Having a balanced and nutritious diet is important for so many reasons. A good diet can help keep your body and brain healthy as well as being good for your mental well being. In fact, research shows that there is a direct correlation between the food you eat and the moods it produces. Therefore, a good diet is important for a healthy mind. Below we’ll look in more detail at both the physical and mental benefits that eating well has on your brain and mind. Read on for How a Healthy Diet Leads to a Healthy, Happy Mind!
Food Choices & Emotional Wellness
There have been a number of studies over the years looking at the links between what we eat and how this affects the way we feel emotionally (as well as physically). It has been found that those who eat greater amounts of processed foods and a diet high in fats, are more likely to suffer from health issues such as depression and anxiety.
According to Parenting Pod eating healthily is about a balance of the right types of foods. Even those who eat lots of fruit and vegetables, but counteract this with junk food, can easily find themselves with ebbing with cranky moods at some point during the day. Therefore, you need to eat a healthy, nutritious, varied and balanced diet if you want to reduce the likelihood of being affected by drained energy moods and mental health issues.
Making sure your diet is packed with nutrients will also make you more alert and your mind will feel clearer. As a result you’ll be overall happier, more active and less likely to suffer mental fog, fatigue and burnout. A healthier body equals a healthier mind and life experience.
Boost Your Mental Well being by Controlling Your Food Choices
A good way to guarantee a healthy diet and positive mental well being is to take control of what you are putting into your mouth and make a habit of thinking about your food. Being aware of what you eat and making a conscious effort to be healthy can really help create much more appreciation and gratitude for your body and mind which automatically brings greater happiness. There are a number of ways you can take control of what you’re eating.
For example, as well as writing down what you consume daily in a food diary, consider growing your own food, namely fruit and vegetables. This can be an extremely therapeutic hobby, not to mention that it means your food will be as fresh as it possibly can be. This doesn’t have to be a difficult or costly either. You can do this by setting up your own poly tunnels or fruit cages in your garden, like those available from First Tunnels.
Alternatively, you might want to start planning your meals and preparing these ahead of time. This can give you control, save you time each day and make you feel more productive and organized – all good qualities of a healthy, contented mind!
You might also want to consider taking a cooking course or learn more about nutrition, as this can help you to improve your cooking skills and be inventive with any array of ingredients at hand to create healthy meals. So, take back control, avoid eating processed and unhealthy foods and boost your mental well being.
What You Eat Affects Your Sleep
What you eat and drink can affect your sleeping patterns – consistency of habits and regularity is something very important for good brain health, mental well being and functioning. As such, you want to avoid too many caffeinated drinks and unhealthy over-sugary foods, as these can keep you up at night and play havoc with your sleep. Similarly you should try to avoid drinking too much alcohol as this carries its own difficult-to-eradicate causative links to depression and anxiety. Ask yourself, at the end of your life, would you be bothered that you didn’t drink alcohol? Maybe you’d save heaps of time and energy for more productive projects, goals and achievements? Something to think about…
You Are What You Eat
From a physical health perspective, the brain is like any other organ and it needs to be cared for and given the right nutrients. This will ensure a healthy mind. It’s a cliched phrase maybe, but ‘you are what you eat’ and that’s why you need to make sure you’re putting the correct fuel into your body. This is particularly important for brain development when you’re younger, but it’s still crucial throughout your life.
