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Teachable Moments from Prevention Action Alliance
Know! Every
Bite Counts
May is Mental Health Month, an annual campaign to educate people on how
a healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of
mental health conditions like depression and anxiety, as well as heart
disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems.
Diet and nutrition is not just about our waistlines, it also has a huge
impact on our mental wellness. The same holds true for your students.
What goes into their growing and developing bodies affects both their
physical and mental health.
According to Mental Health America, studies show young people with the
healthiest diets are about half as likely to have depression compared
to those with diets highest in junk and processed foods.
So what can we as teachers do to improve the diets and fitness of our
teens? Mental Health America recommends the following:
Food Can Change Your Brain
Diet is linked to the hippocampus, a key area of the brain involved in
learning, memory, and mental health. People with healthy diets have
more hippocampal volume than those with unhealthy diets.
Eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, olive
oil, and other healthy foods while eating less unhealthy junk and
processed foods can be an effective treatment strategy for depression.
One study found that a third of participants with depression
experienced full relief of their symptoms after improving their diet.
The more people improved their diets, the more their depression
improved.
Contrary to Popular Belief - A Healthy Diet Doesn’t Have to be Expensive
A healthy diet can actually be cheaper than junk and processed food.
Save money by choosing canned or frozen vegetables and fish, and dried
fruits and beans. These are nutritionally similar to fresh foods, stay
good longer, and are usually less expensive!
Nutrients to Keep in Mind
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
Essential to brain health; reduces inflammation and risk of heart
disease.
Found in oily fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, anchovies and
sardines, as well as albacore tuna, walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds,
and dark green leafy vegetables like brussels sprouts, kale and spinach.
Fish oil supplements that are high in the EPA type of Omega 3 fatty
acids can help mental health. Studies show they can benefit some people
with depression as much as anti-depressants.
B GROUP VITAMINS
Help to regulate neurotransmitters, immune function, and amino acids –
the building blocks of proteins in the body.
Found in green leafy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, as well as
fish (salmon, trout, tuna), beef, lamb, clams, poultry (chicken and
turkey), eggs, and milk. Breakfast cereals with added vitamin B12 are a
good option for vegetarians.
People with a lack of vitamin B12 may be at increased risk for
depression, especially if they are older.
VITAMIN D
Important for optimal brain functioning, including mood and critical
thinking.
Fatty fish like salmon and tuna have the most naturally occurring
vitamin D. Some vitamin D can also be found in eggs, other dairy foods,
and fortified beverages and breakfast cereals. Cod liver oil
supplements are high in vitamins A and D and have some omega 3 fatty
acids as well.
Sunlight is a major source of vitamin D. Between 5 and 30 minutes of
sun exposure twice a week generally produces enough vitamin D in the
body. Lighter-skinned people require less time in the sun than those
with darker skin.
Low levels of vitamin D are linked to depression, particularly seasonal
depression, which happens with reduced sunlight during winter.
The quality of the food you and your students’ consume can and does
impact your overall physical and mental health. Eating nutritious foods
can go a long way toward achieving a healthy lifestyle, so it is vital
to make every bite count.
Mental Health America is the May is Mental Health campaign sponsor. You
are encouraged to lead the challenge with your students to make small
changes – both physically and mentally – to create huge gains for
everyone’s overall health and wellbeing.
Source: Mental Health America: Fitness 4Mind4Body - Diet and Nutrition,
May 2018.
• Statistics and information taken, with permission, directly from
Mental Health America.
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