Diet and mental health?

[yhelothar]

I've noticed that when I'm hungry, I generally feel pretty shitty mood wise, and when I'm full, I'm usually a lot more relaxed, especially when I have a food coma.

What's the best diet plan for an optimal mental health?

 

[irishScott]

Depends. There are plenty of foods with stuff that can directly alter mental function (ie caffeine, excess sugar).

That said, the effects are almost always temporary. The relaxed mood comes from being full/having energy in general. It almost never has anything to do with the food itself IMO. So eat a healthy balanced diet that keeps you full after every meal.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: astroidea
I've noticed that when I'm hungry, I generally feel pretty shitty mood wise, and when I'm full, I'm usually a lot more relaxed, especially when I have a food coma.

What's the best diet plan for an optimal mental health?

I would suggest the route that I am currently taking - 6 meals a day. This guy offers customized diet plans for thirty bucks:

http://www.anthonycatanzaro.com/dietplans.html

I've been on it for 4 weeks tomorrow (it's a 1-week rotating menu with 6 meals a day, you start over on the 8th day) and I have never felt better in my life. Not only am I eating way better than I normally do, I'm eating every 2-3 hours. I NEVER feel hungry, I NEVER get light-headed, my mood is easy to control, and I have ridiculous amounts of energy all day long.

As an additional note on "mental health", the other largest factor I've found is sleep. I started eating well but I was going to bed late - I had energy, but I couldn't think very well because I was so tired. Motivation is more difficult when I'm tired, even with all of the new-found energy I have, if I'm tired it's hard to exercise, sit down and focus on my homework, etc. So the biggest things I've found to help me personally are (1) 6 small, healthy meals a day and (2) an early 9:00pm bedtime.

I've never felt better in my life

 

[superstition]

The relaxed mood comes from being full/having energy in general. It almost never has anything to do with the food itself IMO.

Carbs are used to make serotonin, so people who eat very low carb diets can become irritable. Caffeine and theobromine in chocolate are mood-altering. High levels of sugar can cause a high and a crash, although a little sugar can make a person feel more content and full than unflavored protein powder (for instance) because the brain's fuel is glucose. High levels of salt can cause one's blood pressure to increase. What one eats can have a big impact on how one feels.

 

[superstition]

an early 9:00pm bedtime.

If people adjust their sleeping pattern to match dusk/dawn (be asleep when it's dark, awake when it's light), they'll feel more energetic. Sleeping during daylight is not efficient.