While it’s normal to feel sad or gloomy every once in a while, it is not normal to feel like that all of the time. The rates of mental health and mood disorders have steadily increased throughout the last decade and have risen dramatically during the COVID19 pandemic. As a result, there are many individuals experiencing mental health concerns who might find themselves looking for complementary and alternative treatments to help improve their overall wellbeing. There are many factors that impact someone’s mental health (like environment and personal experience), but proper nutrition and nutrient status is a big piece of the puzzle that is frequently overlooked. We know that nutrition plays an essential role in our overall health, but many often forget how much it impacts our mental and emotional health just as much as our physical health. 

Research repeatedly shows that proper nutrient balance is an essential part of maintaining good mental and emotional health. Prioritizing the consumption of a wide variety of important vitamins and minerals throughout the day ensures that you are supporting various brain and bodily functions that all impact your mental health including mood, energy, neurotransmitter function, and sleep.

Throughout this article we will explore potential signs of mental and emotional health challenges, and how to naturally support your mental health with a good quality multivitamin and proper lifestyle changes.

HOW MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS MEN VS. WOMEN

While many assume that women experience higher rates of mental and emotional health problems, you might be surprised to learn that men and women experience many of the same rates of mental health disorders. This discrepancy is often due to the fact that men are less likely to seek help for their mental health concerns than their female identifying peers, and similarly less likely to be diagnosed when they do seek help.

When compared to women, men are more likely to turn to other coping mechanisms before seeking help including substance abuse, alcohol use, and engaging in isolating behaviors, where women are more likely to talk about their mental health concerns with family, friends, or professional help. This difference is often due to society’s unspoken acceptance of mental health disorders in women versus men. It is important to note that although gender is an important aspect of mental health, there are many other important factors to consider including socioeconomic status, race, trauma experience, and more.

SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING NEGATIVE MENTAL HEALTH

Although no two individuals will have the same experience during a mental health crisis, there are many common signs and symptoms that can help you identify whether you or a loved one are experiencing negative mental health. These include but are not limited to:

• Sadness
• Feeling numb or flat
• Little interest in activities previously enjoyed
• Isolation from loved ones
• Emotional outbursts of anger
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Changes in sex drive
• Changes in appetite or weight
• New inability to concentrate or make decisions
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Decrease in energy and increased fatigue
• Increase in the use of substances like sugar, alcohol, and drugs
• Suicidal thinking

WHAT NUTRIENTS PLAY A ROLE IN MENTAL HEALTH

So, let’s get to nutrition. What we choose to eat has a direct impact on our brain health, and thus directly impacts our mental health. This is best described by looking at the gut-brain connection, often referred to as a gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis is used to describe the relationship between the gut and the brain, one that is bidirectional and mutually beneficial. For example, we know that the brain influences digestion by shutting down digestion and making it difficult to eat when we are nervous or upset. Similarly, our gut has just as significant of an impact on our mental health, even more so than we might realize. What we eat impacts the gut microbes and nutrients that exist in our gut, and these microbes communicate directly with our brain. A great example of this is that 95% of the body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter directly involved in feelings of happiness, is produced in the gut. When considering how to create the best diet for supporting your emotional and mental health, there are a few important nutrients to consider that are often found in whole, natural foods. These include:

• The B vitamins - Important cofactors for our feel-good neurotransmitters
• Magnesium - Supports feelings of calmness and relaxation
• Omega 3 fatty acids - Possess mood stabilizing effects and reduces inflammation
• Iron - Supports healthy energy levels and brain function
• Vitamin D - Involved in regulating mood and decreasing risk for depression
• Zinc - Supports reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression

CAN A MULTIVITAMIN IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH?

Although consuming a diet composed of whole and natural foods is the best way to get a variety of nutrients, supplementing with a multivitamin can help to fill in nutritional gaps. Many Americans struggle to get enough of the important vitamins and minerals discussed previously, and this is especially true for those who eat a Standard American Diet primarily composed of processed foods. In fact, processed foods are not only often void of many important nutrients, but the body also often has to use important nutrient stores to break down and digest them. For example, did you know your body requires magnesium to break down and digest processed sugar?

Choosing to supplement with a good quality multivitamin is essential for countering potential nutritional deficiencies and supporting a happy and healthy brain. Need some recommendations? Here are a few of our favorites: 

Metagenics-Mag Glycinate 100 Mg

Pure Encapsulations-Magnesium (Glycinate) 120 Mg

Genestra-Magnesium Glycinate

In addition to a multivitamin, other behaviors and lifestyle factors may play a role in mental and emotional health. These include but are not limited to gut health, exercise habits, food choices, food intolerances, environment, and much more.

Individuals of all genders and backgrounds are at risk for experiencing mental health challenges, and it is important to be aware of not only the signs and symptoms, but potential root causes. Prioritizing healthy lifestyle patterns and choices, and supplementing with a good quality multivitamin will ensure you set yourself on the right path to be the healthiest version of you!

About the author

Emily Alexander, M.Ed, FNTP—Emily is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with Curated Wellness. She is passionate about supporting others in their journey to improve their relationship with food and their body through gentle nutrition and is a firm believer that understanding the bio-individual components of nutrition is one of the best ways to do so.  Emily completed her Master’s of education in health education and promotion with a concentration in eating disorders, and draws from both her educational background and life experience to help her clients improve their energy, understand their bodies, boost their athletic potential, and break down diet myths one at a time. Read more about Emily.

The information presented on this website is intended for educational purposes only. Statements within this site have not been evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any specific condition or disease, nor is it medical advice and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise. Readers of this content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health conditions or concerns. One should always consult a qualified medical professional before engaging in any dietary and/or lifestyle change or new health program. Curated Wellness does not take responsibility for any health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content.

References:

1. https://mhanational.org/mental-health-and-covid-19-two-years-after-pandemic 
2. Afifi M. (2007). Gender differences in mental health. Singapore medical journal, 48(5), 385–391.
3. Mental illness - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic 
4. Terry, N., & Margolis, K. G. (2017). Serotonergic Mechanisms Regulating the GI Tract: Experimental Evidence and Therapeutic Relevance. Handbook of experimental pharmacology, 239, 319–342. https://doi.org/10.1007/164_2016_103