While none of these foods is good for people looking for mental health tips, they are good for your mental health overall. Sur,e they might not help you get better but some of them might help you feel a little better in the short term (always seek professional advice if you are having mental health difficulties)…
When it comes to eating fish to improve your mental health you need to be careful what fish you eat and the things you have with it. It is all about those omega-3s and the higher the number it has the better it is for your mental health. Just be aware if you are taking MAOI you need to avoid smoked foods like haddock and it can cause confliction between the food and the medication
Whole Grains
If you enjoy a bowl of porridge in the morning you are already halfway there. Just stick to things like brown bread, beans and soy and you will have this covered.
Lean Protein
If you suffer from depression you need to consider eating more turkey, chicken, eggs or beans because these foods contain the most lean protein. It is all about something called “serotonin” and some people even go so far as to call it “nature’s Prozac”.
Leafy Greens
While leafy greens like spinach won’t make you physically stronger as they did to Popeye, they might make you a lot stronger mentally and that is where true inner strength belongs. This food group is things like turnips, cabbages and broccoli.
Nuts
While not all nuts are good for you it is ones that contain high levels of selenium that are the best for your mental health. Walnuts and brazil nuts are perfect for this and the perfect between meal snack for those of us who get a little peckish.
Yoghurts
You really need to be careful when it comes to eating yoghurt because more and more of them on the supermarket shelves are dessert treats rather than healthy yoghurts with things like active cultures. So make sure you know what you are eating and what else it might contain.
Onions
There are so many great ways to enjoy onions and the fact that they contain high levels of selenium (this helps people who suffer from depression, anxiety and fatigue) makes them the perfect meal accompaniment.
Fruit
While most fruit is good for you some fruit juices are not what you might think so do read the labelled ingredients carefully. Something else to consider is those on anti-anxiety medication as it can affect the way that enzymes break down these medications and might weaken their effects.
Liver
Before you shut down the very idea of eating liver you should know that liver is VERY high in B12! You don’t have to eat it raw as there are lots of ways you can enjoy it from spreads to stews. While this is a love it or hate it food its health benefits are almost unmatched in the meat group.
Chia seeds, sesame seeds and even poppy seeds are all high in levels of omega 3 and any of them make the perfect snack between meals. And sadly a burger with a sesame seed bun doesn’t count quite as much as a snack bar made with them.
