Abstract

Background:

Mental, neurological, and substance-use disorders represent a vast global burden of disease. There is a relationship between diet, stress, and mental health which is often poorly understood by medical practitioners. Understanding the role of diet and mental health could prove to provide a substantial benefit to providing adequate and appropriate care to their patients and for their own personal wellbeing.

Purpose:

The purpose of this review is to educate and provide tools for future medical practitioners and other community members to understand the role that diet plays within depression, PTSD, and brain function that plays a role in mood and behavior.

Approach:

We reviewed literature that describes the relationship between diet, stress, obesity, and psychiatric disorders related to stress. We also providing a wellness event to the medical school community to shed light on the topic and provide information and resources to future medical practitioners.

Conclusion:

Understanding the relationship between diet, stress and mood and behavior could have important implications for practitioners to provide adequate medical care for their patients as well as improve the quality of healthcare that they provide for their patients by reducing their personal burnout and stress. Even small changes may present with possibly significant effects on disease burden of mental and neurological diseases by food and nutrient-based approaches.