Food Mood Taylor Aasand MPH RDN Maricopa County

Food & Mood Taylor Aasand, MPH, RDN Maricopa County Department of Public Health Office of School Health and Wellness Initiatives

Agenda Learn to use food to your advantage Ways Food Can Affect Your Mood Live an energized lifestyle

Mental Health Statistics 1 in 5 adults, 20% of Americans, have a mental illness 20% 80% Depression: 6. 7% of Americans have major depression and 1 in 10 Americans take antidepressants Depression is the leading cause of disability World Wide

American Diet Image courtesy of digitalart / Free. Digital. Photos. net

“Processed Foods” 61% of food that Americans buy is labeled as “highly processed” Technology manipulates foods’ sensory properties (e. g. , sweeter, saltier, richer) “There appears to be no set point for the amount of fat or sugar people will eat” (Contento, 2007) Results 1 in 10 Americans meet basic food group recommendations By age 9, only 12% have “good” diets (same as adults) People now eat predominantly for pleasure, not nutritive value

Dietary Intake/Nutrient Depletion Can Imitate Mental Health Disorders: Nutrient Depletion: þ Fatigue þ Anxiety þ Depression þ Irritability þ Poor mood þ Stress Intolerance þ Overeating, cravings þ Inability to sleep þ Neurotransmitter Depletion

Western Diets vs. Traditional Diets Fast-Food and Commercial Baked Goods Consumption and the Risk of Depression (Sa nchez-Villegas 2011) • Findings: • 1) Fast food and processed pastries were associated with a higher risk of depression; • 2) Increased consumption led to 48% increase in risk of depression; • 3)Trans fats implicated as a relevant risk factor for developing depression Association Between Dietary Patterns and Depressive Symptoms Over Time: A 10 -Year Follow-Up Study of the GAZEL Cohort (Le Port et al. 2012) • Findings: • Western style - higher likelihood of depressive symptoms; • Traditional style - lower likelihood of depressive symptoms

How Does Food Affect Our Brain? The foods you eat can effect the chemical composition of your brain because the nutrients in foods are precursors to neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that tell our body what to do and how to feel. Dopamine Serotonin Endorphins Choline (precursor to acetylcholine)

Serotonin A mood regulator SSRI’s increase amount of serotonin that is available Found in digestive tract, blood platelets, central nervous system. Helps produce a sense of calmness Helps decrease pain and appetite Low levels can increase aggression/irritability.

Serotonin & Vitamin D Serotonin is often lower in winter months Seasonal Affective Disorder (S. A. D. ) Part of reason may be that Vitamin D increases Serotonin levels Sunlight helps body synthesize Vitamin D. In winter we go out less, wear more clothes, and therefore, get less sunlight. Low Levels of Vitamin D are associated with depression and other mood disorders

Dopamine High levels improve mood, alertness and ability to cope with stress. Can improve overall mental health functioning. Low levels associated with higher levels of depression and other mental health disorders. Helps reduce pain awareness

Dopamine Precursors to dopamine are found in things that have protein in them: Meat Milk Eggs Fish Beans Tofu

Blood Sugar Fluctuations in Blood Sugar can lead to fluctuations in Mood.

The Progression of U. S. Sugar Consumption Americans consume over 130 lbs of sugar per year Infographic from: http: //www. mindbodygreen. com/0 -5906/Mind. Blowing-Sugar-Consumption-Infographic. html

Sugar, Mental Health, & Cognition High Sugar intake associated with Schizophrenia and Depression (Peet , 2004) • Results showed a higher national dietary intake of refined sugar predicted a worse 2 year outcome of schizophrenia and greater prevalence of depression

High Added Sugar Intake…. Increased blood pressure Increased obesity Increased cholesterol Increased depression and anxiety Increased triglycerides Increased cardiovascular disease < Memory/hippocampal structure Reduced learning ability Increased insulin resistance Dental decay Liver disease Cancer tumor growth

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Can not be manufactured by the body. Brain is more than 60% fat. Found in oily fish, nut oils, avocados, flax seeds, walnuts May help to reduce depression (protects against it) Helps to reduce inflammation Helps reduce heart disease

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Some studies support a protective effect of omega 3 EFA intake, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in mood disorders Freeman, et al (2006), J Clinical Psychiatry 67: 12.

Endorphins Endo = Endogenous (made in the body) Orphins = Morphine Produce a positive mood state Lower sensitivity to pain Help relieve stress & depression

Endorphins Exercise Body produces Endorphins with exercise. Is as good as medication for mood and mild pain for many people. Have to exercise daily because endorphins break down in the body in about 24 hours. 30 to 45 minutes per day. Exercise is also good for brain cell regeneration and increasing brain cell connections (cognitive functions). (As is socialization, so exercise with others for even more impact!).

Other Nutritional Factors & Mental Health Gut Health • Essential in: • immune function, neurotransmitter synthesis, inflammation, pain management, mental health, and general brain health • Microbiome (gut bacteria)

Other Nutritional Factors & Mental Health Gut Health (cont. ) • The 100 trillion microbes that make the GI tract their playground are critical to health. They extract and make vitamins and other nutrients from food that you eat. • Gut bacteria also produce hundreds of neurochemicals that the brain uses to regulate learning, memory and mood. For example, gut bacteria manufacture 80 to 95 percent of the body's supply of serotonin, which influences both mood and GI activity. Freeman, et al (2006), J Clinical Psychiatry 67: 12.

Macro- and micronutrients are essential for cellular function, including brain cell function Without consuming right amount of nutrients – the cell cannot function Results in signs and symptoms of physical disease and mental health disorders We want to eat a balanced diet with an awareness of the balance of neurotransmitters we are trying to activate in our system. Diet, Exercise and Stress management are key to good physical and mental health

What Diet is optimal for brain health and mental health?

Conclusion A healthy diet is associated with better mood and less depressive symptoms. A diet high in refined/processed foods is associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms and lower mood. Nutritional deficiencies lead to mental health disorders and cognitive impairment Sugar consumption has deleterious effects on mental, physical, and cognitive health

Macronutrient Mood Therapy Removal of dietary factors associated with mental health symptoms Sugar and simple carbohydrates Processed foods Trans fats Caffeine Replace with increased intake of: Protein Healthy fat Vegetables Complex/high nutrient carbs

This Presentation was adapted from presentations by: Amanda Hull, Ph. D Integrative Health and Wellness (IHW) Program Director, War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC) Acting Patient Centered Care (PCC) Director, Washington DC VA Medical Center Nancy Hoffman, Psy. D Kaiser Permanente Medical Center

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