“Mental health disorders don’t just exist in the brain”, says Felice Jacka, founder & president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research. She’s front and centre of the latest episode of The Food Medic podcast (available now). Its topic? How food can support, or threaten, mental health.
The high-achieving Jacka (she’s also a university professor and author of such books as ‘There’s a Zoo in My Poo’) explains to host Dr Hazel Wallace that what’s good for the heart and gut can also benefit the brain.
So, put simply, cut out ultra-processed food and eat more healthily – by, for instance, following a Mediterranean-style diet. Rich in flavonoids, fibre, healthy fats and wholegrains, it “can treat even severe depression”, according to Jacka.
So, dine like a Spaniard and you’ll forget all your worries, right? If only it were that easy.
For one, red meat and dairy, less common across Mediterranean fare, are advisable. But intake should be carefully regulated. Too much or too little can – at least for women – exacerbate the likes of depression, anxiety and even bipolar disorder.
When asked why, Jacka admits she has “no idea” and goes on to mentions links between vegetarianism and poor mental health – particularly neuroticism.
The best diet for mental wellbeing, she sums up, is a diverse one that is brimming with unprocessed veg, nuts, legumes, fish and seafood.
So, the key to happiness is… salmon & walnut salad?
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