1. B-vitamins

B-vitamins help the brain function and reduce the risk of stress-related disorders and unpleasant experiences like anxiety, phobias or panic attacks. They boost your mood and successfully heals depression as well. Vitamin B3 has proven to have a positive impact on insomnia, B5 counteracts headaches and irritability and vitamin B6 also lightens nervousness and confusion besides strengthening the nervous and immune systems, metabolism, brain functions and helping skin, eyes and other important functions to work properly within the body. The best foods for vitamin B are eggs, lentils, black beans, spinach, salmon or Mushrooms.

2. Magnesium

Up to 75% of us are deficient of magnesium although it takes part in about 600 metabolism functions. The most common sign of the lack of magnesium is muscle tightness and cramping and if you get easily stressful, disorganized or overwhelmed, you probably have low GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) levels. GABA is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter which impedes the risk of diseases like panic attacks, anxiety disorder, or irritable bowel syndrome.
Magnesium both boosts your GABA levels and acts as a filter to prevent stress hormones entering the brain. You can have it from dark chocolate, avocados, banana, leafy greens or fatty fish.

3. Omega-3

There is increasing evidence that Omega-3 fatty acid is not only crucial for physical health but mental health also. Epidemiological studies show an association between depression and deficiency of Omega-3, besides, biochemical studies proved the low level of the acid in red blood cell membranes in depressive and schizophrenic patients’ body. There are a lot of people who are susceptible to stress and Omega-3 supplementation has been confirmed to reduce it. It has a strong influence on the well-being of our brain keeping cells fluid, enabling the communication between neurons and inhibit inflammations. Omega-3 can be found mostly in fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines but also in flax seeds, chia seeds or walnuts.

4. Vitamin D

The “sunshine vitamin” is really special as it is the only vitamin which can be made by the human body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays from the sun. It activates receptors on neurons in the parts of the brain responsible for behavior regulation. It stimulates neurotrophin release and protects the brain by buffering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defenses against vascular injury. The number of evidences is growing which proves relationship between vitamin D receptors in the brain, abnormal executive cognitive functions, major depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia. There are only a few foods containing vitamin D such as salmon, eggs or shrimp, but you better go out to the sun for 10 minutes every day.

You can easily have all these nutrients with a healthy varied menu or basic pills from the pharmacy, you only need to be sure if there are no additional ingredients in them.