As a society, we are becoming increasingly more comfortable discussing mental health and how we manage it. People have developed various strategies to help cope with their mental health, including physical activity, talking to someone, and listening to music. But did you know that diet can also play a crucial role in stabilizing and maintaining your mental well-being?
Eating right and including fruit in your diet can help preserve your brain and maybe even help with issues like anxiety and depression. Scientists have found a link between eating fruit and higher psychological health. This means that the opposite is true when we eat savory, low-nutrient snacks our psychological health is generally lower.
How is this possible you may ask? When we consume nutrient-rich foods that provide essential minerals and vitamins our bodies need to function, we have more energy to meet the demands of the day. Thus resulting in us feeling accomplished and good about ourselves. Conversely, eating processed foods may curb our hunger, but they don’t supply the vital nutrients we need to thrive. This can leave us feeling tired, sluggish, anxious, and depressed.
According to Dr. Mill Etienne, fruits are a rich source of antioxidants which can help prevent degenerative changes in the brain. These antioxidants reduce free radicals and oxidative stress on neural tissue. Fruits are also a healthy source of carbohydrates which is a great source of fuel for the brain. This doctor explains that his favorite fruits to eat daily are those that are rich in antioxidants such as dark berries.