FOOD AND MOOD: WHY EXPERTS NOW WANT YOUR GP TO ASK WHAT'S ON YOUR PLATE
The link between food and mood is moving from wellness chatter into the doctor's surgery.
This week, one of Australia's leading nutritional psychiatry researchers urged GPs to make diet a routine part of mental health care, especially when treating depression.
Speaking to the Medical Journal of Australia's news service InSight+, Associate Professor Wolfgang Marx argued the evidence is now strong enough to act on.
Associate Professor Marx is deputy director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University in Geelong, which has spent years studying how what we eat affects how we feel.
What The Food And Mood Research Says
According to Associate Professor Marx, randomised controlled trials have shown that improving diet quality can reduce depressive symptoms, including in people with clinically diagnosed depression.
One of the best known is the Australian SMILES trial, in which a healthier eating pattern was tested as an add-on to existing care.
Most people in that trial were already taking antidepressants, having talking therapy or both, so diet was used alongside treatment rather than instead of it.
Interestingly, the improvements in mood seen in these trials happened regardless of whether people lost weight.
That matters, because it suggests the benefit comes from the food itself rather than from changes on the scales.
The report also points to a large BMJ umbrella review, pooling 45 analyses covering almost 10 million people.
It found that eating more ultra-processed food was linked to poorer mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety.
Why Your Gut May Be Part Of The Story
Researchers are also exploring the gut-brain connection, the busy two-way line between your digestive system and your brain.
Small early studies have found that changes to diet can shift the bacteria living in the gut, and some have hinted at changes in the brain too.
The report is careful to describe this work as early, proof-of-concept research rather than proof that any single food treats depression.
In other words, there is no magic yoghurt, but the overall pattern of what you eat seems to count.
Small Swaps That Make A Big Difference
The good news is that you do not need a complete kitchen overhaul to get started.
The advice in the report is to begin with one or two achievable changes and build from there.
That could mean adding more vegetables, beans, lentils and wholegrains, eating fish more regularly, or swapping some highly processed snacks for simpler whole foods.
The eating pattern with the strongest support is a broadly Mediterranean one, think olive oil, leafy greens, tomatoes, nuts, legumes and plenty of colour on the plate.
Here are a few easy ideas to try this week:
Toss a tin of rinsed chickpeas through your lunchtime salad.
Swap a packet snack for a handful of unsalted nuts and a piece of fruit.
Add an extra handful of frozen veggies to pasta sauce, soups and curries.
Plan one fish dinner, such as a simple tray bake of salmon and greens.
Choose wholegrain bread or oats in place of more refined options.
What This Means For Your Next GP Visit
Associate Professor Marx said GPs do not need to become dietitians, but can ask about eating alongside other lifestyle factors such as sleep, exercise, alcohol and smoking.
For people who need more intensive help, he recommends referral to an Accredited Practising Dietitian, particularly where there are other health conditions, nutritional deficiencies, food insecurity or a history of disordered eating.
He also stressed that depression differs from person to person, so diet is one helpful tool rather than a one-size-fits-all fix.
"Depression is heterogeneous and there is unlikely to be a single treatment," he said.
If you are feeling low, diet changes should never replace professional support or any treatment you have been prescribed.
This story is for general information only, so please talk to your GP about what is right for you, and if you need someone to talk to now, you can call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
In the meantime, filling your plate with a little more colour is a kind, practical step that may help your body and your mind.
