DIETARY GUIDELINES
The Dietary Guidelines for Adults provide simple instructions for selecting a healthy diet. They are relevant people experiencing a mental illness.
Here are some examples of how the following guidelines can benefit someone with
depression and anxiety, in addition to promoting physical health.
Dietary Guideline
Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious food. Increasing the variety in your diet can help stimulate interest in food when appetite is poor.
Eat plenty of vegetables, legumes and fruits. Some of these foods, such as green leafy vegetables, are particularly good sources of folate.
The nutrient folate has been shown to improve the effect of antidepressant Medications.
Eat plenty of cereals (including bread, rice,
pasta and noodles), preferably wholegrain.
Wholegrain cereals (those with intact kernels) and many fruits, vegetables and legumes have a low‘glycaemic index’ which means that the sugar in these foods is absorbed slowly into the blood stream. This helps to stabilise blood sugars and optimise mental as well as physical performance.
(To check the glycaemic index of a food visit www.glycemicindex.com)
Wholegrain cereals are good sources of fibre. Eating high fibre foods daily and drinking plenty of water helps prevent constipation, a side-effect of some antidepressant medications. These high protein foods are made up of amino acids – essential nutrients for repairing or building new cells.
One essential amino acid is called tryptophan. Regular consumption of protein-rich
foods ensures a steady supply of tryptophan to the brain where it is used to produce serotonin.
Oily fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel, perch, sardines and herring are good sources of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming about 500 mg a day of long chain omega-3 fatty acids is a good preventative measure for mental health, as well as physical health. Two to three meals a week of oily fish or a weekly dose of one oily fish and one white fish meal, together with some omega-3 enriched foods (such as eggs, bread and milk) will achieve this.
Include milks, yoghurts, cheeses and/or alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties should be
chosen where possible.Dairy products are ready to eat, nutrient-dense foods that can serve as palatable snacks for people experiencing loss of appetite and weight. Low-fat varieties are useful when trying to lose or maintain weight.
Milk is a good source of tryptophan. A warm milk drink before bed can help induce sleepiness. Drink plenty of water. This can help alleviate the side-effects of some antidepressants such as dry mouth and constipation. Drinking plenty of water also helps prevent dehydration. Even mild dehydration can affect mood, causing irritability and restlessness.
Limit saturated fat and moderate total fat intake. This assists with weight control and promotes a healthy metabolism and healthy heart.Limit your alcohol intake if you
choose to drink. Heavy drinking can actually contribute to depression or make it worse, since alcohol is a depressant. Even at moderate levels, alcohol can interact with antidepressant medication,reducing its effectiveness.