How to Improve Your Mental Health with Food & More

Oct 6

It’s easy to overlook the impact of mealtime on our mental health. And let’s face it–there are so many definitions of what it means to eat well. Many Western diets require counting calories and macronutrients. Meals become transactional moments that neglect to nourish all of our senses and needs.

Fad diets that promise quick fixes negatively impact self-esteem by creating unrealistic expectations of our bodies. When we inevitably struggle to maintain these extreme eating patterns, we often feel like failures, leading to a vicious cycle of guilt, frustration, and self-criticism. This can lead us to believe that we’re not disciplined enough or inherently flawed, eroding our sense of self-worth.

Ayurveda, on the other hand, takes a holistic approach. In Ayurveda, India’s traditional healing system, food is not just sustenance; it's a vehicle for healing. It supports the belief that seeing food as medicine shifts how our bodies, minds, and spirits receive the nourishment. It encourages us to expand our idea of nourishment to include all our senses, life experiences, and relationships.

In this blog, I explore the connection between Ayurveda’s ancient wisdom and emerging research from nutritional psychiatry and food science. So whether you’re rushing through lunches or crafting a healthier approach, I invite you to slow down and explore how simple changes to meals can improve your mental health.

4 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health

#1: Fill your plate with brain-boosting foods

Dr. Uma Naidoo is a “triple threat” in the world of nutritional psychology. She’s a Harvard-trained psychiatrist, professional chef, and trained Nutrition Specialist. In her book Your Brain on Food, she breaks down how what we eat changes our gut microbiome, and in turn, our mental health

We can positively influence our mood and cognitive function by selecting foods that support a healthy gut microbiome. Beneficial gut bacteria play a vital role in producing mood, memory, and attention-regulating chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Furthermore, there's a bidirectional relationship between the gut and the brain. Dr. Naidoo explains that just a brief two-hour period of psychological stress can alter the composition of gut bacteria. This can create a feedback loop where your gut microbiome struggles to produce the aforementioned chemicals. But the good news is that you can improve your gut microbiome with the foods you eat, using that feedback loop to benefit you.

Build a Brain-Boosting Plate with Dr. Uma Naidoo

Eat Whole: Ditch processed foods for fiber-rich whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables, and proteins.
Eat the Rainbow: Brighten your plate and mood by choosing different color vegetables to deliver diverse nutrients.
Go Green: Eat leafy greens like romaine, swiss chard, and spinach. Leafy greens have folate, a vitamin that keeps our neurotransmitters functioning.
Reduce Inflammatory Foods: Refined sugars, processed meat with nitrates, and industrial seed oils can trigger anxiety, even if they give you comfort in the moment.
Practice Awareness: Listen to your body. Pay attention to what foods feel good to you and what makes you cranky or sluggish later in the day.

Remember, you don’t need to change your eating habits all at once. Try one of Dr. Naidoo’s tips above and get comfortable with it before adding more. And if you want to learn more from Dr. Naidoo, you’ll enjoy my episode with her on The Healing Catalyst podcast.

#2: Nourish your senses at every meal

Ayurveda encourages us to treat each meal as a holistic, nourishing experience that satisfies all our senses. This shifts us from a consumption mindset to a healing perspective. When I think about my favorite meals, I think of the atmosphere and company as much as I think about the food on my plate.

Whenever possible, slow down to fully enjoy each meal. Sit at a clean table that’s set with dishes and cloth napkins. If you must eat at your desk, turn off your screen and make space for you to enjoy your meal without distraction.

How to engage all your senses:

Listen to music that lifts your mood
Set aside your phone and turn off notifications
Light a candle or do aromatherapy
Put fresh flowers on the table
Invite a loved one to join you

Allow mealtimes to become a time to unwind and become aware of yourself. You may notice that you’re dehydrated or need a body break before you can get back to your routine.

#3: Explore your food roots & stories

Whether you know it or not, your history with food impacts how you eat. I was excited to hear that Dr. Drew Ramsey, a leading advocate for nutritional psychiatry, invites his patients to explore their food roots and stories. In our conversation on The Healing Catalyst podcast, we discussed how medical school doesn’t prepare physicians and psychiatrists to talk to patients about food. In particular, we don’t learn how to navigate the very real emotions and barriers that patients may face regarding food. Those barriers could include food insecurity, a lack of cooking knowledge, or even disordered eating.

For me, food is a cornerstone of my family life. I grew up eating traditional Indian dishes prepared by my mother. I didn’t know it then, but those dishes were steeped in Ayurvedic wisdom. We ate certain foods during each season and food was often used as a remedy for any symptoms we had. When I returned to Ayurveda as an adult, it wasn’t hard to see food as a pathway to healing.

Questions to discover your history with food:*

What was food like when you were growing up?
Did your family eat together? What did that mean to you?
What foods bring you the most comfort?
How do you feel about food now?

*These questions are adapted from Dr. Ramsey’s book Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety.

Get curious about your relationship between food and your emotions. You may become aware of barriers or hidden rules you didn’t see before. If you struggle with cooking and executive function, try a different approach. Go gently into your exploration.

#4: Expand your definition of nourishment

I already discussed the importance of engaging your senses during meals. But let’s take that a step further by exploring the concept of digestion in Ayurveda. According to Ayurveda, digestion processes all sensory inputs, food, experiences, emotions, and energies. We call this the digestive fire or agni. A strong digestive fire will absorb what we need and eliminate what we don’t.

Toxins can build up from any part of your life, including your diet, relationships, environment, work, or lifestyle. It makes sense when you think about this from a mental health perspective. A challenging job or unhealthy friendship can add stress. When you don’t process and digest those things, toxic loads build up and impact your health.

Good news, though–this works both ways. Nourishment can come from any part of your life. When your relationships, career, environment, and lifestyle are health-supporting, you are closer to balance and optimal health.

Enhance your mental health in each part of your life:

Spend time with people you truly enjoy
Refresh and clean your space to increase your energy
Set boundaries between work and the rest of your life
Talk about your feelings with friends or a therapist

Take stock of what you digest and whether or not those things support or weaken your overall mental health.

I’m rooting for you. I hope you’ll fill your heart, plate, and mind with things that bring joy and health. Remember, it's a gradual journey toward a healthier and happier self.

Be well,

Dr. Avanti