This post is part of a series on adverse childhood experiences. Read the other parts here.
It’s now understood that adverse childhood experiences can affect mental and physical health well into adulthood. Here are eight important strategies to maintain sound mental health and a healthy, well-functioning brain.
1. Resolve disturbing memories from childhood as soon as possible. Unpleasant, stuck memories that continually replay, often beneath conscious awareness, are mood and health destroyers. I am most impressed by three treatments that are usually effective, rapid, and well tolerated: accelerated resolution therapy, instinctual trauma response, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. These can often bring relief in days or weeks, rather than months or years.
2. Swap screen time for active time. Excessive screen time is linked to depression and anxiety, while enjoyable activities, such as walking in nature, socializing, and acts of serving others, are linked to elevated mood. Enjoy at least one form of active recreation each day.
3. Sleep early, and sleep well. Sufficient sleep—most experts recommend 7-9 hours per night for adults—is needed to process disturbing emotional memories, control negative thoughts, regulate mood, and improve brain health and function. Night owls, those who stay up late, tend to sleep less and sleep more poorly while having a higher risk of developing depression and other health problems. The brain is wired to go to bed when it is dark and wake up when it is light. Get the bulk of your sleep when it is dark outside by gradually advancing your bedtime. Moving up your bedtime by just a few minutes every few days until you reach your target goal of, for instance, 11:00 p.m. Avoid screens and bright lights for at least an hour before that time. Commit to a consistent time to get up each day to help the brain regulate your sleep cycle.
4. Replace ultra-processed foods with whole foods. Ultra-processed foods are linked to common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, and death from all causes. These contain many additives, such as preservatives to extend shelf life, colors, flavorings, stabilizers, emulsifiers, salt, sugar, and hydrogenated fats. These additives are found in manufactured products such as frozen meals, instant soups, packaged snacks, processed cereals, breads, cakes, carbonated drinks, and hot dogs. Fiber and important nutrients are often removed in the manufacturing process.
Emulsifiers, an additive that binds ingredients and improves texture, have been found to disrupt the gut microbiome and theoretically contribute to mood disturbance and inflammation. Emulsifiers are found in many processed foods, including candy, gum, puddings, ice cream, peanut butter, and frozen foods. Phosphates, another common additive that stabilizes, emulsifies, and preserves, are linked to several health hazards like heart failure and stroke.
The solution is to eat natural, whole foods that support healthy brain function, such as whole grains, lean proteins, produce, and nuts. Avoid foods with a long list of added ingredients.
5. Consider food sequencing. Before eating foods high in carbohydrates, you might start with vegetables, then proteins, and fats. This has been found to reduce blood sugar spikes after eating (high blood sugar levels have been linked to depression and anxiety). If you are going to eat pasta, white rice, or a baked potato, you might start your meal with salad and a protein source. Consuming soluble fiber such as psyllium before a high-carb meal also slows sugar absorption from the gut.
6. Eat breakfast. Regular breakfast eaters have lower rates of depression, especially if inflammatory foods like red or processed meat (like bacon) and commercial baked goods are avoided.
7. Feed your gut microbiome. The gut contains trillions of microbes, including helpful bacteria that produce molecules that communicate with the brain and affect mood and brain function in many ways. For example, about 95 percent of the body’s serotonin, which plays a key role in regulating sleep and mood, is produced by gut bacteria. Fiber-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, feed healthy bacteria. Gut bacteria that ferment fiber release short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that prevent leakage from the gut of harmful bacteria and toxins that harm the brain. SCFAs also travel to the brain where they reduce inflammation, stimulate the growth of brain cells that reduce depression and anxiety, and regulate energy. Fermented foods also improve gut health. In addition, exercise increases the gut bacteria that produce SFCAs, while high-fat diets and sleep deprivation reduce these helpful bacteria.
THE BASICS8. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. A large British study found that a diet resembling the Mediterranean diet correlated to superior mental well-being and brain health. Research shows that eating patterns that emphasize fruits, vegetables (especially citrus, berries, and greens), whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, moderate amounts of low- or no-fat dairy, fish (alternating with eggs and chicken), and healthy fats (like extra-virgin olive oil) lower the risk of anxiety and depression and increase brain volume. Notice that these eating patterns minimize consumption of red meat, processed meat, and other UPFs.
Small changes can reap large benefits. You needn’t do these steps all at once. It’s usually best to start with small changes to gradually build inertia and avoid feeling overwhelmed. For example, you might pick one of the above recommendations, and try it out for a few weeks before moving on to another.
Schiraldi, G. R. (2021). The Adverse Childhood Experiences Recovery Workbook: Heal the Hidden Wounds from Childhood Affecting Your Adult Mental and Physical Health. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Marano, H. E. (2024). “The Long Reach of Short-Chain Fats. Psychology Today (May/June), 13-14.