Research: Sorry, now isn’t best time for junk food

I almost put off this topic for another day, then it hit me: Sitting at home and feeling anxious, comfort eating is probably becoming a universal temptation. Now’s the perfect time to explore that connection.

Any attentive parent knows sugar’s effect on a toddler. Fatty foods make a kid sluggish, and too much junk food the night before feeds the next day’s hyperactivity or challenging behaviors. As they get older it becomes clear that doughnuts or mac and cheese on test day is counterproductive.

So why do we so easily forget to apply that brain-food connection in adulthood?

While nutritional psychiatry — which uses food and supplements as part of integrated or alternative treatment plans — isn’t yet widely accepted by mainstream medicine, more mental health professionals are paying attention to patients’ nutrition.

That could be partly due to rising use of antidepressants.

The number of Americans over age 12 who take an antidepressant rose by 65 percent between 1999 and 2014, according to an August 2017 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC researchers noted that one-fourth of those who take antidepressants have been doing so for at least 10 years.

While food isn’t a cure-all for the array of possible reasons people take antidepressants, and it would be irresponsible to suggest it as a substitute especially without professional medical advice, there is some evidence it may potentially improve symptoms. At the very least, greater health can make a body better able to cope with whatever challenges it faces.

According to a review of studies reported by the National Institutes of Health in 2016, a lack of essential nutrients can contribute to the onset of certain mental health symptoms in people suffering from anxiety and depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and ADHD.

While the link between poor mental health and nutritional deficiencies has long been emphasized by nutritionists and others in the complementary health sector, it is only recently gaining ground in the psychiatric field.

According to an article published in the May 15, 2019, issue of Frontiers in Psychiatry, many mental health conditions are associated with inflammation in the brain, which can cause brain cells to die. This inflammatory response starts in the gut (and immune system) and has been associated with a lack of essential nutrients from food such as magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, vitamins and minerals that are all essential for the body’s optimum function.

Serotonin is another big factor — a neurotransmitter affecting sleep, moods, and appetite, which the body produces more of when the gut is healthy.

So by filling up on nutrient-poor foods instead, we contribute to scenarios leading to poor mental health. While researchers have concluded nutrition seems to have less effect on certain conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, evidence does suggest it can positively impact others. Multiple studies have shown helpful effects of nutritious eating with symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia, anxiety, and depression.

Not to mention temporary feelings of anxiousness in tough times.

These and other scientific studies increasingly suggest a helpful role for nutritional psychiatry in mental health, at least in complement to other treatment approaches. Traditional medical education has historically excluded or minimized nutritional knowledge and its association with disease, so few doctors have had an optimal understanding of such relationships. However, this seems to be shifting.

What should we eat? Be careful what you read online (there is no one magic supplement or food). In general, consensus is on the obvious. Avoid junk food, sugar, and fats (sadly, this includes mac and cheese). More dark vegetables; potatoes don’t really count. Whole grains, salads with lean dressing, and fruits, especially berries. Choose lean meats over fatty beef, and eat less meat. The average American consumes far more than we need.

And exercise. Gyms may be closed, but spring is trying to emerge. We can keep our distance and still take walks outside.

The bad stuff may comfort while we consume it, but it tends to drag down the rest of the day. Hardly seems worth it.

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network who’s too easily tempted. Commiserate at Sholeh@cdapress.com.