The human is a complex, dynamically changing, multilayered, and one could argue the most widely unique of all of the living species. Comprised of trillions of cells, complex emotions, and distinctive genetic makeups it is no wonder that so much is still unknown about the intricacies of the body. What is known, however, is the driving force behind the standards and protocols in the healthcare industry. This awareness is shifting the traditional American healthcare model to include an interdisciplinary approach to providing care supporting an integrative approach, with consideration to all aspects including nutrition, physical body, emotional mind, and mental health.
Despite the lingering stigma, mental health and mental health services are growing in popularity due to the increased prevalence in related issues. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (46.6 million in 2017). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe. In addition to traditional mental health methods of care, a growing body of research supports including Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) interventions in the treatment plan. MNT is an evidence-based medical approach to treating certain chronic conditions through the use of an individually-tailored nutrition plan provided by a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
As a best practice, it is encouraged to seek help from accredited and licensed RDNs if and when you are interested in receiving nutrition related advice and services. RDNs will partner with you to create a safe, realistic and individualized plan that is sustainable for the long haul. Medical Nutrition Therapy offers opportunities to improve all aspects of health of people living with mental illness. The research outcomes show that optimizing nutrition and even establishing small dietary habit changes can make a big difference in the prognosis and treatment outcomes. A recent research article published in 2017 studied a cohort of adults diagnosed with depression who were randomly assigned to seven individual nutritional consulting sessions with a RDN or seven social support sessions over 12 weeks. The RDN helped participants make adjustments to their diets based on their individual needs. While just 8 percent of the control group achieved remission, almost a third of the dietary intervention group did (BMC Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 23, 2017). As a best practice, it is encouraged to seek help from accredited and licensed RDNs if and when you are interested in receiving nutrition related advice and services. RDNs will partner with you to create a safe, realistic and individualized plan that is sustainable for the long haul.
Although the focus of MNT historically has been implemented majorly to impact someone’s physical health, increased evidenced based conclusions are continuously proving its efficacy of including it into the mental health medical model. Fundamentally, nutrition and mental health go together like cheese and wine, peanut butter and jelly, or dogs and people (if that isn’t a duo pairing, it should be). A well nourished body and brain should be the standard, not the exception. In conclusion, nutrition interventions are demonstrating to be a profound missing link to preventing, treating, and curing mental illness.
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Written by
Nicole Ryan, RDN, LDN
