Denton County Living Well Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 32

The Affect of Nutrients on
Emotional Well-being and the Brain
By Georgia Smith, MA

I

n 2012 I attended a continuing education course on the
effects of specific nutrients in relation to mental health
and brain functions. My first impression was there must
be factual and scientific evidence to support this topic or
there would not be a wide array of professions attending, including doctors, nurses, trainers, massage therapists,
chiropractors, and mental health counselors. I would like to
briefly convey some of the valuable information I absorbed
in this course. I hope it will be eye opening and that you
gain an interest to do further study and research.

As a mental health counselor, my clients vary in age and situation. I am convinced that a balance of good nutrition, exercise, emotional healing, and stability all support our healthy
emotional wellness. Our physical body interacts and affects
our emotional stability and vice versa. If one is off balance,
there is a negative effect on the other. Exercise and good nutrition will help maintain the proper level and function of your
neurotransmitters, where chemicals are released and signals

are passed from one neuron to the next. Memory, appetite,
mental function, mood, movement, and the wake-sleep cycle
are all nerve functions which neurotransmitters regulate. The
specific neurotransmitters I will highlight are serotonin, dopamine, endorphin