Mental health disorders are only becoming more and more prevalent with time. Supporting our mental health holistically (through nutrition aswell as our lifestyle), is essential for everyone, no matter if you have a mental illness or not. You simply deserve to feel good !
These simple tips are effective ways to work on improving your mental health and supporting adaptation to stress, in realistic & achievable ways that can slot into your lifestyle. Because at the end of the day, our daily habits make up our weeks, months & years, so it makes sense to lay the foundations of a good mood through our daily routines.
Nutrition tips
Anti-inflammatory foods
Anti-inflammatory foods protect from neuroinflammation which may contribute to mental health conditions & poor mental health.
Omega 3 fatty acids in particular, are beneficial for brain and mental health, supporting the transmission of nerves within the brain and nervous system.
Note: oftentimes neuroinflammation stems from the gut, so particularly if you do have digestive issues, it's essential to investigate this further.
Foods to incorporate -
- Fatty fish (e.g. salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, anchovies)
- Turmeric (fresh or dried, can be used in sweet or savoury dishes aswell as turmeric lattes)
- Fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Nuts and seeds
Protein
Ensuring adequate protein in your diet is essential to ensure optimal production of neurotransmitters (brain chemical messengers).
Aim to include 20-30 grams of protein with each meal.
Food sources -
- Legumes
- Nuts and seeds
- Protein powder
- Tofu / tempeh
- Edamame
- Fish
- Meat
- Eggs
Nutrition tips
Complex carbohydrates over simple
Simple carbohydrates (such as white bread, white rice, pasta, sugar), allow glucose to be quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, which soon after will come crashing down. And with this comes your energy & your mood !
So to avoid this, focusing on a range of complex carbohydrates with each meal while reducing refined sugar consumption.
Simple swaps -
White bread --- Wholegrain sourdough
White rice --- Brown rice
White pasta --- Pulse pasta
Lollies --- Fruit paired with some nuts & seeds
Plus ensure you're getting a wide range of fruits and vegetables each week.
Support the gut brain axis
As mentioned before, the gut can drive neuroinflammation, heightening and contributing to mental health issues.
The gut brain axis is multidimensional and has many other factors that play into their relationship.
Supporting your gut with prebiotics to fuel probiotics (beneficial bacterial species), will assist with this communication.
Prebiotic food sources -
- Sweet potato
- Leek
- Pumpkin
- Green banana flour
- Cooked & cooled rice
Lifestyle recommendations
Take time out (without feeling guilty about it).
Especially if you have little ones running around, it can be very difficult to find a moment to yourself in our fast paced world ! But you have to make time for this otherwise your body will make time for you. Our body can only adapt to certain levels of cortisol and adrenaline, and if these hormones are elevated for prolonged periods of time, it can lead to nutrient deficiencies, immune dysregulation and much more.
Take some time to yourself daily, whether it be 10 minutes in the morning or before bed. This can be for whatever you enjoy from reading, journalling, gardening, walking, listening to music. Make it something that brings you joy and that you can stick to.
Spend time away from screens
With busy lives & heightened stress levels being the norm in today's day and age, social media and screen time are added stressors.
Especially with short form video content on social media, this can put our sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) into overdrive. Our body can't tell the difference between watching a hectic TikTok video and being chased by a tiger !
This can impact our mental health significantly over time. Not to mention the impact of blue light from screens on sleep quality and reducing sleep promoting hormones and neurotransmitters.
Try and avoid screens and social media at night time in particular but also schedule a full day per week or as often as possible to avoid your screen to reset your nervous system and nurture your mental health.
Nurture social connections.
Loneliness can be a major amplifier of poor mental health, so surrounding yourself with supportive community is vital.
Some ways you can do this is -
- Join local sporting or running group
- Try out a dance class
- See if there are any ocean swimming groups nearby to you.
Optimise sleep quality.
7-9 hours of quality sleep is foundational for mental health.
If you have troubles with sleep, discuss this with your practitioner to see if you may benefit from specific supplementation.
And most importantly ...
Don't forget to reach out for help if you feel you may need it. Your feelings are valid.
See your local GP for a mental health care plan, or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (24/7) or headspace. headspace also have great resources.