Have you ever heard the expression you are what you eat? Well, of course, everyone knows that you do not suddenly turn orange as soon as you eat a carrot, but what you eat can have a serious impact on your overall health and wellbeing. When you are looking to improve your physical health and mental wellbeing, you need to consider nutrition and a number of other lifestyle habits and practical arrangements.
Understand that Nutrition Impacts Wellbeing
What you eat can have a big impact on your mental wellbeing and cognitive functions. For example, a well-balanced diet has been found to improve energy levels, alertness, attention, concentration, and brain processing. Whereas a nutritionally inadequate diet can have a series of adverse effects. For example, an inadequate diet can cause fatigue, problems with concentration, attention and reduce decision-making capabilities.
You should aim to eat foods that will nourish your body and your mind to ensure that you are improving your health and wellbeing. These can include high antioxidants, which are found in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Foods that contain high levels of vitamin C, vitamin E, Zinc, Beta-Carotene, and Selenium are usually high in antioxidants.
It would help if you ate meals that are high in carbohydrates to promote a feeling of relaxation and calmness. The reason that carbohydrates have this effect is that they cause the body to produce the hormone insulin, sending a messenger called tryptophan to the brain. This, in turn, prompts the brain to produce serotonin. The levels of serotonin present in the brain affect symptoms of depression, insomnia, and poor concentration.
Eating foods like salmon, sardines, flax seeds, and walnuts that are high in omega-3 fats will also benefit your physical health and mental wellbeing. Omega-3 rich foods have been found to reduce inflammation, reduce fatigue, and improve concentration in those who suffer from difficulties focusing. Empirical evidence has shown that omega-3 fats play an important role in the brain, nerve, and eye health. There are also ongoing studies into the effects of omega-3 on mental health problems like depression.
Practice Mindfulness
Safeguarding your mental and physical wellbeing does not only involve eating the right foods. You will also need to implement lifestyle changes to ensure that you are living healthily. One of these lifestyle changes includes practicing mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the endeavor of being present in the moment; as a practice, it can take many forms. For example, some people will practice meditation to promote mindfulness; others will take part in activities such as yoga, sports, journaling, or drawing. However, you prefer to practice mindfulness is okay; your practice can be completely personal.
Mindfulness might sound like a new trendy activity, but it has actually been around for thousands of years. There are many benefits to mindfulness; for example, it has been found to reduce stress, enhance performance, improve mental and physical health.
Hope for the Best Prepare for the Worse
When you are focusing on improving your health and wellbeing, it is important to stay realistic. That does not mean that you should be spending all of your time thinking about the ways you might get sick or how your mental wellbeing might decline. Instead, it would help if you accepted that you could not control the future and that wellbeing is not always constant; you might find yourself unwell at times. It is important that you remain positive but also do not neglect preparations.
You should make some preparations to ensure that you are in the best position possible to deal with and bounce back from any illness or injury that might occur. There are many ways that you can prepare to safeguard your mental and physical wellbeing. Firstly, you should start looking into health insurance plans to ensure that your policy will cover you in case you get sick. Next, you should consider your personal circumstances more carefully. Be mindful of your health to ensure that you are in a position to notice when you feel yourself declining. This way, you can seek help or make lifestyle changes when necessary, to prevent further decline.
Getting sick or having a decline in mental health is completely natural; sometimes, your body needs a break. It is important that you have made the necessary preparations, as this will help to promote a speedy recovery.
Speak Up
If you are experiencing any problems with your mental or physical health, it is important that you know that you do not need to suffer in silence. It can at first seem very intimidating to talk about a mental or physical health problem. Although it might seem scary, you must speak to someone about a mental or physical health problem you are suffering.
There has been a stigma around health problems for a long time, especially mental health problems, but this is starting to change. More and more people are now speaking openly about their mental health problems. One of the big motivations behind this cultural shift is a growing awareness of the importance of talking about health problems.
Talking about mental or physical health problems can help to break down the stigma surrounding these health issues. Speaking about a mental health problem can also help to promote further action, such as seeking help from a medical professional. The more you talk about your health problems with people, the more you can gain from learning new perspectives. It will also help you to feel more supported and less isolated.
The person that you choose to speak to about your mental or physical health problems will likely depend on your preferences. You might choose to talk to a health care professional like your doctor, a therapist, or a psychologist. Alternatively, you might want to talk to a friend or family member or someone else that is close to you. If you find the idea of talking face to face intimidating, why not try contacting someone over the phone instead? Remember, it can feel scary initially but try to remember that speaking about an issue is usually the first step of recovery.