Today, people are more open to discussing mental health. It does not mean only feeling, stable, under stress or balanced when things go wrong, but it refers to the overall physical health of your brain.

While we are going to highlight, foods that you should include in your diet for good mental health, let’s start off with a list of foods to avoid:
– processed oils & sugars
– alcohol
– caffeine
– aspartame (found in diet sodas and gums)

Foods that you should include:
Spices
Saffron
curcumin (turmeric)
cinnamon (for ADHD, irritability and attention)
and peppermint (for attention)
Foods rich in dopamine include foods like lentils, fish, chicken, lamb, eggs, beef, high protein veggies such as spinach and broccoli, protein powders, turkey and theanine from Green Tea for focus and motivation.

Foods rich in serotonin:
Foods rich in serotonin help with relieving pain, craving control, sleep and mood. These foods include (tryptophan containing): nuts and seeds, eggs, chickpeas, seafood, sweet potatoes and quinoa. If you like chocolate, dark chocolate is an excellent addition to your diet.

Foods that are rich in GABA:
Ideal for anxiety, include foods such as walnuts, lentils, bananas, rice bran, spinach, halibut, brown rice, oranges and beef liver in your diet.
Up to 8 Fruits and vegetables in a day, help improve mood, green tea is excellent for good mental health, MACA, a medicinal plant, native to Peru, helps reduce depression, Foods that are rich in Omega-3 are essential for optimal mental health, choose antioxidant foods such as cocoa powder, blueberries, green tea, cranberries and more.

Other foods include magnesium-rich foods, zinc-rich foods, foods rich in Vitamin B6, B12 and folate-rich foods.

Speak with a Registered Holistic Nutritionist or get in touch with a Homeopath to learn how you can take measure to keep your brain healthy and yourself happy through food, naturally.