Effects of nutrition on mental health

March 1, 2012 by

Did you watch the movie “SUPER SIZE ME”? Granted, what Morgan Spurlock did to himself might have been a little extreme. On the other hand, it emphasizes how detrimental a diet deficient in micronutrients is not only for our physical but mental health. For those of you who have not seen it yet, the protagonist ate fast food exclusively for 30 days. By merely the end of a month he displayed signs of depression apart from more obvious physical health issues. Health Psychology is a burgeoning field in modern clinical psychology. It stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle, particularly consisting of the three basic components such as adequate sleep, exercise and nutrition. In order for the human brain to function properly it requires certain vitamins and other micronutrients. Among those best researched are Vitamin B, C, D, and E as well as Omega 3 fatty acids. Of the latter, EPA appears to be the most important fatty acid in correlation with depression. Deficiencies in any of these micronutrients appear to correlate with mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, and premature cognitive decline as seen in Alzheimer’s dementia. For more in depth reading and suggestions on how to ensure sufficient micronutrient intake I like to refer to Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s body of work and research. He is a medical doctor who is a renowned capacity for the establishment and maintenance of wellness through a superior nutritional approach. An informative website with scientific references about the mentioned connections is: www.diseaseproof.com . You can click on links like ‘Alzheimer’s Disease’, ‘Depression’, or ‘ADHD’ to further your understanding. You will find citations for peer reviewed research underneath each respective article.

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Filed Under: Mental Wellness, Nutrition
About Udo Fischer

My name is Udo Fischer and I have been practicing psychotherapy in Naples for five years. Trained in clinical psychology and neuropsychology in Europe I further deepened my skills at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Philadelphia. In Germany I conducted research with Prof. Dr. Rainer Sachse, a thought leader in the treatment of somatoform and personality disorders. A second mentor was Prof. Dr. Dietmar Schulte, president of the German Behavior Therapy Association and leading researcher for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.
Besides resolving clinical issues I apply a communication, conflict management, mediation approach that has been successfully applied in corporate and diplomatic contexts as well. My success rate with couples in crises is 100% assumed that both parties are motivated to resolve their issues amicably.

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