Our minds and our bodies are connected... when we’re physically run down, it adversely affects our minds... if we’re unhappy for an extended time, our bodies become weaker and more susceptible to illness.
So naturally, it makes sense that by keeping one healthy we are also keeping the other healthy.
"Exercise, prayer, and meditation are examples of calming rituals. They have been shown to induce a happier mood and provide a positive pathway through life's daily frustrations."
- Chuck Norris
Did you know that mental stress and anxiety can manifest themselves in many physical ways?
Just some of those ways include:
- Heartburn/acid reflux
- Headaches (in severe cases migraine)
- Muscle tension (specifically in the neck or back)
- Trouble going to or staying asleep.
- Stomach pain
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Frequent urination
So you see once again how the mind and body are interconnected? In this article, we are going to look at how a balanced healthy diet and keeping physically active can help you maintain good mental health.
How Does Nutrition Influence my Mental Health?
This is a fair question, I also think it's a question that a lot of people have, especially in a world that's getting busier by the day and where we are relying more and more on convenience foods.
Unfortunately, a lot of these prepared/convenience foods are high in saturates, salt and sugars. Sugar specifically has been known to lead to inflammation throughout the body and brain, which may contribute to mood disorders, including anxiety and depression.
But we're not just here to hate on sugar, let us explore what is meant by a healthy balanced diet and why it is so important to your mental health.
"I learned a few years ago that balance is the key to a happy and successful life, and a huge part of achieving that balance is to instill rituals into your everyday life a nutritious balanced diet, daily exercise, time for yourself through meditation, reading, journaling, yoga, daily reflection, and setting goals."
- Gretchen Bleiler
A Healthy Balanced Diet
Balanced nutrition or a healthy diet is when you consume the right amount of foods from each of the food groups (on the food pyramid).
The main nutrients you need to consume to maintain a healthy balanced diet are as follows:
- Water - Drinking enough water each day is crucial for many physical and mental health reasons.
- Carbohydrates - Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity.
- Proteins - Every cell in the human body contains protein! You need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones.
- Fats - A small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself, unsaturated fats help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.
- Fibre - There is strong evidence that eating plenty of fibre, will lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
- Vitamins and Minerals - Vitamins and minerals are nutrients that the body needs to work properly. They boost the immune system, heal wounds and keep our bones and muscles healthy as well as numerous other behind-the-scenes little chores.
Eating a healthy well-balanced diet improves your sense of well-being and in turn your mood.
Nutritional Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle
Now you know what a healthy balanced diet consists of, and what food groups you need to be eating from. We should take a look at some good habits too.
Why not try some of the following:
Drink more water - Dehydration can really affect our mood but also our concentration levels. Nowadays there are apps out there and you don't even have to buy a smartwatch to use them. Apps like NutraCheck and FitBit allow you to set goals of how much water you would like to drink in the day, and they also allow set a reminder so you don't forget to drink water. This is really helpful in creating a new have a routine. Don't forget Mi Waddi and herbal tea also count so you don't have to drink plain water every time, in fact, lots of people at fruit to their water for extra flavour and a nice little snack when you make it to the bottom.
Don't fast for long periods of time - going too long between meals makes you feel tired and irritable this is because it causes a drop in blood sugars. (If you don't have time for a proper meal, snacks such as soups, smoothies, fruit, yoghurt or even nuts and seeds are great options to boost nutrition and energy levels.
Eat with others - Sharing meals when you can is so important for your social, emotional and mental well-being. It provides you with a chance to communicate with others it also allows us a chance to feel connected, to feel part of something. Another positive about sharing meals is that when we share a meal or a coffee with other people we tend to eat and drink slower which is better for digestion.
Is Keeping Physically Active Good for Mental Health?
Put simply yes! By keeping physically active, you reduce stress and boost your energy levels. Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood.
It does this by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.
People who exercise regularly tend to:
- Sleep better
- Have more energy
- Feel more relaxed
- Have a more positive outlook
Even just a small amount of physical activity along side a balanced diet and some mindful meditation can help you maintain good mental health. Thirty minutes of exercise of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking for 3 days a week is what is recommended by health organisations however by even just getting up and active for 10-15 minutes everyday studies have proven you can improve your health.
How to Introduce Exercise Into My Daily Routine
Small activities you can introduce to your daily routine include:
- Walking to and from work/school
- Walking your pet
- Housework by carrying out more than 15 minutes of certain types of housework you burn a lot of calories, for example, vacuuming, mopping, ironing and sweeping are all strenuous tasks
- Following a YouTube tutorial to learn how to stretch properly
- Following YouTube exercise tutorials Pilates/Yoga/Dancing/Aerobics/Karate etc...
How does this help me?
By releasing endorphins in the brain, physical activity helps to relax the muscles and relieve tension in the body (as mentioned earlier this can be a symptom of stress). Since the body and the mind are so closely linked when your body is happy and relaxed so will your mind be?
If we try our best to eat a healthy balanced diet, keep physically active as often as we can and practice meditation, we give ourselves the best chance of maintaining good mental health.
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