A Sad but True Fact
Caregiving is deeply meaningful and purposeful to millions of Americans and brings many rewards including serving others and making a difference in someone’s life. Caregiving can be equally stressful and time-consuming to the point that the caregiver forgets to take care of one’s self and leads a rather unhealthy lifestyle, including poor nutrition. Caregivers who experience anxiety or depression may not realize that their mental health is directly related to their diet.
Diet and Mental Health
Scientific evidence between the importance of a healthy diet and good mental health has existed for many years. In fact, a new field of medicine called Nutritional Psychiatry has emerged and stresses the connection between mind, body and nutrition. Experts in the field stress that what people eat matters significantly for every aspect of health, especially mental health and well-being. They also point out that there is a direct link between diet and depression. The physical labor and psychological stressors involved in caregiving may lead to even worse health outcomes.
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Some experts indicate that a diet that includes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole unprocessed grain, fish, olive oil, low-fat dairy and lots of antioxidants is associated with a decreased risk of depression. On the other hand, consuming lots of red and processed meat, refined grains, sugars, high-fat dairy products, potatoes, butter, and low intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with an increased risk of depression.
The Relationship between Diet and Depression
Which comes first, a poor diet that leads to depression or being depressed and unhealthy eating? While being depressed is associated with cravings for certain types of foods like sweets, salt, and carbohydrates, it appears in research that diet is more likely to be associated with an increased risk for depression. For example, people who maintain a healthy diet, like the “Mediterranean diet”, are shown to significantly lower their risk for developing symptoms of depression.
Quality Matters
Caregivers can greatly improve their overall health and well-being by eating a healthier diet that minimizes their risk for developing depressive symptoms. Eating more plants is a great start. Many experts are now talking about the many benefits of eating a plant-based diet which includes a lot of fruits and vegetables. It is ideal to get unprocessed grains into one’s diet as well as seeds and nuts. Lean proteins including fish and yogurt are also recommended. The foods to avoid are those with added sugars or flours like breads, cereals, pastas, and baked goods. Minimizing animal fats and processed meats is also a good idea.
Final Words on Caregiving, Diet and Depression
Quality of foods matters and the old saying “Everything in moderation” holds very true. Occasionally “cheating” and consuming foods that aren’t so healthy is fine for most people. But, for those caregivers who also need to lose weight, eating more healthy foods is probably in their best interest, especially if they are stressed out, overweight and depressed.
(NOTE: Interested in learning more about Behavioral and Mental Health? Checkout my Behavioral and Mental Health CEUs on CEU Academy and try a FREE CEU today!)