.
GOOD MOOD FOOD
• Probiotics + Fermented Foods:
pickles, kombucha, sauerkraut,
sourdough, kimchi, miso, tempeh,
yogurt (probiotic-enriched).
• Fiber: whole grains (amaranth,
buckwheat, barley, oats, rye, bul-
gur); legumes (beans, chickpeas,
peanuts, lentils); dark leafy green
vegetables (turnip greens, spinach,
Swiss chard); cruciferous vegeta-
bles (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cauliflower); nuts and
seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews,
pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds,
flax seeds, chia seeds); berries.
• Mediterranean Diet Foods/
Healthy Fats: olive or canola oil,
herbs and spices, fatty fish and sea-
food (such as salmon), plant-based
foods (fruits, vegetables, whole-
grains, nuts).
• Green Tea & Matcha
• Turmeric
• Dark Chocolate & Cocoa
• Lean Proteins: seafood, skinless
chicken or turkey breast, less than
90-percent lean grass-fed beef,
legumes, tofu.
• Coffee in moderation — no
more than 400 mg/day which is
equal to 4 cups of brewed coffee —
depending on type/brand.
Just as some foods promote
better mental health and improve
mood, other foods do the exact
opposite. Research has shown that
high-sugar, high-fat and highly
processed nutrient-poor foods are
more commonly consumed by
individuals with anxiety, depres-
sion and high levels of chronic
stress. These foods have negative
effects on memory, mood, neu-
rotransmitter production and
inflammation. For instance, pro-
cessed foods and baked goods are
linked to depression, aggression,
anxiety and worsened mental ill-
ness symptoms while high-sugar
foods often promote irritability and
worsened mood. Here is a compre-
hensive list of “Bad Mood Foods”
explaining the rationale behind
negative effects these foods have on
mental health and wellbeing.
BAD MOOD FOOD
• Excess Coffee/Caffeine &
Alcohol
• High Mercury Fish such as king
mackerel, shark, swordfish and
skipjack tuna.
• High Sugar Beverages (soda,
fruit juice, energy drinks, sports
drinks)
• Aspartame
• High-Sodium Packaged Foods
(deli meat, soups, chips, packaged
desserts, ready-made meals, frozen
foods and salad dressings).
• Refined Carbohydrates (breads,
bagels, pastas, cookies, crackers,
sweets).
Mood and mental wellbeing are
clearly impacted by food choices
and lifestyle habits. A balanced diet
rich in whole grains/vegetables/
fruits and low in caffeine/alcohol
is a useful way to shield against
impaired cognitive functioning,
lowered energy and depressed
mood. After all, a healthy body
equals a healthy mind. ■
Stacy Goldberg is a nationally recognized
nutritional consultant, registered nurse
and the CEO of Savorfull (savorfull.com),
a Detroit-based company that sourc-
es healthy, allergen-friendly foods and
provides nutrition-consulting. Savorfull
is part of the Quicken Loans Family of
Companies.
NO INFORMATION PROVIDED THROUGH STACY GOLDBERG/SAVORFULL IS INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE TAKING ANY MEDICATION OR NUTRITIONAL, HERBAL OR HOMEOPATHIC SUPPLEMENT, OR ADOPTING ANY TREATMENT OR IMPLEMENTING NUTRITIONAL ADVICE FOR A
HEALTH PROBLEM.
The Mental
Health &
Nutrition
Connection