Transcription
Food forMentalWellbeing
IntroductionAustralians are now spending 58 per cent of their food dollaron discretionary foods and drinks and 68 per cent of Victorianadults are overweight or obese – an estimated 3.3 millionVictorians. In addition, a quarter of our children are alsooverweight or obese.(Australian Bureau of Statistics 2018)Research tells us that food choice is influenced by how we feeland studies have shown that feeling low, anxious or stressedcan make us more likely to reach for high carbohydrate, sugaryor salty foods. A nutrient-rich diet can be protective of yourbrain and mood. We know that eating well can make you feelFood and Mood –good and help to keep you feeling mentally well.Improving mentalhealth through dietRecommendations for the prevention of depression that areand nutrition.applicable to mood more broadly include:- Deakin University Food andMood Centreincreasing consumption of fruits,vegetables,whole grains and nuts,foods high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish),swapping poor quality foods for more nutrient rich options,and limiting intake of fast foods and sweets.(Food and Mood Centre – Deakin University n.d.)This resource aims to assist people in obtaining accurateinformation about food that supports good mental health.Keeping our mind healthy is something we should do on a dailybasis. It is an important part of our overall health to be able tofunction well, have meaningful social connections, positiveself-esteem and the ability to cope with change.
Helpful WebsitesBetter Health ChannelProvides health and medical information to improve thehealth and wellbeing of people and the communities theylive in.Choosing balanced, wholesome healthy foods may help youto feel well and happy and may help to prevent and improvesymptoms of depression and anxiety.Black Dog Program - Bite BackEating, sleeping andexercise have a hugeimpact on yourhealth. Doing thesethings right willThe very first online positive psychology program designedto improve the overall wellbeing and resilience of youngAustralians aged 13 – 16 years old.What do we mean by a healthy lifestyle?In general- Three things:make you feel better!1. Exercise- Bite Back2. Eating well3. Sleeping well.Health LineDedicated to making health and wellness informationaccessible, understandable, and actionable so that readerscan make the best possible decisions about their health.It’s easy to wonder which foods are healthiest. A largenumber of foods are both healthy and tasty. By filling yourplate with fruits, vegetables, quality protein, and otherwhole foods, you’ll have meals that are colourful, versatileand good for you.
Mind for Better HealthA UK based resource which provides advice and support toempower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.Campaigns to improve services, raise awareness andpromote understanding.Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energyslowly will help to keep your sugar levels steady making itless likely that you might feel tired, irritable and depressed.Hort InnovationDelivering an immediate and enduring behaviour changemessage to motivate more Australians to eat more fruit,vegetables and nuts, both during and beyond the COVID-Eat a wide variety of19 pandemic. This campaign is being delivered from Mayfresh and vibrantto September 2020 with a possibility of extension.foods to look afterHere in Australia, we’re lucky to have the best freshyourself mentally, asproduce on the planet. What we eat plays a huge role inwell as physically.looking after ourselves, both physically and mentally.- Hort InnovationBecause simply put, when we eat better, we feel better.Deakin University's Food and Mood CentreA world-leading, multi-disciplinary research centre thataims to understand the complex ways in which what we eatinfluences our brain, mood, and mental health.The Food and Mood Centre research program is focused onexpanding the important research in the new fieldof Nutritional Psychiatry so that we can discover riskfactors and develop solutions to mental health problemsusing dietary and nutritional strategies.
WebMDContent provided by a team of over 100 US doctors andhealth experts across a broad range of specialty areas toensure WebMD's information is up to date, accurate andhelps you live a healthier life.No matter what challenges your day brings, it's easier toface the world when your spirits are high. And it's hard tobe in a good mood when you're feeling hungry or if yourbody is lacking key nutrients.Eating a plant-basedFood Revolution Networkdiet is one of theA collaboration of many top food leaders committed tohealthiest things youhealthy, ethical and sustainable food for all. Aiming tocan do for your bodyempower individuals, build community, and transformand thefood systems to support healthy people and a healthyenvironment.planet.- Food Revolution Network
Tips and ToolsThe Better Health Channel's Mood and food is a greattool for choosing healthy foods that may help you to feelwell.How to eat healthily is as simple as focusing on the fivemajor food groups.The Black Dog "Bite Back" program has some greatHealthy lifestyles tips.Check out Health Line's nine healthy foods that help liftWhen you’re feelingdown, it can betempting to turn toyour mood.Mind for Better Health has numerous healthy eating tips.food to lift you up.The Food Revolution Network suggests some wonderfulAim for wholesomemood boosting foods to try.foods.- Health LineBeyond Blue - Be You program Nutrition fact sheetexplains how nutrition and mental health are linked.VicHealth and Nutrition Australia have a newwebsite Cook Well Eat Well which is full of wonderfulcooking tips.Livelighter has many great ideas including some savvysaving tips.Think Mental Health lists ways to look after your mentalhealth and wellbeing.
Healthy Foods and RecipesBetter Health Channel features a great range of excitingrecipes and healthy snacks.If you are wondering which foods are healthiest, visitHealth Line list of over 50 great foods.Cook Well, Eat Well - VicHealth in conjunction withNutrition Australia have put together great easy to userecipes for the whole family.A great list of simple and easy healthy recipes fromLiveLighter.Diet brings aboutchanges in our brainstructure, chemistry,and physiology,which lead tochanges in behavior!- WebMDGuides & EvidenceA trial by Deakin University showed that improvingdiet quality can treat major depression.Food Revolution Network have a number of evidencebased articles on why nutrition is so important formental wellbeing.The Scientific Advisory Council at the Kerry Health andNutrition Institute explored the science behindnutrition's role in mental wellness.
Videos, Webinars and CoursesManage your mood with food - Eight tips.Food and Mood: Improving Mental Health Through Dietand Nutrition - A free short course that explores therelationship between nutrition and brain health, why itmatters, and how to work towards positive foodchanges.Mood For Food Song for Kids" - A learning song forkids and toddlers.AppsDid you know yourmood can affect yourfood choices? And,ReachOut has a great list of over 50 trialled apps tosupport your health and wellbeing for all ages.on the flip side, yourDeakin University's Food and Mood Centre arefood choices cancurrently developing the My Food and Mood App. Thisaffect your mood.- Better Health Channelapp will allow people to monitor patterns between theirdiet quality and mood. If you are interested inparticipating in this trial, connect to our facebook andInstagram where we will soon be advertising forparticipants.
Appendix - Website LinksBetter Health Channelhttps://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/Black Dog - Bite ww.biteback.org.au/Health ine.com/nutrition/mood-food#1Mind for Mental Healthhttps://www.mind.org.uk/Healthy gut foodsHort Innovationinclude: fruits,https://www.horticulture.com.au/vegetables andDeakin University's Food and Moodwholegrains, beans,pulses, live yoghurtand other probiotics.- Mind for Mental mood#1Food Revolution Networkhttps://foodrevolution.org/
Cook Well, Eat Well - VicHealth in conjunction with Nutrition Australia have put together great easy to use recipes for the whole family. A great list of simple and easy healthy recipes from LiveLighter. Guides & Evidence A trial by Deakin University showed that improving
