Day 36 - Nutrition Affects Mental Health

Malnourishment stemming from years of poor eating habits can create clinical signs and symptoms that mimic psychiatric disorders.

For example, there are currently people taking psychiatric medications who are actually just deficient in nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, vitamin D, and many others. Nutritional deficiencies along with medical conditions should always be addressed with a diagnosis of any mood, thought, or depressive disorder, as it could be a core component of the underlying cause. The ultimate goal is to create a sustainable style of eating that negates the need for supplements, but early on in the recovery process, supplementation can work wonders!

The problem of misdiagnosis is a significant one. One might find themselves moving from medication to medication, chasing symptoms and correcting for side effects when the underlying discomfort may have been nutritionally related. Don’t let this happen to you!

Let us begin to eat to improve our mental health so we can focus on improving our other dimensions of health. It can start in the kitchen 😊