Understanding how your eating choices affect your mental health is important information that can help lead to a healthier overall lifestyle. Healthy Eating Habits require consistency and dedication. Our bodies are composed of micro-biomes and systems that grow and react to the food we consume. Practicing good eating habits and prioritizing your mental health will help you feel better about yourself in a number of different areas.
Folate (Vitamin B9) and Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) are two B vitamins that are important for brain health.
Vitamin B12 and folate are both needed for the production of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. These two vitamins both play important roles in regulating and maintaining a healthy central nervous system – low folate and vitamin B12 levels have been associated with depression.
Below are the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin B12 and Folate. The RDA is the average daily level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of 97-98% of healthy individuals
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) RDA:
- 9–13 years: 1.8 mcg (males and females)
- 14+ years: 2.4 mcg (males and females)
- 2.6 mcg (pregnancy), 2.8 mcg (lactation)
- Vitamin B9 (Folate) RDA:
- 9 -13 years: 300 mcg (males and females)
- 14-18+ years: 400 mcg (males and females)
- 600 mcg (pregnancy), 500 mcg (lactation)
Some food sources of Vitamin B12 include: found in animals products (i.e., fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk/dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals)
Some food sources of Folate include: spinach, fortified breakfast cereals, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, avocado, kidney beans, oranges, bananas
Making sure you get enough of these important foods in your diet is one of the best ways to stay happy and healthy. Foods rich in vitamin B12 and folate will help with maintaining healthy cell regeneration and growth.
Nutritional Therapy
Nutritional Therapy Services are a great option for someone having trouble maintaining a healthy diet. It doesn’t always feel good to make drastic changes to your diet and a Nutritional Therapist at Behavioral Nutrition can help identify healthy foods that make sense for your tastes and lifestyle. Developing a plan to incorporate foods rich in vitamin B12 and folate gradually so it’s easier to stick to the changes in your diet is also something we can help with. Reach out to learn more about how Behavioral Nutrition can help you find a healthier diet you can stick to.
