Anti-depression menu.

One of the secrets to a healthy body is making the right food choices. Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy products and lean meats, chicken and fish can significantly help reduce the risk of physical health problems. But did you know that nutritious foods can also protect your mental health? . Eating foods rich in essential vitamins, minerals, complex carbohydrates, protein and fatty acids is crucial to keeping your brain functioning properly. Your brain, like other organs, responds to what you eat and drink. It needs more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to stay healthy.

If you deprive the brain of these essential nutrients, it cannot function properly. This can also increase the risk of mental health problems. Vitamins and minerals play a key role in brain health. Vitamins that are especially important for your brain include: To function properly, your brain also depends on minerals such as: Carbohydrates serve several purposes in feeding your brain. At the most basic level, your brain depends on glucose for energy.

This simple sugar comes from dietary carbohydrates. Carbohydrates also help stimulate the production of serotonin, the brain's feel-good neurotransmitter. Instead of snacking on sweets and processed grains, choose complex carbohydrates, such as those found in: Your body converts these carbohydrates into glucose more slowly than simple carbohydrates, found in sugar and processed grains. As a result, complex carbohydrates provide a more stable and consistent fuel source for your brain. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

They are essential for the production of neurotransmitters in your brain. They are a type of chemical messenger that carries signals between nerve cells. For example, serotonin is a neurotransmitter responsible for states of contentment. It is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps you feel motivated.

It is obtained from the amino acid phenylalanine. Your body absorbs these amino acids from the foods in your diet. Fatty acids are also critical for brain health. A significant part of your brain is made up of fat, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Your body cannot make these essential fatty acids on its own.

Instead, it absorbs them from the foods you eat. It is ideal to achieve a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the diet. Unfortunately, the typical diet tends to contain excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids and insufficient amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. A final important nutrient for your brain is water. This makes up most of the mass of your brain.

Even mild dehydration can lead to mental health symptoms such as irritability and loss of concentration. To help your brain function properly and fight depression, eat a variety of foods rich in essential nutrients, including:Try to avoid or limit these foods and drinks to prevent symptoms of depression:Many refined foods and . Excessive consumption of them can increase the risk of physical and mental health problems. Eating healthy is important not only for your physical health, but also for your mental well-being. Including a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meat, chicken and fish in your diet can help you stay healthy and full of energy.

Along with regular exercise and enough sleep, adopting a balanced diet can do wonders for your mental well-being. Photo: ShutterstockSources: https://www. Cella. com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(19)30248-7https://www. healthline.

com/health/depression/healthy-eating#essential-nutrients https://www. healthline. .