Glossary: Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health

A diet that excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and often honey. It emphasizes plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. People who choose a vegan diet may do so for health, ethical, or environmental reasons. While a vegan diet can offer health benefits such as lower risks of heart disease and high blood pressure, it is prone to nutrient deficiencies, such as protein, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

A diet that excludes meat and fish but includes plant-based foods and may include dairy products and eggs. Lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy and eggs in the diet), lacto vegetarians include dairy but not eggs, while ovo vegetarians include eggs but not dairy. A well-balanced vegetarian diet can provide certain health benefits, but it's important to ensure adequate intake of nutrients like protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Hormones chemically identical to those produced naturally by the human body used in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). They treat symptoms of hormonal imbalances or deficiencies, such as those associated with menopause or thyroid disorders. Unlike synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormones are derived from natural sources and designed to mimic the body's own hormones more closely, providing a more tailored and safer approach to hormone therapy.