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Pathfinder NewsSummer 2022Food and moodHow does food affect your mental wellbeingand what can you do to make the rightchoices for you? Try our tips.It’s common knowledge that our diet impactsour physical wellbeing. But there is lessawareness about how our diet affects ourmental wellbeing.Knowing what to eat and not eat is difficultand can be confusing, but it's worth knowingthat certain diets and foods can contribute toa decline in our mental wellbeing. Even theway we consume food can impact how we feelmentally. So how does food affect our mentalhealth and mood? Here are some examples: Humans have brain chemicals, such asdopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine,which influence the way we feel, think andtherefore behave. These brain chemicalsare impacted by what we eat. What we eat affects blood sugar levels, andblood sugar has been linked to changes inour mood and energy levels. The amount of vitamins, minerals and fattyacids we consume also impacts our mentalhealth. Low levels of certain vitamins andminerals can contribute to mental healthissues, for example, there is some evidencethat a low level of folate (or vitamin B9) canincrease the risk of feeling depressed.chemicals, be sensitive to certain foods or havehidden allergies.Tips and advice on healthy eatingNow that we know that what we eat influencesour mental wellbeing, let's explore what weshould eat, as well as what foods stuffs wemight steer clear of.It's advisable to eat foods that are rich inprotein, such as legumes (think lentils, greenbeans, chickpeas, fresh peas), eggs, cheese, fish,meat, soya, nuts and seeds. Proteins keep usfeeling full for longer. They also contain aminoacids, the chemicals in our brain that are usedto regulate our thoughts and emotions.Peer power: CAPITALpeer supporter, Lorretta, shares her storySee page 5Our reactions to food also impact our mood.We can have adverse reactions to artificialwww.pathfinderwestsussex.org.ukGardening for wellbeing: why gardeningis good on so manylevelsStory onpage 4

Eat foods which contain the right fats. Avoidsaturated fats and try to eat unsaturatedfats, monounsaturated fats andpolyunsaturated fats. Our brain requiresfatty acids, such as Omega-3, to functioncorrectly, so it is important to eat foodswhich contains them. Foods that containhealthy fatty acids include poultry, fish,vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.Include slow energy release foods in your diet, asthey keep us fuelled for longer, helping us feelmore energetic. Foods that release energy slowlyinclude potatoes, oats, wholegrain foods (rice,pasta, quinoa) and pulses (peas, lentils).Eating regularly is crucial to keep agood and level balance of bloodsugar. When our blood sugar leveldrops, we often feel tired, irritable anddown. If you are worried that eatingregularly might lead to weight gain, trysmaller meals and portions, makinghealthy choices. But don’t skip meals.Skipping meals can leave us in a badmood and feeling drained of energy.Drink lots of waterWhen we are dehydrated, ourconcentration suffers and our mood canbe affected. Drink six to eight glasses ofwater a day. Drinks like squash, coffee andEat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day. As antea count towards this. But drinks otherimportant source of vitamins and minerals, theythan water often containhave been shown to have a positive“Eat diversely and substances, like sugar andimpact on our mental wellbeing.caffeine, that also affect mood.Think about quantity. Don’t eat too much,as it can leave us feeling bloated and sick,which can in turn have an adverse impacton our mood. Conversely, avoid eating toolittle as it can make us physically andmentally tired and add to irritability andlow mood.have an occasionaltreat. Eating toostrictly will lead toyou getting fed upwith your diet”Avoid unhealthy foodsAvoid foods and drinks which can cause yourblood sugar levels to rise and drop quickly, suchas sweets, sugary drinks and alcohol.Ultra-processed food, such as breakfastcereals, crisps, pre-packaged meals andreconstituted meat, tend to be higher incalories, containing more salt, fat andadded sugar. Therefore, they should beavoided or only eaten occasionally.Food and drink that are high in calories and low innutritional value should also be avoided, such assweets, chocolate and crisps. Whilst nice as anoccasional treat, regular consumption can lead toweight gain and sluggishness.Keep a food diaryA food diary is a great way tokeep track of the food you areconsuming. You can countcalories, keep track of mealtimes,meal content and record howdifferent foods make you feel.There are lots of apps for this.Be kind to yourselfDon’t be too hard on yourself. Thewidespread availability of processed andsugary foods and budget can make healthyeating hard. And remember the importanceof enjoying your food. Eat diversely and havean occasional treat. Eating too strictly willlead to you getting fed up with your diet.ExerciseExercise has been found to have a positiveimpact on our mental health and if youexercise and make healthy food choices, thetwo combined can really improve your mood.2

Feeling the pinchMichelle reflects on the stigma she feelsabout living on benefits – and the additionalpressure and stress created by the risingcost of living.Michelle has been sufferingwith her mental health sinceshe was 16. She has bouts ofdepression on and off – and iscurrently on benefits, due tolong-term mental and physicalhealth issues.“My husband left in May 2008,just two years after my firsthospitalisation due to mentalhealth problems, and I couldn’tafford to take him to court. Sowe sold our house and I movedinto rented accommodation inCowfold. I worked part-time as ateaching assistant and business manager inschools, so that I could take my daughtersto school. I muddled along and just aboutmanaged financially.“But in 2015, I had to give up my job due tomy mental health and I had to apply forbenefits for the first time. They took threemonths to come through and I had to relyon food banks during that time. I had toadjust to this new ‘lifestyle’, which meantfocusing on making ends meet for essentialswith no treats, for example, going to thecinema. Life has continued like this and Ihaven’t worked since.“It’s a terrible thing to have to give up yourjob and live on benefits. I’ve worked since Iwas 16 (I’m now 54) and I was good at my job.When I had to give up work, it felt like I hadthe carpet whipped out from beneath me.“You feel useless, you don’t feel like a humanbeing. You experience lots of negativity,because there is so much stigma attachedto being on benefits. It has a big impacton my mental health – not feeling like aproductive member of society, feeling likethe dregs – and that is difficult.“I’m really worried about rising prices rightnow. My big concern iselectricity. I’ve had a lettersaying my electricity will goup by 648 a year, which is anenormous amount for me. I’vehad my heating turned offsince the end of February andI’m worried how things will workout come the winter."Food is another big concern.I have a set amount I can spendeach week and in the last fewmonths, I’ve spent more thanI have allocated, because foodis so expensive. I’ve cut backas far as I can. I try to eathealthily, particularly because Istruggle with physical issues, but I often findmyself living off the cheapest and leasthealthy things. Frozen vegetables are muchcheaper than fresh and so a lot of my foodis frozen. In a month, I’m finding I only haveenough money for food for three out of thefour weeks. So I’ll have to start using foodbanks again for one week out of four.“I have had an increase in benefits to helpwith the rising cost of living. It is 35, butthat won’t see me through one week inpetrol, as I live in a semi-rural area.“I usually feel better coming up to summer.But this year, I feel worse because of myworry about coping financially. The stressof this is huge. I feel like a minority, but alsofeel like I shouldn’t complain.”Michelle volunteers for Mind in Brighton &Hove as a peer supporter. Seeorganisations and resources for help withthe cost of living: bit.ly/costofliving-help3

Stonepillow, Richmond Fellowship and West Sussex Mindstaff (pictured) had a ball at the first ever ChichesterPride in May and promoted their new LGBTQI AlliesWest Sussex Mind’s Tracy Ashcroft with thefabulous Cherry Liquor at Chichester Pride.Gardening helps alleviatestress and boosts wellbeingextrapolated based on nationallyrepresentative statistics and the UKpopulation.Over seven million people have taken upgardening since the pandemic and are findingsignificant benefits for their mental health.The survey found that since the pandemic, overseven million people say that their mental healthhas benefitted from taking up gardening andanother seven million say that their mentalhealth has been boosted by connecting withpeople outdoors, for example, speaking to theirneighbours over the fence. But it’s not just thosewith gardens who are seeing the benefits. Fortythree per cent of people said that looking afterhouse plants or growing plants or food inwindow boxes was also good for their wellbeing.Two-thirds of UK adults (63 per cent) say thatspending time gardening or in nature helpstheir mental health, according to a newsurvey from national Mind. Respondentswere asked how they felt gardeningbenefitted their wellbeing and the top threeresponses were:63 per cent said it made them feel calmeror less stressed 43 per cent said they enjoyedtaking in the colours, sounds,sights and smells 40 per cent said thatexercising outside boostedtheir wellbeing. The survey was conducted byCensuswide among a nationallyrepresentative sample of 1,000UK adults. The data was then“This research provides evidence thatgardening, in particular, playsa key role in bringing togethera host of things that are goodfor our mental health,” saidMind CEO, Paul Farmer.“Taking in the sights andcolours of the outdoors,nurturing and growing plantsand finding space to connectwith others can make a worldof difference to how we feel.”4