What is the Role of Holistic Nutrition in Nourishing the Body, Mind and Soul?
Have you ever heard of Holistic Nutrition? Or do you know the food you eat significantly affects your mental and spiritual state? Whether the answer is Yes or No, this informational piece of writing will entertain you with useful information. Keep reading to know the importance of food in our daily lives!
What is Holistic Nutrition?
A comprehensive approach that is used for nourishing the body is called holistic nutrition. It focuses on the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit. No doubt, we are dependent on food for our living. Besides providing energy to the body, it also plays an important role in building thoughts.
Holistic nutrition besides focusing on calories, also considers lifestyle, unique needs, and the specific environment of each person.
Does Holistic Nutrition Emphasize Body, Mind, and Soul Connection?
Holistic nutrition plays an important role in our diet and can emphasize body, mind, and soul connection. Without any doubt, your body, mind, and soul are well connected and significantly influence one another.
Therefore by keeping this in mind, the professionals of Holistic Nutrition not only promote nutrition but also consider managing stress and help establish positive thoughts. Positive thoughts can come through various types of activities including yoga, meditation, mindfulness, self-reflection, etc.
In the field of holistic nutrition, food is considered as both nourishment and medicine for the human being. It represents that the food that we eat in our daily life, besides affecting our physical health, also affects our emotional, mental, and spiritual states. Holistic nutrition is based on a variety of foods that are rich in nutrition. Such foods are best for supporting detoxification, enhancing the immune system, and reducing inflammation.
What is the Connection Between Mental Health and Holistic Nutrition?
According to holistic nutritional professionals, the connection between mental health and holistic nutrition is of great importance. No doubt, the food we eat can significantly affect our body. Have you ever wondered why gym-goers eat more protein and less carbohydrates?
This is because protein works like magic for building muscles. Likewise, the food we eat affects our body. Adding food that has a minimal quantity of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids can result in fluctuations in brain functioning. There will be increased or decreased stimulation of hormones, neurotransmitters, and other chemicals that regulate cognition, mood, and behavior.
What is the Role of Minerals, Vitamins, and Essential Fatty Acids in Holistic Nutrition?
If you are likely suffering from any mental disorder, then before rushing to the psychiatrist and paying heavy fees, pay attention to your diet. Nutritional deficiencies can significantly affect your mental state. If nutrients like vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals are deficient in our body, it will cause problems. Similarly, if such nutrients are present in abundance, it will also cause problems.
For example, folate, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 deficiencies can result in a high risk of cognitive decline and depression.
Minerals like zinc and magnesium are important for the proper functioning of enzymes and neurotransmitters that play an important role in the regulation of mood. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids including DHA and EPA play a vital role in keeping the brain function as well as brain structure healthy. Deficiency in any of the above nutrients can result in cognitive impairments and can cause severe depression.
According to data published by “The European Journal of Nutrition”, food that is rich in lean proteins, vegetables, healthy fats, and nutritious fruits can enhance the functioning of mental state and also reduce the risk of depression. The study also revealed that consuming sugar-rich and highly processed food can negatively affect your body.
What is the Gut-Brain Axis?
The bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut is known as the gut-brain axis. According to studies, it is revealed that the vast variety of microorganisms including Prevotella, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus species that reside in our gut have an important connection with our mental health. If they become higher in number, it will result in significant changes in mental state. Significantly, if their value decreases than normal, it will also cause problems. Imbalancement in the gut microorganisms can result in several mental problems including depression, anxiety, etc.
It is believed that the microorganisms that are present in our gastrointestinal system reduce certain types of neurotransmitters, fatty acids (short-chain), and vitamins that can alter your mood as well as brain function. Gut microbiota also plays an important role in the activation of the immune system. They interact with the immune system and help regulate inflammation.
Therefore, Holistic Nutrition plays an important role in the nourishment of gut microbiota. For a better mood and enhanced functioning of the brain, it is important to include a portion of healthy food in your diet. Consuming whole grains, vegetables and fruits (the best source of fibers) provides prebiotics. Prebiotics are the best compound for keeping the beneficial microbiota in balance.
Moreover, adding food that is obtained after fermentation including sauerkraut, yogurt, and kefir is the best way of introducing probiotics into your body. Probiotics are healthy living microorganisms that are taken orally for better functioning of the body system. Such probiotics intensify the relationship between the gut and brain and help restore the balance of microbes in the body.
Does Blood Sugar Level Affect Mood?
It must be surprising but blood sugar levels can greatly affect your mood. If you eat food that is rich in sugar and carbohydrates then it will result in elevated blood sugar levels that will drop rapidly. These fluctuations can result in mood swings, fatigue, and irritability.
Holistic nutrition plays an important role in stabilizing the blood sugar level. It encourages the consumption of fiber-rich meals, carbohydrates, and sufficient protein, which aids in slowing down the absorption of glucose and helps maintain a more stable sugar level in the blood.
Keeping an equilibrium between meals and snacks by adding fats, carbohydrates, and protein to your diet can help you maintain a stable level of glucose and enhance the functioning of your brain in a positive way.
