First off, food is a big conversation. It’s complex! 

It encompasses more than just the sum of its individual components. Factors like age, gender, education, income, taste preferences, and eating behaviors all contribute to our relationship with food. Not to mention our socio-cultural aspects, community, environment, agriculture, and even government policies play a role in shaping our dietary habits. Unfortunately, our diet quality has seen a decline, with a shift towards consuming more sugar, sodium, processed foods, meats, and saturated fats.

Connecting Poor Eating Habits with Chronic Disease

As a society, we are consuming less fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, and legumes. But sadly, we know that if we adhere to basic health living patterns - physical activity + high intake of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, we can add to the years of our life and decrease the likelihood of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular risks, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. But what about mental health conditions specifically? 

Does food truly influence our mood?

The answer is MOST LIKELY, and it may vary depending on the individual and their current nutritional pattern. Research suggests that a dietary pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, is associated with a decreased incidence of depression. Conversely, a pattern characterized by high consumption of processed meat, refined grains, sweets, is linked to an increased incidence of depression. We also know that nutrition patterns that have a high amount of ultra-processed foods have been associated with higher incidences of depression and anxiety. Read more

So, can diet actually improve depression?

The evidence is accumulating, and while establishing a cause-and-effect relationship is challenging, ESPECIALLY in nutrition, the evidence is moving towards the idea that the quality of our nutrition does have an impact on our mood. But as usual, we need more evidence but lets talk about the evidence we do have. 

The SMILES Trial: Diet and Mental Health

SMILES trial (Supporting the Modification of lifestyle in Lowered Emotional States), a groundbreaking study seeking to answer the question, "If I improve my diet, will my mood improve?" It is groundbreaking but it was one of the first of its kind (randomized control trial looking at the effects of diet as an actual intervention for the treatment of depression). Learn more about the SMILES Trial

Trial Participants:

The study enrolled 67 adults with moderate to severe major depression. These participants had a low intake of fiber, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, coupled with a high consumption of processed foods and sweets. The participants were then divided into two groups – the befriending group, engaging in discussions unrelated to mental or emotional topics, and the intervention group (modified mediterranean diet), receiving guidance from a dietitian focusing on the med diet, support, and nutritional counseling. The trial was 12 weeks long, with participants meeting seven times during this period.

Focused Nutritional Changes:

The dietary intervention zeroed in on daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and dairy – a modified Mediterranean diet (Modi-Med diet). See dietary changes here. 

Outcomes:

After the 12 weeks, a remarkable 1/3 of participants in the dietary intervention group achieved remission of major depression, in stark contrast to the 8% in the social support ("befriending") group. Additionally, anxiety scores exhibited a notable decrease, showcasing an added benefit. It's worth emphasizing that these positive changes were independent of body weight or physical alterations. It’s also worth mentioning that the patients in this trial could have also been receiving conventional care (been on medication to support their mood and engaging in counseling).

Other Trials and Takeaways

Additional studies, such as the HELFIMED (Read more here) and AMMEND (Read more here) trials, also support the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet on mood. 

More Studies, More Encouragement

While it's premature to declare the Mediterranean diet alone as a definitive treatment for mental health conditions, these trials provide encouraging evidence, especially when combined with other treatments. 

The Mediterranean diet has long been celebrated for its positive impact on overall health, extending far beyond its potential benefits for mental health. Numerous studies have consistently shown that this dietary pattern can play a crucial role in addressing various chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, while also contributing to a reduction in overall mortality. So if you are not sold on adopting some of these changes for your mental health, you can see why it might be beneficial overall. 

Key Takeaways

• Small Changes, Big Impacts: Even minor adjustments in daily nutrition, such as increasing fruit, vegetable, legumes, nuts and seeds, and fish intake, can make a difference. Instead of adopting an all-or-nothing approach, consider embracing gradual changes. Every positive step you take in your nutrition and lifestyle contributes to a healthier and more balanced life. 

• Added Benefit, Not Replacement: A well-balanced diet is an additional component to therapy and medication, not a replacement. The combination offers an additive effect. This is exciting to me! We can work on all things that can impact nutrition while also maintaining our typical treatment plans and we STILL see a positive impact. 

• Cost - In the SMILES trial, they did a cost analysis to see if adopting these nutrition changes would be more expensive to the patient. They actually found it to be more affordable. I get it, its super expensive to buy literally anything these days. But there are many ways to include more nutritious food in our diet without it spending an arm and a leg!

• Support and regular checks ins - The participants in these studies received support, regular checks in and resources. You cannot and should not do it alone :) 

The relationship between food and mood is complex. While diet alone isn't a cure, it certainly plays a pivotal role in our overall health (and likely mood overall). 

Need help implementing changes to your nutrition? Check out my Simple Guide to Eating for Your Mental Health.

As, always here to chat on how nutrition might fit into your entire treatment. Book here