Unit 3: The role of nutrition in PTSD

Only recently, brain researchers consider as a possible treatment option for mental health conditions. This is actually surprising if we consider the key role which nutrition plays in the structure and function of our brain and body. In contrast to pharmaceutical medication, diet has no negative side effects and can be used to support therapy or medication. Healthy nutrition and improving the diet is something everyone can and should do.

Therefore, diet should be used to help with PTSD. Research has found striking evidence which link depression and anxiety with unhealthy nutrition patterns. In addition, PTSD is associated with stress-related eating disorders and emotional eating, which in most cases comes with poor food quality.

Mental health and physical health are fundamentally connected and influence each other.

Therefore, dietary interventions are needed address the mental and physical symptoms of PTSD simultaneously.

Diet has also the potential to influence biological mechanisms underlying PSTD. Diet can have a positive influence on each of the following conditions:

• inflammation
• oxidative stress
• brain chemical irregularities
• imbalance between the types of organism in the gut