There is an abundance of research which has proven that a person’s brain functions, mood and behaviors are greatly affected by nutrition (or the lack of it). A person who has skipped a meal will be notably weaker, more out of focus and more irritable than a person who’s eaten. Here are the top three ways the food you consume could be affecting your mental state.

1. It affects your mood and behavior

Lack of adequate nutritional supply to the brain can result in alterations in the activities of the neurotransmitters, a chemical component in the brain that transmit one nerve impulse from one nerve cell to another. The malfunctioning of the transmitters can influence mood, rationale and even sleep patterns, which eventually will affect behavior.
Neurotransmitters are partly made up of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. If the required amino acid is lacking, it affects the functioning of the neurotransmitters and disrupts the normal functioning of the brain by the process described above.

2. It determines your body’s energy level

Energy is not just needed for performing physical activities, it’s also needed to sustain the various bodily functions. The metabolic process, digestive process, etc, all require energy to work efficiently, and this energy is primarily obtained from the calories in food, through the process of metabolism. The more calories in the food you eat, the more energy your body will have too use and expend.

3. It affects brain function

As unlikely as it sounds, the reality is that hunger or lack of essential nutritional can affect a number of mental processes and make you “dumber”. The human brain has high energy and nutrient needs as we said in the previous point, and a low calorie diet can alter the functioning of nerves and the brain chemistry as well.

Deficiencies or excesses of certain vitamins or nutrients can also have fatal consequences like impaired brain function, cause changes in memory, limit problem solving ability and even lead to damaged nerves in the brain. As a result, doctors recommended that people eat a balanced diet in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid the numerous health problems that could arise from poor nutrition.

Conclusion

Nutrition is extremely important for your overall health and can affect your mental well being in the ways listen here above, and you should be sure to make sure that your body receives all the nutrients that it needs for a balanced diet on a regular basis.

A professional fitness professional will be able to offer further advice on diet and nutrition, and if you would like to hire one, we would be glad to connect you with someone you can trust. Please contact us at:

WhatsApp number: +971565830067 (Just send us code 4481 and we will get back to you ASAP)
Contact Us: Click here to send us your details or fill in the form below.

You can get in touch with us 24/7 and one of our experts will not only give you a free consultation but also help you pick out an appropriate male or female personal trainer to meet your needs. One-on-one personal training lessons are available in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and RAK.
______________________________________________________________

[contact-form-7]

Mental well-being is as important for people in the later stage of their life as it is for people at any other stage in life. Most people assume that old age is depressing and distressing, featured by loss and disability. This is a common misconception most people seem to share, but the reality is that older people are as capable as younger people at enjoying life, coping with difficulties, engaging in satisfying activities and taking on life’s challenges. They also make a real contribution to their families and communities, using their wealth of knowledge and experience. With that said, here are six factors that influence mental well-being in elderly people.

1. Retirement

Retirement is an unavoidable consequence of old age and is often seen it’s hallmark. Some older people may welcome it as an opportunity to relax and enjoy the few last years of their life and engage in the activities they’d set aside while working. However, for others, it might mean a number of negative things like significant reduction of income, change in self-image and identity, a narrowing of their social network and support system and lastly, the recognition of their mortality. With that said, retirement can improve or worsen an elderly person’s mental well-being depending on how he/she takes it.

2. Changes in income

Compared to younger people of the same social class, older people generally have lower incomes or are more vulnerable to poverty due to a number factors , the most common being retirement, inability to contribute effectively to the workforce and low pensions. This is one of the most common factors that influence the mental well-being of people, specifically older people.

3. Physical changes

People undergo various physical changes as they age and proceed into later life. They become significantly weakened (physically) and more liable to mental and physical health problems that greatly affect their mental and emotional state. The increased vulnerability to chronic health-related conditions can greatly affect older people’s psychological well-being. The physical changes and health problems may limit older people’s mobility, leading to less social contact which can result in mental health problems.

4. Changes in social interaction and support networks

Studies have shown that lack of adequate social interaction or support groups can lead to fatal mental health problems in humans, generally. Also, it has been proven through research that changes in support networks or lessened social interaction, most commonly due to retirement, may affect older people in a myriad of ways, such as increasing an older person’s risk of developing mental health problems.

5. Loneliness

Statistics reflect that about 10 percent of old-aged people experience loneliness and other negative emotions like depression and sadness. This is mostly due to the social isolation they experience as a result of the retirement and lessened social interaction. The absence of supportive friends and family is also a common factor that causes loneliness and influences the mental wellbeing in old adults.

Elderly people also experience a lot of age discrimination from their young counterparts like social exclusion and poor service responses. Sexual orientation and gender identity is also a common factor that influences elderly people’s mental wellbeing.