Monday 11 January 2016

#79 The effect of diet on mental health (English)

It has been well documented that eating a balanced, healthy diet can help anyone overcome physical health issues and disease among many other things. After much testing and experimenting, evidence also shows that a balanced diet also helps to improve mental state and illness. 1 in 4 Americans attain a mental illness of some sort and most long term ones start in the teen years. Studies show that risk of mental health issues in teenagers decreases by up to 80% when diet is adapted to a more balanced one. Of course there are other factors that have to be considered in regards to mental wellbeing and types of illness can vary, so diet is not the only contributing factor, but can help in preventing many of these conditions as well. Citrus is often recommended to be eaten when people have colds as they help to combat the virus. Just like this there are some foods that can be eaten in order to improve mental state. 
These include:
-probiotic rich foods such as kimchi (which is fermented) as it contains bacteria. The more good bacteria a person ingests, the happier they are. 
-Dark chocolate also helps as it is rich in antioxidants which help to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. This in turn reduces stress levels. 
-Green tea lowers stress levels. Studies have shown that phycological stress was 20% less in people that drank 5 or more cups a day even when other factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and medical history are taken into account.

SJS

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