Looking after your mental health involves plenty of different practices, you might need to establish stress coping tactics, or identify the root cause of certain symptoms. To look after your mind it’s important to carefully consider what you eat. Here are a few pointers that may help you along the way.
1. Mood Boosting Foods
If you want to eat to improve your mental health try including lots of mood boosting foods in your diet. Some of the best foods to lift your spirits include oats, berries, bananas, fish and fermented foods. According to HealthLine, ‘Since up to 90% of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut, a healthy gut may correspond to a good mood. Fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut are rich in probiotics that support gut health.’
Many studies have indicated that fish is one of the best foods to improve the mood. Fish contains plenty of omega-3, a fatty acid that’s associated with reduced levels of depression.
2. Foods For Energy
When you’re feeling tired and sluggish this can have a negative impact on your mental health. Experiencing a lack of energy can make you feel grumpy, anxious and fatigued. To improve your mental health you need lots of healthy foods to boost your energy levels. Some of the best foods for energy include kale and spinach, eggs and sweet potatoes. You’ll also want to consume healthy proteins, whether it’s soy, eggs, or lean meats.
3. Vitamins & Herbal Supplements
To give your diet a healthy boost you might consider adding a few extra vitamins. In particular vitamin C and D can be useful to support mental health. When you’re choosing vitamins it is best to purchase liquid vitamins as opposed to tablets. Liquid vitamins have a better absorption rate compared to pills.
Looking for herbal supplements to improve your mental health? There are plenty of plant based remedies which are helpful for anxiety and low-mood. A few of the best options include St John’s Wort, Passion Flower and Valerian. Studies show that all of these supplements are useful to raise serotonin levels. Supplements like these can be useful to reduce anxiety and increase emotional resilience.
4. Keep A Food Diary
When you’re looking to improve your diet it can be useful to keep a food diary. A food diary is a great way to monitor what you eat, set goals and improve your health. Write down your mood each day, see if you can identify any patterns based on what you eat.
For some people eating sugary and processed foods can have a negative impact on their mood. Keeping a record of your eating habits can help you to establish progress or make positive changes.
5. Healthy Eating Habits
Eating to improve your mental health is sometimes about examining your relationship with food. Are you someone who overeats when feeling stressed out? If you’re an emotional eater it can be useful to establish a few stress coping methods. You might try yoga, mediation or aromatherapy. Creating good habits is about finding healthy ways to deal with stress.
Our bodies and minds are deeply connected which is why it’s so important to consider all aspects of our health.
