I have recently noticed that many of the patients who come to the clinic suffer from mental disorders. That have affected their nutritional health, such as weight loss or excessive gain, macro- and micronutrient deficiencies, and increased or lost appetite; This has led to their inability to follow the therapeutic nutrition plan provided to them, and this is due to the importance of the relationship between mental health and therapeutic nutrition.
Scientists have demonstrated, through clinical studies, the direct relationship between the brain and the gut, which explains why the gut is called the “second brain”. This is because they contain a large number of neurotransmitters that secrete, in addition to a strain of intestinal bacteria, “good and friendly bacteria”.
The brain is connected to the digestive system via the vagus nerve, and the brain is connected to gut bacteria via a two-way link called the “gut-brain axis.”
And if we talk about food, we will find that it is one of the things that influences and is influenced by mood, negatively and positively, as human feelings are influenced by the quality of food and feelings influence the selection of food and its quantity.
So what is mental health? It is a state of psychological well-being that enables an individual to cope with the pressures of life, realize their potential, learn, work well and contribute effectively to society.
As for mental illness, it is defined as a syndrome with significant effects on the patient’s perception or ability to control their feelings or behaviors. Reflecting a psychological, biological or developmental defect, and mental illness often accompanies obvious social or functional difficulties and problems.
There are several factors that influence mental health, including: genetic factors, biological factors and hormonal changes, environmental and social factors, factors associated with organic diseases, factors related to lifestyle and nutrition.
Since food is half the cure, there are nutrients classified as antidepressants and psychotics: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1, B6, B9, B12, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, and omega-3s.
Be sure, reader, that your mental health is tied to what goes into your stomach, for there is a two-way communication between the brain and the digestive system, as 70% of neurotransmitters are synthesized in the gut and the microbes in the gut. intestines communicate with the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain.
