Factors Determining Mental Health: From Genetics to Lifestyle

Introduction: What are the Things that Shake My Mental Health?

On some days, I feel like I can do everything in the world, but on other days, I fall into a swamp of helplessness for no reason. We usually attribute this to ‘willpower’ or ‘luck.’ However, from the perspective of Brain Energy, this is the result of our body’s ‘metabolic system’ reacting to tens of thousands of variables.

Today, we will check one by one what the key factors are that determine our mitochondrial health, that is, brain energy.

1. Genetics and Epigenetics: Inherited Map and Current Writing

We inherit certain genetic vulnerabilities from our parents. Some people may have inherently lower mitochondrial efficiency. However, genes are not destiny.

What’s important is ‘Epigenetics.’ Our lifestyle, the food we eat, and even the emotions we feel turn the switches of genes on and off. Mitochondria are the key device that regulates this switch, and depending on what environment we provide, we can overcome inherited genetic limits or accelerate them.

2. Environmental Factors: Everything We Breathe and Eat

The environment we are in directly hits our metabolic health.

Dietary Habits: Highly processed sugar and refined carbohydrates overload mitochondria. On the other hand, fresh fats and proteins become stable fuel.
Toxins and Pollution: Fine dust, environmental hormones, alcohol, etc. induce oxidative stress that attacks mitochondria.
Light Pollution: Artificial lighting breaks the biological rhythm and interferes with the ‘cleaning work (Autophagy)’ of mitochondria that should be performed during sleep.

3. Psychological Factors: Heart Wounds also Create Metabolic Disorders

The most surprising fact is that psychological trauma or chronic stress also ‘biologically’ damages mitochondria. Cortisol, which is secreted when under stress, gives energy when appropriate, but if excessive, it stops mitochondrial function.

The vicious cycle where mental pain leads to physical metabolic problems, and physical metabolic problems lead back to mental pain, is formed right here.

Conclusion: All Your Choices Make Brain Energy

The factors determining mental health seem very vast, but in the end, they are summarized into one question. “Does this choice help or harm my mitochondria?”

The lunch I ate today, my sleep time last night, and a warm word I gave to someone can all be acts of charging my brain energy. Mental health is not luck that suddenly comes one day, but the result of collecting small daily metabolic choices.

In the next post, based on all these factors, we will look in detail at the ‘metabolic approach’ that actually treats and recovers mental illness.