After Hours
FOOD
Feed Your Mood What you eat can change how you feel
AS THE DAYS GET SHORTER and the weather chillier, our moods oſten go south. We can’t always go south to replenish, but we can eat to impact our
Salmon
mental health. There is limited evidence on precisely
what foods do for our emotional state — “it’s a very new area” of research, says Grace Wong, a Calgary-based registered dietitian who has worked with people with mental health and addiction issues. Also, nutrition is difficult to study in isolation from other factors. We know, however, that people who eat healthfully have better overall mental and physical health, and the nutrients in food help the brain function effectively. Carbs break down into glucose, which feeds our brains. Proteins break down into amino acids, which “play a role in brain chemistry and impact neurotransmitters like serotonin,” says Wong. Our brains also need a wide range
of vitamins and minerals to function; B vitamins in particular have a mental health connection. You can get B-1 (thiamine) in flaxseed and black beans, B-6 in chickpeas and tuna, B-9 (folate) in spinach and asparagus, and B-12 in
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fortified cereals and salmon. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as salmon may help feed positive moods. One 2014 study found that countries where people eat more fish experience a lower impact from mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. So-called superfoods such as nuts, kale and blueberries are linked to better emotional states, likely because they are high in healthy vitamins and minerals. One 2017 study found young adults and children had better moods aſter consuming a blueberry drink. “From nutritional research we know mega doses of a single nutrient aren’t magic bullets,” Wong says. To support your mood, you’re better off eating a balanced diet to get an array of brain-friendly nutrients.
Spinach
Be mindful that it’s not just what you eat that matters, but when. Skipping meals can cause your mood to slip; “you have less resilience in the face of stress,” says Wong. Eat carbohydrates every few hours to stay on a more even keel. — Diane Peters
Blueberries
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