A balanced diet is defined as one which contains proper proportions of fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. All these nutrients help one maintain their fitness levels and health.
Food is one of the most underrated factors which helps maintain and safeguard against mental aliments like depression, schizophrenia, hyperactivity disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and attention deficiency.
Earlier reports show that having a healthy diet helps in reducing the effects of mental illnesses like depression. A new study has given more clarity on why a good diet is instrumental in the recovering from mental issues.
The Balanced Diet Trial
In a first of its kind diet trial, participants were asked to follow a dietary improvement plan for the duration of 12 weeks for the treatment of depression. Majority of the participants in the trial were obese and did not lose any weight at the end of the trial.
However, those who maintained a balanced diet showed major improvement in mental health. One third out of the participants even experienced remission in their depressive disorder.
Advantages Of Balanced Diet
People who are suffering from any kind of mental issue are most likely to be overweight. The reason behind this is not clear, but it may be that they don’t have any interest in maintaining good health or eating healthy.
Obesity is seen as a risky factor which can hamper depression treatments. It is believed, that being overweight does not prevent people from calculating the psychological, as well as physiological advantages of a balance diet.
A balanced diet has a positive effect on individuals, especially patients who suffer from mental issues. This is true even if it does not have any positive impact on their bodies. Food has a positive effect on the mood of a person, which helps when battling depression.
The science behind these notions is not very transparent, but it can be seen that the way one eats affects one’s mood. It does not matter if the diet does not impact the physical body, but affects one’s mental health positively.
Based on reports, the best way to maintain mental health is to stop eating foods, which have no nutritious value. Examples of such food are cake, chips, chocolate, and other kinds of snacks. It is always good to eat food which has sufficient amount of nutrients and minerals. These are popularly known as brain food.
Food items like salmon, nuts, and olive oil benefit mental and physical health. One should try to avoid eating unhealthy food and should instead replace it with fruits and nuts. This will be beneficial for the overall health of an individual.
Photo: Derrick Brutel | Flickr
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