By UB Volunteer, Leslie Holley, MA 

Last week I went to an upscale sports bar with friends. Because I was craving savory food I ordered a grilled cheese.  When the waitress brought out my plate I wanted to gasp.  The grilled cheese was literally 12 inches long! The waitress prided herself on the fact that the sports bar offered such a dish.

In most American restaurants today this is the norm, three or four servings of fried, salty, sugary dishes that pack a punch wrapped up into one heaping serving.  The old age saying, "you are what you eat", is what comes to mind when I think of the Western diet in today's society.  With addictions and depression on the rise, it is important to explore all aspects of a client's life during diagnosis and when setting up a treatment plan.  The Gale Encylopedia of Mental Health (2007) states that a person's food intake affects mood, behavior, and brain function.  Researchers have found that there is a correlation between the prevalence of mental health disorders in developed countries and the deterioration of the Western Diet (Lakhan and Vieira, 2008).

The most common nutritional deficiencies seen in patients with mental disorders is omega-3 fatty acids, which can be gained from fish and other sources.  B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are also in omega-3 fatty acids, which can be received through fruits and vegetables.  Compelling studies have shown that high fish consumption correlates to low incidence of mental disorders.  Additionally, patients with mental disorders can benefit from a higher intake of fish, about 9.6 grams to the 1 to 2 grams recommended daily for generally healthy individuals (Lakhan & Vieira, 2008).

Sugar is another culprit in mood.  Sugar suppresses activity of a key growth hormone in the brain called BDNF (Ilardi, 2009). This hormone helps promote and maintain a healthy brain.  New studies have shown that people who are diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia have critically low BDNF levels (Ilardi, 2009).  Low BDNF levels can trigger depression.  Sugar consumption also triggers a flow of chemical reactions in the body that promote chronic inflammation. Long term inflammation overtime wrecks havoc on the immune system and brain alike.

Eating habits is just another gem of information that can be used with patients who are experiencing low energy, fatigue, loss of appetite, or interest in pleasurable activities, to name a few.  I believe that it is imperative clinicians take the client/therapist relationship further by exploring everyday lifestyle, which includes eating habits.  However, that being said, living in a society where obesity and over eating is normalized, how do clients realize that what they are eating may be affecting their mood?

One key factor to finding out if a client has a poor diet and are interested in changing is to see if their symptoms decrease, is to include questions about their eating habits and opinions on medication during the intake process.  What does a typical breakfast look like for the client?  How many times a day does the client eat?  How much soda does the client drink?  Does the client believe in taking medication to alleviate symptoms?  Does the client believe that mind and body are connected?  These types of questions during the intake process can tell a clinician a lot about their client's outlook on life and their lifestyle.

Here are a few steps to introduce a client to exploring their diet and how it may be affecting their mood.  (Allott, 2006)

1. Just observe.

It is not easy for anyone to change their eating habits.  Having the client take it slow and just observe what they are putting into their bodies is a good step in introducing change.  Many of us don't realize what we eat everyday.  Most of us are busy, rushing, and just trying to relieve hunger.  If we stop and observe what we eat during each meal we may be surprised at what we learn about ourselves, our bodies, and how we are feeling.

2. Set the judgment aside.

No one is perfect.  If the client has been eating well for awhile and breaks their health kick with a serving of fried chicken it is not the end of the world!  Slip ups happen and if not processed that slip up can cause a downward spiral to an even unhealthier lifestyle.  Help the client process the "slip up" and move on in a healthy manner.  Let the client know that slip ups are o.k. and natural.

3.  How does food effect how you feel on a mental, emotional, physical level?

Have the client keep a journal about what they are eating and how they feel when they are eating.  Ex. How you feel as you eat as you eat, 30 minutes later, 2 hours later? When do you get hungry again?  Do you experience anxiety, anger, depression, hot flashes, fatigue, mental fogginess, etc.?

This will start driving change in the client.  After all, it is up to the client, not the therapist, to be motivated to change when it comes to eating habits and the client's mental health.



Leslie Holley, M.A. 

Leslie Holley graduated from DePaul University in 2011 with her Masters in Community Counseling.  She specializes in African American community issues and the importance of nutrition.  Leslie Holley completed her graduate thesis on the help seeking behaviors of African American men, which was nominated for distinction.  She has presented her work at the 2010 Illinois Counseling Association Conference, as well as the 2010 American Counseling Association Conference and she is a member of the Illinois Mental Health Counseling Association.  Leslie Holley is also an avid volunteer, counseling young adults presenting with anger, neglect, and self-esteem issues.