Dr. Wolfgang Marx

The first one is the biological mechanisms related to diet and mental health.

And so by that, I mean, diet has substantial literature showing that various components of the diet, things like omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, dietary fiber, various nutrients, vitamins, minerals,

all have a role in reducing inflammation, improving our antioxidant defenses, interacting with our gut microbiome.

All these sorts of various pathways that we're now understanding is also linked to our mental health.

But then in addition to that, I think two other areas that perhaps don't receive as much attention is the effect of diet on metabolic health.

So we know that areas like insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease, all the rest are highly comorbid in people with mental disorders.

And that the dysfunction that's caused by these diseases can interrupt and have a negative effect on the various mechanisms related to our mental health as well.

So by eating better, by reducing our risk of these various cardiometabolic disorders, I see this as a pathway of also improving our mental health.

It really...

Diet is really an interesting example of the mind-body connection.

If we can improve the health of our body, it's also improving the health of our mental wellbeing and our brain health.

And then the final area is around that behavioural and psychosocial sort of mechanism.

Food isn't like a medication.

Food is quite unique in that it's not just fuel.

It's identity.

It's culture.

It's celebration.

It's routine.

It's politics.

It's environment.