Mindful Eating to Support Mental Health

We all know we literally are what we eat! And if you have not connected with such a belief system yet, all the more reason to read this.  The amount of anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD, sleep disorders, plus a plethora of other mental health issues continues to surround our daily lives. Science has proven that there is a direct correlation between dietary habits & mental health.  OF COURSE THERE IS!!!!! 

Our body functions best when we fuel it with what it needs.  There is a baseline of requirements that our bodies need, full stop.  From there, each body has its own unique needs.  Intuitive eating, functional medicine, holistic integration are all part of allowing our bodies to function optimally.  There is not a one size fits all, however there are facts that science has proven over the years.  The nutrition industry is a multi-billion dollar industry.  It does not need to be that complicated, let's go back to the basics & listen to what our body needs.

The typical patterning of emotional eating to support mood, such as anxiety, racing thoughts, depressive symptoms, sadness, overwhelming emotion, or lack of energy, may have you turn to food as a pick-me-up & fall into "the trap" of fast food, alcohol, refined  high sugar & fatty carbs, excessive salty foods, refined sugary sweets & desserts, energy drinks & processed foods in general.  Does this sound familiar?

I assure you that if you met your nutritional requirements on a regular basis you would not be drawn toward these "low vibrating foods".  In most cases they provide zero to little nutritional value, however do provide empty calories.  There is temporary satiation & also a sense of relief often followed by feeling even worse than before.  It becomes a vicious circle, we can quickly spiral down as well & getting up becomes more challenging. 

Ideally we want to prevent the temptations to reach out for these "false comfort tactics", however we are all human & these foods were created with the intention for us to "DESIRE" them.

Here is a list of some affordable ways to support your Mental Health through mindful eating.  I state with full confidence that you will feel better if you consistently take this approach. In fact you will notice instantly how well your body responds to being fueled by what it NEEDS.  

• If you really need a fast food fix, take a peek at the nutritional values, thankfully now listed in most restaurants & try to choose something  with the least "poison so to speak". I say that because there is very little goodness & a whole lot of dangers to traditional fast foods. Another great idea is to get the kids meals.  You get the taste for the fix & smaller portions.
• Consider exploring alcohol-free options such as mocktails or 0% beer, which allow you to enjoy the taste without the alcohol content.
• Try whole-grains, either in bread or brown rice, bulgur & quinoa. Carbohydrates are a nutritional requirement. 
• Fruit is my favourite way to get that sweet fix. Be sure to have these on hand so you can reach for them easily. Choosing what is in season often results in tastier produce & better pricing. FRUITS & VEGGIES are good for you!
• Honey or Maple Syrup sourced locally are delicious in tea or coffee, baking & salad dressings.  How about making your own ginger, turmeric & honey shots to increase immunity & digestion. This can also help with inflammation & lethargy.
• Spices & Herbs add so much flavour to your food! Play with creating your own blends or find one ready made, ask a friend for their secret recipe.
• Eggs are such a great protein & so versatile. Keep boiled eggs in the fridge for a quick snack. Peel, add a bit of salt or mash up with avocado & other seasonings.  Make it into a sandwich or add to salad.
• WATER! WATER! WATER!  Stay hydrated.  Drink before you feel thirsty, by that point you are already partially dehydrated.  We often mistake hunger for thirst.  Water grounds us. Water is most important!  It is not necessary to meet a 4000ml quota a day, no idea where this ridiculous fad came from.  Your body's individual. You can get water from soups, teas & hight water content food like veggies & fruits as well. It all counts. Be mindful of excessive caffeine as it can act as a diuretic but anything that is liquid adds to the water content consumption.  Yet of course, water in its purest form is best.  Yes I know that city water is not the same pure spring water for example, but trust me, you would not want to drink the water if they didn't treat it!  We could do a whole blog on that alone.

It is all about adding small, steady, healthy steps into our lifestyle. Some practices take longer to become habitual. However as you start to feel better you will innately feel called to maintain these supportive habits.  If for brief moments we fall out of practice, we notice the difference in our bodies, thus feel motivated to move back into healthy habits.

Let's face it friends, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT! I am well aware of the quality of our foods, the overwhelm of the media & the multi-billion dollar industry & the fact that there are only so many hours in a day, so how do we fit it all in.  I assure you, that applying those simple practices above will make life seem so much more manageable & thus life will be so much better.  

Take control of your health.  Listen to your body & create a life with more health & happiness.

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