A prescription for… kiwi?
Have you ever been told that “food is your medicine?” According to a study at UCLA, it quite literally can be. It’s no secret that healthy eating is important, but did you know that:
- Salmon, walnuts, and kiwi protect against depression, mood disorders, and schizophrenia?
- You’re at a greater risk for ADD, depression, bipolar, and even schizophrenia if you have an omega-3 dietary deficiency?
- Omega-3s actually increase verbal intelligence, learning, and memory? (someone should have told me that years ago — maybe I would have done better in organic chemistry…)
- Your diet can effect the mental health of your grandchildren?
- Junk food decreases cognitive function? (and we’re not just talking sugar-comas)
You hear about the physical benefits of omega-3s, folic acid, etc. all the time… but not as often about their relationship with mental health (and illness).
These findings also demonstrate the self-perpetuating nature of eating disorders… eating less can just contribute to depression, which often results in more disordered eating… so, you have the original contributing factors + low body weight (resulting in increased anxiety/depression, OCD, etc.) + malnutrition (and all the cognitive negatives). That’s a lot working against you!
This news also has a lot of potential for “alternative medicine” treatment. I think that psych meds are very over-prescribed… and they come with so many side effects that eating fish sounds like a much better option (or at least a good adjunctive treatment).
Technorati Tags: anorexia, bulimia, eating disorder, mental illness, mental health, alternative medicine, diet and memory, UCLA, food and the brain, diet and mental illness, depression
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[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThis news also has a lot of potential for “alternative medicine” treatment. I think that psych meds are very over-prescribed… and they come with so many side effects that eating fish sounds like a much better option (or at least a good … [...]
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[...] [Technorati] Tag results for mental health wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt Kiwis — good for mental health! Have you ever been told that “food is your medicine?” According to a study at UCLA, it quite literally can be. It’s no secret that healthy eating is important, but did you know that: Salmon, walnuts, and kiwi protect against depression, mood disorders, and schizophrenia? You’re at a greater risk for ADD, depression, bipolar, and even schizophrenia if you have an omega-3 dietary deficiency? Omega-3s actually increase verbal intelligence, learning, and memory? [...]
Good job! There is a great secret to lifting mood that works wondefully! It was in the Wall Street Journal, and I tried it, and it really worked!
I write for http://www.ManUpMen.wordpress.com to help people through midlife crisis, and I really appreciate your blog!
John Bryan Stone
I think there is a lot to be said for using food as medicine, especially in mental health. I wish there were more studies on them, but I know for me omega-3s help keep my depression at bay and improves my good in general. I’ve also found evening primrose to help as well.
in third world countries, mental health is never a priority.::`
mental health is of course very important but most people just ignore it and focus more on their body ‘*: