Experts in nutrition and exercise physiology are pushing for clinicians to prescribe personalised diet and exercise plans for patients suffering poor mental health.
Currently, therapists recommend regular exercise and a healthy diet but lack the training and resources to tailor treatment to individual cases.
Nutritional scientist Doctor Tim Crowe said:
“Nutrition can play a powerful role in not only the prevention but also the treatment of mental health conditions.”
Dr Crowe said that proper nutrition can alter the chemical balance in the human stomach which encumbers mood and cognitive function.
Exercise has been shown to have a similar effect. Isabella Sierra of Mood Active Mental Health Services, said that consistent exercise regulates the body’s inflammatory pathways, releases ‘feel good chemicals’ and decreases production of the stress hormone cortisol.
Experts agree that ideally, conditions like anxiety and depression should be treated holistically. Dr Sophia Lin of UNSW, said:
“Individuals should have health teams consisting of a range of disciplines – it’s not just about doctors anymore."
Dr Lee, a public health and community medicine expert, believes that doctors and therapists should collaborate with specialists to design treatments that account for the lifestyles of individual patients.
“There’s no point telling the person to join a gym if they can’t afford it”, said Dr Lee.
This approach would not require clinicians to complete additional training, and would capitalise on the expertise of nutritionists and exercise physiologists.
With suicide rates among Australian men rising, it is essential that treatments respond to as many contributing factors as possible. Prescribing anti-depressant medication and behavioural techniques only addresses part of the problem.
Alice Shires, Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Technology, said: “we operate in a highly medicalised model of mental health which includes a strong reliance on medication”.
“It’s important to consider psychological and social issues, as well as wider health issues in considering the various impacts on people’s well-being."
Mental health clearly has more to do with bodily function than previously thought but eradicating poor mental health will require systematic change, it is not enough to simply increase the responsibilities of therapists alone.