The food you eat can have a big impact on overall mental health. Healthy nutrition significantly boosts your mental health, too. A well-balanced diet helps you think well and feel more attentive and thus, improving concentration. Simply put, making choices of healthy food will improve your mental health and physical fitness too. Check out some picks that can help you feed your brain to improve the overall wellness of your mental health:

1. Fatty fish

Having a deficiency in omega-3s is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders, such as bipolar, dementia, and depression. Fatty fish contains two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). These omega-3 fatty acids help in improving both short as well as long-term memory, resulting in optimal brain health. The omega-3s travel through the cell membranes of the brain cells, where they work together with molecules well known for playing a role in regulating mood. The properties of omega-3s help to stabilize mood. These omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are vital for normal brain growth and function all through the stages of life. They also play significant roles in the growth of a baby’s brain.

2. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a very good source of vital omega-3 fats in the form of alpha, linolenic acid, one basic element of other omega-3s, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. These are extremely vital in mental health as well as healing from mental disorders, including the treatment of depression. The docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acids are plentiful in the cell membranes of the brain cells, maintaining the health of the cell membrane and smoothing the progress of communication between brain cells. Omega-3 fatty acids found in this seed play an important role in the growth and functioning of the central nervous system.

3. Canola and soybean oils

Canola and soybean oils are common types of cooking oil which have been linked with quite a lot of mental health benefits. The nutritional content found in these oils is associated with improvements in memory and cognitive functions. A recent study shows that dipeptide obtained from soy foods can aid in minimizing memory ruin and can decrease the risk of contracting diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

4. Walnuts

If you feel like having a snack, go for a handful of walnuts since it is packed with benefits that help your mental health. Surprisingly, they look like a brain, maybe for a reason. They are full of antioxidants that help to hinder oxidation in your brain and your body too. It is even more amazing that these nuts can, in addition, lead to the development of new neurons. It means that they help in the growth of new brain cells, a vital aspect of maintaining optimal mental health.

5. Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens are ever praised for providing almost everything in your body, including mental health. Eating no less than one serving (a half cup of cooked or one cup uncooked) of green vegetables on a daily basis is related to a slower turn down of brain function. They give your brain solid quantities of folic acid that has been confirmed to be a big prevention of depression. They, in addition, help in fighting off insomnia, which is related to mental impairments and can assist in reducing dementia in older people.