May is Mental Health Month. We've put together a 2-part series to support both the education and how-to of nourishing a healthy mind.

Today, we're sharing some of our top nutrient picks for your healthy mind and setting you up with one of our top blend picks for mental function support.  On Wednesday, we're getting into recipes & other easy tips on showing your mental big nutrition love.  

Let's dive in......

Mental health is having a huge impact on Canadians: 1 in 5 people are living with a mental health condition and/or struggle. We love that the conversation around this is now louder, but we've got a long way to go.

Increasingly, research is showing that nutrition plays an important role in the prevention and treatment of depression and other mental disorders. We will continue to learn and develop products that support your mental, not just physical, health.    

Here's a high level on some of our learnings:

1. Diet quality plays a part in the presence and severity of depressive symptoms across population groups. Higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish may reduce the risk of depression in adults.

2. Studies have associated depression with levels of specific nutrients. For example, zinc deficiency has been associated with increased depressive symptoms. Folate deficiency has been observed in individuals with poor response to anti-depressant treatment. Vitamin D deficiency and low levels of antioxidants have also been linked to depression risk.

3. The important sharing of knowledge on how dietary patterns can influence mental health and the inclusion of nutrition as a part of a full treatment program is not happening at the rate it should be.

sources: Dieticians of Canada, CMHA

NUTRIENTS FOR YOUR MIND

Below are some of our favourite foods, vitamins and minerals for supporting mood and mind:

Maca: a natural mood elevator, hormone balancer and energy-booster. Find it in: Daily Chai, Maca Energy and Shroom Energy. 

Zinc: activates hormonal, neurotransmitter and signaling pathways in the gut which modulate brain functions like appetite, sleep, neurogenesis, cognitive function and mood. Find packed into our Nutty-Chocolate blends. 

B12: this essential nutrient can be easy to miss (especially on a plant-based diet), but it's a mood-booster and can help ease the symptoms of depression. Find it boosted in our The Remedy blend.

Vitamin B6: important for normal brain development and keeping the nervous system healthy. Top B6 blends: our Sweet Potato Coconut Soup, Green Beginnings, The Nutty Athlete, The Athlete.

Vitamin D3 (the "sunshine vitamin") is fat soluble, so we recommend combining with healthy fats to get your max absorption. Take a supplement with any of our blends (they contain the nutrients for supporting absorption).

Folate: a B-vitamin that's needed to convert carbs into energy, which your brain uses to function. Top folate blends: Greens Daily Dose, Daily Greens Keto, The Remedy The Green Mo, The Athlete.

Lions Mane: research has found that this mushroom extract may protect against dementia, reduce mild symptoms of anxiety and depression, and help repair nerve damage. Find it in our Daily Chai and Shroom Energy.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: essential for healthy brain function; a good source is chia seeds, which can be found in our: Lime Mojito, Daily Chai, Green Mo, The Cherry Bomb, Sweet Sleep, Blue Coconut Keto, Vita-C Immunity Chia Energy & Acai Bowl blends.  Our Superseed Mix is a great brain booster for all your fave blends.

For a big health boost, mega-nourish your mind and body with one of our 3-Day Cleanse Plans, which have shown to help clear brain fog, reduce inflammation & energy-boost.