Mental health has become one of the greatest concerns nowadays. The number of people being diagnosed with a severe mental illness is constantly increasing but there are also many others who suffer in silence which unfortunately can lead to developing self-destroying habits.

All health issues are triggered by inflammatory processes in the brain which can lead to brain cell death. The inflammation actually starts in the gut and it is linked to poor nutrient intake which should include minerals, vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics which are essential for optimal body function.

According to the experts, vitamins and minerals can relieve depression and anxiety, boost people’s mood, and enhance the mental capacity of patients who have Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Julia Rucklidge is a clinical psychologist who claims that nutrition has an enormous impact on the mental health. In her TED talk, Julia reminds us of Dr. Semmelweis who was dismissed and ridiculed for advising doctors to wash their hands before touching pregnant women.

She also makes a comparison between what doctors thought in the past and what they think now regarding the idea of nutrition being more efficient than medication especially when treating some mental illnesses like schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and ADHD.

She also wonders why mental illnesses are continually increasing if the current medication is really effective.

Unfortunately, medical doctors do not know a lot about the power of nutrition. Dr. Julia herself admitted that she also doubted the idea that nutrition alone could help in the treatment of mental illnesses. However, over the past decade, she conducted a research which has shown that nutrition is a completely safe and applicable method that can prevent, treat, and reduce the risks of developing mental illnesses.

In one of her studies, she gave placebo therapy i.e. applying micro-nutrients like minerals and vitamins to patients diagnosed with ADHD. These patients showed positive results in just 8 weeks. However, this was not the case with patients who received conventional medication.
According to the findings in her study, the conventional medical treatment has short-term effects. On a long-term basis, its effects can be even detrimental.

Dr. Julia Rucklidge also added that patients with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder were also treated with micro-nutrients and the results showed long-term improvement.

Her conclusion is that poor nutrition can increase the risk of developing mental illnesses and as a result, we should get more serious when it comes to the importance of nutrition for our health.