A book co-authored by University of Calgary (U of C) psychologist Dr. Bonnie Kaplan aims to shift Canadians’ understanding of mental health by highlighting how diet affects it.
Amid a global mental health crisis, Kaplan and co-author Dr. Julia Rucklidge at the University of Canterbury suggest in The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition that there’s a direct link between eating nutritious meals and reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses. In their book, Kaplan and Rucklidge shift the focus from how nutrition affects physical wellness to mental wellness.
In a recent webinar by UFlourish, a joint partner-venture between student and campus wellness services at U of C, Kaplan lamented Canadians’ failure to improve eating habits in the last 50 years and stressed the value of education in changing people’s diets to include more nutrition. She said her goal is to redesign mental health treatment systems by bringing the topic of nutrition to the table.
“Fifty-some scientific publications in the medical and psychiatric literature [show] the value of nutrition for mental health,” Kaplan said, adding this literature has received a lack of attention.
She added while eating nutritious foods is a foundational step to improving mental health, it’s one that many Canadians skip before trying pharmaceutical solutions.
Ultra-processed foods lack certain nutrients
The 2016 Canada Food Study found 42 per cent of meals consumed by young Canadians surveyed are either prepared outside of home or prepared at home as ready-to-eat and boxed food, often containing ultra-processed ingredients. As well, the Canadian Community Health Survey for nutrition has found over the last two decades that nearly half of Canadians’ daily caloric intake comes from ultra-processed foods.
It concluded in 2015 that a “significant number of Canadian adults” may not be consuming the recommended amounts for several nutrients. Canada’s food guide suggests limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods because they aren’t part of a healthy eating pattern.
“What we’re doing is starving our brains of the minerals and vitamins that brain metabolism requires.”
Ultra-processed diets are typically high in nutrients of concern, such as free sugars, saturated fats and sodium, and low in fibre, protein and micronutrients. They have been found to cause significant weight gain in just two weeks. According to Kaplan, the lack of certain nutrients in these diets is detrimental to mental health.
“We call it ‘hidden brain hunger,’” she said, referring to a neglected hunger for nutrients and tendency to instead eat ultra-processed foods. “What we’re doing is starving our brains of the minerals and vitamins that brain metabolism requires.”
Kaplan said the eating patterns of Americans, for example, give rise to both micronutrient deficiencies and mental health issues. Erin Krill, a registered dietitian at U of C who specializes in sports nutrition and regularly deals with student athletes, has found that nutritional choices in university are often unhealthy as well.
“I’ll have a student athlete come in, and they’re talking about how stressed they are,” she said. “[Their diet might contain] a lot of coffee, energy drinks and super processed foods, which aren’t going to be super conducive to studying and athletic performance.”
Krill said socio-economic status plays a major role in how well the students she works with eat. Amid inflation, she said current grocery prices in Calgary have proven difficult for her clients. Many don’t know where to look for food that’s both nutritious and affordable. Food banks and resource centres are safe bets for healthy meals, according to Krill. Adding canned fruits and vegetables is key.
“The nutrients don’t discriminate from fresh, to frozen, to canned,” she said.
Once a nutrient-dense diet is in place, Krill added, mental health improves alongside academic and physical performance.
Holistic living: Food as energy
Toronto-based holistic nutritionist Marjan Mogharrabi explained the concept of holistic living as the amalgamation of caring for one’s mental health, nutrition and overall wellness.
“There are many factors within us: emotional, physical, mental and spiritual,” she said. “All of those components influence our health, besides diet and nutrition. In order to support [yourself], you need a bird’s-eye view upon multiple [lifestyle] components.”
Mogharrabi said people aren’t educated enough about what food does to the body, adding the purpose of eating food is to give people energy. Feeling lethargic, tired or less motivated may be indicative that someone isn’t eating enough of the right things, she said. A change in diet combined with inexpensive activities such as walking and sunlight exposure can eliminate those symptoms.
“You will ultimately feel better—from there, who knows what can happen,” Mogharrabi said. “You’re going to begin feeling motivated and inspired for other things in life.”
Kaplan said human physiology optimizes nutrients to “avoid sluggish pathways.” Her advice is to ignore single-nutrient thinking—pills, multivitamins and capsules—when possible and instead focus on whole-food sources.
“The idea that a single nutrient is going to solve mental problems is absurd—it’s magical thinking,” Kaplan said. “There are 15 vitamins, 15 minerals, EFAs [essential fatty acids], a few thousand phytonutrients that we can only get from real food.”
Featured image provided by Bonnie Kaplan.
