FAQ

Does it matter what we eat for our mental health? Accumulating data suggests that this may indeed be the case and that diet and nutrition are not only critical for human physiology and body composition, but also have significant effects on mood and mental wellbeing. While the determining factors of mental health are complex, increasing evidence indicates a strong association between a poor diet and the exacerbation of mood disorders, including anxiety and depression, as well as other neuropsychiatric conditions. The adult brain requires a disproportionately large energy supply, while it represents about 2% of body weight, it consumes about 20% of whole body energy requirements. This means your brain requires a constant supply of fuel. That “fuel” comes from the foods you eat. Put simply, what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood.

There are two groups of vitamins; fat-soluble and water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, are usually found in meat and meat products; animal fat and vegetable oils; dairy products and fish. They dissolve in fat before they are absorbed in the bloodstream and are stored in the liver.

Water-soluble vitamins include the B vitamins and vitamin C. They are found in meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. They dissolve in water and are not stored in the body, but are eliminated regularly in the urine. Water-soluble vitamins are easily destroyed by heat and light, or may be washed out during food preparation or storage. Our bodies need a continuous supply of water-soluble vitamins

Did you know many Canadians are not receiving the required amount of vitamin D suggested by Health Canada? Statistics Canada has stated that when blood levels of vitamin D were tested, about 40% of Canadians were below the cut-off level for healthy bones in winter, compared with 25% in the summer”.

The most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) D) blood test.  Serum 25 (OH) D is produced from vitamin D3 in the liver. The blood concentration of 25 (OH) D is considered the best indicator of vitamin D status.

There is no consensus on vitamin D levels required for optimal health, it likely differs depending on age and healthy conditions. Most experts recommend Serum 25 (OH) D concentration:

20-50ng / ml: good; 12-19 ng / ml: margin; less than 12ng / ml: lack.

Reference and sources:

1. Janz, T. & Pearson, C. Vitamin D blood levels of Canadians. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82624-x. Accessed Oct 10, 2019
2. MedlinePlus: “25-hydroxy Vitamin D Test.”
3. Harvard School of Public Health: “Vitamin D: How much is Enough ?”
4. Institute of Medicine: “Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and vitamin D.”
5. Office of Dietary Supplements: “Dietary Supplement Sheet: Vitamin D.”
6. Garland C.F. Annals of Epidemiology, July 2009.

Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons:

1. Don’t consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegan diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, fortified milk, and beef liver.
2. Exposure to sunlight is limited. Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk of deficiency if you are homebound, live in northern latitudes, wear long robes or head coverings for religious reasons, or have an occupation that prevents sun exposure.
3. Dark skin. The pigment melanin reduces the skin’s ability to make vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure. Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency.
4. Cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. As people age, their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.
5. Digestive tract cannot adequately absorb vitamin D. Certain medical problems, including Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can affect your intestine’s ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.
6. Obese. Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells, altering its release into the circulation. People with a body mass index of 30 or greater often have low blood levels of vitamin D.

Fatty acids are divided into short, medium, and long chains based on the length of the carbon chain.

• Short-chain fatty acids (or triglycerides): composed of 0 – 5 carbon atoms
• Medium-chain fatty acids (or triglycerides): composed of 6 – 12 carbon atoms
• Long-chain fatty acids (or triglycerides): composed of 13 – 21 carbon atoms

Typical MCT refers to caprylic triglyceride C8 (containing 8 carbon atoms) or capric triglyceride C10 (containing 10 carbon atoms) or mixed caprylic triglyceride. MCTs are directly shuttled to the liver to rapidly be used for energy both in the form of fat and ketones.This is why MCTs, even though they are “fats” have such unique properties. When tissues use glucose is restricted, ketone bodies will become the main energy source. So, the ketogenic effect of MCT could be used in clinical to assist the treatment of diseases with limited glucose utilization, including neurological diseases. MCTs can be found in certain food sources such as coconut oil and palm oil. 

Usual dietary fats, by comparison, are long-chain triglycerides, such as extra virgin olive oil, soybean oil, fish, nuts, avocados, and other meats.

While there is some overlap, they are not the same compounds. MCT oil can actually be derived from coconuts, but it is a much more concentrated compound when compared to coconut oil.

MCT oil contains 100% MCTs, refers to caprylic triglyceride C8 (containing 8 carbon atoms) or capric triglyceride C10 (containing 10 carbon atoms) or mixed caprylic triglyceride.

Whereas coconut oil only contains about 45%-55%MCTs, and the remainder is lesser grade lauric acid (C12) , approximately 45%-53%, which behaves more similarly to a LCT even though it is labeled as a MCT .

Both coconut oil and MCT oil can provide benefits for your body to tap into, but if you’re looking for more rapid ketone production, pure C8C10 MCT oil is second to none.

The gut–brain axis is the biochemical signaling that takes place between the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract) and the central nervous system (CNS). The term “gut–brain axis” is occasionally used to refer to the role of the gut flora in the interplay as well, whereas the term “microbiome–gut–brain axis” explicitly includes the role of gut flora in the biochemical signaling events that take place between the GI tract and CNS.

The relationship between gut flora and humans is not merely commensal (a non-harmful coexistence), but rather a mutualistic relationship. Human gut microorganisms benefit the host by collecting the energy from the fermentation of undigested carbohydrates and the subsequent absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), acetate, butyrate, and propionate. Intestinal bacteria also play a role in synthesizing vitamin B and vitamin K as well as metabolizing bile acids, sterols, and xenobiotics. The systemic importance of the SCFAs and other compounds they produce are like hormones and the gut flora itself appears to function like an endocrine organ; dysregulation of the gut flora has been correlated with a host of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.The composition of human gut flora changes over time, when the diet changes, and as overall health changes.

Now, studies with humans focus on measuring variations in gut flora between people with various psychiatric and neurological conditions or when stressed, or measuring effects of various probiotics (dubbed “psychobiotics” in this context).

Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that humans and other animals must ingest because the body requires them for good health but cannot synthesize them. The two primary EFAs are known as omega-3 and omega-6.Omega-3 fatty acids include alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-6 fatty acids include linoleic acid (LA), gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and arachidonic acid (AA).

EFA is essential for all stages of life, from fetal brain development to preserving the cognitive function of the elderly. These essential nutrients support overall health through multiple benefits and are necessary for the normal function of the heart, nervous system, vision, cell membranes, skin and brain, as well as energy metabolism, hormone production and joint health.

Food sources of linoleic acid (LA) include vegetable oils, such as soybean, safflower, corn oil as well as nuts, seeds, and some vegetables.

Flaxseeds, walnuts, and their oils are among the richest dietary sources of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Oily fish, such as herring and salmon, are the major dietary source of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega-3 fatty acids help to balance stress hormones while regulating cortisol. New research reveals that people who better resist the effects of physical and emotional stress also show high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood. Chronic stress leads to inflammation.

Omega-3s are crucial components of all cell membranes, including those in the central nervous system. Omegas, therefore play an important role in the development, function and regulation of the brain,neurological processes, cognition and mood.

Consuming plenty of omega-3 fatty acids may offer powerful protection against depression. A large Norwegian study of nearly 22,000 participants revealed that those who regularly took cod liver oil, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, were about 30% less likely to have symptoms of depression than those who did not. The longer the participants took omega-3, the less likely they were to have high levels of depression.

Other data suggests that boosting omega-3 fatty acid intake increases attention and reduces an aggressive stress response, probably by enhancing cognitive processes. An increased intake of omega-3 has also been associated with a larger volume of grey matter in the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain area controlling emotion and mood and implicated in depression.

In studies, omega-3 supplements have been shown to offer a variety of stress-reducing benefits including easing feelings of distress, depression and anxiety, improving memory happiness, focus and relaxation, and calming inflammation throughout the body, including in the brain. Most busy and active individuals will benefit from at least 1,500 mg of omega 3 to help reduce inflammation, balance hormone and neurotransmitter production (increasing serotonin our “happy” hormone and boost the brain.

Due to the opposing effects of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a healthy diet should contain a balanced omega-6: omega-3 ratio. Human beings evolved eating a diet with a omega-6: omega-3 ratio of about 1:1. But, modern western diets exhibit omega-6: omega-3 ratios ranging between 15:1 to 17:1. Epidemiology and dietary intervention studies have concluded that an exceptionally high omega-6: omega-3 ratio promotes the development of many chronic diseases, a reduced omega-6:omega-3 ratio can prevent or reverse these diseases. For example, a ratio of 4:1 was associated with a 70% reduction in mortality in secondary coronary heart disease prevention and a ratio of 2.5:1 reduced rectal cell proliferation in patients with colorectal cancer. A lower omega-6: omega-3 ratio in women was associated with decreased risk for breast cancer. A ratio of 2:1–3:1 suppressed inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and a ratio of 5:1 had a beneficial effect on patients with asthma, whereas a ratio of 10:1 had adverse consequences.

EPA and DHA are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and are essential fatty acids that the body needs for optimal health. They help regulate triglycerides and blood pressure, keep brain and nerve cells healthy for memory and learning support, and help relieve symptoms of arthritis as well as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea.

Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA): EPA works on its own and in conjunction with DHA to support overall health. It can be obtained in a balanced ratio with DHA through dietary sources such as cold-water fish, fish oil supplements and algal oil.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): DHA is a key component of cell membranes in the brain and retina, where it is responsible for helping cell membranes control what goes in and out of cells and how they respond to chemical and electrical signals.