Emotional, irrational, and even explosive remarks in public discourse have escalated in recent years. This may be due to social media. But are there any other implications that change your communication style?
As a researcher in the field of nutrition and mental health, and as the author of “The Better Brain,” we recognize that many people in our society are experiencing brain starvation that impairs cognitive function and emotional regulation. ..
Super processed product
Obviously, we are not deficient in micronutrients. North Americans tend to get enough protein, fat (although not usually the best fat), and carbohydrates (usually not good complex carbs). However, we are fooled by those who eat a lot of micronutrients (minerals and vitamins), especially super-processed foods.
Super-processed products include soft drinks, packaged snacks, sweetened breakfast cereals, and chicken nuggets. They generally contain only small amounts of micronutrients, unless they are fortified with selected vitamins and minerals.
Three published analyzes from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey and the 2018 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed these cool statistics. In Canada, in 2004, 48% of all ages’ caloric intake came from super-processed products. In the United States, the situation was exacerbated by the fact that 67% of children aged 2 to 19 years consumed and 57% of adults consumed in 2018 were super-processed products.
Most of us recognize that what we eat is a major health problem, as dietary quality is associated with chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. increase. Few people know how nutrition affects brain health.
Micronutrients and Mental Health Symptoms
Given the very strong shift in food choices in our society to ultra-processed products, micronutrient intake affects mental health symptoms, especially hypersensitivity, explosive anger and unstable mood. It is important to understand what to give.
The basis of the scientific evidence for this statement is now vast, but most people are not familiar with it, as it is rarely mentioned in the media. According to 12 studies from countries such as Canada, Spain, Japan and Australia, people who eat a healthy whole food diet have more symptoms of depression and anxiety than those who eat a poor diet (mainly super-processed products). It has been shown to be low.
Correlation studies cannot prove that nutritional choices are the cause of mental health problems. To that end, we turn to some compelling prospective longitudinal studies. In these studies, people without obvious mental health problems participate in the study, assess their health and dietary patterns, and then follow up over time. Some of the results were amazing.
In a study that followed about 89,000 people in Japan for 10 to 15 years, the suicide rate of those who ate a whole food diet was half that of those who ate an unhealthy diet. This discovery may provide important new directions not yet covered by current suicide prevention programs.
In Canada, another study predicts whether children will be referred to a diagnosis of mental illness in the next two years, depending on how they eat and follow other health guidelines for exercise and screening time. Became clear. In this study, the children were 10 to 11 years old. The findings provide a strong reason why nutrition education should be one of the front lines of treatment for children facing mental illness.
Sensitivity and unstable mood often characterize depression, so multiple independent studies teach people with depression who have consumed a relatively poor diet how to switch to a Mediterranean-style diet. It is related to the discovery that has brought about significant improvements. Mediterranean-style diets are usually high in unsaturated fats such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seafood, and olive oil.
In one such study, about one-third of people who switched to a Whole Foods diet in addition to their usual treatment found that depression was in remission after 12 weeks.
The remission rate of the control group who received regular treatment but did not change their diet was less than 1/10. The whole food diet group also reported a cost savings of about 20% on a weekly diet budget. This last point helps dispel the myth that eating a diet of super-processed products is a way to save money.
Several studies evaluated using micronutrient supplements to treat mental health problems have shown that hypersensitivity, explosive anger, and unstable mood can be resolved by improving micronutrient intake. Provided important evidence. Most public perceptions are limited to the unlucky search for magical meal bullets. This is illustrated by media coverage highlighting research focused on a single nutrient at a time. This is a common way to think about causality (problem X requires drug Y), but it’s not the work of our brain.
To support the metabolism of the brain, our brain needs at least 30 micronutrients to ensure the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, and to break down and eliminate metabolic by-products. Many studies have improved mood control with higher micronutrient intake, including placebo-controlled randomized trials in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mood dysregulation, and hypersensitivity and explosive rage. Is known to decrease.
Evidence is clear: a nutritious population can tolerate stress. Hidden brain hunger is one of the correctable factors that contributes to emotional outbursts, aggression, and even loss of politeness in public discourse.
Professor Emeritus of Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada He is a professor of psychology at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. This article was first published on The Conversation.
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