Wellbeing tip #8: Nourish your way to wellbeing

A monthly series where I’ll offer some suggestions for tools and strategies that can help with our well-being.

Each one of us is different, and what one person finds helpful, may not resonate with others. 

We may find that what has helped previously, may not be connecting with us in the same way in the present.

Or you may have a well-established set of tools that are ‘tried and trusted’, but you’d like to add some more.

It is my hope that these tips will give you some ideas. 

August: nutrition and hydration

I’m going to start with some honesty… I don’t eat a ‘perfect’ diet.

I have a sweet tooth and sometimes those sugar carvings just need to be met!

I’m also sometimes overwhelmed with all the ‘should do’s’ of nutrition.  It can leave me not quite sure where to start or wondering whether I’m eating ‘correctly’.

I meal plan for the week, but don’t always stick to it, instead choosing to do something quicker and possibly less healthy.

I also don’t consistently drink the recommended amount of water each day.

I often carry a water bottle with me, but it sometimes returns home with the exact same amount that I left the house with!

But do I believe that a healthy, nutritious diet, and hydration can have a significant impact on our mental health and wellbeing?  Yes!

I know that when I eat healthier and stay hydrated, that I feel more awake, more alert, less lethargic.

I sleep better.

Challenges feel easier to overcome and decision-making seems clearer.

Mood can feel brighter, with less ups and downs.

The day can feel easier to tackle.

This is not to say that everything is resolved through nutrition and hydration.

Life is not as simple as that.

But it can help and support.

How?

·       A nutritious diet can regulate blood sugars.  Fluctuations in them can lead to irritability, tiredness, and can impact our emotions.

·       Due to being a stimulant, caffeine can, ‘wake us up’, enable us to be more alert, to function or ‘keep going’.  However, afterwards, it can lead to feelings of tiredness, irritability or anxiety, and it can disturb sleep.

·       Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain-cell structure and function, and have been linked to a reduction in feelings of anxiety and depression.

·       Magnesium is believed to play a key role in nerve function and stress reduction.

·       A deficiency in B vitamins and folate can contribute to feelings of lethargy and low mood.

·       Water makes up a significant amount of our brain mass and is essential for things like carrying nutrients through the body, flushing out toxins and maintaining nerve function.  When we’re dehydrated, signs can mirror those of anxiety, including poor concentration, irritability, tiredness, as well as leading to physical signs such as headaches.

Even when we know the above though, it can still be hard to implement healthy nutrition and drinking water into our lives.  Why?

·       Life can be fast paced, with us rushing from one thing to another.  It can be overwhelming.  We can feel like we don’t have much time.  On days like that, it can feel so much easier, and quicker, to grab something on the go.  Convenience can win, over nutrition.

·       Habit – it can become routine to have a couple of cups of coffee in the morning to enter the day, or a glass of wine in the evening to relax from it. 

·       Not knowing where to start – there is so much information, some of which contradicts, that it can feel overwhelming.  It can also feel like it keeps changing, so it’s not quite clear where to begin.

Incorporating a healthy diet and water into our everyday life doesn’t have to be complicated.  It also doesn’t need to involve an entire lifestyle overhaul!

Small, sustainable, changes can make a difference.

Here are some suggestions:

·       Eat the rainbow – incorporate a wide variety of different coloured fruit and vegetables into your diet.  This will enable you to get a broad spectrum of vitamins and antioxidants.

·       Have balance in your diet – as well as the rainbow, also include wholegrains, lean protein and healthy fats.  Think things that are in their ‘natural form’, rather than things that have been changed and adapted in a process.

·       Limit processed foods – reduce the number of processed foods and sugary snacks and drinks.

·       Stay hydrated – keep a reusable water bottle with you.  This not only means that you can ‘sip on the go’, but it also means that you can easily refill and keep drinking through the day.  You can also jazz your water up by putting fruit in it to infuse.  Herbal teas are also a good option – warm or cold!

·       Listen to your body – notice how different foods and drinks make you feel, physically and mentally.  We’re all unique individuals, so knowing what supports you, and how you respond to things, is your greatest compass.  Allow your own observations, your self-awareness, to guide you.