Eating Healthy and the impact on Mental Well-Being
Want to keep your brain sharp and focus better at work? Feeling tired lately? Then it's time for some lifestyle changes. Some foods support brain health and improve memory. Others put you at risk for age-related mental disorders, memory loss, and depression. What you eat has a direct impact on your mental-being.
The Role of Diet in Mental Health
The benefits of good nutrition go beyond a fit body and weight loss. A balanced diet can improve your health on every level. Certain foods, such as nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, improve brain function and mental well-being. Sugary foods, on the other hand, increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and mood swings.
Recent studies indicate that teenagers on a low quality diet are up to 80 percent more likely to become depressed. Poor nutrition also doubles the risk of ADHD and may trigger behavioral problems. A balanced diet that promotes brain health should include foods rich in protein, essential fats, and complex carbs. Essential nutrients, such as vitamin D, biotin, zinc, magnesium, and omega-3s, can positively affect mental well-being and prevent bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.
Eat Your Way to Brain Health
Whether you want enhanced mental focus, better memory, or increased productivity at work, load up on brain foods. Fill your kitchen and pantry with walnuts, pistachios, cashews, salmon, tuna, mackerel, avocado, and unrefined vegetable oils. At the same time, cut out pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, biscuits, and crackers. Limit any foods containing refined sugar and white flour.
Add olive oil to your favorite salads and homemade meals. Due to its high content of monounsaturated fats, it boosts cognitive function and protects your brain from oxidative damage. Citrus fruits, which contain brain-protective flavanones, should be a staple in your diet. Don’t forget about fish, which is a great source of vitamin D and essential fats. Eat at least two servings of oily fish per week to prevent dementia and keep your brain sharp.
Do you spend hours online reading steemit articles, trading crypto or watching movies? Are you concerned about your weight? If so, pay attention to what you eat. A balanced diet can help reduce the harmful effects of prolonged sitting, such as weight gain and heart disease. Choose low-carb, high-protein foods that fill you up quickly and curb hunger.
Need inspiration? Here are some of the healthiest snacks to eat while browsing steemit :
- Cottage Cheese
Rich in protein, cottage cheese helps reduce hunger and cravings. One serving has less than 100 calories, so you can enjoy it anytime. The protein in cottage cheese is slowly absorbed into your body, fueling your muscles into growth.
- Mixed Nuts and Seeds
Loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and protein, raw nuts are the perfect snack. Make your own trail mix at home using almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and pistachios. Due to their high fat content, nuts and seeds keep hunger at bay. Additionally, they fight inflammation and provide lasting energy.
- Homemade Protein Bars
Despite being advertised as healthy, protein bars are packed with flour, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and hydrogenated fats. If you want a healthy snack, make your own protein bars using raw nuts, whey protein, raw cocoa, stevia, and peanut butter. This way, you'll satisfy your sweet tooth and cut back on calories.
- Kale Chips
Potato chips are a favorite choice among those who spend hours at the desk. Unfortunately, these snacks pack a ton of calories and trans fats. Replace them with homemade kale chips to eat healthy and save calories. You can also try baked sweet potato chips, which are rich in fiber and slow digesting carbs.
- Vegetable Sticks
Celery sticks, cucumber sticks, and zucchini sticks are healthy and low in calories. All you have to do is to cut your favorite veggies into thin slices, add a pinch of salt and spices, and serve them with low fat cheese, Greek yogurt, or homemade tomato sauce. These snacks will keep you full between meals and add nutrients to your diet.
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You are right I've also done some research into this due to my mental health problems and diet along with environment and mental well being techniques like meditation all help towards improving our mental health. I went vegetarian at the start of last year and I've felt the difference and also it makes me feel good knowing I'm hurting the planet less than I have done in the past and this is another positive thing for me to feel proud of.
Thanks for the blog, I too will be starting to blog about my journey to improve my mental health and life in general. Hopefully we'll get to know each other more on here.