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In ancient times, mushrooms were commonly used as a source of medicinal practice. The fungus kingdom consists of various organisms that have beneficial effects on the human body. A fascinating medicinal mushroom recognized to have healing benefits beyond just physical health benefits is called Hericium Erinaceus (also termed Lion’s Mane). Hericium Erinaceus (HE) has health-promoting benefits which support many of our bodies’ systems, including the Nervous System. The mushroom has been researched to have neuroprotective properties that improve depression, anxiety, and cognitive abilities (Friedman, 2015). 

 

Hericium Erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) has been shown to have neuroprotective properties that improve depression, anxiety, and cognitive abilities.

 

A research study conducted by Saitsu et al. (2019) explores the effects of HE on an individual’s cognitive function over twelve weeks. This study takes place in two institutes in Fukuoka, Japan, with healthy participants over fifty years old. Participants were divided into two groups — one group was given four supplements of HE powder per day for 12 weeks, and the second group was given four placebo supplements with 0 HE powder for 12 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed through three different testing methods. A Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used, recognizing disorientation, memory, calculation, and language. The second test used was a Benton Visual Retention Test which estimated visual recognition, memorization, and constructing abilities. Lastly, a Standard Verbal Paired-Associate Learning Test (S-PA) was used to assess short-term memory through listening and remembering.

 

Researchers were able to see an increase in S-PA scores for both participants that consumed HE supplements and participants that consumed the placebo supplements, proving no statistical difference. The Bento Visual Retention scores for both groups also did not demonstrate a significant difference. However, researchers found a significant difference in MMSE scores in those who took supplements with powdered HE and those who took placebo supplements without HE. The significant difference between the two groups in the MMSE revealed that healthy individuals over 50 improved cognitive functions involving recognized disorientation, memory, calculation, and language over 12 weeks.

 

Healthy individuals over 50 improved cognitive functions involving recognized disorientation, memory, calculation, and language over 12 weeks, when supplementing with Hericium Erinaceus.

 

The significant result in MMSE scores can be explained by understanding the fascinating mushroom’s chemical properties. HE consists of a chemical compound called Hericenones, which activates the synthesis of the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) in astrocytes (cells in the central nervous system). The NGF sustains the function of neurons in the central nervous system. These neurons often degenerate during the progression of neurological conditions like dementia. This study shows that consuming HE, which has properties that synthesize beneficial neurotrophic factors like the NGF, can provide possible benefits for healthy individuals and individuals who might have difficulties with neurological symptoms.

 

References

Friedman, M. (2015). Chemistry, nutrition, and health-promoting properties of hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) mushroom fruiting bodies and mycelia and their bioactive compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63, 7108−7123.

Saitsu, Y., Nishide, A., Kikushima, K., Shimizu, K., & Ohnuki, K. (2019). Improvement of cognitive functions by oral intake of Hericium erinaceus. Biomedical Research, 40(4), 125–131. https://doi.org/10.2220/biomedres.40.125

A 2019 systematic review of studies identifying the dietary intake of people with severe mental illness (SMI) revealed that people with SMI were found to have significantly higher dietary energy and sodium intake compared with controls, and that higher energy and sodium intakes were associated with poorer diet quality and eating patterns (Teasedale et al., 2019). Another study exploring the self-reported dietary habits of acute psychiatric inpatients found that 75% of the psychiatric inpatients had an unhealthy diet (Gill et al., 2021). 

 

No dietary assessment tool or method has been validated specifically in people with SMI to date.

 

Those who use mental health services are at risk for common nutrition concerns. These risks, combined with the known physical-health disparities and life expectancy gaps existing for people with serious mental illness (SMI), make it important to identify and develop assessment tools that can be used by mental health professionals to determine the diet of an individual who uses mental health services. A recent study by Teasdale, Moerkl, Moetteli, and Mueller-Stierlin (2021) outlines the development of such a screener tool for use by mental health professionals to assess patient diet.

 

It is important to identify and develop assessment tools that can be used by mental health professionals to determine the diet of an individual who uses mental health services.

 

The NutriMental Screener is a nutrition and eating-behavior risk-screening tool being developed for use in clinical practice to identify mental-health service users with potential nutrition risks, including both overnutrition and undernutrition. This screener tool could be used to trigger a referral to a specialist clinician (i.e. dietitian/ clinical nutritionist). 

 

The NutriMental Screener is a nutrition and eating-behavior risk-screening tool being developed for use in clinical practice.

 

The development and validation processes associated with developing the NutriMental Screener are divided into five phases. 

Phase I, which has already been completed, entails the development of nutrition-related risk factors and their related themes of interest collected from screening tools used in mental health services. 

Phase II, which is partially completed, entails reviewing published literature and conducting service-user interviews across three mental health sites to gain a better understanding of the main concerns and challenges that people with SMI face in terms of eating patterns, filling gaps, and identifying additional domains. 

Phase III, involves researchers identifying key elements that will be used in creating the first draft of the screening tool. This entails the formation of an international working group of relevant stakeholders (including dietitians, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, nursing specialists, and peer workers) and people with SMI, who will all take part in two online workshops and an online survey to discuss the NutriMental Screening’s rationale and overall design, as well as the domains and themes identified in Phases I and II.  

Phase IV, involves the developed tool being pilot tested and studied in various multinational mental health facilities to determine its feasibility and preliminary validation. 

Phase V, the final phase, involves carrying out the previously required changes and alterations, followed by formal validation studies which include comparing results to validated nutrition and eating-related questionnaires, testing for associations with the occurrence or development of cardiometabolic outcomes, and determining predictive values for healthcare utilization. 

In conclusion, since no dietary assessment tool or method has been validated specifically in people with SMI to date, researchers believe that developing a targeted nutrition-risk screening tool can increase adherence for nutrition-risk screening and trigger a referral to specialist clinicians for further comprehensive nutritional assessment and appropriate plans.

 

References 

Gill, R., Tyndall, S. F., Vora, D., Hasan, R., Megna, J. L., & Leontieva, L. (2021). Diet Quality and Mental Health Amongst Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Patients. Cureus, 13(1), e12434. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.12434

Teasdale, S. B., Moerkl, S., Moetteli, S., & Mueller-Stierlin, A. (2021). The Development of a Nutrition Screening Tool for Mental Health Settings Prone to Obesity and Cardiometabolic Complications: Study Protocol for the NutriMental Screener. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 11269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111269

Teasdale, S.B., Ward, P. B., Samaras, K., Firth, J., Stubbs, B., Tripodi, E., & Burrows, T. L. (2019). Dietary intake of people with severe mental illness: Systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry: The Journal of Mental Science, 214(5), 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.20

 

 

Food insecurity is a widespread and growing issue in which individuals do not have access to adequate food and food sources that will help them achieve and experience a healthy lifestyle. Many studies are beginning to show that food insecurity impacts individuals’ physical and mental well-being. Researchers strive to better understand the relationship between food insecurity and mental health.

Researchers are striving better to understand the relationship between food insecurity and mental health

A study written by Weaver et al. (2021) investigated two possible explanations to explore the seemingly “black box” that links food insecurity and mental health. Researchers in this study aimed to investigate how food insecurity impacts depression and anxiety through two pathways: nutritional and social. The effect of nutritional pathways on the relationship between food insecurity and mental health was explored by measuring participants’ health markers (such as arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin levels). Researchers analyzed the effect of social pathways on food insecurity and mental health by testing social stressors such as not having desirable foods (e.g., meat) or not participating in socially ideal food practices (e.g., sharing foods with neighbors). 

This study took place in two distinct locations: a small rural area in Brazil and a medium-sized urban city in Ethiopia, which both reported high levels of food insecurity and depression. Researchers performed community surveys for households in Brazil and Ethiopia from 2015 to 2019, when the economy and food availability fluctuated.

The research was broken down into three phases. The first two phases involved preliminary procedures that established a mutual understanding of the social variables contributing to food insecurity. In the first research phase, researchers interviewed community members to create lists of socially food-related behaviors. The first variable that demonstrates socially food-related behaviors is defined as “CoC,” which represents normal food-related behaviors and food-related behaviors that reveal food insecurity. A second variable that demonstrated social food-related behaviors was food prestige, which measured how regularly individuals could purchase desired foods (e.g., meat, spices, butter, lasagna). 

A second variable that demonstrated social food-related behaviors was “food prestige,” which measured how regularly individuals could purchase desired foods (e.g., meats, spices, butter, lasagna)

The second phase of this research consisted of a confirmatory rating exercise. Participants rated food items written on cards on a scale of 1–4, indicating the strength of food insecurity and poverty. This phase confirmed a firm agreement with participants regarding which “CoC” food items demonstrated food insecurity and what foods were prestigious. 

The third phase of the research study involved examining the relationship between food insecurity and mental well-being within nutritional and social pathways. Researchers explored the relationship between the social variables (CoC and food prestige scores) and mental well-being variables through Common Mental Disorder Symptoms Scores (CMD). The nutritional variables were explored by testing the relationship between an individual’s arm fat area, body mass index, and hemoglobin level with their CMD scores. Other measured variables were participants’ wealth, household food insecurity, and household demographic data. 

As expected, this study reported that food insecurity scores were positively correlated with CMD symptoms. However, when analyzing the effect of the nutritional and social pathways on CMD symptoms, results varied depending on the location. Researchers found that socially food-related behaviors in this study were significant in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia, both “CoC” and “food prestige” scores were correlated with CMD symptoms. However, in Brazil, “CoC” and “Food Prestige” scores were not correlated with CMD symptoms. 

This study found nutritional deficiencies within both populations; however, the nutritional measures were not correlated with food insecurity in Brazil and Ethiopia. Although no correlations between food insecurity and mental health were explored in the nutritional pathway, researchers state their nutritional assessment was limited to arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin. This information allows future researchers to test for other possible nutritional measures that could reveal a relationship between food insecurity and CMD symptoms through other health markers, such as essential nutrients that promote healthy brain function.

Micronutrients that might substantially impact an individual’s mental well-being are B vitamins, folate, and vitamin D

 

Measuring arm fat area, BMI, and hemoglobin levels may play a significant role in revealing how ‘healthy’ we are. However, these three health markers may not be as directly evident of mental well-being as other nutritional factors. Many vitamins and minerals have been researched to reveal a significant relationship with mental health (see Micronutrients and Mental Health in the CNP Research Libraries). Examples of micronutrients that might substantially impact an individual’s mental well-being are B vitamins (Sánchez-Villegas et al., 2009), folate (Bender et al., 2017), and vitamin D ( Högberg et al., 2012). Folate is found in many vegetables and has been previously discovered to be associated with depression significantly. The micronutrients vitamin B-12 and vitamin D are highly available in animal-based foods, and animal-based foods such as meat were labeled as “prestigious” in this study. Those who are “food insecure” were less likely to consume “prestigious” foods. Therefore, exploring vital micronutrients that are more prevalent in “prestigious foods” is an alternative way to assess how food insecurity impacts mental health through nutritional pathways. Analyzing alternative nutritional variables may help reveal significant evidence of how nutrition plays a role in food insecurity and well-being in future studies.

References

Bender, A., Hagan, K. E., & Kingston, N. (2017). The association of folate and depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 95, 9–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.07.019

Högberg, G., Gustafsson, S. A., Hällström, T., Gustafsson, T., Klawitter, B., & Petersson, M. (2012). Depressed adolescents in a case-series were low in vitamin D and depression was ameliorated by vitamin D supplementation. Acta Paediatrica, 101(7), 779–783. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02655.x

Sánchez-Villegas, A., Doreste, J., Schlatter, J., Pla, J., Bes-Rastrollo, M., & Martínez-González, M. A. (2009). Association between folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 intake and depression in the SUN cohort study. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 22(2), 122–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-277X.2008.00931.x

Weaver, L. J., Owens, C., Tessema, F., Kebede, A., & Hadley, C. (2021). Unpacking the “black box” of global food insecurity and mental health. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 282, 114042–114042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114042

Our developmental years are predictive of overall well-being and long-term health. In fact, early life well-being and affect (the outward expression of a person’s internal emotions) may be predictive of positive life outcomes a decade later (Kansky et al., 2016). Having optimal nutrition, including an abundant amount of fruits and vegetables, is advised for children to promote a healthy lifestyle. While it is common knowledge that consuming fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods benefits our physical health, studies are beginning to investigate the role of nutrient-dense foods and their positive impact on psychological health. Previous research has found that eating more fruits and vegetables is associated with less depression, increased happiness, better life satisfaction, and higher social-emotional wellness (Conner et al., 2017).

 

Studies are beginning to investigate the role of nutrient-dense foods and their positive impact on psychological health.

 

In a cross-sectional study, researchers explored the relationship between children’s nutrition and mental health and investigated whether nutrient-dense foods like fruit and vegetables impacted their mental health (Hahoe et al., 2021). Researchers took self-reported dietary choices from children enrolled in over 50 schools in Norfolk, UK. Two versions of the self-reported dietary choice surveys were appropriately constructed for secondary and primary school children. The survey consisted of questions that provided data for the study, including demographics, possible health conditions, nutrition, living situations, and adverse experiences (Tennant et al., 2007). Mental health was evaluated through the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS) for secondary school students and the Stirling Children’s Well-Being Scale (SCWS) for primary school students.

This study found a significant relationship between children’s nutrition and their mental health. Researchers found that both secondary school students and primary school students had a strong relationship between their nutritional habits and mental well-being. Mental well-being in this study is defined as being in a condition where an individual is aware of their abilities, can manage life stressors, be productive, and contribute to their community. 

 

Students had a strong relationship between their nutritional habits and mental well-being.

 

Students who consumed more fruits and vegetables had significantly higher mental well-being scores. Another nutritional variable that revealed a relationship with students’ mental well-being scores was the type of breakfast consumed. Those who consumed a conventional breakfast (such as cereal, yogurt, porridge) had higher well-being scores than those who consumed snacks/breakfast bars, energy/non-energy drinks, or other, or nothing. The consumption of lunch also demonstrated a notable relationship with well-being, as students who did consume lunch had a lower well-being score than those who did not consume lunch.

Researchers’ findings revealed significant results supporting the relationship between children’s nutrition and mental health. These findings are a valuable addition to the growing body of research exploring the relationship between nutrition and children’s psychological health. Read more about the child and adolescent Diet-Mental Health Relationship in the CNP Parent Research Library.

 

References 

Conner, T. S., Brookie, K. L., Carr, A. C., Mainvil, L. A., & Vissers, M. C. (2017). Let them eat fruit! The effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on psychological well-being in young adults: A randomized controlled trial. PloS One, 12(2), e0171206. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171206

Hayhoe, R., Rechel, B., Clark, A. B., Gummerson, C., Smith, S. J. L., & Welch, A. A. (2021). Cross-sectional associations of schoolchildren’s fruit and vegetable consumption, and meal choices, with their mental well-being: A cross-sectional study. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, e000205. DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000205

Kansky, J., Allen, J. P., & Diener, E. (2016). Early adolescent affect predicts later life outcomes. Applied Psychology, 8(2), 192–212. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12068

Tennant, R., Hiller, L., Fishwick, R., et al. (2007). The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): Development and UK validation. Health Qual Life Outcomes 5, 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-5-63

 

Gatorade, Muscle Milk, Protein Powders, and Carb-Loading — all things elite athletes know well. Nutrition is not a new topic as it relates to sports performance. It’s no secret to athletes, coaches, and trainers that diet impacts an athlete’s physical health and their ability to physically train, perform, and recover. But what is a newer, more novel concept is how diet can impact an athlete’s mental health and their ability to perform. 

The field of Sport Psychology has been helping athletes to develop psychological skills that allow them to unlock their potential for years. Sport Psychology can be defined as “the scientific study of the psychological factors that are associated with participation and performance in sport, exercise, and other types of physical activity.” (APA, 2021). Professionals in this field are trained in techniques such as mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and counseling to empower athletes to develop the focus, confidence, and motivation they need to perform optimally in their sport. Only now are we beginning to establish the evidence base showing how diet can influence the mental performance of athletes.

 

Improving an athlete’s mindset through mental training can help improve their athletic performance.

 

It has well been established that improving an athlete’s mindset through mental training can help improve their athletic performance. Research is now showing that a person’s diet plays a strong role in the cognitive processes that are important to peak performance, including maintaining focus (Baker et al., 2014), learning and remembering (Hepsomali et al., 2021), controlling emotions (Dorthy, 2019), and even handling pressure in high-stress situations. In fact, one study found that adding probiotics in the form of yogurt to an elite diver’s diet actually decreased the risk of “choking” under the pressure of competition (Dong et al., 2020). Choking is a phenomenon that occurs often in sports, one that Mental Performance Coaches and Sport Psychologists work with athletes to regulate, and a circumstance that we now know can be improved through dietary changes. 

 

In sport, athletes face intense physical and cognitive demands.

 

In sport, athletes face intense physical and cognitive demands. These demands require unique nutritional needs to support optimal athletic performance, as well as physical and mental health. Current dietary guidelines for athletes take their physical performance into consideration but fail to account for how dietary habits may impact one’s overall physical and mental well-being. For example, it has been shown that endurance athletes may be at higher risk for intestinal permeability (Mach & Fuster-Botella, 2017). Intestinal lining permeability has recently been implicated in several mental disorders and cognitive processes (Mohajeri et al., 2018).

 

The Diet and Sport Psychology research category has been created in CNP’s Nutritional Psychology Research Library (NPRL).

 

The Diet and Sport Psychology research category has been created in CNP’s Nutritional Psychology Research Library (NPRL) to bring awareness of current research to coaches, trainers, athletes, and sport psychologists regarding the connection between athletic performance and nutrition. This research category is contributing to the field of Sport Psychology by making the connection between an athlete’s diet and their ability to perform psychologically, cognitively, and behaviorally. 

 

References 

Baker, L. B., Nuccio, R. P., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2014). Acute effects of dietary constituents on motor skill and cognitive performance in athletes. Nutrition Reviews, 72(12), 790–802. https://doi.org/10.1111/nure.12157

Clark, A., Mach, N. Exercise-induced stress behavior, gut-microbiota-brain axis and diet: A systematic review for athletes. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 13, 43 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-016-0155-6

Defining the practice of Sport and … – APA divisions. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/about/resources/defining.pdf. 

Dong, W., Wang, Y., Liao, S., Lai, M., Peng, L., & Song, G. (2020). Reduction in the Choking Phenomenon in Elite Diving Athletes Through Changes in Gut Microbiota Induced by Yogurt Containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12: A Quasi-Experimental Study. Microorganisms, 8(4), 597. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8040597

Du, Dorothy. (2019). You may be what you eat, can you be violent due to your food?. European Journal of Biomedical and Phramaceutical Sciences, 6(7), 20-28. 

Hepsomali P, Greyling A, Scholey A and Vauzour D (2021) Acute Effects of Polyphenols on Human Attentional Processes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 15, 678769. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.678769

Mach, N., Fuster-Botella, D. (2017). Endurance exercise and gut microbiota: A review. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 6 (2), 179-197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2016.05.001

Mohajeri, M. H., La Fata, G., Steinert, R. E., & Weber, P. (2018). Relationship between the gut microbiome and brain function. Nutrition Reviews, 76(7), 481–496. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuy009

 

In 2019, the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) evolved into a worldwide pandemic requiring us to quarantine and isolate ourselves to protect ourselves from catching and spreading the virus. As the world went into isolation for extended periods, many secondary aspects of our lives were impacted, including interrupted schedules and routines, significant changes in our social activities and experiences, and changes in our dietary intake patterns. The list of physical and mental health implications of these impacts is varied and significant and has resulted in both positive and negative effects on our health.

A recent scoping review by Bennett et al. in 2021 reviewed studies that explored the impact of people’s dietary intake changes within the first wave of the COVID-19 lockdown. Findings were divided into four themes: 1) dietary patterns, 2) favorable dietary habits, 3) unfavorable dietary habits, and 4) others (physical health factors). 

Findings showed that two prominent dietary intake patterns changed during the pandemic, including an increase in snacking and meal numbers. 

The researchers in the study categorized the increase in snacking as an unfavorable dietary habit. Most of the snacks consumed during the pandemic involved empty-calorie foods, which were associated with the need for comfort and reducing momentary anxiety levels from the pandemic. This unfavorable dietary habit suspends interest in making healthful food choices because it redirects an individual’s focus on nurturing their emotions (Shen et al., 2020). 

 

Most of the snacks consumed during the pandemic involved empty-calorie foods, which was associated with the need for comfort food.

 

The authors state that although there is much evidence mentioned about the adverse effects of the pandemic, there is some information that shows favorable dietary intake habits arising from being in isolation. Studies have shown that lockdown has decreased the amount of fast-food consumption. Instead, many people have been obliged to make food at home. Isolation has also reduced the consumption of alcohol for those who often drink while socializing. The reduced access to unhealthy foods and drinks has created favorable dietary habits for some individuals as cooking at home increased. However, even if positive dietary intake patterns and habit outcomes have arisen from being in lockdown, this review identifies more undesirable effects on peoples’ health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Isolation has also reduced the consumption of alcohol for those who often drink while socializing.

 

To see more studies examining the influence of Covid-19 and dietary intake, visit the CNP Research Library Diet and COVID-19 Research Category. Thank you to CNP Intern Hashmin Sajjan for contributing to this blog post!

 

References

Al-Musharaf S. (2020). Prevalence and Predictors of Emotional Eating among Healthy Young Saudi Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Nutrients, 12(10), 2923. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12102923

Bennett, G., Young, E., Butler, I., & Coe, S. (2021). The Impact of Lockdown During the COVID-19 Outbreak on Dietary Habits in Various Population Groups: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 626432–626432. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.626432

Shen, W., Long, L. M., Shih, C. H., & Ludy, M. J. (2020). A Humanities-Based Explanation for the Effects of Emotional Eating and Perceived Stress on Food Choice Motives during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Nutrients, 12(9), 2712. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12092712

 

Adding various foods to our diet can significantly improve our dietary intake quality, aiding in the prevention of health issues ranging from chronic diseases to behavioral health conditions. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid suggest that eating a diversified diet is health-beneficial. Diet diversity (DD) is defined as the number of different foods or food groups consumed over a given period of time (Ruel, 2003). DD is recognized as a critical element of proper nutrition, as a range of nourishing foods provides a greater abundance of nutrients to support the brain and body.

 

A range of nourishing foods provides a greater abundance of nutrients to support the brain and body.

 

Diet diversity is increasingly associated with numerous factors relating to the diet-mental health relationship (DMHR), including psychological resilience (Yin et al., 2019), memory (Zhang et al., 2020), hippocampal volume (Otsuka et al., 2021), depression (Poorrezaeian et al., 2017), and anxiety (Alenko et al., 2021). 

One method used to measure an individual’s DD involves calculating a Diet Diversity Score (DDS). These scores measure the variability within a person’s diet. In terms of the DMHR, questionnaires can be used to assess the connection between DD with a variety of psychological health and well-being factors.

 

Diet diversity is increasingly associated with numerous factors relating to the diet-mental health relationship.

 

A cross-sectional study examining the connection between DD and mental health was conducted by Poorrezaeian et al. (2017). This study specifically focused on the association of dietary diversity with depression and stress among a sample of 360 randomly selected Iranian women. After conducting interviews to gather information about the participants’ dietary intake, responses were calculated as Diet Diversity Scores. Depression and stress levels were measured through the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-42), which is a validated questionnaire designed to capture self-reported scores on these dimensions. 

As expected, participants who ate diets that included a variety of vitamins and minerals ranked higher in terms of DDS. More critically, results showed that a 1 unit increase in DDS was associated with a 39% reduction in the risk of severe depression. In other words, women who had less varied diets had scored lower on DD, and these lower scores were associated with an increased risk of severe depression. 

 

Results showed a 1 unit increase in DDS was associated with a 39% reduction in the risk of severe depression.

 

Although this study found a significant relationship between DDS and severity of depression, no meaningful relationship between mild/moderate depression or stress with DDS was found. The authors note that since the current study findings indicate a relationship between DDS and eating a nutrient-dense diet, future studies examining the specific connection between stress and DDS are important and should be conducted. Some of the existing evidence demonstrating the relationship between stress and unhealthy eating habits can be found in CNP’s Diet and Stress research category). 

 

Thank you to CNP Intern Hashmin Sajjan for contributing this article!

 

References

Alenko, A., Agenagnew, L., Beressa, G., Tesfaye, Y., Woldesenbet, Y. M., & Girma, S. (2021). COVID-19-Related Anxiety and Its Association with Dietary Diversity Score Among Health Care Professionals in Ethiopia: A Web-Based Survey. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14, 987–996. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S305164

Otsuka, R., Nishita, Y., Nakamura, A., Kato, T., Iwata, K., Tange, C., Tomida, M., Kinoshita, K., Nakagawa, T., Ando, F., Shimokata, H., & Arai, H. (2021). Dietary diversity is associated with longitudinal changes in hippocampal volume among Japanese community dwellers. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75(6), 946–953. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00734-z

Poorrezaeian, M., Siassi, F., Milajerdi, A. et al. (2017). Depression is related to dietary diversity score in women: a cross-sectional study from a developing country. Ann Gen Psychiatry, 16, 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12991-017-0162-2

Ruel M. T. (2003). Operationalizing dietary diversity: A review of measurement issues and research priorities. The Journal of Nutrition, 133, (11 Suppl 2), 3911S–3926S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/133.11.3911S

Yin, Z., Brasher, M. S., Kraus, V. B., Lv, Y., Shi, X., & Zeng, Y. (2019). Dietary Diversity Was Positively Associated with Psychological Resilience among Elders: A Population-Based Study. Nutrients, 11(3), 650. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030650

Zhang, J., Zhao, A., Wu, W., Yang, C., Ren, Z., Wang, M., Wang, P., & Zhang, Y. (2020). Dietary Diversity Is Associated With Memory Status in Chinese Adults: A Prospective Study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 12, 580760. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2020.580760

 

Previous studies have shown that lonely people tend to show less wisdom, and that loneliness and wisdom have opposite effects on well-being. Research has also shown that loneliness is associated with changes in the cardiovascular, neuroendocrine, and immune functions, including the activation of biological pathways associated with the microbiota-gut-brain axis, such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. With this in mind, this study investigated whether the gut microbiome is associated with loneliness, wisdom, or both. 

The study took place with 184 community-dwelling adults with ages ranging from 28 to 97 years. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire that measured loneliness, wisdom, compassion, social support, and social engagement. Also, fecal samples from the participants were profiled with 16S rRNA sequencing to assess the alpha and beta diversity of each participant. Alpha diversity refers to the degree of diversity in bacteria from a specific ecosystem and beta diversity refers to the degree of diversity in bacteria belonging to different ecosystems. 

A partial least square regression analysis showed that having more wisdom, compassion, social support and social engagement was associated with more alpha diversity while loneliness was associated with less alpha diversity. Having more compassion and wisdom was also associated with a higher level of beta diversity. 

The findings of this study suggest that 1) individuals with certain psychosocial traits such as wisdom, compassion, social support, and social engagement are more likely to have a diverse microbiota, and 2) increasing compassion and wisdom may have a positive effect on both loneliness and microbial diversity. 

It should be noticed that the relationship between the microbiome, positive psychosocial traits, and loneliness is likely to be bi-directional. For example, the neurocircuitry of wisdom overlaps with structures implicated in the microbiota-gut-brain axis and a healthy microbiome appear to promote social motivation. As such, improving the microbiome may promote the development of psychosocial factors that themselves have a positive impact on microbiota diversity. 

Read more about the connection between the Gut-Brain-Axis/Microbiome and psychological well-being and mental health in CNP’s upcoming curriculum entitled NP 120: Gut-Brain-Axis/Microbiome and Mental Health (coming 2022) or visit the Diet, Microbiome and Gut-Brain Axis or the Diet and Probiotics Research Categories in the NP Research Library.

 

References

Nguyen, T. T., Zhang, X., Wu, T. C., Liu, J., Le, C., Tu, X. M., Knight, R., & Jeste, D. V. (2021). Association of loneliness and wisdom with gut microbial diversity and composition: An exploratory study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 648475. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.648475

 

Referred to as our “eighth sense,” Interoception is our perception of the internal physiological state of our bodies. It involves the receiving, encoding, and representation of internal bodily signals in the brain and nervous system, as well as our perception of these states (Ceunen et al., 2016). Interoception encompasses non-conscious bodily signals occurring, and our conscious perception of them. These signals play a role in motivating our behavior — including our dietary intake (Paulus & Steward, 2014).

 

Interoceptive signals play a role in motivating our dietary intake behavior.

 

While the physiological characteristics and applications of Interoception are not yet fully understood, the vagus nerve gives us insight into this bidirectional communication consisting of a complex, bodywide system of nerves and hormones. A massive network of fibers, the vagus nerve travels from nearly every internal organ to the base of the brain and back again. It regulates many autonomic functions including heart rate, breathing, and digestion. More recently these vagal fibers have been found to go beyond the brainstem, showcasing a network in the brain that interprets internal changes, anticipates the body’s needs, and sends commands to fulfill them. This vagal network even expands into more complex cognitive systems, revealing insights into how we remember, process emotion, and construct our sense of self (Underwood, 2021).

 

This vagal network even expands into more complex cognitive systems, revealing insights into how we remember, process emotion, and construct our sense of self (Underwood, 2021).

 

Due to the vagus nerve being involved in both the body’s basic autonomic functions and also these higher cognitive systems, it has become of interest for treating many different conditions. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), which sends pulses of electricity to the vagus nerve has already been approved to treat depression and epilepsy. Other less invasive ways of stimulating the vagus nerve are currently being studied for rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, and Alzheimer’s. However, stimulating the vagus nerve has its limits, as the side effects can be vastly different (Underwood, 2021).

When it comes to stimulating the vagus nerve, and thereby increasing Interoceptive Awareness (Paciorek & Skora, 2020), there are less invasive ways to do so such as mindfulness, including meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans. These exercises can have a significant effect on vagal tone, and tend to activate the Insula — an area of the brain thought to be the hub of Interoception (Craig, 2009).

 

Eating high-quality, nutritious food is another way to increase your brain-to-body connection, and improve your vagal tone.

 

Eating high-quality, nutritious food is another way to increase your brain-to-body connection, and improve your vagal tone. This gut-brain axis is what allows the bacteria in your gut to communicate with your brain (Breit, 2018). Gut microbes also play an important role in your immune system and inflammation by controlling what is passed into the body and what is excreted (Rooks & Garrett, 2016). When you eat a typical Western-style diet categorized by high-sugar, high-fat foods, you are setting yourself up for inflammation in the body (Myles, 2014). By choosing to cultivate healthy gut bacteria through proper nutrition, you can strengthen your vagus nerve, thereby increasing a significant part of your Interoceptive Awareness. This can improve your Diet-Mental Health Relationship, leading to enhanced well-being and mental health.

 

When you eat a typical Western-style diet categorized by high-sugar, high-fat foods, you are setting yourself up for inflammation in the body (Myles, 2014).

 

Learn more about the role of Interoception within Nutritional Psychology in NP 110: Introduction to Nutritional Psychology Methods, and the role of the vagus nerve is NP 120: Gut-Brain/Microbiome Axis and Mental Health (coming Fall of 2021). Thank you to CNP Contributor Chelsea Louise Doswell for this article.

 

References:

Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain-Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 44. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044

Ceunen, E., Vlaeyen, J. W., & Van Diest, I. (2016). On the origin of interoception. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 743. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00743

Chen, W. G., Schloesser, D., Arensdorf, A. M., Simmons, J. M., Cui, C., Valentino, R., Gnadt, J. W., Nielsen, L., Hillaire-Clarke, C. S., Spruance, V., Horowitz, T. S., Vallejo, Y. F., & Langevin, H. M. (2021). The Emerging Science of Interoception: Sensing, Integrating, Interpreting, and Regulating Signals within the Self. Trends in neurosciences, 44(1), 3–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2020.10.007 

Craig A. D. (2009). How do you feel–now? The anterior insula and human awareness. Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 10(1), 59–70. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn2555

Emily Underwood. (2021). Newly detailed nerve links between brain and other organs shape thoughts, memories, and feelings. Science. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/06/newly-detailed-nerve-links-between-brain-and-other-organs-shape-thoughts-memories-and. 

Myles I. A. (2014). Fast food fever: reviewing the impacts of the Western diet on immunity. Nutrition Journal, 13, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-61

Paciorek, A., & Skora, L. (2020). Vagus Nerve Stimulation as a Gateway to Interoception. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1659. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01659.

Paulus, M. P., & Stewart, J. L. (2014). Interoception and drug addiction. Neuropharmacology, 76, Pt B(0 0), 342–350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.07.002

Rooks, M. G., & Garrett, W. S. (2016). Gut microbiota, metabolites and host immunity. Nature Reviews. Immunology, 16(6), 341–352. https://doi.org/10.1038/nri.2016.42