How can eating healthier effect your mental health?

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A lot of people believe in the phrase “you are what you eat.” This may ring true to one’s physical state of being. People who often eat junk food could have weight issues while those who keep to a proper diet. But does our eating habit affect our mental health? Psychiatrists believe so.


Experts believe that shaping one’s diet can improve mental health as well as reduce the risk of psychiatric disorders. A very real example of this can be found during one’s developmental stage. Eating food with very little nutritional value negatively impacts growth. Without proper sources of nutrients, production of vital protein-building blocks, brain tissues, and neurotransmitters, growth is hindered greatly.

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Also, take into account what the right food sources can do for you right now. Gorging on junk food may make you feel full. Sometimes, you’d feel lazy and lethargic. On the other hand, there are some food that simply jumpstart your day and give you the energy to accomplish your goals.


Good bacteria, which comes from good eating habits, can also affect your mental health. Gut germs, the good ones at least, produce vitamin B, which is good for the brain. By eating food that are high-fat or high-sugar, you reduce the number of good bacteria in your body that can affect your brain.


All in all, poor diet can lead to poor physical health. It can cause problems like obesity or sicknesses like diabetes, which compiles stress and creates openings for mental health problems like depression. But when you take the right step and start eating healthier, you instantly recognize your actions of going the right direction and feel a sense of accomplishment.


Katina Volitich has received acclaim for her outstanding academic performance throughout college, including the Heminway Gold Medal, Heminway Bronze Award, Paul N. Bogart Prize, John T. Royse Award, Cash Wischmeyer Award, and Samuel F. Hulbert Outstanding Biomedical Engineering Senior Award. For similar reads, visit this page.

Winning Benefits Of Eating Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds are often demonized for their high fat and calorie content, but nothing is farther from the truth: they’re nutrient-dense snacks that only take a handful to satisfy you and offer wonderful health benefits. Here are some benefits to expect from nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

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Healthy fats: Nuts and seeds offer healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, which help manage inflammation and maintain the cells’ normal structure. These healthy fats can help lower cholesterol and inflammation, therefore assisting in the reduction of heart disease risk.

Rich fiber content: Dietary fiber found in nuts and seeds are important for proper body functioning. It not only promotes regular bowel movements but also helps slow the rate of digestion. Flax seeds are excellent for their fiber content: an ounce packs a whopping 7.7 grams of fiber!

Plant-based protein: Plants can also be an excellent source of protein if one isn’t a meat eater for a specific reason. A mere ounce of nuts contains an average of 6 grams of protein. In a study that followed more than 72,000 female subjects for 28 years, women who chose a plant-based diet achieved a greater than 25 percent reduction in heart disease and cancer risk.

An assortment of minerals: Nuts and seeds are also chock-full of zinc, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus for developing the bones, building one’s immunity, and producing much-needed energy. One ounce of sunflower seeds, for instance, provides 100 milligrams of magnesium, while one ounce of almonds can give 75 milligrams of calcium.

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Katina Volitich is currently a Project Engineer at Paragon Medical, where she started as the company’s Design Engineer. She enjoys working out and is an advocate of eating healthy. For similar reads, click here.

Winning Benefits Of Eating Nuts And Seeds

Nuts and seeds are often demonized for their high fat and calorie content, but nothing is farther from the truth: they’re nutrient-dense snacks that only take a handful to satisfy you and offer wonderful health benefits. Here are some benefits to expect from nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds.

Image source: Pixabay.com 

Healthy fats: Nuts and seeds offer healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, which help manage inflammation and maintain the cells’ normal structure. These healthy fats can help lower cholesterol and inflammation, therefore assisting in the reduction of heart disease risk.

Rich fiber content: Dietary fiber found in nuts and seeds are important for proper body functioning. It not only promotes regular bowel movements but also helps slow the rate of digestion. Flax seeds are excellent for their fiber content: an ounce packs a whopping 7.7 grams of fiber!

Plant-based protein: Plants can also be an excellent source of protein if one isn’t a meat eater for a specific reason. A mere ounce of nuts contains an average of 6 grams of protein. In a study that followed more than 72,000 female subjects for 28 years, women who chose a plant-based diet achieved a greater than 25 percent reduction in heart disease and cancer risk.

An assortment of minerals: Nuts and seeds are also chock-full of zinc, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus for developing the bones, building one’s immunity, and producing much-needed energy. One ounce of sunflower seeds, for instance, provides 100 milligrams of magnesium, while one ounce of almonds can give 75 milligrams of calcium.

Image source: Pixabay.com 

Katina Volitich is currently a Project Engineer at Paragon Medical, where she started as the company’s Design Engineer. She enjoys working out and is an advocate of eating healthy. For similar reads, click here.

How Poor Sleep Sabotages Academic Performance

In today’s fast-paced, highly competitive world, sleep deficit or deprivation is no longer something new among high school or college students. In fact, many students wear lack of sleep like a badge of honor, but armed with the knowledge they got from pulling an all-nighter or their school project or presentation. But how does sleeplessness actually affect academic performance?

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Test-taking

A 2005 study shows that wakefulness can have specific effects on test taking. Tests were given after four hours of wakefulness as well as after 20 hours of wakefulness, and it was concluded that the participants became less sharp in recognizing mistakes made during the tests when there was extended wakefulness. A separate study noted that students who attended schools with delayed start times achieved better grades and scored higher on standardized tests.

GPA results

A study conducted on a large Norwegian population showed that teens ages 15 to 19 who slept between 10 pm and 11 pm maintained the highest GPAs. Getting too little sleep, too, upped the students’ odds of getting GPAs in the lowest quartile.

Other teen health risks

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), insufficient sleep can affect not just a young person’s ability to learn, but also overall health and safety. A number of risky behaviors have been linked to lack of sleep, including use of alcohol, smoking, drug use, and being overweight. All these can interfere with academic performance as well as overall school and personal lives.

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Katina Volitich is a Project Engineer at Paragon Medical. She is skilled in project management, Design Control, SolidWorks, Raspberry Pi, NX 10, and NI LabVIEW. She enjoys working out and eating healthy. Read more similar articles on this page.