Diet Archives - Illawarra Medical Centre https://illawarramedical.com.au/category/diet/ Providing superior health care to families and local businesses in the Ballajura area for more than 25 years Tue, 25 Apr 2023 10:31:29 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Staying healthy over the holidays https://illawarramedical.com.au/staying-healthy-over-the-holidays/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=staying-healthy-over-the-holidays Tue, 20 Dec 2022 07:23:14 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=6458 As we head towards Christmas and New Year and gatherings with friends and family, it’s important to continue to look after your health to ensure everyone can enjoy a happy, healthy festive season. In this month’s blog, we give some tips on how you can best look after your health over the holidays. Limit Alcohol […]

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As we head towards Christmas and New Year and gatherings with friends and family, it’s important to continue to look after your health to ensure everyone can enjoy a happy, healthy festive season. In this month’s blog, we give some tips on how you can best look after your health over the holidays.

Limit Alcohol

Alcohol can be part of a healthy lifestyle, when used in moderation and in conjunction with a good diet and regular exercise. However, if you consume too much alcohol, it can have a serious impact on your physical health in both the short-term and long-term.

Drinking large amounts of alcohol at any one time can cause confusion, blurred vision, clumsiness, memory loss, nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness, and even coma or death.

Not only that, but drinking too much alcohol in the short-term can also lead to:

  • Accidental injury to yourself and/or others
  • Being in a road accident
  • Deliberately harming yourself or others
  • Unprotected or unwanted sex
  • Alcohol poisoning
  • Hangovers

During the festive season, try to keep track of how much you’re drinking and make sure you drink water between each alcoholic beverage to help combat dehydration and reduce the amount of alcohol you may consume. If you do go out and plan to drink, make sure you plan not to drive.

Avoid Overindulging

Christmas time is filled with an abundance of delicious goodies, from traditional roast meats to chocolate treats, leftovers and never-ending snacks. It can be tempting to want to eat everything on offer but if you want to be kind to your health, try practicing portion control and be selective in what you do treat yourself to.

Mindful eating can also help prevent you eating more than you normally would. Try to be conscious of what you are eating and avoid non-stop grazing throughout the day, to help avoid overeating

We know that what you eat can affect your overall health and wellbeing, so try and incorporate plenty of nutrient-rich whole foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, into your festive diet, which we know are good for your whole body.

Keep Stress at Bay

The end of the year and the lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time for many – with increased demands on our time and our wallets.

Stress triggers numerous physiological responses within the body and can impact our nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, muscular and immune systems.

Try to help keep the stress at bay over Christmas, and reduce its impact on your health, by:

  • Planning ways to reduce spending at this time of year and finding low-cost ways to have fun. Rather than buying gifts for everyone in the family, why not suggest a Secret Santa. And instead of going out for cocktails with friends, suggest a picnic in the park instead, where everyone can bring a plate.
  • Picking and choosing which social events you do want to attend and giving yourself some downtime in between to reset and recoup. Remember that you don’t have to say yes to every invitation!
  • Staying healthy by eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep.

Exercise

While it’s easy to get out of our regular routine during the holidays, try to keep up with some form of exercise. Regular exercise is an essential part of maintaining good whole-body health and ensures your body has the necessary nutrients available to keep you feeling your healthy best.

In addition, exercise can help to reduce stress by decreasing the body’s elevated hormonal and immune responses to stress.

Get up-to-date with vaccinations

While you might be taking a break over the holidays, viruses and illnesses certainly won’t be!

There are plenty of viruses currently doing the rounds, including COVID-19, meningococcal and measles. Vaccination remains the best way to keep yourself, your family and the wider community protected, so make sure you are up-to-date with all your recommended vaccinations.

Vaccination is also an important consideration for those heading overseas during the holidays, to help protect you against any diseases you may be exposed to on your travels. It’s best to see your doctor at least 6 to 8 weeks before you leave. This will allow you enough time to get any vaccinations that require more than one dose and for the vaccines to start working before you leave.

Your doctor can also provide you with a comprehensive consultation on your health needs while travelling, based on your individual circumstances. As different countries have different laws regarding medicines that can be taken in and out, your GP will be able to advise you on how to pack and prepare any medications you need to take with you.

The holidays are also a great time to get the kids up-to-date with their scheduled immunisations before heading back to school in the new year. All schools in Western Australia have immunisation requirements for enrolment, so make sure you check with your school as to what their immunisation requirements are before the start of the new school year.

Keep your cool in the heat

The festive season often coincides with the start of the summer heat. It’s important to look after yourself and others in hot weather by:

  • Drinking plenty of fluids – especially water – throughout the day.
  • Avoiding alcohol and caffeine, as these can increase dehydration.
  • Staying indoors with a fan or air-conditioner.
  • Limiting the time spent outdoors. If you do go out, try to go early morning or late evening, stay in the shade and wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for protection.
  • Wearing light coloured, loose fitted clothing.
  • Cooling your house by keeping curtains, blinds and windows closed during the day.
  • Keeping food safe by properly storing and defrosting it.
  • Checking on elderly friends, neighbours and relatives to make sure they are slot gacor ok and are keeping hydrated and cool.
  • If you have pets, do not leave them alone in a car and ensure they have water and plenty of shade available when they are outside.

Book in for your annual skin check

The hot weather is also a good reminder about the importance of getting regular skin cancer checks. Getting a regular skin check is one of the best ways to detect skin cancer early.

Illawarra Medical Centre offers a comprehensive range of dermatology services, including skin cancer checks, mole screening and general dermatology screenings.

If you have any health conditions that mean you are at greater risk of heat-related illness or concerns about your health in general, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns.

Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> The link between eczema and food allergies https://illawarramedical.com.au/the-link-between-eczema-and-food-allergies/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-link-between-eczema-and-food-allergies Thu, 26 May 2022 05:17:58 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=5704 May plays host to both Eczema Awareness Month and Food Allergy Awareness Week, but did you know that eczema and food allergies can be linked, especially in children? Food allergy occurs in around 5-10% of children and 2-4% of adults in Australia and New Zealand. Eczema affects one in 5 children under 2 years of […]

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May plays host to both Eczema Awareness Month and Food Allergy Awareness Week, but did you know that eczema and food allergies can be linked, especially in children?

Food allergy occurs in around 5-10% of children and 2-4% of adults in Australia and New Zealand. Eczema affects one in 5 children under 2 years of age. Eczema can also occur in older children and adults but usually improves with age.

In this month’s blog, we take a closer look at eczema and food allergies and the link between them.

What is eczema?

Eczema is a skin condition that causes the skin to become red, dry, itchy and scaly. In severe cases, the affected skin may weep, bleed and crust and may become infected.

The most common type of eczema is atopic dermatitis – a chronic, itchy skin condition that generally affects the elbows, knees, hands and face.

While it is very common in children, it can affect people of any age and often occurs in individuals with an existing predisposition to and/or family history of eczema, asthma or hay fever.

Those with eczema carry large numbers of Staphylococcal bugs on their skin. These can make eczema worse by activating the immune cells that cause inflammation of the skin.

 As eczema often leads to broken skin, sufferers are at greater risk of contracting skin infections when an outbreak does occur. This can make the eczema worse and treatment more difficult.

Eczema can cause great discomfort for sufferers. It can greatly impact on quality of life, causing sleepless nights due to itching, absenteeism from work, school and other activities, or hospitalisation and costly treatments when severe flare ups occur.

Winter can be a prime time for eczema. You can read more about this in our previous blog – How Winter Impacts on Eczema>>

How is it treated?

While eczema cannot be cured, it can be managed.

The first step is consulting your GP or skin specialist for a formal diagnosis. They will then work with you to develop an individualised treatment plan to best manage your eczema. This will often include a three-pronged approach of:

  • reducing your exposure to any triggers, where possible;
  • regularly applying moisturiser to your skin; and
  • intermittent treatment with topical steroids.

Other key recommendations for managing eczema day-to-day include:

  1. Washing your skin with non-soap cleansers, to help reduce the number of Staphylococcal bugs on your skin. Non-soap cleansers can also maintain important oils that can often be stripped through the use of soap based products.
  2. Moisturising your skin every day to help replace the moisture often lost in winter. This also helps to block out germs that can cause infection. The best time to moisturise is generally after showering, when the skin is still slightly damp. It’s important to use a moisturiser that is suited to your skin.
  3. Keeping showers and baths short and using lukewarm water (no more than 30oC), as hot water will cause your skin to dry out further.
  4. Wearing soft, breathable fabrics and loose fitted clothing to prevent further skin irritation.
  5. Avoiding the overuse of heaters, as they can dry the air and exacerbate the problem.

What is a food allergy?

According to Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, a food allergy is “an immune system response to a food protein that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. When the individual eats food containing that protein, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, gastrointestinal tract, skin and/or heart.”

Food allergy symptoms

Most symptoms of food allergy are mild or moderate and occur within 30 minutes of eating the food. These symptoms may include:

  • Swelling of the lips, face or eyes.
  • Skin reactions like redness, hives or eczema.
  • Tingling or itchy mouth.
  • Vomiting, stomach pain and/or diarrhoea.
  • Nasal congestion.

If these symptoms occur, it is best to avoid that food again and to make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.

A severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, can happen immediately and symptoms include:

  • Difficult or noisy breathing.
  • Swelling of the tongue and throat (e.g. drooling, difficulty swallowing).
  • A change in voice or cry and/or difficulty vocalising.
  • A persistent cough, wheezing or stridor.
  • Collapse or fainting.
  • Paleness and floppiness (in young children).

Anaphylaxis can be life threatening. Please seek urgent medical assistance for any signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Common food allergies

The most common allergy causing foods are:

  1. Eggs
  2. Peanuts
  3. Tree nuts (such as cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts)
  4. Cow’s milk
  5. Wheat
  6. Fish
  7. Shellfish
  8. Sesame
  9. Soy
treenut
soy
sesame
seafood
fish
peanut
milk carton
egg
bread

Food Allergy Prevention

To help reduce the risk of food allergies developing, the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) recommends introducing solid foods to infants between four to six months of age. It also recommends introducing the common food allergens by 12 months of age.

Delaying the introduction of common allergy causing foods does not prevent food allergy. In fact, research shows that giving your baby the common allergy causing foods before they are one year of age can greatly reduce the risk of them developing an allergy to that food.

Breastfeeding mothers are also encouraged to continue to breastfeed their infant while solid foods are first introduced, to help reduce the risk of food allergies developing.

This video from the Telethon Kids Institute provides some useful tips on ways to prevent food allergies developing in children>>

Even if common allergy causing foods are introduced before one year of age, a small number of children will still develop a food allergy. While there is currently no cure for food allergies, the good news is that many children will naturally outgrow them.

One tool being used to help better identify food allergies in infants is SmartStartAllergy. Illawarra Medical Centre’s Principal GP – Dr Alan Leeb – is one of the people behind SmartStartAllergy; a collaboration between SmartVax, the National Allergy Strategy (NAS), with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation.

SmartStartAllergy uses automated SMS technology to send a text message to parents when their baby is 6, 9 and 12 months old to find out if they have introduced solid foods (including peanut).

Some parents will only receive a text message at 12 months. Subsequent messages ask if the child has had an allergic reaction to any introduced foods.

Parents also receive a brief questionnaire to find out about any allergic reactions, family history of allergy, or if their child has eczema.

How are food allergies and eczema linked?

People with eczema often have other allergic conditions, including food allergies. Studies have shown that infants with eczema and a family history of allergy are more likely to develop food allergies. Some research has also shown that babies with eczema can develop food allergy if the food comes into contact with their skin.

The foods most commonly found to be linked to worsening eczema are cow’s milk, eggs, wheat and peanuts.

Managing an infant’s eczema, to boost the skin barrier, may reduce the chance of them developing a food allergy.

While food allergy itself does not cause eczema, avoiding certain foods may also result in better eczema control for those with severe eczema. However, it’s important that any food elimination diets are conducted under the supervision of a clinical immunology/allergy specialist alongside a dietician, especially for infants. With an elimination diet, foods are introduced one at a time to see if they cause the eczema to flare. If there is no improvement over two weeks, this generally means that food is unlikely to be a trigger for the eczema.

Worried about food allergies or eczema?

Then book an appointment with your GP to discuss your concerns. At Illawarra Medical Centre, we offer dermatology checks with Dr Dhruva Ramachandran every Tuesday morning for those with any skin concerns.

To make a booking with Dr Ramachandran or any one of our GPs to discuss your skin and allergy concerns and the best treatment options available for you, go to our online bookings page or contact us on (08) 9208 6400.

To find out more about our dermatology services, visit the Dermatology page of our website>>

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> Flushing out the salty facts on kidney health https://illawarramedical.com.au/salt-kidney-health/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=salt-kidney-health Wed, 17 Mar 2021 05:18:58 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=4284 With March bringing us Salt Awareness Week (8-14 March), World Kidney Day (11 March) and Kidney Awareness Week (15-21 March), we thought we’d take a closer look at how salt impacts on your kidney health. What do kidneys do? Most people are born with two kidneys. The organs are shaped like a bean and sit […]

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With March bringing us Salt Awareness Week (8-14 March), World Kidney Day (11 March) and Kidney Awareness Week (15-21 March), we thought we’d take a closer look at how salt impacts on your kidney health.

What do kidneys do?

Most people are born with two kidneys. The organs are shaped like a bean and sit in your abdomen, below the ribs at the back. They are around the size of your fist and each kidney weighs around 150 grams.

Kidneys are a very important part of your overall health. Their main function is to filter out waste products, excess water, and other impurities from your blood and turn these into urine.

Not only that, but they also help to keep your blood pressure regular and manage your body’s production of Vitamin D, which is crucial for maintaining strong bones and producing red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body.

Kidneys are one of the hardest working organs in your body. They clean around 200 litres of blood per day, with your entire blood supply cycling through your kidneys at a rate of around 12 times per hour!

Kidney Disease

When your kidneys don’t function as well as they should, waste gradually builds up in your body and can result in kidney disease.

Kidney disease impacts 1.7 million Australians each year. Most kidney disease occurs gradually, over several years. It often goes undetected in the early stages. In fact, people can lose up to 90 percent of kidney function before any symptoms appear.

What are the symptoms of kidney disease?

While symptoms of kidney disease are often rare, there are some noticeable signs of reduced kidney function. These include:

  • High blood pressure;
  • Changes in the amount and number of times urine is passed;
  • Changes in the appearance of your urine (for example, frothy or foaming urine)
  • Blood in your urine;
  • Puffiness in your legs, ankles, or around your eyes;
  • Pain in your kidney area;
  • Tiredness;
  • Loss of appetite;
  • Difficulty sleeping;
  • Headaches;
  • Lack of concentration;
  • Itching;
  • Shortness of breath;
  • Nausea and vomiting;
  • Bad breath and a metallic taste in your mouth;
  • Muscle cramps;
  • Pins and needles in your fingers and toes.

There are a number of other factors that can also increase your risk of developing kidney disease.

These include:

  • Diabetes;
  • High blood pressure;
  • Established heart problems (including heart failure, heart attack or stroke);
  • A family history of kidney disease or kidney failure;
  • Obesity;
  • Smoking;
  • Being aged 60 years or older;
  • Being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin; and
  • A history of acute kidney injury.

To see if you are at risk of developing kidney disease, take the Kidney Risk Test>>

If you experience any of the symptoms or risk factors outlined above or are concerned about your kidney health, make sure you see your GP sooner, rather than later.

The good news is that when kidney disease is detected early, changes to lifestyle, diet and medication can be implemented to help prevent any further damage.

How does salt impact on kidney health?

We all know that too much salt is bad for our health, but did you know that one of the reasons for this is the impact it can have on our kidney health?

Eating too much salt can make it harder for your kidneys to do their job in removing excess fluid. This extra fluid can build up and result in increased blood pressure and may also result in shortness of breath and swelling of your ankles, feet, hands, and puffiness under your eyes.

According to the UK led World Action on Salt and Health (WASH), a diet high in salt has been shown to increase the amount of protein in urine, which is a major risk factor for the decline of kidney function. In addition, there is increasing evidence that a high salt intake may increase the level of deterioration of kidneys in those people who are already suffering from kidney disease.

How to reduce your salt intake

According to Kidney Health Australia, the recommended daily salt intake for adults is less than 6g a day (or about a teaspoon of salt) and less than that for babies and children under 11 years of age.

Most salt in our diet comes from processed foods or by adding it directly to food during cooking or at the dinner table.

Some of the easiest ways to reduce your salt intake at home include:

  • Eating a balanced diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, proteins and low-fat dairy products;
  • Limiting your consumption of salty snacks and processed foods;
  • Avoiding adding salt during the preparation of food when cooking. Instead, use herbs and spices to give more flavour to your food;
  • Keeping the salt shaker OFF the dinner table at meal times; and
  • Choosing products with a lower sodium content, when shopping.

Keeping your kidneys healthy

There are a number of other simple ways to help keep your kidneys healthy

These include:

  • Avoiding smoking. People who smoke are three times more likely to have reduced kidney function.
  • Keeping up with regular exercise and being active most days of the week.
  • Minimising long periods of time sitting.
  • Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoiding soft drinks and fruit juice.
  • Minimising alcohol and limiting your intake to less than two standard drinks per day. Excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure, and this increases the risk of kidney disease.

Concerned about kidney health?

If you are concerned about your kidney health, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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]]> Celebrating the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables https://illawarramedical.com.au/health-benefits-of-fruits-and-vegetables/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=health-benefits-of-fruits-and-vegetables Mon, 18 Jan 2021 06:07:08 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=4057 If you’ve overindulged during the silly season, now is the time to get your health and nutrition back on track. Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is a great first step. With this year being the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, we also have an added incentive to include a few more fruit and […]

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If you’ve overindulged during the silly season, now is the time to get your health and nutrition back on track.

Increasing your fruit and vegetable intake is a great first step. With this year being the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, we also have an added incentive to include a few more fruit and vegetables into our diets throughout 2021.

Fruits and vegetables – the benefits

It is well known that fruits and vegetables have many health benefits. As noted by the World Health Organization, not only do they help to strengthen your immune system, they also play a vital part in combating malnutrition and preventing non-communicable diseases.

This is because fruits and vegetables contain a variety of minerals and vitamins that are good for your overall health. These include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, and folic acid. Not only are fruit and vegetables low in fat, salt and sugar, they are also a great source of dietary fibre, which is essential for a healthy digestive system.

As part of a well-balanced diet and active lifestyle, fruits and vegetables can help to reduce obesity and maintain a healthy weight and lower both cholesterol and blood pressure.

Regularly eating lots of fruits and vegetables has also been known to lower your risk of:

  • Type 2 diabetes;
  • Stroke;
  • Heart disease;
  • Cancer; and
  • High blood pressure

As noted by the Harvard School of Health, there are at least nine different families of fruits and vegetables. Each offer potentially hundreds of different plant compounds that are beneficial to your overall health.

How much fruit and vegetables should you be eating?

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day. These include different types and colours, as well as legumes and beans. The general rule of thumb is to aim to eat five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit each day.

The Guidelines also recommend:

  • Enjoying reduced fat varieties of milk, yoghurt and cheese.
  • Eating mainly wholegrain cereal foods and breads.
  • Eating lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans.
  • Drinking plenty of water.
  • Limiting your intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.
  • Keeping physically active every day.
  • Encouraging, supporting and promoting breastfeeding.
  • Caring for your food by preparing and storing it correctly.

Nutritionist Lisa Stegena, Managing Director of Nutrition Force, suggests aiming for 20-30 different types of food per day and to ‘eat a rainbow’ as an easy way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

“This simply means eating a range of colourful, fresh, wholesome food that will provide a range of health benefits to your body. It doesn’t mean eat a packet of Smarties!”

“The more colourful whole food is, the more nutritional benefits it is likely to have, as the nutrients and other healthy compounds contribute to its colour, flavour and aroma.”

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet and adopting healthy eating patterns can not only help you to achieve healthy weight loss, it can also provide additional health benefits. These include increased energy, better sleep and reduced risk of depression.

Eating from the rainbow

Generally, fruits and vegetables fall into five different colour groups:

  1. Red – contain phytochemicals (including lycopene), ellagic acid and the kaempferol flavonoid which can protect against cancer.
  2. Purple/Blue – contain a group of phytochemicals knowns as flavonoids and anthocyanins, which have a mild anti-bacterial effect.
  3. Orange/Yellow – contain phytochemicals known as carotenoids, some of which have been known to help protect against cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
  4. Green – contain a range of phytochemicals that are known to have anti-cancer properties.
  5. White/Brown – contain phytochemicals, including allicin, which have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

Antioxidants contribute to the colour of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, eating from all colours of the rainbow is a good way to make sure you are getting a range of antioxidants and nutrients into your diet.

To find out more about the benefits and the fruits and vegetables found in each colour food group, visit https://www.sanitarium.com.au/health-nutrition/vegetarian-eating/fruit-and-vegetables

Want to know if you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables in your current diet? Take the Dietitians Association of Australia “Healthy Eating Quiz” here>>

See your GP at IMC

If you are concerned about your diet or nutritional health, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

We also offer appointments with a Nutrition Force Accredited Practicing Dietitian on Tuesdays.  Appointments are available fortnightly to discuss a range of dietary related health conditions, including gut issues, bariatric surgery, children’s dietary issues, weight loss, diabetes and more.

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]]> How nutrition impacts on your mental health https://illawarramedical.com.au/nutrition-mental-health/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nutrition-mental-health Tue, 06 Oct 2020 03:26:53 +0000 https://illawarramedical.com.au/?p=3647 We know that good nutrition is important for keeping our bodies healthy, but did you know that it also has a major impact on our mental health? As part of Mental Health Week and National Nutrition Week, both taking place this month, we take a closer look at how what we eat affects our mental […]

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We know that good nutrition is important for keeping our bodies healthy, but did you know that it also has a major impact on our mental health?

As part of Mental Health Week and National Nutrition Week, both taking place this month, we take a closer look at how what we eat affects our mental health and wellbeing.

Mental health – the stats
According to the Black Dog Institute, one in five Australian’s aged between 16 and 85 will experience a mental illness each year. The most common of these being depression, anxiety and substance use disorder.

Depression is the number one cause of non-fatal disability in Australia, with one in seven Australian’s experiencing depression in their lifetime.

In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that depression will be the number one health concern globally by 2030 in both developed and developing nations.

In Australia, anxiety is also becoming more prevalent. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) National Health Survey 2017-18 identified 3.2 million Australians (or 13.1% of the population) as having an anxiety related condition. This is an increase from 11.2% in 2014-15.

The link between nutrition and mental health
Numerous studies have found that diet can directly impact on the mental health outcomes of individuals.

The 20th Century has seen an increased global consumption of sugar, salt, snacks, take-away and high-energy foods coupled with a decrease in the consumption of nutrient and fibre-dense foods.

In fact, the Global Burden of Disease Study, conducted in 2017, indicates that unhealthy diet is now the leading cause of early death globally and contributed to 11 million deaths and 255 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2017.

Unhealthy diets, consisting of a higher quantity of processed foods, are also associated with increased risk of depression and anxiety.

As noted by mind-body medicine specialist, Eva Selhub MD, this can partly be explained by understanding the role of serotonin in the body.

“Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain. Since about 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells, or neurons, it makes sense that the inner workings of your digestive system don’t just help you digest food, but also guide your emotions.”

“Studies have compared “traditional” diets, like the Mediterranean diet and the traditional Japanese diet, to a typical “Western” diet and have shown that the risk of depression is 25% to 35% lower in those who eat a traditional diet. Scientists account for this difference because these traditional diets tend to be high in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, and fish and seafood, and to contain only modest amounts of lean meats and dairy. They are also void of processed and refined foods and sugars, which are staples of the “Western” dietary pattern.”

Most research in the past has looked at the link between diet and health in adults. However, more recent research that focusses on children and young people has also found a relationship between unhealthy diets and poorer mental health outcomes.

According to Beyond Blue, poor nutrition in children has been associated with a range of problems.

These include:

  • externalising behaviour problems, such as hyperactivity, aggression, and disobedience;
  • symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder;
  • poor concentration and tiredness, which interfere with learning;
  • immune system function, which is also linked to mental health;
  • delayed brain development, as high-fat, high-sugar diets can affect proteins in the body that are important for brain development;
  • iron deficiency, which has been linked to cognitive function impairments associated with learning and memory; and
  • nutrient deficiencies, which have been associated with mental health conditions including depression and anxiety.

Tips for eating well
What all this research seems to tell us is that eating well is not only important for your overall physical health; it is also vitally important for your mental health.

One of the easiest ways to eat well for your health is to follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines. These have been developed to provide advice to Australians about the amount and kinds of foods that they need to eat for their health and wellbeing.

The Guidelines recommend enjoying a wide variety of nutritious foods from the following five food groups every day:

  • Vegetables of different types and colours and legumes/beans.
  • Fruit.
  • Grain (cereal) foods –mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties (such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley).
  • Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans.
  • Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives (mostly reduced fat).

The Guidelines also recommend drinking plenty of water and limiting your intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.

Nutritionist and Managing Director of Nutrition Force, Lisa Stegena adds that increasing the amount of magnesium in your diet may also help with your mental health.

“There is a growing body of research that supports the theory that depression could be an inflammatory response. Magnesium, which has been found to reduce inflammation, is now being trialled in the treatment of depression and anxiety.”

To help boost the amount of magnesium in your diet, Lisa suggests:

  • Limiting your alcohol intake;
  • Eating a wide range of whole foods that are high in fibre;
  • Snacking on nuts and seeds at least once a day;
  • Eating lots of leafy green veggies, daily; and
  • Adding more legumes to your diet.

You can read more about magnesium and mental health here>>

Lisa also suggests mindful eating as a way to improve your diet and wellbeing.

“Mindful eating is the practice of being aware of what we are eating. Listening to our body. Sometimes it takes time for the brain to catch up to the stomach, which can lead to overeating if we don’t stop and listen to our body’s signals. It allows us to pay attention to how the food makes us feel – our emotions and mood.”

For more tips on mindful eating, read this blog from Nutrition Force>>

If you are concerned about your diet and/or mental health, book in with one of our GPs to discuss your concerns. Appointments can be made online or by contacting us directly on (08) 9208 6400.

We also offer appointments with a Nutrition Force Accredited Practicing Dietitian on Tuesdays. Appointments are available fortnightly to discuss a range of dietary related health conditions, including gut issues, bariatric surgery, children’s dietary issues, weight loss, diabetes and more.

For more information on this topic, visit:

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