Welcome readers to a discussion on eating healthy, physical activity, and mental health! This year, the White house has issued May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the pandemic, mental health topics have become very popular and openly talked about. While we may be concerned about our physical health, our mental health is as equally important. Your mental health can affect and be affected by every small lifestyle choice you make. So, let’s discuss mental health and its relationship with eating healthy and physical activity.
Mental health is vital to your overall wellness.
Mental health encompasses more than just the scope of mental disorders. While anxiety, depression, and OCD are all serious health conditions that effect mental status, you do not need to have a disorder in order to check in on your mental health. It can be beneficial to understand the emotions and feelings derived from or influencing your thoughts. For instance, the way your brain thinks, and processes information affects:
- Your stress levels
- Your relationships with yourself and others
- Your work life
- Your physical health
Eating healthy is heavily related to mental health.
According to Harvard University, food can greatly affect your mental health or the status of current mental struggles. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter that relays feelings of contentment or “happiness”, is primarily produced in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Therefore, production of serotonin can be influenced by the microbiome within the GI tract. Since healthy gut bacteria manages the envirnoment serotonin production occurs, there is no doubt that those with a healthy gut may experience better mental health. In addition, the Mediterranean diet has shown a 25-35% reduction in risk for depression. This is mainly due to how this way of eating healthy removes refined sugars and foods which can be harmful to the brain by increasing inflammation and oxidative stress. Your mental health can also affect your food choices. Emotional eating is a phrase used when your food choices are driven more by feelings than analysis of nutrients. For example, eating chips when angry, soft sweets when sad, or not eating when grieving can result from your mental state.
Other ways to take care of mental health.
Exercise improves endorphin release within the body which stimulates a relaxed and happy sensation. You may have heard of the term “runners high” due to the endorphin released during/after a run. Plus, physical activity in general will make you feel more accomplished and productive. On the other hand, meditation is another fantastic way to take an intimate dive into your emotions. Just unplugging from reality for 10 minutes a day and simply checking in on your mental health through meditation can benefit your overall wellness. Lastly, a psychologist or psychiatrist are two types of wonderful health professionals who can help guide you with your mental health. Even if you do not have a diagnosed mental disorder, it’s always good to get a checkup on your mental state like you would for your physical health.
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
Candice Shipley, Student Nutritionist
Nutrition & Food Science – Dietetics
University of Maryland, College Park | 2023