Six Tastes Kitchen

HEALING FOOD SERIES
*Featuring: Oven-broiled Salmon w/ Garlic Butter Sauce

Mental health is the new word in this century. It makes perfect sense that what we consume not only affects our body much to its core cellular level but also impacts our state of mind – the way we think, perceive, approach, attitude, or outlook in general. 

According to Sutter Health, a not-for-profit hospital based in Northern California, “An inadequate diet can lead to fatigue, impaired decision-making, and can slow down reaction time. In fact, a poor diet can actually aggravate, and may even lead to stress and depression.” Read more

In the same manner, poor diet and malnutrition can adversely impact brain development not just in children but also in adults. There have been millions of studies to prove this fact. The brain could shrink in size due to malnutrition in children, which leads to stunted growth and development. Eventually, growth failure in children would have a long-term detrimental impact on adult development as well, according to the National Center for Biotech Information (NCBI). Read more

Also adding to a poor diet is excessive consumption of sugar and processed food, which causes inflammation throughout the body as much as the brain. – Sutter Health

How do we fix it? Sutter Health recommends consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost mental health along with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like Salmon. According to the USDA, 3 oz of cooked wild salmon provides the following nutrients:

Calories – 155 g
Protein – 22 g
Total fat – 7 g
Sodium – 48 g.
Vitamin B-12 – 2.6 mg.
Potassium – 534 mg
Selenium – 40 mcg
Omega3s – 1.5 g

WHAT IS THE BEST DIET FOR MENTAL HEALTH?

According to the Mayo Clinic, there aren’t any diet changes that can cure anxiety, but watching what we eat coupled with some healthy lifestyle changes may help.

“Changes to your diet may make some difference to your general mood or sense of well-being, but they’re not a substitute for treatment.” – Mayo Clinic. Read more

Mayo Clinic, however, suggested that we try the following lifestyle:

1. Eat a breakfast that includes protein.
2. Eat complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, quinoa, whole-grain bread and cereals.
3. Drink plenty of water.
4. Limit or avoid alcohol and caffeine.
5. Try to eat a balanced meal.

WHAT FOOD & DRINKS CAN BOOST MY MOOD?

Let me share with you an article written by health coach Stephanie Eckelkamp about six (6) powerful beverages that can improve our moods. In her article, she said, “Turns out Mother Nature’s got a few sippable tricks up her sleeve to soothe your fried nerves, turn your frown upside down, and even help you get sh*t done.” – Prevention.com Mag. Read more

According to Eckelkamp, more and more people are now looking for safer and more natural ways to combat stress such as the following drinks, which are worthy of trying:

1. When we’re distracted – Warm water with lemon
2. When we’re stressed – Chamomile tea latte
3. When feeling blue – Greek yogurt or kefir smoothie
4. When feeling restless – Tart Cherry juice
5. When feeling frustrated – Chai tea
6. When feeling exhausted – Green tea

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