Do you enjoy sugary-sweet drinks? Packaged snacks or reconstituted meat products? They are convenient and easy to prepare.

I would be lying if I told you that I did not enjoy eating processed foods, at least in the past. I remain imperfect, but if I indulge, you can catch me eating a freshly made chocolate croissant or a delicious recently prepared piece of chocolate (of course) cake.

What are ultra-processed foods?

Let’s begin with some basics about processed foods before we pivot to the new study linking ultra-processed foods and mood.

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

CAN ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS HURT YOUR HEALTH? Some studies indicate the answer is yes.

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In the Harvard Health Blog, Katherine McManus, MS, RD, LDN, offers her take:

“Unprocessed or minimally processed foods are whole foods in which the vitamins and nutrients are still intact. The food is in its natural (or nearly natural) state. These foods may be minimally altered by removal of inedible parts, drying, crushing, roasting, boiling, freezing, or pasteurization, to make them suitable to store and safe to consume.”

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics defines processed food as “food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving or preparing in different ways.”

Please note that not all processed foods are unhealthy; rather, it depends on the amount of processing.

Ultra-processed foods, depression, and anxiety

Some studies point to a connection between ultra-processed food consumption and feeling blue. The evidence regarding other mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, remains lacking.

Enter a new study exploring whether people who consume higher amounts of ultra-processed food have more adverse mental health symptoms.

Researchers measured ultra-processed food consumption as a percentage of total energy intake in kilo-calories. They took a representative sample from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2012, including 10,359 people ages 18 and older.

They categorized the foods and drinks consumed as unprocessed or minimally processed, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods, or ultra-processed foods. They reported each food type as a percentage of daily calories.

The investigators examined measures of depression and mentally unhealthy or anxious days to see if those who ate more ultra-processed foods appeared more likely to report symptoms each month.

Here are the results, as published in Public Health Nutrition:

Individuals consuming the most ultra-processed foods (compared with those consuming the least) had significant increases in mild depression, “mentally unstable days,” and “anxious days.”

The high consumers of ultra-processed foods also reported significantly lower rates or reporting zero “mentally unhealthy days” and zero “anxious days.”

Ultra-processed foods and mental health — My take

Individuals with higher intakes of ultra-processed food consumption appeared significantly more likely to report mild depression, more mentally unhealthy and anxious days, and less likely to report zero mentally unhealthy or anxious days.

This study, while admittedly observational, adds to a growing scientific literature suggesting a connection between what we consume and mental health and well-being.

We need more analytic epidemiologic research to prove the hypotheses generated by studies such as the current one.

The study findings align with basic research showing that food additives in ultra-processed foods (such as artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers) can cause biological changes associated with mental health symptoms.

With a poor diet, the study authors remind us that we can have impaired glucose (blood sugar) tolerance, increases in inflammation, neuroinflammation, nerve cell mitochondrial (the cell’s powerhouse or energy station) function, and more.

Ultra-processed foods — Action plan

Unfortunately, many Americans consume copious amounts of ultra-processed foods. Here are some things we can do better (I am trying with you):

• Get more whole foods in your diet. You’ll reap the benefits in terms of nutrition that ultra-processed foods lack. I find whole foods more filling, perhaps because they tend to have more water and fiber. As a result, I snack less.
• Start with a piece of fruit as a snack. You can always find grapes sitting in my office.
• Add fresh (or even frozen) vegetables to your meals. I had to start small, as I am not naturally inclined to eat a lot of plants.
• Limit your ultra-processed food consumption. You knew I had to incorporate that tip! I mean the soft drinks (the easiest ultra-processed food for me to ditch), hot dogs, packaged cookies (that one was more challenging for me), and sweetened breakfast cereals.

Thank you for joining me today in this brief look at ultra-processed foods and anxiety and depression. As I write to you, I am pleased to report that I am eating some of my precious grapes. What is your go-to healthy snack?

The post Feeling Anxious or Blue? Might Be Your Diet appeared first on Medika Life.

Anxiety, in particular, anxiety disorders, enjoy a complex relationship with coronary health. There are studies and evidence to suggest that abnormal and continued levels of extreme anxiety can contribute to heart conditions and then there is the anxiety and depression experienced by patients with heart disease as a direct result of the disease itself.

If you haven’t been diagnosed with a heart condition, heart disease, or high blood pressure and you feel occasional anxiety, stress, or get panicky once in a while, this isn’t likely to be your heart, and this type of anxiety won’t cause damage to your heart. However, if you exist in a constant state of anxiety and stress, then this will impact your blood pressure and by association, affect your heart.

Anxiety disorder is a chronic condition characterized by disproportionate and persistent anxiety. The five major types include generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder. It is one of the most common diagnoses in the US, with one in five adults receiving treatment for the condition.

For the purposes of this article, we will assume the anxiety described below is that felt by patients not diagnosed with or suffering from any heart-related diseases or conditions.

What does heart related anxiety feel like?

There isn’t a huge amount of distinction to be made between normal anxiety and attacks of anxiety triggered by your heart. You need to be aware of other heart-related symptoms that may accompany the feelings of anxiety. Anxiety can cause your heart to race (tachycardia) and can be accompanied by sweating, increases in blood pressure, and affect your sleep patterns, which negatively impacts blood pressure and heart health. Common physical symptoms experienced include

• Pounding heart
• Sweating
• Headaches
• Stomach upset
• Dizziness
• Frequent urination or diarrhea
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle tension or twitches
• Shaking or trembling
• Insomnia

The link between your heart and anxiety

Anxiety activates the body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS), also known as the “fight or flight response.” The ANS helps regulate the functions of the

• heart
• lungs
• digestive system
• various muscles throughout the body

Anxiety relating to or caused by your heart can often be self-inflicted. A patient may worry about dying from heart failure if they have already experienced a heart attack. Many patients do this subconsciously and aren’t even aware of it. Surviving a heart attack can be very traumatic and lead to anxiety that is similar to PTSD.

While there have been multiple studies that link depression to heart disease, the relationship between anxiety and cardiovascular disease seems to be a little more complex. Due to the high prevalence of anxiety in cardiovascular patients, researchers are further investigating if anxiety is a direct cause of heart disease or simply a correlation.

Accompanying symptoms

Both conditions include:

• Chest Pain
• Difficulty Breathing or Shortness of Breath
• Intense Feeling of Doom
• Lightheadedness or Feeling Faint
• Rapid Heartbeat
• Weak or Tingling Feeling in Limbs

Its easy to see why it is so difficult to distinguish the root cause for these symptoms without proper medical diagnosis. If you are experiencing these symptoms please consult your doctor as soon as possible.

Gender prevalence for anxiety

After the age of six, women are twice as likely to experience anxiety as men.

Several studies have examined sex differences in different anxiety disorders. Females are repeatedly found to be more likely than males to suffer from anxiety in general and to be diagnosed with most anxiety disorders, including agoraphobia (AG), panic disorder (PD), separation anxiety (SA), specific phobia (SP), social anxiety disorder (SAD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Are there clear signs it’s your heart?

While not as accurate as a professional diagnosis, there are subtle differences between anxiety and heart problems which you may be able to determine at home.

• The chest pain from an anxiety attack is sharper and more localized, while the pain from a heart attack is duller and radiates more
• Anxiety attacks stem from a mental and not a physical cause
• Anxiety attacks rarely cause vomiting
• Heart attack pain may occur in the back or shoulders, while anxiety pain does not

And remember – anxiety and heart problems can happen to people who have never had issues with either.

Treating frequent anxiety

If you experience anxious feelings frequently or if you find yourself experiencing anxiety and you’re not sure why, tell your primary care physician or seek out a mental health professional for help. You may have an anxiety disorder that could be managed with a combination of therapy and medication.

Diagnosing an anxiety disorder often starts with a physical examination by a doctor. Certain conditions may cause anxiety, such as:

• heart disease
• thyroid disease
• respiratory disorders
• withdrawal from drugs or alcohol

When to call your Doctor or 911

If you are experiencing chest pain of any kind, especially if it travels to your jaw or down your arm, and are having associated symptoms of nausea, dizziness, sweating, or shortness of breath, call 911 right away.

If you are in an at-risk group for heart disease (elderly, diabetic, obese, overweight, smoker, or high blood pressure) then you should treat any chest pain very seriously. The more prolonged the discomfort or pain is, the faster you should seek medical care. Dial 911 or visit your nearest ER

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