Experiencing transformation: Emerging adults, food, and mood—A phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Mental health concerns have become increasingly prevalent among young adults. A growing body of literature indicates that increasing plant intake shows benefits for mental health. An existential-phenomenological study was conducted with 11 emerging adults with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression who had adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet (WFPB) diet to understand their lived experiences. Adoption of a WFPB diet was about Experiencing Transformation: An “Internal Calling.” The context of transformation was the experience of Going Against the Grain of Society. Six figural themes were identified: (a) Embracing Food as Medicine: “Healthy from the inside out,” (b) Benefiting from a Holistic Approach: “Feeding your body is feeding your soul and is feeding your mind,” (c) Adopting a Lifestyle Change and Its Evolution Over Time: “Getting older and realizing what you need,” (d) Finding Time for “The Joy of Cooking,” versus Time Constraints, (e) Fostering Community: The “Community-Building Power of Food,” and (f) Following the Call: “I'm motivated by my moral compass.” For nurses, primary care nurse practitioners, and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners, a holistic approach, including an anti-inflammatory diet, could be key for managing symptoms of anxiety and depression among emerging adults.