The mind–food connection by PCOS Dietician in Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi
The mind–food connection
Depression and anxiety, widespread mental health issues, have historically been studied from a perspective that overlooks the role of diet. One of the biggest takeaways from my research on improving mental health outcomes, and from the colleagues I was lucky to work with on the topic, is how crucial the interplay between poor nutrition and mental health is.
Emerging research has shone a light on this relationship and surprised a lot of people. For instance, the SMILES trial gave participants with severe depression a Mediterranean diet intervention and saw promising results, with participants exhibiting a 30 per cent reduction in depression symptoms after just three months. This phenomenal impact is likely mediated by the gut–brain connection, which hinges on the gut microbiota, whose balance can influence our mood.
Stress-driven cravings are exacerbated by the environment ‘Big Food’ has created, with products meticulously crafted to maximize our short-term pleasure, often at the cost of our long-term health.
Despite the challenges posed by our food environments, the silver lining lies in our individual agency to make informed…
—
Every Body Should Know This
I PCOS Dietician in Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi choose to eat nice, fresh clean healthy food and walk as much as I can, building that time into my day as a priority and also carving out time to strength-train. As we discussed earlier, sometimes there aren’t enough hours in a day to do everything, but consistently investing time over years and decades is what results in a good return of investment. Some weeks are better than others and some years are dreadful because things that are out of our control happen all the time. But consistency and accountability are key, especially when looking after our health.
I hope it’s clear now that making a change to your diet and lifestyle can make a huge difference, no matter where you are on your life journey. You can enrich your life and your plate with plenty of delicious plant-based foods, getting more fibre through these foods to help you feel happy and full, and lots of health-optimizing vitamins, minerals and high-quality protein from nuts, seeds, legumes and beans, whole grains and good quality fish and eggs.
Making movement part of every day by walking more, gardening, dancing or lifting weights, finding ways to move your body that bring you joy, and investing in time spent with family and friends at the same time is another wonderful way to put more life in your years.
Starting tomorrow, add some beans to your plate, some buckwheat or barley, some mushrooms and some nuts (if you’re not allergic). Most of us don’t make these simple additions to our diet and they are proven to benefit our overall health.
Pcos Dietician in Mumbai Geetanjali Mengi
Geetanjali- The Voice of Healthcare- a Reg, Clinical Dietician Nutritionist, Wellness-Speaker, Author, Anchor, Wellness Expert, Pod-caster, Blogger, You tuber is based in Mumbai
