Food for Thought

Merriam Webster defines 'Food for Thought' as a concept or idea that is worth considering and spending time thinking about carefully. Mark Twain coined the phrase in 1889 regarding having had food for thought within a moment. So how can food encourage thoughtful moments or moments encourage consideration of thought?

Did you know that food can impact not only your physical health but also impact your mental and emotional well-being, improve your mental acuity, improve immunity, improve your energy, and even aid in helping to manage chronic health problems. Having a healthy diet that is balanced can aid the brain and the gut in learning how to talk to each other, creating serotonin and dopamine (the feel good hormone), and can help in balancing mental health naturally. The Centers for Disease Control (2021) supports these claims. When an individual engages in eating breakfast, both memory and short-term are both seen to be improved with certain foods providing the most benefit, such as high fiber whole grains, dairy, and fruits (Webmd, 2021). Foods can even work to reduce mental stress, lifting moods, improving memory, and reduction of anxiety, and depressive symptoms.