Nutrition for Mental Health and Wellbeing

Abstract

Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. The chapter begins with a brief background of mental health care and identifies key indicators and determinants associated with disorders of emotions and emphasizes on the role of nutrition in mental health. The chapter provides an overview of different types mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsion disorder, poor memory and concentration, and so on. This chapter aims to answer the question of whether and to what extent lifestyle and related nutrition affect mental health and whether there is scientific evidence supporting the diet and mental health relationship. The relationship between nutrition and mental health is bidirectional: the foods we eat affect our mental health, and our mental health status affects what and how well we eat. An association of nutrients with mental health will teach the readers how to identify and manage them in a healthy way.