It’s very common for us to feel specific ways after eating different foods. I know that when I eat certain foods I definitely can either feel super energized or very lethargic. I know a lot of people can agree to that! It’s important to know the best ways to reach better mental health, and act on them as we need too.
It seems brain structure and function are directly related to the foods we eat, especially foods high in saturated fats and refined sugars.
In this video, I talk more about all the different ways food effects our mood + the different things we can do to find better mental health!
As a dietitian, I always like to make sure the things I promote and say are supported by research.
In my recent podcast with Kevin Curry from FitMenCook, we talked about his story on anxiety and depression and how it correlates with our health and nutrition. To learn more about how food is linked to our mental health, check out that podcast below!
The Link Between Food and Mental Health
Too much sugar has been found in research to decrease a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is involved in the development of depression and anxiety.
Vitamins in the body help enzymes function more productively and enable many reactions within the body. One of the most important reactions is the synthesis of serotonin, which plays an essential role in our happiness.
There’s also research that suggests that our gut plays an important role in mental health.“The microorganisms in our gut can communicate with the brain and several systems that could play a role in depression and anxiety, and the composition of the gut microbiota is influenced by nutrition,” Knüppel adds.
Optimized gut health improves depression by reducing inflammation and boosting hormones like serotonin. About 95 percent of this feel-good neurotransmitter, in fact, gets manufactured by your gut.
Newer studies show your microbiome can also influence other emotions like anxiety.
Why certain foods are mood-boosting:
- Some enzymes found in food boost serotonin levels.
- In mice, diets low in magnesium were found to increase anxiety-related behaviors.
- Sugar is associated with depression and anxiety.
- Emerging science shows gut health plays a role in anxiety.
- Eating healthy foods is a great way to practice self-care
- Anxiety is thought to be correlated with a lowered total antioxidant state. It stands to reason, therefore, that enhancing your diet with foods rich in antioxidants may help ease the symptoms of anxiety disorders.
But before we even get into the 10 Tips for Better Mental Health, I wan’t to talk about some of the checklist things we should be doing on a daily basis. I also want to give you the basics for things that are needed in our lives or the stuff that needs to be removed.
Some of the following tips may be useful for you:
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet
- Cut back on sugar and processed foods
- Cut back on caffeine, alcohol, and smoking cigarettes
- substitute: ningxia juice high in antioxidants (see more on that below!)
Supplements, Vitamins, and Minerals to Add to your Diet
QUICK LIST
-
ZINC
- Supplement: Mineralessence
- Zinc is an essential trace element that supports healthy immune system and acts as a catalyst for other enzymes.
- Eat foods rich in zinc, like whole grains, oysters, kale, broccoli, legumes, and nuts
- Supplement: Mineralessence
-
B VITAMINS:
- Supplement: Super B
- Eat foods rich in vitamin B, such as asparagus, leafy greens, meat, and avocado
-
OMEGA 3’s
- Supplement: Omegagize
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, for example, wild caught salmon
-
GUT/PROBIOTIC
- Life 9
- Eat probiotic-rich foods like kefir, yogurt, and other fermented foods.
-
MAGNESIUM
- Supplement: Mineralessence & Megacal
- Eat foods rich in magnesium: fish, avocado, dark leafy greens
To start adding these healthy Young Living supplements into your daily life, visit my blog post on these amazing products.
The most important thing is to stay mindful of the foods you’re eating, and make sure to always stay balanced! Listen to your body and your mood, and supplement where you need to! Trust your mind and body, and better mental health will come.
So let’s start talking about all the amazing things and changes you can make for better mental health!
10 Tips for Better Mental Health
1. Morning quiet time/Meditation
Every morning for 30-60min in AM, do something that brings you peace. Just sit with yourself, notice your thoughts, and find inner stillness. This can include your workout of the day too! Anything at all to really make sure that you fill your cup before you start your day. Whether that’s reading a daily devotional, a book, or sitting in stillness. Make sure you’ve felt inner peace before starting the rest of your day.
2. FreshFitnFIVE smoothie + supplements
I love to add Super B and Mineralessence in any of my smoothies.
Remember that the FresFitnFive Smoothie is composed of a protein, a healthy fat, a smart carb, fiber, and a boost. It’s the best way I’ve found to incorporate all of the macronutrients and more, plus making it taste good and being very filling. Nothing leaves me quite as satisfied as my daily FreshFitnFive smoothie!
One thing I love to add is Mineralessence, it takes a huge role in all of my smoothies. It contains magnesium and zinc, which are so essential for our health.
Mineral Essence is a balanced, full-spectrum ionic mineral complex enhanced with essential oils. According to two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling PhD. “You can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.”
Ionic minerals are the most fully and quickly absorbed form of minerals available. All of the minerals in Mineral Essence are ionic – a chemical form which maximizes mineral absorption in the intestines.
Benefits of Selected Trace Minerals
- Calcium is essential for healthy bones and teeth, and it assists in blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission.
- Iodine is required by the thyroid hormone to support metabolism.
- Iron is important in red blood cell formation and brain function.
- Magnesium supports nerves and muscles and activates over 100 enzymes.
- Zinc is a mineral found in every fluid, tissue, cell and organ throughout the human body with high concentrates in the brain. Inadequate intake can effect over 200 enzymes involved in digestion, metabolism, reproduction and wound healing.
- Believe it or not, Mineralessence actually includes an even longer list of trace minerals, and they all have their own benefits! I’ve just named a few above.
In addition to using only ionic minerals, Young Living adds a proprietary mix of essential oils to Mineral Essence. These highly refined botanical extracts are of unsurpassed purity and enhance the absorption potential of the ionic minerals. In addition, they provide other important benefits.
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon is antiviral, antibacterial and a strong antioxidant. It also contains high levels of phenols – oxygenating compounds which function as catalysts. Sri Lanka has been producing this oil for over 2,000 years.
- Lemon
Lemon promotes leukocyte production, which is an important factor in the immune system.
- Peppermint
Peppermint is antibacterial and a first-rate support for the immune system.
3. Replace some of the caffeine for antioxidant rich Ningxia juice
Talk about increased ENERGY! One of the biggest contributors to depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and poor health can all be linked in some ways to lack of energy. When you are feeling sluggish and tired, you don’t want to get out of bed, it feels like you are wearing lead around your feet and to get the kids dressed and ready and out the door required a LOT of energy. The lack of energy can make you feel like you are depressed which can be a slippery downhill slope leading to more health battles.
One thing I’ve been loving to replace has been my changing out my cup of coffee or Ningxia Juice. It’s packed with antioxidants from wolf berry, which hold so many benefits to our long term health, including better mental health. Plus, who doesn’t love a boost of energy?!
4. Don’t skip meals.
Skipping meals crashes blood sugar, leaving you feeling lethargic and anxious. Rather than working through lunch without a break, prepare a well-balanced salad that included optimal protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, and fiber. Skipping meals can lead to bingeing later. So, if you’re feeling hungry, make sure to eat healthy foods until you feel satisfied. Food is fuel! Better mental health starts with a healthy relationship to the foods we eat.
5. Diffuse stress away in diffuser as you work.
Diffusing oils has been a major life-change for me. It makes balances out my day in so many ways, and keeps me feeling uplifted and refreshed. Some of favorite oils to diffuse are:
JOY
Sometimes life leaves us sad and hurting. Joy can be applied to the wrists and over the heart for emotional support that benefits all ages and seasons in life. Makes a perfect daily perfume. Don’t love the smell yet? Try applying daily to your feet for one month and see if that changes. You may be processing some grief or other emotion and your body could use the help in resetting those patterns!
Frankincense
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii) was once regarded as more valuable than gold in ancient cultures. It was in recipes God gave to his people for cleansing and worship. Why? Because He understands us as physical beings. That we are a whole: body, mind, and spirit, and that we need help bringing that all together into a cohesive focus. Frankincense has been used to ground and focus the mind during times of prayer and mental strain or grief.
Frankincense also has a similar effect inside the body, encouraging the cells and functions to come back to their foundations. To help the body to remember what it does and why it does it. What should it be protecting? What should it be removing? Frankincense quietly asks our systems all the right questions and then supports them in doing their job well. Just as it’s best to surround ourselves daily with those who are wise, it’s also good to give ourselves frequent exposure to this ancient, revered oil. Who doesn’t need a daily dose of calming, grounded influence?!
Lavender
For centuries lavender has been used for sleep. It has been put into pillows and mattresses, wrapped up with clothes, added to handkerchiefs (hello, diffuser) and used in aromatherapy for relaxation.
Valor
This is our bravery oil, our courage oil, our fortitude oil. Use it to greet each morning with a positive attitude, and to refocus at the end of a challenging day. It will support our brain and our body in just the right way to offer us amazing support.
Each person is different so how your body responds to these will vary. Try each one consistently to find YOUR blend.
6. Smart Snacks and Meals
We always want to be choosing healthy and smart snacks and meals. Healthy fats, like Omega 3 are great to include in our snacks & meals. Foods like walnuts, salmon, and chia seeds. Oats are super important too because of the high B vitamins, magnesium, and fiber which all help control stress. Trying making some protein bites as a snack or having a protein packed overnight oats breakfast!
Remember to stay mindful of the foods we are putting into our bodies. Enjoy your favorites in moderation!
7. Night time sweet treat
Make these DIY dark chocolate bars! Not only does dark chocolate contain antioxidants and magnesium, but it also contains an interesting fatty-acid neurotransmitter called anandamide. Anandamide has mood-lifting effects in the body and has recently been found to reverse stress-induced anxiety in mice. These results suggest that reaching for dark chocolate when we are stressed is not a bad thing and can actually be helpful in managing anxiety. Even healthy froyo with dark chocolate on top can be super good.
8.Take Life 9 Probiotic before bed
My dietitian approved Like 9 probiotic is essential to my gut health.
Life 9 is a proprietary, high-potency probiotic that combines 17 billion live cultures from nine beneficial bacteria strains. It helps promote healthy digestion, supports gut health, and helps maintain normal intestinal function for the overall support of a healthy immune system.
Support gut health, spray lavender pillow spray on bed (below), and diffuse some peace and calming oil for a restful night sleep.
DIY Pillow Spray:
Pinch of Epsom Salt (salt helps to disperse the oil)
2-4 oz water
4-8 drops Lavender
Mix together in a glass spray bottle. Spray on your pillow/linens before bed.
9. Add valerian oil to bottoms of feet if feeling tight or restless.
This helps so much with restlessness, soothing the mood, and get to feeling food again.
Valerian oil has been such a great help in feeling calm and relaxed before bed. I love to apply it to the bottom of my feet before bed for a restful night’s sleep. Add a drop to your nightly diffuser blend to create a relaxing environment, or apply it to CALM YOURSELF DOWN when you are highly stressed. It also supports healthy skin!
Combine it with Lavender and Cedarwood in some Epsom salts for a calming and highly relaxing bath.
Sleepessence also has valerian in it, some other essential oils, but also has melatonin in it. Melatonin will really help you get a good, quality 8 hours of sleep and feel rested once you wake up. Take a little bit of this if you’re ever feeling like you need a little bit more help falling asleep.
10. Place a drop of peace and calming on wrist
Rub together with other wrist and take a deep breath in of it ANY time you feel stress arising. This essential oil helps me daily, seriously several times a day. It’s like you a take a whiff and you can channel your inner peace immediately! This one has definitely linked me to better mental health.
This oil encourages deep relaxation. Great support in your bedtime routines or to support overactive children. Uplifting. Supports tension. The legendary one and only original calming oil. For bedtime, shopping time, driving time, stressing time. Pets, kids, young, and old can benefit from its soothing power! And it’s been gone for a long time.
Apply to:
The chest and over the heart.
Wrists and breathe in deeply.
Temples, back and neck and ears to smell throughout the day.
Diffuse all day.
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I HOPE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THIS! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING IN! IF YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN FRESHFITNHEALTHY LIFE, CHECK OUT MY MINI COURSE HERE OR MY NUTRITION COACHING HERE!