Baseer Maroof, LCSW · Raleigh, NC · Adults 21+
Nutrition for mental health
Food-as-medicine practitioners see every meal as a message to your body and mind. In this view, the gut is a second brain: a garden that thrives on colorful plants, fibre, good fats and fermented foods.
When the garden blooms, they say energy steadies and the mind feels clearer and calmer. Real food, shared and enjoyed, becomes daily care.
The garden in your gut
Feed the garden and a bright line carries the glow up to the mind.
Garden blooming
Tap a number to light it up.
An artistic picture, not a medical image.
Feeding an ADHD brain
Nutrition-minded clinicians who love food as care see it as steady fuel for an ADHD brain. Protein and fibre keep focus even, good fats and minerals feed the wiring, and eating on a rhythm keeps the tank from running dry.
A focus-fuel day
Drag across the day. Switch the plate and watch the line.
Light up the brain
Tap a food and see where practitioners say it shines.
- Protein at breakfastBefore meds quiet your appetite.
- Eat on a clock, not on hungerPhone alarms for meals and a snack.
- Easy snacks within reachNuts, yogurt, fruit, jerky: desk, car, bag.
- Refuel in the eveningWhen appetite returns, a real meal.
Food works alongside whatever care you’re using, never instead of it.
The mood-food plate
A simple picture of a Mediterranean-style, mood-friendly way of eating. Tap a section.
The mood-food plate
Tap a part of the plate. Switch to the ADHD-friendly version for low-effort ideas.
Inspired by the Mediterranean way of eating. A picture to aim for, not a rule.
Be careful if…
- Eating-related history: go easy on food rules and work with your treatment team or a dietitian.
- Diabetes or kidney disease: check changes with your doctor.
- Supplements: omega-3s can add to blood thinners, and St. John’s wort interacts with many medicines. Tell your prescriber.
Sources
All sources, linked27 references⌄
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- Parletta N et al. A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression (HELFIMED). Nutritional Neuroscience 2019;22(7):474–487. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29215971/
- Bayes J, Schloss J, Sibbritt D. The effect of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young males (the AMMEND trial). Am J Clin Nutr 2022;116(2):572–580. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441666/
- Firth J et al. The effects of dietary improvement on symptoms of depression and anxiety: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychosomatic Medicine 2019;81(3):265–280. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30720698/
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- Lane MM et al. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ 2024;384:e077310. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38418082/
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- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: fact sheet for consumers. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-Consumer/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Zinc: fact sheet for consumers. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: fact sheet for consumers. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-Consumer/
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