Diet

Most of what makes up our brain comes from the food we eat so it is important to make sure we have enough of the right things in our diet.

People with severe mental illness are more likely to develop diabetes, have heart problems or be overweight. These are all things that can be are affected by the food we eat. 

The reasons why these types of conditions are more common those with severe mental illness can vary, some examples are:

• Antispychotic medication can cause weight gain and other side effects that put people at risk.
• Social factors like low income and poor diet.
• Genetic links between mental health conditions and physical health conditions.

There is no single food that can provide all that the body needs to be healthy so it is important to eat a variety of good foods.

Protein  

The body needs protein for growth and repair. It also converts it into amino acids for chemical messengers in the brain that carry information about things like mood.

Protein can be found in...

• Meat
• Fish
• Eggs
• Milk
• Cheese
• Cereals (and cereal products such as bread)
• Nuts and pulses (beans and lentils)

Fats and (fish oils)

Fat provides the body with a concentrated energy source. Nerve cells in the brain are also made of fat.

The most important kinds are omega-3 and omega-6 as they make up about 20% of the brain. They are called 'essential fatty acids' (EFAs). The Food Standards Agency recommends that we eat two portions of fish a week, including one which is oily (like mackerel or sardines) in order to get enough.

Other places EFAs can be found are:

• Nuts and seeds
• Avocado
• Oils - sunflower, olive, vegetable and linseed

High levels of saturated fats will make you more vulnerable to obesity and heart disease. Foods high in saturated fat include:

• Fatty meat products, such as meat pies and sausages
• Cheese (particularly hard cheese)
• Butter and lard
• Pastry, cakes and biscuits
• Cream, soured cream and crème fraiche
   

Vitamins and Minerals  

Vitamins and minerals are what enable the body to convert protein into the amino acids it (to carry messages). They are also needed for fatty acids be incorporated into the brain (for nerve endings).

All vitamins and minerals (apart from vitamin D) must come from the diet as the body cannot make them itself.  

Carbohydrates 

The brain and body uses glucose for fuel. Glucose comes from carbohydrates once they’re digested by the body. The glucose is carried around the body to be converted into energy.

Less refined carbohydrates release glucose into the body more slowly and so help to maintain a stable energy level. Less refined carbohydrates are called complex carbohydrates, and include food such as wholegrains and beans.

Carbohydrates can be found in...

• Bread including wholegrain, granary, brown and seedy
• Wholegrain breakfast cereals
• Beans, lentils and peas
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Rice

These sorts of food should form about a third of the food that we eat.

A lot of food is now labelled according to their ‘glycaemic index’ (GI). This relates to how much they raise the sugar level in the blood after they’re eaten. Foods with a low GI will keep blood sugar levels stable and make you feel fuller for longer. Examples of low GI food include porridge, beans, pulses and lentils .