Psychology of Food

 

A person's awareness of the need for change and their motivation to do it are crucial components in altering their nutrition-related behavior. While they both offer information and inspiration, nutrition education and counselling are not the same. 

Nutrition education can be given one-on-one or in a group environment; knowledge is transferred and it is typically more preventive than therapeutic. One-on-one counselling is most frequently employed in medical nutrition therapy. In the one-on-one situation, the nutritionist creates a temporary support structure to help the client identify favorable conditions for change and better prepare them to face social and personal obligations. 

The purpose of nutrition therapy and education is to assist people in making significant dietary behavioral changes. Eating is an activity that is essentially rewarding, and is thus intrinsically linked to mood and emotions.

When humans are energy deficient, a complex interplay of physiological processes signals the brain that food should be consumed, i.e., an individual feels hungry. When enough food has been consumed, these processes signal that consumption should be terminated, i.e., an individual feels satiated or sated. Eating can be triggered even in the absence of hunger or extended beyond satiation.

For instance, eating may be initiated or prolonged by the presence of others, i.e., is influenced by social factors. Food choices and consumption are also strongly influenced by environmental factors, e.g., advertising, packaging, portion sizes, lighting, and many more. As a consequence, constant monitoring and self-regulation of eating is necessary in order to eat healthily, i.e., to provide the body both qualitatively and quantitatively with the right nutrients. At the same time, eating healthily also means to be able to enjoy the rewarding aspects of food without falling prey to a loss of control over eating.

Key factors in changing nutrition behavior are the person’s awareness that a change is needed and the motivation to change. 

*Nutrition education and nutrition counselling provide information and motivation, but they do differ. 

*Nutrition education can be individualized or delivered in a group setting; it is usually more preventive than therapeutic, and there is a transmission of knowledge. 

*Counselling is used most often during medical nutrition therapy, one-on- one. In the one-on-one setting, the nutritionist sets up a transient support system to prepare the client to handle social and personal demands more effectively while identifying favorable conditions for change. 

*The goal of nutrition education and nutrition counselling is to help individuals make meaningful changes in their dietary behaviors. Eating is a fundamentally rewarding behavior, and is thus intrinsically linked to mood and emotions.

When humans are energy deficient, a complex interplay of physiological processes signals the brain that food should be consumed, i.e., an individual feels hungry. When enough food has been consumed, these processes signal that consumption should be terminated, i.e., an individual feels satiated or sated. Eating can be triggered even in the absence of hunger or extended beyond satiation.

For instance, eating may be initiated or prolonged by the presence of others, i.e., is influenced by social factors. Food choices and consumption are also strongly influenced by environmental factors, e.g., advertising, packaging, portion sizes, lighting, and many more. As a consequence, constant monitoring and self-regulation of eating is necessary in order to eat healthily, i.e., to provide the body both qualitatively and quantitatively with the right nutrients. At the same time, eating healthily also means to be able to enjoy the rewarding aspects of food without falling prey to a loss of control over eating.

Some individuals, however, show regular binge eating which is defined as consuming large amounts of food over a discrete period of time with a sense of lack of control over eating, and which is associated with marked distress. Prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) is increased in obese individuals, but not all patients with BED are necessarily obese.

How the foods you eat affect your mental health

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain. Since about 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells, or neurons, it makes sense that the inner workings of your digestive system don't just help you digest food, but also guide your emotions.

Our gut bacteria are especially important to reduce inflammation in the body and can affect mental health through something called the gut-brain-axis.

The gut-brain-axis is a bidirectional link between cognitive and emotional centers in the brain with intestinal functions, meaning that a troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. When we feel stressed we can easily fall into bad food habits. Busy lifestyles and sleep deprivation often lead to making food choices out of convenience and from cravings instead of prioritising nutritional value.

Eating a balanced diet that is abundant in a diversity of wholegrains, fruits and vegetables can be one of the most important ways we can build a healthier microbiome which can positively impact our mood through the gut-brain-axis.

This means a person’s stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause of anxiety and stress and vice versa, and therefore manipulating the gut bacteria through our diet can be effective at improving our mood and reducing the burden of depression.

When it comes to the influence our diet has on our mental health, the variety of foods we eat becomes very important.

1.     Anti-inflammatory foods – focus on including foods such as oily fish, herbs and spices.

2.     Colorful foods – aiming for half a plate of a variety of fruits, vegetables and leafy greens at every meal.

3.     Diversity of foods – focusing on a wide range of foods at each meal that also changes day-to-day if possible is optimal.

Some of the key nutrients you can focus on to support your mental health include:

B vitamins

The most important B vitamins for brain health include vitamin B9 (Folate) and B12.

Food sources of folate and B12 include:

• Leafy greens
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Avocado
• Legumes
• Fish and shellfish

Probiotics

A study found that the probiotic group had less depression, and their urinary levels of cortisol were lower, which indicates that they were less stressed.

Gut bacteria have the ability to boost levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a brain chemical which may provide relief from depression and other mental health conditions.

Probiotics are best consumed through food such as:

• Yoghurt
• Kefir
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Kombucha
• Miso
• tempeh

Prebiotics

It’s important to also eat enough prebiotic foods as these help to feed the good bacteria in the gut. Good sources of prebiotic foods include:

• Berries
• Garlic
• Onions
• Asparagus
• Leeks
• Legumes
• Beans
• Banana
• Oats

Selenium

Studies show a strong link between selenium and depression. It is thought to have a positive antioxidant effect by reducing inflammation, which is often at heightened levels when someone has a mood disorder. The richest sources of selenium include:

• Organ meats
• Shellfish

Zinc

Low levels of zinc intake can contribute to the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Zinc supplementation has long been used as a treatment for major depression and has even been shown to be effective when combined with antidepressant therapy for effective treatment of patients with major depression.

Try and include the following foods in your diet on a regular basis:

• Nuts and seeds
• Shellfish
• Dark chocolate

Vitamin D

A deficiency of Vitamin D can impair cognitive function and brain health, which may lead to poorly regulated mood and behaviour.

Vitamin D rich foods include:

• Fish
• Eggs
• Liver

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 essential fatty acids help to lower inflammation in the brain by protecting neurons and individuals with higher levels of omega-3 in their diets tend to have a lower incidence of major depressive disorder.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid because it must be obtained from dietary sources as the body cannot produce it. Food sources include:

• Oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and herring
• Plant based sources include edamame, walnuts and chia seeds, however this is much harder to convert and an additional vegan algae supplement would be recommended

Foods to avoid

Processed Foods: Depression risk is raised by trans fats, which are present in fried meals, frozen pizza, fast food, and margarine.

Caffeine: Our stress hormone, cortisol, is released by caffeine and can interfere with blood sugar balance and increase anxiety because caffeine might interfere with sleep, it is best to avoid consuming too much of it and to avoid consuming any after 12 o'clock in the afternoon.

Alcohol: We are aware that binge drinking can have a negative impact on mental health, and that while alcohol may temporarily reduce anxiety, the rebound effect can be far worse than the initial anxiety. Alcohol use and depressive disorders appear to be related in two ways: one might exacerbate the other's symptoms and raise the risk for the other.

References : Meule, A.,& Vögele, C. (2013). The psychology of eating. Frontiers in psychology, 4, 215

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